A kind of wire controller and its control method, air conditioner

Abstract

The application provides a kind of wire controller and its control method, air conditioner, which is not disassembled inside circuit of existing wire controller and does not change the connection relationship of existing wire controller internal circuit, and by installing non-magnetic holding relay and mechanical switch, the improved wire controller can still ensure the normal use of the lighting lamp after the air conditioner is broken or the wire controller is powered off, and the user experience is improved. For the scene where the home has been decorated, if there is no position reserved in advance for installing the wire controller, since the wire controller provided by the application integrates the lighting lamp switch function, the wire controller can be directly installed at the lighting lamp switch position without the need to re-drill holes to install the wire controller. The technical scheme provided by the application can effectively avoid the problem that the lighting lamp switch cannot be controlled when the air conditioner indoor unit is powered off or the wire controller is abnormal, and can also make the installation convenient for users.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wired controller technology, specifically to a wired controller and its control method, and an air conditioner. Background Technology

[0002] Both wired controllers and remote controllers are terminal devices that control the central air conditioning system's on / off state, mode, temperature, fan speed, etc., to achieve various functions of the air conditioning system. Their control functions are the same.

[0003] To control the central air conditioning system with a wired controller, each indoor unit needs to be connected to the controller via a communication line. The controller is usually installed at the wall lighting switch, which requires wiring and piping to be laid before the renovation. This allows the system to blend seamlessly with the overall design, giving it a more upscale, sophisticated, and high-class look.

[0004] The wired controller integrates lighting control functions, and its power supply is directly through the communication line. However, its power supply capacity is limited. If the air conditioner breaks down or the wired controller loses power, the lights cannot be used, affecting the user experience.

[0005] See Figure 1 In existing technology, the wired controller uses a magnetic latching relay K1, which controls the light to turn on or off by sending a pulse signal through the main chip's I / O port. The control terminal of the magnetic latching relay K1 is connected to the main chip of the wired controller, and its normally open and normally closed contacts are connected in series on the live wire where the light is located.

[0006] Magnetic latching relays are a new type of relay developed in recent years, and they are also a type of automatic switch. Like other electromagnetic relays, they automatically connect and disconnect circuits. However, unlike other electromagnetic relays, the normally closed or normally open state of a magnetic latching relay depends entirely on the action of a permanent magnet, and its switching state is triggered by a pulse electrical signal of a certain width.

[0007] Magnetic latching relays were originally used primarily in IC card prepaid electricity meters and centralized meter reading systems. In recent years, magnetic latching relays have been widely used in composite switches of reactive power compensation devices. In these devices, they are used in conjunction with thyristors to become the main switching device for switching high-current circuits. They can also be used in various household appliances and automatic control devices (such as lighting control systems).

[0008] A magnetic latching relay's contacts are normally held in either open or closed state by the magnetic force generated by a permanent magnet. When the relay contacts need to be in either open or closed state (i.e., when connecting or disconnecting the load), only a positive (or negative) DC pulse voltage needs to be applied to excite the coil, and the relay instantly completes the open / close state transition. The power loss at this time is generally less than 1W. Normally, when the contacts are in the latching state, the coil does not need to be continuously energized; the magnetic force of the permanent magnet is sufficient to maintain the relay's state.

[0009] It is evident that the magnetic latching relay K1 only needs to be energized when switching between open and closed states; during other stages, it does not require continued energization, and the magnetic force of the permanent magnet is sufficient to maintain the relay's state. Therefore... Figure 1 The wired controller shown has a problem in actual use: when the controller malfunctions or the air conditioner's indoor unit is powered off, the magnetic latching relay K1 maintains its state solely due to the magnetic force of its permanent magnet. For example, if the light was on before the power was cut off, it remains on and cannot be turned off because the magnetic force of the relay K1 maintains its state. Conversely, if the light was off before the power was cut off, it remains off and cannot be turned on because the magnetic force of the relay K1 maintains its state. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and provide a wired controller and its control method, as well as an air conditioner, to solve the problem in the related art where the lighting cannot be used after the wired controller is powered off, affecting the user experience.

[0011] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0012] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a wired controller is provided, comprising a magnetic latching relay, and further comprising:

[0013] The non-magnetic latching relay has its control terminal connected to the main chip of the wired controller, and its normally closed contact and normally open contact are connected in parallel across the two ends of the magnetic latching relay.

[0014] A mechanical switch is connected in series on the live wire between the lighting lamp and the magnetic latching relay;

[0015] The non-magnetic latching relay is a reverse protection relay. When the main chip of the wired controller is powered, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, and when the main chip of the wired controller is not powered, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the closed state.

[0016] Preferably, the wired controller further includes:

[0017] The first transistor has its first terminal connected to the first I / O interface of the controller, its second terminal connected to the first ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the magnetic latching relay.

[0018] The second transistor has its first terminal connected to the second I / O interface of the controller, its second terminal connected to the second ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the magnetic latching relay.

[0019] Preferably, the wired controller further includes:

[0020] The third transistor has its first terminal connected to the main chip of the wired controller, its second terminal connected to the third ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the non-magnetic latching relay.

[0021] Preferably, the wired controller further includes:

[0022] The first resistor has one end connected to the first I / O interface and the other end connected to the first terminal of the first transistor.

[0023] The second resistor has one end connected to the second I / O interface and the other end connected to the first terminal of the second transistor.

[0024] The third resistor has one end connected to the main chip of the wired controller and the other end connected to the first terminal of the third transistor.

[0025] Preferably, the mechanical switch is located on the top of the housing of the wired controller.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a control method for a wired remote controller is provided, comprising:

[0027] During normal operation, the wired controller is powered on, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, the mechanical switch is in the closed state, and the lighting is controlled according to the switching state of the magnetic latching relay.

[0028] During abnormal operation, the wired controller is not energized, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the closed state, and the lighting is controlled according to the on / off state of the mechanical switch.

[0029] Preferably, during the normal operation phase, the wired controller is energized, and the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, specifically:

[0030] During normal operation, when the wired controller is powered on, the third transistor is not conducting, the normally open and normally closed contacts of the non-magnetic latching relay are disconnected, and the non-magnetic latching relay is in the off state.

[0031] Preferably, controlling the lighting lamp according to the on / off state of the mechanical switch includes:

[0032] If the user needs to turn on the lights, the mechanical switch is in the closed position.

[0033] If the user needs to turn off the lights, the mechanical switch is in the off position.

[0034] Preferably, controlling the lighting lamp according to the switching state of the magnetic latching relay includes:

[0035] When the first transistor is in the on state and the second transistor is in the off state, the control magnetic latching relay is in the closed state, and the lighting lamp is turned on.

[0036] When the first transistor is in the off state and the second transistor is in the on state, the control magnetic latching relay is in the off state, and the lighting lamp is turned off.

[0037] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner is provided, comprising:

[0038] The aforementioned wired controller.

[0039] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention may include the following beneficial effects:

[0040] Without disassembling the internal circuitry of the existing wired controller or altering its internal circuit connections, the improved wired controller, by adding a non-magnetic latching relay and a mechanical switch, ensures that the lighting can still function normally even after the air conditioner breaks down or the controller loses power, thus enhancing the user experience.

[0041] In homes that are already renovated, if no space has been pre-reserved for a wired controller, the wired controller provided by this invention integrates a lighting switch function, allowing it to be directly installed at the lighting switch location without the need for drilling new holes. This invention effectively prevents the lighting switch from becoming uncontrollable after a power outage of the air conditioner's indoor unit or a malfunction of the wired controller, while also providing convenience for users due to ease of installation. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a wired controller, as shown in the background art.

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a wired controller according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0044] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a wired controller according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0045] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a wired controller according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a wired controller according to an exemplary embodiment. The wired controller includes a magnetic latching relay K1 and further includes:

[0049] The non-magnetic latching relay K2 has its control terminal connected to the main chip of the wired controller, and its normally closed contact and normally open contact are connected in parallel across the two ends of the magnetic latching relay K1.

[0050] Mechanical switch S3 is connected in series on the live wire between the lighting lamp and the magnetic latching relay K1;

[0051] The non-magnetic latching relay K2 is a reverse protection relay. When the main chip of the wired controller is powered, the non-magnetic latching relay K2 is in the open state, and when the main chip of the wired controller is not powered, the non-magnetic latching relay K2 is in the closed state.

[0052] In practice, the technical solution provided in this embodiment is applicable to air conditioners.

[0053] When the wired controller is in normal use, ensure that mechanical switch S3 is pressed and in the closed state, at which point the wired controller is powered on. K2 is a reverse protection relay; when the wired controller is powered, the magnet pulls K2's switch, causing S2 to be in the open state, and the lighting switch is controlled by the magnetic latching relay K1. When the wired controller is malfunctioning and not powered on, regardless of whether the wired controller was open or closed before the power was cut off, relay K2 is not powered on, and there is no magnet to pull S2's switch, causing S2 to close. At this time, the lighting switch is controlled by mechanical switch S3. In this case, the lighting can be used normally regardless of whether the wired controller is normal or malfunctioning. The correspondence between the wired controller state and the switching state of magnetic latching relay K1's switch S1, the switching state of non-magnetic latching relay K2's switch S2, and the switching state of mechanical switch S3 is shown in Table 1 below.

[0054]

[0055]

[0056] Table 1

[0057] It is understood that the technical solution provided in this embodiment, without disassembling the internal circuit of the existing wired controller or changing the internal circuit connection relationship of the existing wired controller, by adding a non-magnetic latching relay and a mechanical switch, ensures that the lighting can still be used normally after the air conditioner breaks down or the wired controller loses power, thus improving the user experience.

[0058] See Figure 2The wired controller further includes:

[0059] The first transistor Q1 has its first terminal connected to the first IO interface of the controller, its second terminal connected to the first ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the magnetic latching relay.

[0060] The second transistor Q2 has its first terminal connected to the second IO interface of the controller, its second terminal connected to the second ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the magnetic latching relay.

[0061] In practice, the first I / O interface outputs a high-level control signal to the first transistor Q1, which in turn outputs a high-level control signal to the relay K1, causing the relay K1 to close and output a drive signal to the lighting lamp. The lighting lamp then turns on upon receiving the drive signal. The second I / O interface outputs a low-level control signal to the second transistor Q2, which in turn outputs a low-level control signal to the relay K1, causing the relay K1 to open and control the lighting lamp to turn off.

[0062] See Figure 2 The wired controller further includes:

[0063] The third transistor Q3 has its first terminal connected to the main chip of the wired controller, its second terminal connected to the third ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the non-magnetic latching relay.

[0064] In practice, the first terminal of the third transistor Q3 is connected to the main chip of the wired controller. When the wired controller is powered, the third transistor Q3 is cut off, K2 is a reverse protection relay, and the magnetic attraction of K2 keeps the switch S2 in the open state. The switch of the lighting lamp is controlled by the magnetic latching relay K1.

[0065] See Figure 2 The wired controller further includes:

[0066] The first resistor R1 has one end connected to the first IO interface and the other end connected to the first terminal of the first transistor Q1;

[0067] The second resistor R2 has one end connected to the second IO interface and the other end connected to the first terminal of the second transistor Q2;

[0068] The third resistor R3 has one end connected to the main chip of the wired controller and the other end connected to the first terminal of the third transistor Q3.

[0069] It should be noted that the first resistor R1, the second resistor R2, and the third resistor R3 are set to protect the first transistor Q1, the second transistor Q2, and the third transistor Q3, respectively, by providing current limiting protection to prevent the transistors from being damaged and to improve their service life.

[0070] See Figure 3 Preferably, the mechanical switch is located on the top of the housing of the wired controller.

[0071] Understandably, since the mechanical switch needs to be pressed or released by the user when the wired controller is not powered, the mechanical switch is located on the top of the wired controller's housing for easy location by the user and to prevent the user from accidentally pressing the mechanical switch.

[0072] In homes that are already renovated, if no space has been pre-reserved for a wired controller, the wired controller provided in this embodiment integrates a lighting switch function, allowing it to be directly installed at the lighting switch location without the need for drilling new holes. This technical solution effectively prevents the lighting switch from becoming uncontrollable after a power outage of the air conditioner's indoor unit or a malfunction of the wired controller, while also providing convenience for users due to ease of installation.

[0073] Example 1

[0074] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a wired controller according to an exemplary embodiment, the method comprising:

[0075] Step S11: During normal operation, the wired controller is powered on, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, the mechanical switch is in the closed state, and the lighting is controlled according to the switching state of the magnetic latching relay.

[0076] Step S12, Abnormal working stage: The wired controller is not powered, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the closed state, and the lighting is controlled according to the on / off state of the mechanical switch.

[0077] In practical application, the technical solution provided in this embodiment is applicable to... Figure 2 The wired controller shown is installed in the air conditioner.

[0078] In practice, during the normal operating phase, the wired controller is energized, and the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, specifically as follows:

[0079] During normal operation, when the wired controller is powered on, the third transistor Q3 is not conducting, the normally open and normally closed contacts of the non-magnetic latching relay are disconnected, and the non-magnetic latching relay is in the off state.

[0080] The control of the lighting lamp based on the on / off state of the mechanical switch includes:

[0081] If the user needs to turn on the lights, the mechanical switch is in the closed position.

[0082] If the user needs to turn off the lights, the mechanical switch is in the off position.

[0083] The control of the lighting lamp based on the switching state of the magnetic latching relay includes:

[0084] When the first transistor Q1 is in the on state and the second transistor Q2 is in the off state, the control magnetic latching relay is in the closed state, and the lighting lamp is turned on.

[0085] When the first transistor Q1 is in the off state and the second transistor Q2 is in the on state, the control magnetic latching relay is in the off state, and the lighting lamp is turned off.

[0086] Understandably, when the wired controller is in normal use, ensure that mechanical switch S3 is pressed and in the closed state, at which point the wired controller is powered on. K2 is a reverse protection relay; when the wired controller is powered, the magnet pulls the switch of K2, causing S2 to be in the open state, and the switch of the lighting is controlled by the magnetic latching relay K1. When the wired controller is malfunctioning and not powered on, regardless of whether the wired controller was open or closed before the power was cut off, relay K2 is not powered on, and there is no magnet to pull the switch of S2, causing S2 to close. At this time, the switch of the lighting is controlled by mechanical switch S3. In this case, the lighting can be used normally regardless of whether the wired controller is normal or malfunctioning. The correspondence between the wired controller state and the switch state of magnetic latching relay K1, the switch state of non-magnetic latching relay K2, and the switch state of mechanical switch S3 is shown in Table 1 below.

[0087]

[0088] Table 1

[0089] It is understood that the technical solution provided in this embodiment, without disassembling the internal circuit of the existing wired controller or changing the internal circuit connection relationship of the existing wired controller, by adding a non-magnetic latching relay and a mechanical switch, ensures that the lighting can still be used normally after the air conditioner breaks down or the wired controller loses power, thus improving the user experience.

[0090] Example 3

[0091] An air conditioner according to an exemplary embodiment includes:

[0092] This includes the aforementioned wired controller.

[0093] It is understood that the technical solution provided in this embodiment, without disassembling the internal circuit of the existing wired controller or changing the internal circuit connection relationship of the existing wired controller, by adding a non-magnetic latching relay and a mechanical switch, ensures that the lighting can still be used normally after the air conditioner breaks down or the wired controller loses power, thus improving the user experience.

[0094] In homes that are already renovated, if no space has been pre-reserved for a wired controller, the wired controller provided in this embodiment integrates a lighting switch function, allowing it to be directly installed at the lighting switch location without the need for drilling new holes. This technical solution effectively prevents the lighting switch from becoming uncontrollable after a power outage of the air conditioner's indoor unit or a malfunction of the wired controller, while also providing convenience for users due to ease of installation.

[0095] The sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0096] If the integrated units in the above embodiments are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in the aforementioned computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or all or part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause one or more computer devices (which may be personal computers, servers, or network devices, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0097] In the above embodiments of this application, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0098] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed client can be implemented in other ways. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for example, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, indirect coupling or communication connection between units or modules, and may be electrical or other forms.

[0099] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0100] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit.

[0101] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A wired controller, comprising a magnetic latching relay, characterized in that, Also includes: The non-magnetic latching relay has its control terminal connected to the main chip of the wired controller, and its normally closed contact and normally open contact are connected in parallel across the two ends of the magnetic latching relay. A mechanical switch is connected in series on the live wire between the lighting lamp and the magnetic latching relay; The non-magnetic latching relay is a reverse protection relay. When the main chip of the wired controller is powered, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, and when the main chip of the wired controller is not powered, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the closed state. Also includes: The first transistor has its first terminal connected to the first I / O interface of the controller, its second terminal connected to the first ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the magnetic latching relay. The second transistor has its first terminal connected to the second I / O interface of the controller, its second terminal connected to the second ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the magnetic latching relay. Also includes: The third transistor has its first terminal connected to the main chip of the wired controller, its second terminal connected to the third ground terminal, and its third terminal connected to the energized coil of the non-magnetic latching relay. Also includes: The first resistor has one end connected to the first I / O interface and the other end connected to the first terminal of the first transistor. The second resistor has one end connected to the second I / O interface and the other end connected to the first terminal of the second transistor. The third resistor has one end connected to the main chip of the wired controller and the other end connected to the first terminal of the third transistor; The mechanical switch is located on the top of the housing of the wired controller.

2. A control method for a wired controller, applied to the wired controller as described in claim 1, characterized in that, include: During normal operation, the wired controller is powered on, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, the mechanical switch is in the closed state, and the lighting is controlled according to the switching state of the magnetic latching relay. During abnormal operation, the wired controller is not energized, the non-magnetic latching relay is in the closed state, and the lighting is controlled according to the on / off state of the mechanical switch.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, During the normal operation phase, the wired controller is energized, and the non-magnetic latching relay is in the open state, specifically: During normal operation, when the wired controller is powered on, the third transistor is not conducting, the normally open and normally closed contacts of the non-magnetic latching relay are disconnected, and the non-magnetic latching relay is in the off state.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control of the lighting lamp based on the on / off state of the mechanical switch includes: If the user needs to turn on the lights, the mechanical switch is in the closed position. If the user needs to turn off the lights, the mechanical switch is in the off position.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that, The control of the lighting lamp based on the switching state of the magnetic latching relay includes: When the first transistor is in the on state and the second transistor is in the off state, the control magnetic latching relay is in the closed state, and the lighting lamp is turned on. When the first transistor is in the off state and the second transistor is in the on state, the control magnetic latching relay is in the off state, and the lighting lamp is turned off.

6. An air conditioner, characterized in that, include: The wired controller as claimed in claim 1.

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