Air conditioning system and control method thereof

Abstract

An air conditioning system is provided which is connected in a three-phase power line and is coupled with a three-phase coupler through the three-phase power line. The air conditioning system comprises an outdoor unit, and the outdoor unit comprises a power line carrier communication gateway and a controller. The controller is configured to control the power line carrier communication gateway to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler; and controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to receive the first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler, responding to the first response signal, and networking with the first equipment sending the first response signal. And the three-phase coupler is further configured to forward the first response signal to the spoon equipment connected to any phase of power line in the three-phase power line under the condition that the target address carried by the first response signal is the same as the address of the power line carrier communication gateway recorded by the three-phase coupler.

Description

Air conditioning system and control method thereof

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese patent application No. 202211067449.0 filed on September 1, 2022, and priority to Chinese patent application No. 202211497853.1 filed on November 25, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to an air-conditioning system and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0003] Power line carrier (PLC) technology is a common communication technology used in smart devices. PLC utilizes power lines to transmit analog or digital signals at high speed via carrier waves, enabling communication between devices. Therefore, PLC is widely used in communication between air conditioning systems and other smart devices.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] On the one hand, an air-conditioning system is provided, which is connected to a three-phase power line and coupled to a three-phase coupler through the three-phase power line. The air-conditioning system includes an outdoor unit and a controller. The outdoor unit is connected to any one of the three-phase power lines and includes a power line carrier communication gateway. The controller is connected to the power line carrier communication gateway. The controller is configured to control the power line carrier communication gateway to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler; control the power line carrier communication gateway to receive a first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler, and in response to the first response signal, network with the first device that sent the first response signal. The three-phase coupler is configured to forward the networking signal to a device connected to any one of the three-phase power lines if the address of the power line carrier communication gateway has been recorded. The networking signal is used to instruct the first device located on any one of the three-phase power lines to network with the air-conditioning system. The three-phase coupler is further configured to forward the first response signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the target address carried by the first response signal is the same as the address of the power line carrier communication gateway recorded by the three-phase coupler.

[0006] In another aspect, a control method for an air conditioning system is provided. The air conditioning system is connected to a three-phase power line and coupled to a three-phase coupler via the three-phase power line. The air conditioning system includes an outdoor unit and a controller. The outdoor unit is connected to any one of the three-phase power lines and includes a power line carrier communication gateway. The controller is connected to the power line carrier communication gateway. The method includes the controller controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler; the three-phase coupler is configured to forward the networking signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the address of the power line carrier communication gateway has been recorded; the networking signal is used to indicate that a first device located on any phase power line of the three-phase power line is networked with the air-conditioning system; the controller controls the power line carrier communication gateway to receive a first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler, and in response to the first response signal, to network with the first device that sends the first response signal; the three-phase coupler is also configured to forward the first response signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the target address carried by the first response signal is the same as the address of the power line carrier communication gateway recorded by the three-phase coupler.

[0007] On the other hand, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer executes one or more steps in the control method of the air-conditioning system as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0008] On the other hand, a computer program product is provided, which includes computer program instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer performs one or more steps in the control method of the air-conditioning system as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0009] On the other hand, an air-conditioning system is provided, which is connected to a three-phase power line. The air-conditioning system includes an outdoor unit, a three-phase coupler and a controller. The outdoor unit is used to dissipate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode, and to absorb heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode. The outdoor unit includes a power line carrier communication gateway. The power line carrier communication gateway is configured to communicate with a first device connected to any phase power line in the three-phase power line. The three-phase coupler is configured to forward the communication signal sent by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device on any phase power line in the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal sent by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway. The controller is configured to obtain multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler and the first device; when the multiple communication qualities respectively meet the preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in a first working state; when the three-phase coupler is in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is also configured to send a notification signal to the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device, so as to notify the power line carrier communication gateway and the intelligent first device respectively and enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

[0010] On the other hand, a control method for an air-conditioning system is provided, wherein the air-conditioning system is connected to a three-phase power line. The air-conditioning system includes an outdoor unit, a three-phase coupler, and a controller. The outdoor unit is used to dissipate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode, and to absorb heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode. The outdoor unit includes a power line carrier communication gateway. The power line carrier communication gateway is configured to communicate with a first device connected to any phase power line in the three-phase power line. The three-phase coupler is configured to forward the communication signal sent by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device on any phase power line in the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal sent by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway. The method includes the controller obtaining multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler and the first device; when the multiple communication qualities respectively meet preset quality conditions, the controller controls the three-phase coupler to be in a first working state; when the three-phase coupler is in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is configured to forward the communication signal sent by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device, and forward the communication signal sent by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway, and send a notification signal to the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device to enable the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

[0011] On the other hand, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is provided, which stores computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer executes one or more steps in the control method of the air-conditioning system as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0012] On the other hand, a computer program product is provided, which includes computer program instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer performs one or more steps in the control method of the air-conditioning system as described in any of the above embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present disclosure, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, the drawings described below are only drawings of some embodiments of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art can also derive other drawings based on these drawings. In addition, the drawings described below can be regarded as schematic diagrams and are not intended to limit the actual size of the products involved in the embodiments of the present disclosure, the actual process of the method, the actual timing of the signals, etc.

[0014] FIG1 is a block diagram of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0015] FIG2 is a circuit diagram of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG3 is a block diagram of another air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0017] FIG4 is a flow chart of a method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0018] FIG5 is a block diagram of a networking system according to some embodiments;

[0019] FIG6 is a flow chart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0020] FIG7 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0021] FIG8 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0022] FIG9 is a block diagram of another networking system according to some embodiments;

[0023] FIG10 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0024] FIG11 is a circuit diagram of a three-phase coupler according to some embodiments;

[0025] FIG12 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0026] FIG13 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0027] FIG14 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0028] FIG15 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0029] FIG16 is a flowchart of another method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0030] FIG17 is a block diagram of a controller according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in some embodiments of the present disclosure. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field are within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0032] Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims, the term "comprise" and its other forms, such as the third person singular form "comprises" and the present participle form "comprising", are to be interpreted as open and inclusive, that is, "including, but not limited to". In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiments", "example", "specific example" or "some examples" are intended to indicate that the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics associated with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present disclosure. The schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. In addition, the particular features, structures, materials or characteristics may be included in any one or more embodiments or examples in any appropriate manner.

[0033] In the following, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood to indicate or imply relative importance or implicitly specify the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0034] When describing some embodiments, the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives may be used. The term "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. The term "coupled" indicates that two or more components are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" may also refer to two or more components that are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the contents of this document.

[0035] “At least one of A, B and C” has the same meaning as “at least one of A, B or C” and both include the following combinations of A, B and C: A only, B only, C only, the combination of A and B, the combination of A and C, the combination of B and C, and the combination of A, B and C.

[0036] “A and / or B” includes the following three combinations: A only, B only, and a combination of A and B.

[0037] As used herein, the term "if" is optionally interpreted to mean "when" or "upon" or "in response to determining" or "in response to detecting," depending on the context. Similarly, the phrases "if it is determined that" or "if [stated condition or event] is detected" are optionally interpreted to mean "upon determining" or "in response to determining" or "upon detecting [stated condition or event]" or "in response to detecting [stated condition or event]," depending on the context.

[0038] The use of "adapted to" or "configured to" herein is intended to be open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted or configured to perform additional tasks or steps.

[0039] Additionally, the use of “based on” is meant to be open and inclusive, as a process, step, calculation, or other action “based on” one or more stated conditions or values ​​may, in practice, be based on additional conditions or values ​​beyond those stated.

[0040] As used herein, "about," "substantially," or "approximately" includes the stated value and an average value that is within an acceptable range of deviation from the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurements in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the particular quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system).

[0041] As used herein, "parallel", "perpendicular", and "equal" include the situations described and situations similar to the situations described, and the range of the similar situations is within an acceptable deviation range, wherein the acceptable deviation range is as determined by a person of ordinary skill in the art taking into account the measurement in question and the errors associated with the measurement of the specific quantity (i.e., the limitations of the measurement system). For example, "parallel" includes absolute parallelism and approximate parallelism, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate parallelism can be, for example, a deviation within 5°; "perpendicular" includes absolute perpendicularity and approximate perpendicularity, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate perpendicularity can also be, for example, a deviation within 5°. "Equal" includes absolute equality and approximate equality, wherein the acceptable deviation range of approximate equality can be, for example, that the difference between the two equals is less than or equal to 5% of either one.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

[0044] Power line carrier communication (PLC) is a commonly used communication technology in smart devices. PLC-based air conditioning systems can communicate between outdoor and indoor units, as well as with smart devices such as smart light switches, curtain switches, and smart outlets.

[0045] The present disclosure provides an air conditioning system 1000, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the air conditioning system 1000 includes an outdoor unit 1, an indoor unit 2, and a controller 4. The outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 2 are devices using PLC technology.

[0046] Typically, the outdoor unit 1 dissipates heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode, and absorbs heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit 2 in heating mode. Conversely, the indoor unit 2 absorbs heat from the refrigerant output by the outdoor unit 1 in cooling mode, and dissipates heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in heating mode.

[0047] In some embodiments, referring to FIG3 , the air conditioning system 1000 includes a first power line carrier communication component 5 (also referred to as a first PLC component 5 ). The first PLC component 5 is a component based on PLC technology, such as a power line carrier communication gateway (i.e., a PLC gateway) 51. The first PLC component 5 is connected to the controller 4 and is provided in the outdoor unit 1 .

[0048] In some embodiments, the air conditioning system 1000 includes a plurality of first PLC components 5. For example, the plurality of first PLC components 5 include a PLC gateway 51 provided in the outdoor unit 1 and a power line carrier communication component provided in the indoor unit 2.

[0049] In some embodiments, the power transmission line of the air conditioning system 1000 is a three-phase, four-wire system. For example, the three phases are A, B, and C, and the four wires are a first power line L1, a second power line L2, a third power line L3, and a neutral line N. The first power line L1, the second power line L2, and the third power line L3 are power lines of different phases, and the neutral line N is, for example, a neutral line. The outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 2 can be connected to power lines of the same or different phases. For example, the outdoor unit 1 is connected to the first power line L1, and the indoor unit 2 is connected to the second power line L2.

[0050] The three-phase coupler 31, installed in the user's distribution box 3, is a PLC-based coupler. It couples the power line carrier signal emitted by a PLC device connected to any phase of the three-phase power line, enabling the PLC gateway 51 to perform power line carrier communication with another PLC device connected to any phase of the three-phase power line.

[0051] It should be noted that the three-phase power line is divided into an A-phase power line, a B-phase power line, and a C-phase power line. The A-phase power line is one of the first power line L1, the second power line L2, and the third power line L3, the B-phase power line is the other of the first power line L1, the second power line L2, and the third power line L3, and the C-phase power line is the other of the first power line L1, the second power line L2, and the third power line L3.

[0052] For example, the A-phase power line is the first power line L1, the B-phase power line is the second power line L2, and the C-phase power line is the third power line L3; or, the A-phase power line is the third power line L3, the B-phase power line is the second power line L2, and the C-phase power line is the first power line L1. This disclosure does not limit this.

[0053] The controller 4 is configured to control the PLC gateway 51 to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler 31, and to control the PLC gateway 51 to receive the first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31, and to network with the first device 6 that sends the first response signal in response to the first response signal.

[0054] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG3 , the air conditioning system 1000 further includes a communication component 7 and a power supply 8 . The communication component 7 and the power supply 8 are connected to the controller 4 .

[0055] The communication component 7 is a device that communicates with external devices or servers according to various communication protocols. The communication component 7 includes at least one of a wireless communication technology (WIFI) device, a chip, and an infrared receiver. For example, the chip is a network communication protocol chip or a near-field communication protocol chip. Network communication protocol chips include, for example, Bluetooth devices, wired Ethernet devices, and near-field communication (NFC) devices.

[0056] The communication component 7 is configured to receive signals sent by the user's mobile device 9. For example, the communication component 7 is configured to communicate with the user's mobile device 9 or a communication network. The communication network includes Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), and wireless local area network (WLAN).

[0057] In some embodiments, the PLC gateway 51 can utilize the communication component 7 to connect to the cloud platform through communication methods such as Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT), fourth-generation mobile communication technology (4G) and fifth-generation mobile communication technology (5G), thereby establishing a connection with the user's mobile terminal.

[0058] In some embodiments, the power supply 8 is configured to provide operating power support for various electrical components of the air conditioning system 1000 under the control of the controller 4. The power supply 8 may include a battery and related control circuits.

[0059] Based on the above-mentioned air-conditioning system 1000 , as shown in FIG4 , the present disclosure provides a method for controlling an air-conditioning system, which includes steps 101 to 102 .

[0060] In step 101 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler 31 .

[0061] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward a networking signal to a device connected to any phase of the three-phase power line, provided that the address of the PLC gateway 51 has been recorded. The networking signal includes the identifier, device number, or device information of the first device 6. Thus, after receiving the networking signal, the first device 6 can send a first response signal in response to the networking signal. The networking signal is used to indicate that the first device 6 connected to any phase of the three-phase power line is networked with the air conditioning system 1000. The first response signal includes the identifier of the PLC gateway 51, the corresponding device number, or device information.

[0062] Exemplarily, as shown in FIG5 , the PLC gateway 51 connected to the C-phase power line sends a networking signal to the smart socket 61 connected to the A-phase power line through the three-phase coupler 31 .

[0063] In step 102 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to receive the first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31 , so that the PLC gateway 51 responds to the first response signal and forms a network with the first device 6 that sends the first response signal.

[0064] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward the first response signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the target address carried by the first response signal is the same as the address of the PLC gateway 51 recorded by the three-phase coupler 31.

[0065] For example, the first device 6 receives the networking signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31, instructing the first device 6 to establish a network with the air conditioning system 1000. The first device 6 sends the first response signal based on the networking signal, and the three-phase coupler 31 forwards the first response signal. After receiving the first response signal, the three-phase coupler 31 can determine that the first response signal is a signal sent to the recorded PLC gateway 51, and thus forward the first response signal.

[0066] It is understandable that the three-phase coupler 31 will forward the networking signal sent by the PLC gateway 51 only when the address of the PLC gateway 51 has been recorded, and will forward the signal sent by the smart device only when the target address of the signal received is the same as the address of the recorded PLC gateway 51, thereby realizing cross-network communication (i.e., cross-phase communication) between devices. In this way, the situation of increased messages and increased communication pressure when using the hardware device three-phase coupler 31 to realize cross-network communication with smart devices can be improved, and the air-conditioning system 1000 can accurately send signals to the corresponding smart devices and receive signals sent to itself by the corresponding smart devices, thereby improving the communication efficiency between devices.

[0067] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG6 , before step 101 , the method further includes steps 201 to 202 .

[0068] In step 201 , the controller 4 obtains a first signal sent by the mobile device 9 .

[0069] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 31 includes a QR code. An application (APP) is installed on the mobile device 9. For example, the application may be an application corresponding to the air conditioning system 1000, or an application corresponding to a user's home device. The user can scan the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 through the application on the mobile device 9 to add the three-phase coupler 31 to the user's home device. For ease of description, the applications mentioned below are all applications on the mobile device 9 corresponding to the air conditioning system 1000.

[0070] The first signal is sent by the mobile device 9 in response to the application scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31. This first signal is used to instruct the PLC gateway 51 to add the three-phase coupler 31 to a whitelist. Adding the three-phase coupler 31 to the whitelist allows the PLC gateway 51 to receive any signal sent by the three-phase coupler 31 without rejection, thereby improving the security and efficiency of communication between the air conditioning system 1000 and smart devices via the three-phase coupler 31.

[0071] In some embodiments, after the application on the mobile device 9 scans the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31, the mobile device 9 may add the three-phase coupler 31 to the relevant options of the PLC gateway 51 in the application and send a first signal to the air conditioning system 1000. For example, the mobile device 9 is a mobile phone, a tablet, a smart watch, etc.

[0072] In some embodiments, the first signal is a signal sent by the mobile device 9 in response to the user's manually input information about the three-phase coupler 31 (such as the device address, device number, device identification, etc. of the three-phase coupler 31) obtained by the application.

[0073] In step 202 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to add the three-phase coupler 31 to the whitelist according to the first signal.

[0074] In some embodiments, the PLC gateway 51 adds the three-phase coupler 31 to the whitelist so that the three-phase coupler 31 can establish a communication relationship with the PLC gateway 51 .

[0075] In response to the operation of adding the three-phase coupler 31 to the application, the mobile device 9 sends a corresponding signal to the three-phase coupler 31. After receiving the signal sent by the mobile device 9, the three-phase coupler 31 records the address of the PLC gateway 51 according to the information in the signal.

[0076] Exemplarily, a user opens the application on mobile device 9 and scans the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 through the application, adding the three-phase coupler 31 to the relevant options of the PLC gateway 51 in the application. Controller 4 controls PLC gateway 51 to add the three-phase coupler 31 to the whitelist using a networking technology and controls the three-phase coupler 31 to record the address of the PLC gateway 51. For example, the networking technology can be any one of a universal serial port-based networking technology, a dedicated bus-based networking technology, and an Ethernet-based networking technology, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0077] It is understood that the user adds the relevant information of the three-phase coupler 31 through the application on the mobile device 9, and sends a signal to the PLC gateway 51 through the mobile device 9, so that the PLC gateway 51 adds the three-phase coupler 31 to the whitelist. In this way, the three-phase coupler 31 can record the address of the PLC gateway 51, thereby establishing a communication relationship between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51, and further enabling the PLC gateway 51 to send signals to the smart device through the three-phase coupler 31.

[0078] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 7 , step 101 includes steps 101A and 101B.

[0079] In step 101A, the controller 4 obtains a second signal sent by the mobile device 9 .

[0080] In some embodiments, the second signal is a signal sent by the mobile device 9 in response to a user operation on the application on the first device 6. The second signal is used to instruct the PLC gateway 51 to form a network with the first device 6, thereby forming a network with the air conditioning system 1000.

[0081] The user's operation on the first device 6 on the application includes the user selecting to scan the QR code of the first device 6 on the application, and selecting the PLC gateway 51 to form a network with the first device 6.

[0082] In some embodiments, the user's operation on the first device 6 on the application includes the user manually adding relevant information of the first device 6 (such as the device code of the first device 6) on the application, and selecting the PLC gateway 51 to network with the first device 6.

[0083] In step 101B, the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler 31 in response to the second signal.

[0084] In some embodiments, in response to the second signal, the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler 31 through a networking technology.

[0085] The three-phase coupler 31 recognizes that the networking signal comes from the recorded address of the PLC gateway 51 and forwards the networking signal to a device connected to any phase power line.

[0086] In summary, the user adds relevant information about the first device 6 through the application on the mobile device 9 and selects the PLC gateway 51 through the application to establish a network with the first device 6, thereby causing the mobile device 9 to send a second signal to the air conditioning system 1000. Based on the second signal, the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send the networking signal to the three-phase coupler 31, so that the first device 6 receives the networking signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31. In this way, the user can directly control the air conditioning system 1000 to communicate with the smart device through the mobile device 9, and the communication efficiency is high.

[0087] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG8 , after step 102 , the method further includes steps 103 and 104 .

[0088] In step 103 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send a target signal to the three-phase coupler 31 .

[0089] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward the target signal to a device connected to any phase of the three-phase power line when the address of the PLC gateway 51 is recorded. The target signal is used to instruct the first device 6 to perform a corresponding operation.

[0090] For example, the first device 6 is any PLC-based device such as a smart curtain 64, a humidifier, a chandelier, or a smart socket 61. When the first device 6 is the smart curtain 64, the target signal is configured to control the smart curtain 64 to be opened or closed; when the first device 6 is the humidifier 62, the target signal is configured to control the humidifier 62 to be turned on to a corresponding humidity or turned off; when the first device 6 is the chandelier, the target signal is configured to control the chandelier to be turned on to a corresponding brightness value or turned off; and when the first device 6 is the smart socket 61, the target signal is configured to control the smart socket 61 to be turned on or off.

[0091] For example, as shown in FIG9 , when the first device 6 is a smart socket 61, the user's mobile device 9 sends a corresponding signal in response to the user selecting to turn on the smart socket 61 in the application. Based on the signal sent by the mobile device 9, the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 through networking technology to send a target signal instructing the smart socket 61 to turn on. After the three-phase coupler 31 recognizes that the target signal comes from the recorded address of the PLC gateway 51, it forwards the target signal to the device connected to any phase of the power line. The smart socket 61 connected to any phase of the power line completes the turn-on operation according to the target signal.

[0092] In some embodiments, multiple first devices 6 can be connected to a three-phase power line. As shown in Figure 5, a smart socket 61 is connected to phase A of the three-phase power line, a humidifier 62 is connected to phase B of the three-phase power line, and an outdoor unit 1 is connected to phase C of the three-phase power line. A user sends a target signal to a target device via a mobile device 9. The controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send the target signal to the three-phase coupler 31 based on the target signal.

[0093] In step 104 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to receive the feedback signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31 .

[0094] In some embodiments, the feedback signal includes a signal sent by the first device 6 after completing a corresponding operation and a signal sent by the first device 6 after failing to perform a corresponding operation. The three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward the feedback signal to a device connected to any phase of the three-phase power line if the destination address carried by the feedback signal is the same as the address of the PLC gateway 51 recorded by the three-phase coupler 31.

[0095] For example, when the first device 6 is a smart socket 61, upon receiving the target signal, the smart socket 61 performs the corresponding operation and sends a corresponding feedback signal based on the completion of the corresponding operation. The three-phase coupler 31 recognizes that the feedback signal is sent to the recorded address of the PLC gateway 51 and forwards the feedback signal to the device connected to any phase of the power line. The controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to receive the feedback signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31.

[0096] In some embodiments, when the feedback signal represents a signal sent by the first device 6 after failing to perform a corresponding operation, the controller 4 can control the PLC gateway 51 to send the target signal again to instruct the first device 6 to perform the corresponding operation, or the controller 4 can control the communication component 7 to notify the user's mobile device 9 based on the feedback signal.

[0097] For example, when the feedback signal indicates that the smart socket 61 failed to turn on, the controller 4 controls the communication component 7 to send a signal to the mobile device 9 to notify the user that the smart socket 61 failed to turn on. According to the signal, the application in the mobile device 9 can display a text prompt "The smart socket failed to turn on, do you choose to turn it on again?"

[0098] In summary, when the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 are networked, the PLC gateway 51 communicates with the first device 6 through the three-phase coupler 31. This communication method enables devices connected to different power lines to communicate, and improves the situation of increased messages and increased communication pressure when using the hardware device three-phase coupler 31 to achieve cross-network communication between devices, thereby improving the communication efficiency between devices.

[0099] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 9, the networking system of the air-conditioning system 1000 includes a three-phase power line, a three-phase coupler 31, an outdoor unit 1, a mobile device 9 (such as a mobile phone), a cloud platform 10 and a first device 6 (such as a smart socket 61).

[0100] The outdoor unit 1 and the smart socket 61 are connected to different phases of the three-phase power line. For example, the outdoor unit 1 is connected to the C-phase power line, and the smart socket 61 is connected to the A-phase power line. The smart socket 61 is a PLC-based socket.

[0101] The cloud platform 10 is configured to store information input by the mobile device 9 (e.g., the device address, device number, device identification, etc. of the three-phase coupler 31, and the backup address, device number, device identification, etc. of the smart socket 61). The mobile device 9 can retrieve the corresponding information from the cloud platform 10.

[0102] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG10 , based on the networking system shown in FIG9 , some embodiments of the present disclosure provide another control method for an air-conditioning system 1000 , which includes steps 301 to 308 .

[0103] In step 301 , the application in the mobile device 9 is used to scan the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 so that the three-phase coupler 31 is added to the PLC gateway 51 , and the mobile device 9 sends a first signal to the PLC gateway 51 .

[0104] For example, the user opens the application in the mobile device 9 and uses the camera to scan the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 in the application to add the three-phase coupler 31 to the PLC gateway 51 , and the mobile device 9 sends a first signal to the PLC gateway 51 .

[0105] In step 302 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to add the three-phase coupler 31 to the whitelist according to the first signal, and controls the three-phase coupler 31 to record the address of the PLC gateway 51 .

[0106] In step 303 , the application is used to scan the QR code of the smart socket 61 , and the smart socket 61 is added to the PLC gateway 51 . The mobile device 9 sends a second signal instructing the PLC gateway 51 to form a network with the smart socket 61 .

[0107] For example, the user opens the application and scans the QR code of the smart socket 61 to add the smart socket 61 to the PLC gateway 51 , and the mobile device 9 sends a second signal instructing the PLC gateway 51 to form a network with the smart socket 61 .

[0108] In step 304 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send a networking signal according to the second signal.

[0109] In step 305 , the three-phase coupler 31 recognizes that the networking signal comes from the recorded address of the PLC gateway 51 , and forwards the networking signal to a device connected to any phase power line.

[0110] In step 306 , the smart socket 61 receives the networking signal and sends a response signal.

[0111] In step 307 , the three-phase coupler 31 recognizes that the response signal is sent to the recorded address of the PLC gateway 51 , and forwards the response signal to a device connected to any phase power line.

[0112] In step 308 , the PLC gateway 51 receives the response signal sent by the smart socket 61 and forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31 , and forms a network with the smart socket 61 in response to the response signal.

[0113] In summary, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a networking system that uses a combination of software and hardware to add a three-phase coupler 31 to a PLC gateway 51 through an application on a mobile device 9, thereby causing the three-phase coupler 31 to record the address of the PLC gateway 51. Thus, only when the three-phase coupler 31 recognizes that the networking signal originates from the recorded address of the PLC gateway 51 will it forward the networking signal to a device connected to any phase of the power line, thereby enabling cross-network communication between devices based on PLC technology.

[0114] The establishment of the networking system can improve the situation of increased messages and increased communication pressure when using the hardware device three-phase coupler 31 to realize cross-network communication between devices, and enable the air-conditioning system 1000 to accurately send signals to the corresponding device and receive the signals sent to itself by the corresponding device, thereby improving the communication efficiency between devices.

[0115] In some embodiments, the air conditioning system 1000 includes a three-phase coupler 31. As shown in FIG11 , the three-phase coupler 31 includes a second power line carrier communication component 311 (ie, a power line carrier communication component), a coupling transformer 312, and a three-phase coupling circuit 313.

[0116] The second power line carrier communication component 311 is configured to detect the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 when the three-phase coupler 31 is in any working state. The three-phase coupler 31 includes a first working state and a second working state.

[0117] For example, the first operating state may also be referred to as a relay state. In the first operating state, the three-phase coupler 31 may forward communication signals from the PLC gateway 51 to the first device 6 on any phase of the three-phase power line, and forward communication signals from the first device 6 to the PLC gateway 51. The three-phase coupler 31 may also notify the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 to increase the transmission power of the communication signals.

[0118] For example, the second working state can also be called the silent state. When the three-phase coupler 31 is in the second working state, it can forward the communication signal of the PLC gateway 51 to the first device 6 on any phase of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signal of the first device 6 to the PLC gateway 51 without notifying the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6, enhancing the transmission power of the communication signal, and adjusting its own transmission power.

[0119] When the communication qualities do not meet the preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler 31 is in the first working state. When the communication qualities meet the preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler 31 is in the second working state.

[0120] The second power line carrier communication component 311 is configured to detect the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 when the three-phase coupler 31 is in the first working state, and to notify the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 to increase the transmission power of the communication signal sent, and to adjust the transmission power of the three-phase coupler 31 to forward the communication signal.

[0121] The coupling transformer 312 is configured to send the communication signal received from the PLC gateway 51 or the first device 6 on any phase power line into the three-phase coupling circuit 313 .

[0122] The three-phase coupling circuit 313 is configured to couple the communication signal on any phase power line into the three-phase power, thereby enabling communication between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6. For example, the three-phase coupling circuit 313 is composed of three safety capacitors, which is not limited in this disclosure.

[0123] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2 , the air conditioning system 1000 mainly includes a root node, a relay node, and a child node.

[0124] The PLC gateway 51 serves as the root node of the entire power line carrier communication, is connected to the first power line L1, and establishes a connection with the user's mobile device 9 through the cloud platform 10 (or server).

[0125] A three-phase coupler 31, serving as the relay node, is installed within the user's distribution box 3. The user's distribution box 3 is also equipped with a three-phase circuit breaker 32 and a single-phase circuit breaker 33. These three-phase circuit breakers 32 and 33 are configured to rapidly disconnect and connect load circuits and disconnect faulty circuits, thereby reducing safety risks and ensuring the normal operation of the air conditioning system 1000.

[0126] The first device 6 , as the sub-node, may be connected to power lines of different phases or to power lines of the same phase.

[0127] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG12 , some embodiments of the present disclosure provide another method for controlling an air-conditioning system, which includes steps 401 to 402 .

[0128] In step 401 , the controller 4 obtains a plurality of communication qualities between any two of the PLC gateway 51 , the three-phase coupler 31 , and the first device 6 .

[0129] In some embodiments, the three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward the power line carrier signal emitted by a device connected to any phase power line in the three-phase power line, that is, the three-phase coupler 31 forwards the communication signal emitted by the PLC gateway 51 to the first device 6 connected to any phase power line in the three-phase power line, and forwards the communication signal emitted by the first device 6 to the PLC gateway 51. When the communication signal is sent or forwarded, corresponding communication quality will be generated, thereby generating multiple communication qualities between the three-phase coupler 31 and any two of the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6.

[0130] The multiple communication qualities are channel qualities between any two of the PLC gateway 51 , the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 .

[0131] The channel quality includes the signal-to-noise ratio and the attenuation strength of the communication signal between any two of the PLC gateway 51 , the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 .

[0132] For example, the multiple communication qualities include a first communication quality between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 , a second communication quality between the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 , and a third communication quality between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51 .

[0133] In some embodiments, the three-phase power line can connect multiple first devices 6. In this case, the first communication quality is recorded as Di, the second communication quality is recorded as Si, and the third communication quality is recorded as Qi, where i represents the device number.

[0134] For example, assume that the device number of indoor unit 2 is 20, the device number of smart socket 61 is 30, and the device number of smart curtain is 40. The multiple communication qualities include a first group of communication qualities, a second group of communication qualities, and a third group of communication qualities. The first group of communication qualities includes communication qualities D20, S20, and Q20. The second group of communication qualities includes communication qualities D30, S30, and Q30. The third group of communication qualities includes communication qualities D40, S40, and Q40.

[0135] In some embodiments, the first device 6 may also be an indoor unit 2, and the PLC gateway 51 may notify the indoor unit 2 to start the operating mode (cooling mode or heating mode) or stop the operating mode. When the first device 6 is a smart socket 61, the PLC gateway 51 may notify the smart socket 61 to turn on or off the power. When the first device 6 is a smart switch 63, the PLC gateway 51 may notify the smart switch 63 to turn on or off. When the first device 6 is a smart curtain 64, the PLC gateway 51 may notify the smart curtain 64 to open or close.

[0136] In step 402 , the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the first working state when the plurality of communication qualities meet the preset quality conditions.

[0137] In some embodiments, the controller 4 is configured to control the three-phase coupler 31 to be in a first working state. When the three-phase coupler 31 is in the first working state, the three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward the communication signal sent by the PLC gateway 51 to the first device 6 connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signal sent by the first device 6 to the PLC gateway 51. The three-phase coupler 31 is also configured to send a notification signal to the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 to increase the transmission power of the communication signal.

[0138] When the three-phase coupler 31 is in the first working state, the controller 4 is configured to control the three-phase coupler 31 to increase the transmission power of the forwarded communication signal to improve the quality of the communication signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler 31 between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 .

[0139] In summary, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a control method for an air conditioning system 1000. When multiple communication qualities between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31, and the first device 6 meet preset quality conditions, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to operate in a first operating state. When in the first operating state, the three-phase coupler 31 forwards communication signals between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6, and increases the transmission power of the communication signals sent by the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6.

[0140] In this way, the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 can be improved, and when the distance between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 is far, the problem of reduced communication quality caused by the long distance can be solved, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the power line carrier communication network and improving the user experience.

[0141] In some embodiments, when the multiple communication qualities include a first communication quality Di, a second communication quality Si, and a third communication quality Qi, the preset quality condition is set such that the first communication quality Di is less than a preset quality threshold, and the second communication quality Si and the third communication quality Qi are greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold.

[0142] It should be noted that if the first communication quality Di is less than the preset quality threshold, it indicates that the communication quality between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 (the device with device number i) is poor. If the second communication quality Si and the third communication quality Qi are greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold, it indicates that the communication quality between the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 (the device with device number i) and the communication quality between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51 are good. Therefore, controlling the three-phase coupler 31 to send notification signals to the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 respectively, so that the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 enhance the transmission power of the emitted communication signals, that is, enhance the first communication quality Di, is beneficial to improving the communication quality of the PLC network and the reliability of communication between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6.

[0143] For example, the preset quality threshold is denoted as B, and the preset quality conditions include the first preset condition and the second preset condition.

[0144] The first preset condition is Di < B, which indicates that the communication quality between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 (the device with device number i) is poor.

[0145] The second preset condition is Si ≥ B and Qi ≥ B, which indicates that the communication quality between the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 and the communication quality between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51 are good.

[0146] When the first preset condition and the second preset condition are satisfied, the three-phase coupler 31 forwards the communication signal sent by the PLC gateway 51 to the first device 6 (the device with device number i) connected to any one of the three-phase power lines in the three-phase power line, forwards the communication signal sent by the first device 6 to the PLC gateway 51, and enhances the transmission power of its own forwarded communication signal.

[0147] It should be noted that the preset quality condition can also be set as the first communication quality Di being less than or equal to the preset quality threshold, and the second communication quality Si and the third communication quality Qi being greater than the preset quality threshold. The present disclosure does not limit this.

[0148] In summary, a control method for an air-conditioning system 1000 provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure obtains multiple communication qualities between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31, and the first device 6, and controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the first working state when the multiple communication qualities meet the preset quality conditions. In the first working state, the three-phase coupler 31 forwards the communication signal between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6, and enables the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 to enhance the transmission power of the emitted communication signals.

[0149] In this way, the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31, and the first device 6 can be improved. When the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 are far apart, the problem of reduced communication quality due to the long distance can be solved, the reliability of the power line carrier communication network can be improved, and the user experience can be improved.

[0150] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 13 , when the air conditioning system 1000 establishes a communication connection with the user's mobile device, the controller 4 may further execute step 403 .

[0151] In step 403 , the controller 4 sends notification information to the mobile device 9 .

[0152] The notification information includes the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51 , the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 , the working state of the three-phase coupler 31 , and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler 31 for forwarding communication signals.

[0153] In some embodiments, the mobile device 9 is configured to display the notification information. For example, upon receiving the notification information, the mobile device 9 may notify the user via a text message, or display the notification information via the application on the mobile device 9, or display the notification information via the application on the mobile device 9 corresponding to the user's home device, although this disclosure does not limit this.

[0154] In summary, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for controlling an air conditioning system 1000 that, by sending notification information to a mobile device 9, enables a user of the air conditioning system 1000 to obtain relevant information about the operation of the air conditioning system 1000 in real time. If a malfunction occurs in the air conditioning system 1000, the user and technical support personnel can troubleshoot the malfunction based on the notification information, thereby improving the user experience.

[0155] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 14 , before step 401 , the controller 4 may further execute steps 501 to 502 .

[0156] In step 501 , in response to the mobile device 9 scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 , the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to establish an association relationship with the PLC gateway 51 .

[0157] In some embodiments, the user scans the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 through the application on the mobile device 9 to add the three-phase coupler 31 to the user's home devices. The application sends the device type and device code of the three-phase coupler 31 to the PLC gateway 51, establishing an association between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51, thereby enabling the three-phase coupler 31 to forward communication signals between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6. The association relationship includes the power line carrier communication network trusting the three-phase coupler 31 and communicating with the three-phase coupler 31.

[0158] In step 502 , the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the second working state.

[0159] In some embodiments, the controller 4 is configured to control the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the second working state. For example, when the preset quality condition is not met, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the second working state.

[0160] When the three-phase coupler 31 is in the second working state, the three-phase coupler 31 is configured to forward the communication signal sent by the PLC gateway 51 to the first device 6 connected to any phase power line in the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signal sent by the first device 6 to the PLC gateway 51, without causing the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal, nor adjust their own transmission power.

[0161] In some embodiments, when the three-phase coupler 31 establishes an association with the PLC gateway 51, the working state of the three-phase coupler 31 is the second working state. In the second working state, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to forward communication signals between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6.

[0162] In summary, in response to the mobile device 9 scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to establish an association with the PLC gateway 51 and controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the second operating state. When the three-phase coupler 31 is in the second operating state, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to forward communication signals between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6.

[0163] This facilitates establishing an association between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51, making the air conditioning system 1000 more intelligent. Furthermore, by using the three-phase coupler 31 to forward communication signals between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6, the PLC gateway 51 connected to different phase power lines can establish communication with the first device 6.

[0164] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 15 , the control method of the air-conditioning system 1000 further includes steps 601 to 605 .

[0165] In step 601 , in response to the mobile device 9 scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler 31 , the controller 4 adds the three-phase coupler 31 to the user's home devices.

[0166] In step 602 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to record relevant information of the three-phase coupler 31 .

[0167] For example, the relevant information of the three-phase coupler 31 includes the working state of the three-phase coupler 31. The working state of the three-phase coupler 31 includes a first working state and a second working state.

[0168] In step 603 , the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to communicate with the first device 6 , and the working state of the three-phase coupler 31 is the second working state.

[0169] In step 604 , the controller 4 obtains the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51 , the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 , and determines whether to switch the working state of the three-phase coupler 31 according to the communication quality.

[0170] In step 605 , the controller 4 sends notification information to the mobile device 9 .

[0171] The notification information includes the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51 , the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 , the working state of the three-phase coupler 31 , and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler 31 for forwarding communication signals.

[0172] To sum up, the control method of the air-conditioning system 1000 provided in some embodiments of the present disclosure can obtain the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6, and can determine whether to switch the working status of the three-phase coupler 31 based on the communication quality, and send notification information to the mobile device 9.

[0173] This helps improve the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31, and the first device 6, resolving the issue of reduced communication quality due to the long distance between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6, and improving the reliability of PLC network communication. Furthermore, users can obtain real-time information about the operation of the air conditioning system 1000. If a malfunction occurs in the air conditioning system 1000, the user or technical support personnel can use the notification information to troubleshoot the malfunction, thereby improving the user experience.

[0174] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 16, step 604 includes steps 604A to 604G.

[0175] In step 604A, the controller 4 controls the PLC gateway 51 to send the first communication quality Di between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 to the three-phase coupler 31.

[0176] In step 604B, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to record the second communication quality Si between the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6.

[0177] In step 604C, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to record the third communication quality Qi between the three-phase coupler 31 and the PLC gateway 51.

[0178] In step 604D, the controller 4 determines whether the first communication quality Di, the second communication quality Si, and the third communication quality Qi meet the preset quality conditions. If so, step 604E is executed; if not, step 604G is executed.

[0179] For example, the preset quality conditions are Di < B, Si ≥ B, and Qi ≥ B, where B is a preset quality threshold and i represents the device number.

[0180] In step 604E, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the first working state.

[0181] In step 604F, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to forward the communication signal between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 with the device number i, so that the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 with the device number i increase the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal, and controls the three-phase coupler 31 to increase the transmission power of its own forwarded communication signal, and then step 604D is executed again.

[0182] In step 604G, the controller 4 controls the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the second working state, and step 604 ends.

[0183] In summary, a control method for an air-conditioning system 1000 provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure can obtain the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31, and the first device 6, and control the three-phase coupler 31 to be in the first working state when the communication quality meets the preset quality conditions. In the first working state, the three-phase coupler 31 forwards the communication signal between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6, and makes the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 increase the transmission power of the transmitted communication signal.

[0184] In this way, the communication quality between any two of the PLC gateway 51, the three-phase coupler 31 and the first device 6 can be improved, and when the distance between the PLC gateway 51 and the first device 6 is far, the problem of reduced communication quality due to the long distance can be solved, which is beneficial to improving the reliability of the PLC network and improving the user experience.

[0185] It is understood that, in conjunction with the various examples and algorithm steps described in the embodiments disclosed herein, some embodiments of the present disclosure can be implemented in hardware or a combination of hardware and computer software. Whether a function is implemented in hardware or in a hardware-driven manner by computer software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0186] The present disclosure further provides a block diagram of a controller 4, as shown in FIG17 . The controller 4 includes a processor 41, a memory 42 connected to the processor 41, and a communication interface 43. The processor 41, the memory 42, and the communication interface 43 are connected via a bus 44.

[0187] The processor 41 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose processor, a network processor (NP), a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a programmable logic device (PLD), or any combination thereof. The processor 41 may also be any other device having a processing function, such as a circuit, a device, or a software component. The processor 41 may also include multiple CPUs, and the processor 41 may be a single-core (single-CPU) processor or a multi-core (multi-CPU) processor. The processor here may refer to one or more devices, circuits, or processing cores for processing data (such as computer program instructions).

[0188] The memory 42 may be a read-only memory (ROM), other types of static storage devices capable of storing static information and instructions, a random access memory (RAM), or other types of dynamic storage devices capable of storing information and instructions, or an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), other optical disc storage and optical disk storage, a magnetic disk storage medium or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, without limitation in this disclosure. For example, optical disc storage and optical disk storage include compact discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital versatile discs, Blu-ray discs, and the like.

[0189] The memory 42 may exist independently or be integrated with the processor 41. The memory 42 may contain computer program code. The processor 41 is configured to execute the computer program code stored in the memory 42, thereby implementing the control method provided by the present disclosure.

[0190] The communication interface 43 is configured to communicate with other devices or communication networks, such as Ethernet, radio access networks (RAN), and wireless local area networks (WLAN). The communication interface 43 is a component, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of communication.

[0191] Bus 44 may be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus. Bus 44 may be classified as an address bus, a data bus, a control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, as shown in FIG17 , bus 44 is represented by a single thick line, but this does not mean that there is only one bus 44 or only one type of bus.

[0192] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium), which stores computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed on a computer (e.g., the controller 4), the computer executes the control method of the air-conditioning system as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0193] Some embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer program product, which includes computer program instructions. When the computer program instructions are executed on a computer (eg, the controller 4 ), the computer program instructions cause the computer to execute the control method of the air conditioning system as described in the above embodiments.

[0194] Some embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a computer program. When the computer program is executed on a computer (eg, the controller 4), the computer program enables the computer to execute the control method of the air conditioning system as described in the above embodiments.

[0195] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned computer-readable storage medium, computer program product and computer program are the same as the beneficial effects of the control method of the air-conditioning system described in some of the above-mentioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0196] Those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and that certain elements of the embodiments may be modified and replaced without departing from the spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system connected to a three-phase power line and coupled to a three-phase coupler via the three-phase power line; the air conditioning system comprising: an outdoor unit, the outdoor unit being connected to any one phase of the three-phase power line and comprising a power line carrier communication gateway; and A controller connected to the power line carrier communication gateway; the controller is configured to: Controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler; wherein the three-phase coupler is configured to forward the networking signal to a device connected to any one of the three-phase power lines when the address of the power line carrier communication gateway has been recorded; the networking signal is used to instruct a first device located on any one of the three-phase power lines to network with the air conditioning system; as well as The power line carrier communication gateway is controlled to receive the first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler, and in response to the first response signal, to form a network with the first device that sends the first response signal; the three-phase coupler is also configured to forward the first response signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the target address carried by the first response signal is the same as the address of the power line carrier communication gateway recorded by the three-phase coupler.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein: Before controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to send the networking signal to the three-phase coupler, the controller is further configured to: Obtaining a first signal sent by a mobile device; wherein the mobile device has an application corresponding to the air conditioning system installed therein, and the three-phase coupler includes a QR code; the mobile device is configured to scan the QR code of the three-phase coupler in response to the application and send the first signal; and According to the first signal, the power line carrier communication gateway is controlled to add the three-phase coupler to a whitelist, so that a communication relationship is established between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

3. The air conditioning system according to claim 2, wherein: The three-phase coupler is further configured to record the address of the power line carrier communication gateway after the application scans the QR code of the three-phase coupler.

4. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein: The controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to send the networking signal to the three-phase coupler includes: Obtaining a second signal sent by a mobile device; wherein the mobile device has an application corresponding to the air conditioning system installed therein, and the mobile device is configured to respond to an operation performed by a user on the first device through the application and send the second signal; the second signal is used to instruct the power line carrier communication gateway to form a network with the first device; and In response to the second signal, the power line carrier communication gateway is controlled to send the networking signal to the three-phase coupler.

5. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The first device is a device based on a power line carrier communication technology, and the three-phase coupler is a device based on the power line carrier communication technology.

6. The air conditioning system according to claim 5, wherein: After controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to receive the first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler and forming a network with the first device that sends the first response signal in response to the first response signal, the controller is further configured to: The power line carrier communication gateway is controlled to send a target signal to the three-phase coupler; the three-phase coupler is also configured to forward the target signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the address of the power line carrier communication gateway has been recorded; the target signal is used to instruct the first device to perform a corresponding operation.

7. The air conditioning system according to claim 6, wherein: The controller is further configured to control the power line carrier communication gateway to receive the feedback signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler; The feedback signal includes a signal sent by the first device after completing the corresponding operation and a signal sent when the first device fails to perform the corresponding operation; The three-phase coupler is further configured to forward the feedback signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the target address carried by the feedback signal is the same as the address of the power line carrier communication gateway recorded by the three-phase coupler.

8. A method for controlling an air conditioning system, wherein: The air conditioning system is connected to a three-phase power line and coupled to a three-phase coupler through the three-phase power line; the air conditioning system includes an outdoor unit and a controller; the outdoor unit is connected to any phase of the three-phase power line and includes a power line carrier communication gateway; The controller is connected to the power line carrier communication gateway; The method comprises: The controller controls the power line carrier communication gateway to send a networking signal to the three-phase coupler; wherein the three-phase coupler is configured to forward the networking signal to a device connected to any one of the three-phase power lines when the address of the power line carrier communication gateway has been recorded; the networking signal is used to instruct a first device located on any one of the three-phase power lines to network with the air conditioning system; and The controller controls the power line carrier communication gateway to receive the first response signal forwarded by the three-phase coupler, and in response to the first response signal, to form a network with the first device that sends the first response signal; wherein, the three-phase coupler is further configured to forward the first response signal to a device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line when the target address carried by the first response signal is the same as the address of the power line carrier communication gateway recorded by the three-phase coupler.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein Before controlling the power line carrier communication gateway to send the networking signal to the three-phase coupler, the method further includes: The controller acquires a first signal sent by a mobile device; wherein an application corresponding to the air conditioning system is installed in the mobile device, and the three-phase coupler includes a QR code; the mobile device scans the QR code of the three-phase coupler in response to the application and sends the first signal; and The controller controls the power line carrier communication gateway to add the three-phase coupler to a whitelist according to the first signal, so that a communication relationship is established between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: After the application scans the QR code of the three-phase coupler, the method further includes the controller controlling the three-phase coupler to record the address of the power line carrier communication gateway.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer is caused to perform one or more steps of the air-conditioning system control method according to claims 8 to 10.

12. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium, wherein: When the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer is caused to perform one or more steps of the control method of the air-conditioning system according to claims 8 to 10 .

13. An air conditioning system connected to a three-phase power line; the air conditioning system comprising: an outdoor unit configured to dissipate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode and to absorb heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode; the outdoor unit comprising a power line carrier communication gateway configured to communicate with a first device connected to any one of the three-phase power lines; a three-phase coupler configured to forward the communication signal sent by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device on any one phase power line of the three-phase power line, and to forward the communication signal sent by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway; as well as The controller is configured as: Acquire multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the first device; and When the multiple communication qualities respectively meet the preset quality conditions, the three-phase coupler is controlled to be in a first working state; wherein, when the three-phase coupler is in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is also configured to send a notification signal to the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device, so that the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

14. The air conditioning system according to claim 13, wherein: The multiple communication qualities include a first communication quality between the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device, a second communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the first device, and a third communication quality between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway.

15. The air conditioning system according to claim 14, wherein: The preset quality condition includes that the first communication quality is less than a preset quality threshold, and the second communication quality and the third communication quality are greater than or equal to the preset quality threshold.

16. The air conditioning system according to claim 13, wherein: The controller is further configured to control the three-phase coupler to increase the transmission power of forwarding the communication signal when the three-phase coupler is in the first working state.

17. The air conditioning system according to claim 13, wherein: Before acquiring the multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler and the first device, the controller is further configured to control the three-phase coupler to be in a second working state; In which, when the three-phase coupler is in the second working state, the controller controls the three-phase coupler to forward the communication signal sent by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device on any phase power line of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signal sent by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway.

18. The air conditioning system according to claim 17, wherein: The user's mobile device has an application corresponding to the air conditioning system installed, and the three-phase coupler includes a QR code; Before controlling the three-phase coupler to be in the second working state, the controller is further configured to control the establishment of an association relationship between the three-phase coupler and the power line carrier communication gateway in response to a mobile device scanning the QR code of the three-phase coupler; wherein the association relationship includes the power line carrier communication network trusting the three-phase coupler and communicating with the three-phase coupler.

19. The air conditioning system according to claim 17, wherein: The controller is further configured to control the three-phase coupler to be in a second working state if the multiple communication qualities do not meet the preset quality conditions.

20. The air conditioning system according to claim 19, wherein The controller is also configured to send notification information to the user's mobile device; the mobile device is configured to display the notification information; the notification information includes the multiple communication qualities between the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler and any two of the first devices, the working status of the three-phase coupler and the transmission power of the three-phase coupler forwarding the communication signal.

21. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein: The three-phase coupler includes a power line carrier communication component; the power line carrier communication component is configured to: When the three-phase coupler is in the first working state or the second working state, detecting the multiple communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler and the first device; as well as When the three-phase coupler is in the first working state, the transmission power of the three-phase coupler for forwarding the communication signal is enhanced.

22. A method for controlling an air conditioning system, wherein: The air conditioning system is connected to a three-phase power line; the air conditioning system includes an outdoor unit, a three-phase coupler and a controller; The outdoor unit is used to dissipate heat from the refrigerant compressed by the compressor in cooling mode, and to absorb heat from the refrigerant output by the indoor unit in heating mode; the outdoor unit includes a power line carrier communication gateway; the power line carrier communication gateway is configured to communicate with a first device connected to any phase power line of the three-phase power line; The three-phase coupler is configured to forward the communication signal sent by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device on any phase power line of the three-phase power line, and forward the communication signal sent by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway; The method comprises: The controller obtains a plurality of communication qualities between any two of the power line carrier communication gateway, the three-phase coupler, and the first device; and When the multiple communication qualities respectively meet the preset quality conditions, the controller controls the three-phase coupler to be in a first working state; wherein, when the three-phase coupler is in the first working state, the three-phase coupler is configured to forward the communication signal emitted by the power line carrier communication gateway to the first device, and forward the communication signal emitted by the first device to the power line carrier communication gateway, and send a notification signal to the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device to enable the power line carrier communication gateway and the first device to enhance the transmission power of the communication signal.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer program instructions, wherein when the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer is caused to perform one or more steps of the method for controlling the air-conditioning system according to claim 22.

24. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium, wherein: When the computer program instructions are executed by a computer, the computer is caused to perform one or more steps of the method for controlling an air-conditioning system according to claim 22 .

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