A multi-split air conditioning system

Abstract

The application discloses a multi-connected air conditioning system, comprising: at least one indoor unit; at least one outdoor unit; an NFC module; a storage unit arranged in the NFC module and capable of storing multiple sets of indoor unit data and outdoor unit data; the process of the multi-connected air conditioning system accessing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data is as follows: when the outdoor unit is normally operated, the outdoor unit stores the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in real time; when a fault alarm occurs, the data storage is stopped and a first read data instruction capable of reading the stored data is issued to the NFC module; the NFC module reads the stored data and saves the data into the storage unit; an APP sends a first data query instruction to the NFC module; the NFC module receives the first data query instruction, reads the data in the storage unit and forwards the data to the APP. The application can obtain the air conditioning equipment operation data before the air conditioning system alarm, and provide data support for the after-sales personnel to analyze and locate the fault point.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of air conditioners, and in particular to a multi-connected air conditioning system. Background Art

[0002] An air conditioning system usually consists of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, which are connected by pipes through a compressor, evaporator, throttling device, and condenser to form a refrigerant circulation loop for heating or cooling.

[0003] Multi-split air conditioners include multiple connected outdoor units and multiple indoor units. As an important part of offices and homes, the market demand for multi-split air conditioners continues to expand, and the market share is also increasing year by year. However, the maintenance efficiency and fault location accuracy of multi-split air conditioners have always been issues of concern to manufacturers and users.

[0004] Existing patent CN217088164U discloses that when a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone) with NFC (Near Field Communication) function is brought close to the NFC module of an air conditioner, the NFC module transmits the operating parameters or fault code of the air conditioner to the mobile device. The operating parameters or fault code of the air conditioner can be viewed through the mobile device to determine the fault point of the air conditioner. However, this fault locating method is suitable for a single indoor unit or outdoor unit with a simple structure. It is difficult to accurately obtain fault information of multiple indoor units and / or multiple outdoor units of a multi-split air conditioner with a complex structure, and it is impossible to locate the fault point of the multi-split air conditioner.

[0005] Existing CN106016578B discloses that an NFC device in an air conditioner sends fault detection data (including normal operation data of the air conditioner in the period before the fault occurs and fault data in the period after the fault occurs) to the NFC device of a maintenance personnel. The fault detection data is compared with a preset fault handling strategy to determine a fault handling solution.

[0006] This fault handling method requires sending a fault detection signal to the faulty air conditioner through the NFC device for detection. It is suitable for repairing a specific air conditioner, but cannot locate the fault point in advance. If it is a multi-split air conditioner, it is difficult to find the fault point, and it is impossible to know the operating status of the indoor and / or outdoor units where the fault point has not occurred.

[0007] The above information disclosed in this background technology is only used to increase the understanding of the background technology of this application. Therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute the prior art known to ordinary technicians in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In response to the problems pointed out in the background technology, the present invention provides a multi-split air-conditioning system that uses NFC near-field communication to save the data before the air-conditioning equipment alarms and, by reading the data, provide data support for after-sales personnel to analyze and locate the fault point. It can also read the data of a single indoor unit or outdoor unit to provide a data basis for analyzing its operating status.

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0010] In some embodiments of the present application, a multi-split air conditioning system is provided, comprising:

[0011] at least one indoor unit, configured to provide cooling or heating to an indoor space when the multi-split air conditioning system is cooling;

[0012] At least one outdoor unit, including a master outdoor unit, or including a master outdoor unit and at least one slave outdoor unit, each outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected to a communication bus and connected to each indoor unit through a pipeline;

[0013] At least one NFC module. Each master outdoor unit is equipped with one NFC module. If there are slave outdoor units, each slave outdoor unit is equipped with at most one NFC module. The NFC module is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit it is equipped with and can perform near-field communication with the APP on the device with NFC function.

[0014] a storage unit, which is provided in the NFC module and can be configured to store multiple sets of data, each set of data including indoor unit data of a plurality of operating indoor units and outdoor unit data of a plurality of operating outdoor units;

[0015] The process of accessing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system is as follows:

[0016] When the outdoor unit operates normally, the outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time;

[0017] When a fault alarm occurs in the multi-split air conditioning system, stop storing data and send a first data reading instruction to the NFC module to read the stored data;

[0018] The NFC module receives the first data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the storage unit of the NFC module;

[0019] The APP sends a first data query instruction to the NFC module based on the first data query information, so as to query the indoor unit data or the outdoor unit data corresponding to the first data query information;

[0020] The NFC module receives the first data query instruction, reads the data in its storage unit and forwards it to the APP.

[0021] The multi-split air-conditioning system provided in this application can read and save the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data before the alarm through NFC technology when a fault alarm occurs in the multi-split air-conditioning system, providing data support for analysis for after-sales maintenance personnel.

[0022] If you want to obtain indoor unit data or outdoor unit data, the APP queries based on the first data query information to obtain the indoor unit data or outdoor unit data corresponding to the first data query information, which is convenient for status analysis of a specific outdoor unit or indoor unit based on the data to improve maintenance efficiency.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present application, the NFC module includes:

[0024] a main control unit, which is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit in which it is configured, and is communicatively connected to the storage unit of the NFC module;

[0025] An NFC expansion board, which is communicatively connected to the main control unit and performs near field communication with the APP;

[0026] When a fault alarm occurs in the multi-split air conditioning system, stop storing data and send a first data reading instruction to the NFC expansion board to read the stored data;

[0027] The NFC expansion board receives the first data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the storage unit of the NFC module;

[0028] The APP sends a first data query instruction to the NFC expansion board based on the first data query information;

[0029] The NFC expansion board receives the first data query instruction, reads the data in its storage unit and forwards it to the APP.

[0030] Near field communication with the APP is achieved by setting up the NFC expansion board, and the NFC expansion board communicates with the main control unit through I2C.

[0031] In some embodiments of the present application, the storage unit is a FLASH memory, and the FLASH memory communicates with the main control unit via SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface).

[0032] The main control unit communicates with the MCU in the outdoor unit using RS485.

[0033] In some embodiments of the present application, each set of data further includes:

[0034] The data header includes the total number of indexes, the current index number, time, and data type, where the data type includes indoor units and outdoor units.

[0035] The data header is used to facilitate querying and recording each set of data.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present application, when the outdoor unit operates normally, the outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time, specifically:

[0037] Set the preset storage duration;

[0038] The indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data are stored for each preset storage time period.

[0039] For the normal operation data of the air conditioner, not all data are stored all the time, but at intervals (preset storage time).

[0040] In some embodiments of the present application, the process of the multi-split air conditioning system accessing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data further includes:

[0041] The data forwarded to the APP is displayed on the APP.

[0042] The forwarded data is displayed on the APP, which is convenient for maintenance personnel to view intuitively. Based on the displayed data, a fault handling strategy can also be given when there is a fault in the indoor or outdoor unit.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present application, the storage unit has:

[0044] a first storage partition, which is used to store the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data;

[0045] The second storage partition is different from the first storage partition and is also used to store multiple groups of data, each group of data including indoor unit data of several running indoor units and outdoor unit data of several running outdoor units.

[0046] The indoor unit data and outdoor unit data stored in the second storage partition as described above are the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data actively saved in the second storage partition through instructions issued by the APP.

[0047] In some embodiments of the present application, the process of accessing actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system is as follows:

[0048] The APP sends an active data saving enable instruction and a saving time to the NFC module;

[0049] The NFC module receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and forwards the instruction to the outdoor unit;

[0050] The outdoor unit receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and the outdoor unit actively saves data enabling;

[0051] The outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time, and sends a second data reading instruction to the NFC module for reading the stored data;

[0052] After determining that the storage time has expired, the outdoor unit stops storing data and cancels the active data storage function;

[0053] The NFC module receives the second data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the second storage partition of the NFC module;

[0054] The APP sends a second data query instruction to the NFC module based on the second data query information, so as to query the indoor unit data or the outdoor unit data corresponding to the second data query information;

[0055] The NFC module receives the second data query instruction, reads the data in the second storage partition of its storage unit, and forwards the data to the APP.

[0056] Actively read and save indoor and outdoor unit data through NFC technology, providing proactive support for after-sales maintenance personnel to analyze indoor or outdoor units.

[0057] If you want to obtain indoor unit data or outdoor unit data, the APP queries based on the second data query information to obtain the indoor unit data or outdoor unit data corresponding to the second data query information, which is convenient for status analysis of a specific outdoor unit or indoor unit based on the data to improve maintenance efficiency.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present application, the storage time can be changed, for example, 20 minutes, 40 minutes or 60 minutes can be selected.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, the process of accessing actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system further includes:

[0060] The data forwarded to the APP is displayed on the APP.

[0061] The forwarded data is displayed on the APP, which is convenient for maintenance personnel to view intuitively. Based on the displayed data, a fault handling strategy can also be given when there is a fault in the indoor or outdoor unit.

[0062] The present application also relates to a multi-split air conditioning system, comprising:

[0063] at least one indoor unit, configured to provide cooling or heating to an indoor space when the multi-split air conditioning system is cooling;

[0064] At least one outdoor unit, including a master outdoor unit, or including a master outdoor unit and at least one slave outdoor unit, each outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected to a communication bus and connected to each indoor unit through a pipeline;

[0065] At least one NFC module. Each master outdoor unit is equipped with one NFC module. If there are slave outdoor units, each slave outdoor unit is equipped with at most one NFC module. The NFC module is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit it is equipped with and can perform near-field communication with the APP on the device with NFC function.

[0066] a storage unit, which is provided in the NFC module and can be configured to store multiple sets of data, each set of data including indoor unit data of a plurality of operating indoor units and outdoor unit data of a plurality of operating outdoor units;

[0067] The process of accessing the actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system is as follows:

[0068] The APP sends an active data saving enable instruction and a saving time to the NFC module;

[0069] The NFC module receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and forwards the instruction to the outdoor unit;

[0070] The outdoor unit receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and the outdoor unit actively saves data enabling;

[0071] The outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time, and sends a second data reading instruction to the NFC module for reading the stored data;

[0072] After determining that the storage time has expired, the outdoor unit stops storing data and cancels the active data storage function;

[0073] The NFC module receives the second data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the second storage partition of the NFC module;

[0074] The APP sends a second data query instruction to the NFC module based on the second data query information, so as to query the indoor unit data or the outdoor unit data corresponding to the second data query information;

[0075] The NFC module receives the second data query instruction, reads the data in the second storage partition of its storage unit, and forwards the data to the APP.

[0076] Actively read and save indoor and outdoor unit data through NFC technology, providing proactive support for after-sales maintenance personnel to analyze indoor or outdoor units.

[0077] If you want to obtain indoor unit data or outdoor unit data, the APP queries based on the second data query information to obtain the indoor unit data or outdoor unit data corresponding to the second data query information, which is convenient for status analysis of a specific outdoor unit or indoor unit based on the data to improve maintenance efficiency.

[0078] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after reading the detailed description of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0079] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0080] Figure 1 The structural framework of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the embodiment Figure 1 ;

[0081] Figure 2 The structural framework of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the embodiment Figure 2 ;

[0082] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the communication between the outdoor unit, the NFC module, and the APP in a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0083] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of data storage in the storage unit of the NFC module in the multi-split air conditioning system according to the embodiment Figure 1 ;

[0084] Figure 5 A flowchart of storing indoor unit data and outdoor unit data in an outdoor unit of a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0085] Figure 6Flowchart showing how the NFC expansion board stores indoor unit data and outdoor unit data in a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0086] Figure 7 Flowchart of an APP reading indoor unit data or outdoor unit data in a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0087] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of data storage in the storage unit of the NFC module in the multi-split air conditioning system according to the embodiment Figure 2 ;

[0088] Figure 9 This is a flow chart of when an APP actively saves data in a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0089] Figure 10 This is a flow chart of when an outdoor unit actively saves data in a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment;

[0090] Figure 11 This is a flow chart of the case where the NFC expansion board actively saves data in the multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment.

[0091] Reference numerals:

[0092] 10. Outdoor unit; 11. MCU;

[0093] 20. NFC module; 21. Main control unit; 22. NFC expansion board; 23. Storage unit; 231. First storage partition; 232. Second storage partition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0094] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0095] 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.

[0096] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. Throughout this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0097] 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.

[0098] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or may include the first and second features being in contact not directly but through another feature between them. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," and "above" a second feature may include the first feature being directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "below" a second feature may include the first feature being directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or may simply mean that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0099] The disclosure below provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of the present invention. In order to simplify the disclosure of the present invention, the components and settings of specific examples are described below. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the present invention may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed. In addition, the present invention provides examples of various specific processes and materials, but those skilled in the art will recognize the application of other processes and / or the use of other materials.

[0100] An air conditioner performs its refrigeration cycle by using a compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator. The refrigeration cycle involves a series of processes involving compression, condensation, expansion, and evaporation to cool or heat the indoor space.

[0101] Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant enters the compressor, which compresses it into high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas and discharges the compressed refrigerant gas. The discharged refrigerant gas flows into the condenser. The condenser condenses the compressed refrigerant into a liquid phase, releasing heat into the surrounding environment through the condensation process.

[0102] The expansion valve expands the high-temperature, high-pressure liquid refrigerant condensed in the condenser to a lower-pressure liquid. The evaporator evaporates the refrigerant expanded in the expansion valve and returns the low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant gas to the compressor. The evaporator achieves cooling by utilizing the latent heat of evaporation to exchange heat with the material being cooled. Throughout this cycle, the air conditioner regulates the temperature of the indoor space.

[0103] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner refers to a portion of a refrigeration cycle including a compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger, the indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger, and an expansion valve may be provided in the indoor unit or the outdoor unit.

[0104] The indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger function as a condenser or an evaporator. When the indoor heat exchanger functions as a condenser, the air conditioner functions as a heater in heating mode, and when the indoor heat exchanger functions as an evaporator, the air conditioner functions as a cooler in cooling mode.

[0105] The above is the working principle of the air conditioner. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The multi-split air-conditioning system involved in this application includes at least one indoor unit and at least one outdoor unit. The outdoor unit is the outdoor unit described above, and the indoor unit is the indoor unit described above.

[0106] At least one outdoor unit and at least one indoor unit are connected to the same communication bus.

[0107] When there are multiple outdoor units, one of the outdoor units is a master outdoor unit, and the remaining outdoor units are slave outdoor units.

[0108] See also Figure 2 , outdoor unit A is the master outdoor unit, and outdoor unit B and outdoor unit C are slave outdoor units.

[0109] This application also involves an NFC module. For the convenience of layout, the NFC module can be configured in the outdoor unit, which can provide convenient operability for the after-sales service of the air-conditioning equipment and improve the maintenance efficiency of the air-conditioning equipment.

[0110] At the same time, NFC technology can be used to obtain indoor unit data related to the indoor unit (for example, operating mode air volume, set temperature, freezing temperature, suction temperature, return air temperature, etc.) and outdoor unit data related to the outdoor unit (for example, operating status, compressor frequency, ambient temperature, exhaust pressure, suction pressure, etc.).

[0111] Specifically, there is an outdoor unit in the multi-split air conditioning system (see Figure 1 For the convenience of description, when there is one outdoor unit, it is also called the main outdoor unit), and the outdoor unit is equipped with an NFC module.

[0112] In a multi-split air conditioning system with multiple outdoor units (see Figure 2 ), the master outdoor unit must be equipped with an NFC module, and the other slave outdoor units may or may not be equipped with an NFC module.

[0113] In order to standardize the outdoor units and facilitate data transmission using NFC technology when close to any NFC module, each outdoor unit is equipped with an NFC module.

[0114] See also Figure 3 , which shows a schematic diagram of communication between the outdoor unit 10, the NFC module 20 and the APP, wherein the NFC module 20 is configured in the outdoor unit 10.

[0115] The NFC module 20 specifically includes a storage unit 23 , which may be a FLASH memory.

[0116] The NFC module 20 further includes a main control unit 21 and an NFC expansion board 22 , wherein the main control unit 21 is communicatively connected to the NFC expansion board 22 and the storage unit 23 respectively.

[0117] The main control unit 21 is implemented by a circuit board integrated with an MCU chip, and the NFC expansion board 22 is implemented by a circuit board integrated with an NFC chip.

[0118] In some embodiments of the present application, the main control unit 21 is communicatively connected to the storage unit 23 via SPI and is communicatively connected to the NFC expansion board 22 via I2C.

[0119] The main control unit 21 of the NFC module 20 is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit 10 equipped with the NFC module 20. Specifically, the outdoor unit 10 includes an MCU 11. The main control unit 21 in the NFC module 20 is communicatively connected to the MCU 11 using, for example, an RS485 serial port.

[0120] The NFC module 20 serves as a data transmission transfer module between the multi-split air-conditioning system and an external device with NFC function (for example, a mobile phone). The NFC module 20 performs near-field communication with the device, and the NFC module 20 communicates with the outdoor unit 10. Therefore, the three can communicate to obtain the indoor unit data of the running indoor units and the outdoor unit data of the running outdoor units in the multi-split air-conditioning system.

[0121] In some embodiments of the present application, loading an APP application on the device as described above can facilitate users to operate the APP to obtain indoor unit data or outdoor unit data, provide data support for after-sales maintenance personnel, thereby facilitating the analysis of air-conditioning equipment failures, locating fault points, and improving maintenance efficiency.

[0122] As follows, Figure 2 The structure of a multi-split air conditioning system with three outdoor units and four indoor units shown in FIG is described as an example.

[0123] The four indoor units are respectively designated as indoor unit A, indoor unit B, indoor unit C and indoor unit D.

[0124] Among the three outdoor units, one outdoor unit A is a master outdoor unit and the remaining three outdoor units (outdoor unit B, outdoor unit C, and outdoor unit D) are slave outdoor units.

[0125] The outdoor unit 10 is equipped with an NFC module 20 , that is, the main control unit 21 in the NFC module 20 is communicatively connected with the MCU 11 of the outdoor unit 10 , and the NFC expansion board 22 of the NFC module 20 communicates with external devices in the near field.

[0126] When the outdoor unit 10 operates normally, at least one of the four indoor units can be operated.

[0127] When a fault alarm occurs in a multi-split air-conditioning system (it may be a fault in the outdoor unit or the indoor unit), after-sales personnel need to obtain the indoor and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air-conditioning system in order to comprehensively analyze the operating status of the multi-split air-conditioning system. The data obtained is comprehensive and can provide after-sales personnel with data support for maintenance.

[0128] See below. Figures 4 to 7 , describes the process of accessing black box data in a multi-split air conditioning system.

[0129] The black box data here refers to the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data when the multi-split air conditioning system is running.

[0130] The process of accessing black box data includes two aspects: storing data and reading data.

[0131] The purpose of storing data is to store the black box data in the storage unit 23, waiting for the APP to read it using NFC technology; the purpose of reading data is for the APP to read the black box data from the storage unit 23 for analysis and use.

[0132] The process of accessing black box data involves communication between the outdoor unit 10, the NFC module 20 and the APP.

[0133] See also Figures 4 to 7, specifically describing the process of accessing black box data for the outdoor unit 10, NFC module 20 and APP respectively.

[0134] (1) See Figure 5 , describe the operation process on the outdoor unit side.

[0135] (11) The outdoor unit 10 is running.

[0136] The outdoor unit 10 is turned on to put the multi-split air conditioning system into operation.

[0137] (12) During the operation of the outdoor unit 10, it is determined in real time whether there is a fault alarm in the multi-split air conditioning system.

[0138] The fault alarm of the multi-split air-conditioning system as described above may be caused by a fault in the outdoor unit 10 or a fault in the indoor unit AD.

[0139] There are many ways to determine whether a fault has occurred. For example, you can collect its operating data for comparison and judgment, which will not be detailed here.

[0140] (13) When no fault alarm occurs, it indicates that the multi-split air conditioning system is operating normally. At this time, the outdoor unit 10 stores the indoor unit data of the indoor unit operating normally and the outdoor unit data of the outdoor unit 10 operating normally in real time.

[0141] In some embodiments of the present application, not all normal operation data of the air conditioner are stored all the time, but are stored every certain period of time.

[0142] In some embodiments of the present application, a preset storage time (eg, 30 seconds) is set, and a set of indoor unit data and outdoor unit data is stored in a ROM (Read-Only Memory) of the outdoor unit 10 for each preset storage time.

[0143] Among them, the preset storage time can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0144] Taking into account the storage space of the air-conditioning device and the storage space of the storage unit 23 in the NFC module 20, multiple sets of data can be saved.

[0145] The number of groups of data is determined according to the size of the storage space. In some embodiments of the present application, 64 groups of data can be stored, and each group of data includes indoor unit data and outdoor unit data.

[0146] During normal operation of the multi-split air conditioning system, it is determined whether a preset storage time (for example, 30 seconds) has been reached.

[0147] If the time reaches the preset storage time, the data is stored; otherwise, the operation returns to the outdoor unit 10 and determines whether there is a fault alarm.

[0148] (14) When a fault alarm occurs, the NFC expansion board 22 is notified to read the data and stop storing the data.

[0149] When a fault alarm occurs in the multi-split air-conditioning system, data storage is stopped and a first data reading instruction for reading the stored data is sent to the NFC module 20 to notify the NFC expansion board 22 that data can be read.

[0150] Since one set of data is saved every 30 seconds, if 64 sets of data are saved, (64*30) / 60=32 minutes are required. Therefore, the NFC expansion board 22 can read the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data 32 minutes before the alarm as the data basis for analyzing and locating the fault point.

[0151] (2) See Figure 6 , describing the operation process of the NFC module 20 side.

[0152] Since there is communication between the outdoor unit 10 and the NFC module 20, the NFC expansion board 22 receives the first data reading instruction, reads the stored data and saves it to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the storage unit 23 in the NFC module 20.

[0153] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 4 A portion of space (eg, a first storage partition 231 ) is allocated in the storage unit 23 for storing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data as described above.

[0154] The size of the space where each set of data is located is related to the number of indoor units and the number of outdoor units.

[0155] In some embodiments of the present application, the space for storing each set of data may be assumed to occupy 4K space.

[0156] In some embodiments of the present application, the space used to store the 64 groups of data described above can be recorded as the first storage partition 231.

[0157] Thus, the first storage partition 231 requires 256K of space.

[0158] In order to facilitate querying the stored data, each set of data also includes a data header.

[0159] The data header includes the total number of indexes, the current index number, time (including year, month, day, hour, minute, and second), and data type (including indoor unit and outdoor unit).

[0160] In a 4K space, for example, taking n (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) outdoor units and m (m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) indoor units, data is stored in sequence, that is, data header, first outdoor unit data, second outdoor unit data, ..., nth outdoor unit data, first indoor unit data, second indoor unit data, ..., mth indoor unit data.

[0161] In some embodiments of the present application, a portion of space may be reserved in the 4K space for backup.

[0162] The NFC expansion board 22 receives the first data reading instruction and reads the stored data. Specifically, the data can be read according to the order in which the data is stored, for example, the outdoor unit data is read first, and then the indoor unit data is read.

[0163] See also Figure 6 In some embodiments of the present application, the NFC expansion board 22 reads the outdoor unit data first and then reads the indoor unit data.

[0164] According to the total number of packets saved in the black box data and the number of outdoor units and indoor units in each packet, the data are read and saved in the first storage partition 231 of the storage unit 23 in turn.

[0165] For detailed reading process, see Figure 6 The process shown, in which Figure 6 The total number shown in may be equal to the number of groups.

[0166] (3) See Figure 7 , which describes the process of reading data on the APP side.

[0167] After the data is stored in the first storage partition 231 of the storage unit 23 , an external device with NFC function is brought close to the outdoor unit 10 equipped with the NFC module 20 to read the data in the first storage partition 231 through NFC technology.

[0168] (31) Based on the first data query information, the APP sends a first data query instruction to the NFC module 20.

[0169] The first data query information described above can be set according to the data to be queried. For example, the system number, indoor unit address or outdoor unit address, and data number are entered on the APP interface, and the query button is clicked to trigger the query, that is, the first data query instruction is issued through NFC technology.

[0170] For multi-split air conditioning systems, a system number will be set. Different system numbers contain different outdoor units and indoor units. The system number can be 0, 1, 2, etc.

[0171] In order to achieve communication with different indoor units and outdoor units, each indoor unit and outdoor unit has a different address. Communication with the corresponding indoor unit or outdoor unit can be achieved by accessing different addresses.

[0172] The indoor unit address and outdoor unit address under different system numbers can be the same or different.

[0173] The system number and the indoor unit address are combined to form the indoor unit's communication address, and the system number and the outdoor unit address are combined to form the outdoor unit's communication address.

[0174] The data number indicates the specific current index number in each group of data.

[0175] In this way, a certain indoor unit or a certain outdoor unit can be located according to the first data query information to obtain the indoor unit data of the certain indoor unit or the outdoor unit data of the certain outdoor unit for analyzing the operating status of the certain indoor unit or the certain outdoor unit.

[0176] (32) The NFC expansion board 22 receives the first data query instruction.

[0177] The NFC expansion board 22 receives the first data query instruction through near field communication.

[0178] (33) The NFC expansion board 22 reads the data in its first storage partition 231 and forwards it to the APP.

[0179] Return to see Figure 3 , the NFC expansion board 22 communicates with the storage unit 23. Therefore, when the NFC expansion board 22 receives the first data query instruction, it reads the corresponding data from the storage unit 23 and then forwards it to the APP through NFC technology.

[0180] (34) Display the forwarded data on the APP.

[0181] In order to facilitate after-sales personnel to intuitively obtain the forwarded data, the data is directly displayed on the APP.

[0182] Analyze the operating status of the indoor or outdoor unit corresponding to the data for after-sales personnel.

[0183] When a fault alarm occurs in the indoor or outdoor unit corresponding to the data, the fault handling strategy corresponding to the fault can be displayed on the APP to improve maintenance efficiency.

[0184] In some embodiments of the present application, in order to use the APP to actively save data using NFC technology, so that maintenance personnel can use it at any time and provide data support for analyzing the operating status of the multi-split air conditioning system in a timely manner, see Figures 8 to 11The multi-split air conditioning system of the present application also includes accessing actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data.

[0185] The indoor unit data and outdoor unit data involved in the active saving process are the same as the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data described above. The difference is that the location of the actively saved data in the storage unit 23 in the NFC module 20 is different from the location of the black box data in the storage unit 23, so as to distinguish the data under the two different operations.

[0186] See also Figure 8 A portion of space (eg, a second storage partition 232 ) is also allocated in the storage unit 23 for storing the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data involved in the active saving process as described above.

[0187] Similarly, in the second storage partition 232, the size of the space where each set of data is located is related to the number of indoor units and the number of outdoor units.

[0188] In some embodiments of the present application, the space for storing each set of data may be assumed to occupy 4K space.

[0189] In some embodiments of the present application, the space used to store the multiple groups of data as described above can be recorded as the second storage partition 232.

[0190] The size of the second storage partition 232 determines the number of groups of data that can be stored.

[0191] In some embodiments of the present application, as described above, a set of indoor unit data and outdoor unit data is stored in the ROM (Read-Only Memory) of the outdoor unit 10 every preset storage time (for example, 30 seconds).

[0192] The saving time for active saving can be set according to the APP. According to the saving time and the preset storage duration, how many groups of data can be stored in the second storage partition 232 can be calculated.

[0193] For example, when the storage time is 20 minutes, the number of groups of stored data is: (20*60) / 30=40 (groups). At this time, the space of the second storage partition 232 is at least 160K.

[0194] When the storage time is 40 minutes, the number of groups of stored data is: (40*60) / 30=80 (groups). At this time, the space of the second storage partition 232 is at least 320K.

[0195] When the storage time is 60 minutes, the number of groups of stored data is: (60*60) / 30=120 (groups). At this time, the space of the second storage partition 232 is at least 480K.

[0196] The storage time can be changed according to the number of required groups of data.

[0197] See also Figure 4 and Figure 8 The structure of each group of data in the second storage partition 232 is the same as the structure of each group of data in the first storage partition 231.

[0198] In order to facilitate querying the data stored in the second storage partition 232, each set of data also includes a data header.

[0199] The data header includes the total number of indexes, the current index number, time (including year, month, day, hour, minute, and second), and data type (including indoor unit and outdoor unit).

[0200] In a 4K space, for example, taking n (n is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) outdoor units and m (m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) indoor units, data is stored in sequence, that is, data header, first outdoor unit data, second outdoor unit data, ..., nth outdoor unit data, first indoor unit data, second indoor unit data, ..., mth indoor unit data.

[0201] In some embodiments of the present application, similarly, a portion of space may be reserved in the space where each set of data is located for backup.

[0202] In some embodiments of the present application, the storage unit 23 may reserve a portion of space for backup in addition to the first storage partition 231 and the second storage partition 232 .

[0203] The process of actively saving and accessing data also includes two aspects: storing data and reading data.

[0204] The purpose of storing data is to store the actively saved data in the second storage partition 232 of the storage unit, waiting for the APP to read it using NFC technology; the purpose of reading data is for the APP to read the actively saved data from the second storage partition 232 for use.

[0205] The process of accessing the actively saved data also involves communication among the outdoor unit 10 , the NFC module 20 and the APP.

[0206] See also Figures 9 to 11 and Figure 7 , specifically describing the process of accessing actively saved data for the APP, the outdoor unit 10 and the NFC module 20 respectively.

[0207] (1) See Figure 9 , which describes the operation process on the APP side.

[0208] (11) The APP sends an active data saving enable instruction and a saving time to the NFC expansion board 22.

[0209] Enter the active save enable and save time on the APP interface and click the send button to trigger the sending instruction. That is, the active data save enable instruction is sent through NFC technology, along with the save time.

[0210] (12) The NFC expansion board 22 receives the active data saving enable instruction and the saving time.

[0211] The NFC expansion board 22 receives the active data saving enable instruction and the saving time through near field communication.

[0212] (13) The NFC expansion board 22 forwards the active data saving enable instruction and the saving time to the outdoor unit 10.

[0213] Return to see Figure 3 The NFC expansion board 22 forwards the active data saving enable instruction and the saving time to the outdoor unit 10 through NFC technology.

[0214] After receiving the active data storage enabling instruction and the storage time, the outdoor unit 10 enables active data storage.

[0215] (2) See Figure 10 , which describes the operation process on the outdoor unit 10 side.

[0216] (21) During the operation of the outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit data of the normal operation of the indoor unit and the outdoor unit data of the normal operation of the outdoor unit are stored in real time.

[0217] In some embodiments of the present application, not all normal operation data of the air conditioner are stored all the time, but are stored every certain period of time.

[0218] In some embodiments of the present application, a preset storage time (eg, 30 seconds) is set, and a set of indoor unit data and outdoor unit data is stored in a ROM (Read-Only Memory) of the outdoor unit 10 for each preset storage time.

[0219] Among them, the preset storage time can be adjusted according to actual needs.

[0220] Taking into account the storage space of the air-conditioning device and the storage space of the second storage partition 232 in the NFC module 20 , multiple sets of data can be stored.

[0221] The number of groups of data here is determined by referring to the above content, which will not be repeated here.

[0222] (211) During the operation of the multi-split air conditioning system, it is determined whether the preset storage time (for example, 30 seconds) has been reached.

[0223] If the time reaches the preset storage time, the data is stored; otherwise, the data is returned to the outdoor unit 10 to enable active data saving.

[0224] (22) After storing the data, the outdoor unit 10 notifies the NFC expansion board 22 that it can read the actively saved data.

[0225] During the data storage process, the outdoor unit 10 sends a second data reading instruction to the NFC expansion board 22 in real time, which can read the stored data, to notify the NFC expansion board 22 that the actively stored data can be read.

[0226] (23) During the data storage process, it is determined in real time whether the storage time has been reached. If the storage time has been reached, the outdoor unit 10 stops saving and cancels the enable. Otherwise, it continues to determine whether the preset storage time has been reached and stores the data.

[0227] Since one set of data is saved every 30 seconds, if the saving time is 20 minutes, 40 sets of data can be saved.

[0228] A longer storage time can be set, so that more sets of indoor unit data and outdoor unit data can be obtained, and the operating status of the air-conditioning equipment can be analyzed more accurately.

[0229] (3) See Figure 11 , which describes the operation process on the NFC module 20 side.

[0230] Return to see Figure 3 Since there is communication between the outdoor unit 10 and the NFC module 20, the NFC expansion board 22 receives the second data reading instruction, reads the stored data and saves it to the second storage partition 232 of the storage unit 23 in the NFC module 20 corresponding to the space for placing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data.

[0231] In some embodiments of the present application, as described above, the second storage partition 232 in the storage unit 23 is used to store the indoor unit data and outdoor unit data as described above.

[0232] The size of the space where each set of data is located and the size of the space of the second storage partition 232 can be found in the above-mentioned contents and will not be described in detail here.

[0233] After the NFC expansion board 22 receives the second data reading instruction, the stored data is read. Specifically, the data can be read according to the order in which the data is stored, for example, the outdoor unit data is read first, and then the indoor unit data is read.

[0234] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 11 , the NFC expansion board 22 reads the outdoor unit data first, and then reads the indoor unit data.

[0235] For detailed reading process, see Figure 11 The process shown.

[0236] (4) Return to see Figure 7 , which describes the process of reading data on the APP side.

[0237] After the data is stored in the second storage partition 232 , an external device with an NFC function is placed close to the outdoor unit 10 equipped with the NFC module 20 , and the data in the second storage partition 232 is read through the NFC technology.

[0238] (41) Based on the second data query information, the APP sends a second data query instruction to the NFC module 20.

[0239] The second data query information described above can be set according to the data to be queried. For example, the system number, indoor unit address or outdoor unit address, and data number are entered on the APP interface, and the query button is clicked to trigger the query, that is, the second data query instruction is issued through NFC technology.

[0240] For multi-split air conditioning systems, a system number will be set. Different system numbers contain different outdoor units and indoor units. The system number can be 0, 1, 2, etc.

[0241] In order to achieve communication with different indoor units and outdoor units, each indoor unit and outdoor unit has a different address. Communication with the corresponding indoor unit or outdoor unit can be achieved by accessing different addresses.

[0242] The indoor unit address and outdoor unit address under different system numbers can be the same or different.

[0243] The system number and the indoor unit address are combined to form the indoor unit's communication address, and the system number and the outdoor unit address are combined to form the outdoor unit's communication address.

[0244] The data number indicates the specific current index number in each group of data.

[0245] In this way, a certain indoor unit or a certain outdoor unit can be located according to the second data query information to obtain the indoor unit data of a certain indoor unit or the outdoor unit data of a certain outdoor unit for analyzing the operating status of a certain indoor unit or a certain outdoor unit.

[0246] (42) The NFC expansion board 22 receives the second data query instruction.

[0247] The NFC expansion board 22 receives the second data query instruction through near field communication.

[0248] (43) The NFC expansion board 22 reads the data in the second storage partition 232 and forwards it to the APP.

[0249] Return to see Figure 3 The NFC expansion board 22 communicates with the storage unit 23. Therefore, when the NFC expansion board 22 receives the second data query instruction, it reads the corresponding data from the second storage partition 232 of the storage unit 23, and then forwards it to the APP through NFC technology.

[0250] (44) Display the forwarded data on the APP.

[0251] In order to facilitate after-sales personnel to intuitively obtain the forwarded data, the data is directly displayed on the APP.

[0252] Analyze the operating status of the indoor or outdoor unit corresponding to the data for after-sales personnel.

[0253] This application also relates to a multi-connected air conditioning system that actively saves data, see Figures 8 to 11 The access process of actively saving data as described above will not be described in detail here.

[0254] In the description of the above embodiments, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0255] The above are only specific embodiments of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. A multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that: include: at least one indoor unit, configured to provide cooling or heating to an indoor space when the multi-split air conditioning system is cooling; At least one outdoor unit, including a master outdoor unit, or including a master outdoor unit and at least one slave outdoor unit, each outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected to a communication bus and connected to each indoor unit through a pipeline; At least one NFC module. Each master outdoor unit is configured with one NFC module. When a slave outdoor unit exists, each slave outdoor unit is configured with at most one NFC module. The NFC module includes: Main control unit: It is connected to the outdoor unit in which it is configured; An NFC expansion board, which is communicatively connected to the main control unit and capable of near-field communication with the APP on the device with NFC function; a storage unit connected to the main control unit and capable of being configured to store multiple sets of data, each set of data including indoor unit data of a plurality of operating indoor units and outdoor unit data of a plurality of operating outdoor units; The process of accessing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system is as follows: When the outdoor unit operates normally, the outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time; When a fault alarm occurs in the multi-split air conditioning system, stop storing data and send a first data reading instruction to the NFC expansion board to read the stored data; The NFC expansion board receives the first data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the storage unit; The APP sends a first data query instruction to the NFC expansion board based on the first data query information, so as to query the indoor unit data or the outdoor unit data corresponding to the first data query information; The NFC expansion board receives the first data query instruction, reads the data in its storage unit and forwards it to the APP; The multi-split air conditioning system can also access actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data, as follows: The APP sends an active data saving enable instruction and a saving time to the NFC expansion board; The NFC expansion board receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and forwards the instructions to the outdoor unit.

2. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each set of data also includes: The data header includes the total number of indexes, the current index number, time, and data type, where the data type includes indoor units and outdoor units.

3. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the outdoor unit is operating normally, the outdoor unit stores indoor unit data of the indoor unit operating normally and outdoor unit data of the outdoor unit operating normally in real time, specifically: Set preset storage time period; The indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data are stored for each preset storage time period.

4. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The process of the multi-split air conditioning system accessing the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data further includes: The data forwarded to the APP is displayed on the APP.

5. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The storage unit has: a first storage partition, which is used to store the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data; The second storage partition is different from the first storage partition and is also used to store multiple groups of data, each group of data including indoor unit data of several running indoor units and outdoor unit data of several running outdoor units.

6. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 5, characterized in that: The process of accessing the actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system further includes the following: The outdoor unit receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and the outdoor unit actively saves data enabling; The outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time, and sends a second data reading instruction to the NFC expansion board for reading the stored data; After determining that the storage time has expired, the outdoor unit stops storing data and cancels the active data storage function; The NFC expansion board receives the second data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the second storage partition; The APP sends a second data query instruction to the NFC expansion board based on the second data query information, so as to query the indoor unit data or the outdoor unit data corresponding to the second data query information; The NFC expansion board receives the second data query instruction, reads the data in the second storage partition of its storage unit, and forwards the data to the APP.

7. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The process of accessing actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system further includes: The data forwarded to the APP is displayed on the APP.

8. The multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that: The stated retention period can be modified.

9. A multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that: include: at least one indoor unit, configured to provide cooling or heating to an indoor space when the multi-split air conditioning system is cooling; At least one outdoor unit, including a master outdoor unit, or including a master outdoor unit and at least one slave outdoor unit, each outdoor unit and each indoor unit are connected to a communication bus and connected to each indoor unit through a pipeline; At least one NFC module. Each master outdoor unit is configured with one NFC module. When a slave outdoor unit exists, each slave outdoor unit is configured with at most one NFC module. The NFC module includes: Main control unit: It is connected to the outdoor unit in which it is configured; An NFC expansion board, which is communicatively connected to the main control unit and capable of near-field communication with the APP on the device with NFC function; a storage unit connected to the main control unit and capable of being configured to store multiple sets of data, each set of data including indoor unit data of a plurality of operating indoor units and outdoor unit data of a plurality of operating outdoor units; The process of accessing the actively saved indoor unit data and outdoor unit data of the multi-split air conditioning system is as follows: The APP sends an active data saving enable instruction and a saving time to the NFC expansion board; The NFC expansion board receives the active data saving enable instruction and the saving time, and forwards the instruction to the outdoor unit; The outdoor unit receives the active data saving enabling instruction and the saving time, and the outdoor unit actively saves data enabling; The outdoor unit stores indoor unit data indicating normal operation of the indoor unit and outdoor unit data indicating normal operation of the outdoor unit in real time, and sends a second data reading instruction to the NFC expansion board for reading the stored data; After determining that the storage time has expired, the outdoor unit stops storing data and cancels the active data storage function; The NFC expansion board receives the second data reading instruction, reads the stored data, and saves the stored data to the space corresponding to the indoor unit data and the outdoor unit data in the second storage partition of the NFC expansion board; The APP sends a second data query instruction to the NFC expansion board based on the second data query information, so as to query the indoor unit data or the outdoor unit data corresponding to the second data query information; The NFC expansion board receives the second data query instruction, reads the data in the second storage partition of its storage unit, and forwards the data to the APP.

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