Outdoor unit control method and device of multi-split air conditioning system and storage medium of outdoor unit control method and device

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses an outdoor unit control method and device of a multi-split system and a storage medium, and the control method comprises the steps that outdoor unit slaves report address information and operation duration of the outdoor unit slaves to an outdoor unit host, and receive address information and operation duration backup information, sent by the outdoor unit host, of the outdoor unit slaves; and if the communication between the current outdoor unit slave and the outdoor unit host is disconnected, communicating with other outdoor unit slaves, and determining a new outdoor unit host according to the address information and the operation duration of each outdoor unit slave. According to the operation state of the outdoor unit host, the outdoor unit slave communicates and determines a new outdoor unit host, so that the operation stability of the multi-split system is ensured; by backing up the address information and the operation time of the outdoor unit slave, the standby host can be conveniently determined and switched to the outdoor unit host, and the safety and the stability of the multi-split system are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of multi-connected air conditioner systems, and particularly to an outdoor unit control method, device and storage medium for a multi-connected air conditioner system. Background Art

[0002] In a multi-connected air conditioner system, there are multiple outdoor units connected in parallel, and one of the outdoor units serves as the main unit to control other devices of the multi-connected air conditioner system. During the operation of the multi-connected air conditioner system, if the main outdoor unit fails or loses the control signal of the main outdoor unit, the multiple parallel outdoor units will stop running accordingly, affecting the use of the entire multi-connected air conditioner system. To ensure the stable operation of the multi-connected air conditioner system, when the main outdoor unit fails, the system continues to provide energy output to the indoor unit without switching the main unit; when the control signal of the main outdoor unit is lost, the main unit can be automatically switched to ensure the continuous operation of the multi-connected air conditioner system. Summary of the Invention

[0003] An object of the present invention is to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide an outdoor unit control method, device and storage medium for a multi-connected air conditioner system, which can effectively perform automatic master-slave switching of multiple outdoor units and improve the operation stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an outdoor unit control method for a multi-connected air conditioner system. The multi-connected air conditioner system includes indoor devices and multiple outdoor units. One of the multiple outdoor units is the main outdoor unit, and the remaining outdoor units are slave outdoor units. The control method includes:

[0005] The main outdoor unit obtains the address information of each slave outdoor unit and records the operation duration of each slave outdoor unit, and backs up the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit to each slave outdoor unit;

[0006] When the main outdoor unit is in a fault state and the communication between the main outdoor unit and the slave outdoor units is normal, the main outdoor unit stops heat exchange with the indoor devices and instructs the slave outdoor units to operate according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0007] According to the outdoor unit control method for a multi-connected air conditioner system provided by the embodiment of the present invention, at least the following beneficial effects are achieved: by controlling the working state of the slave outdoor units according to the operating state of the main outdoor unit, the operation stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system is ensured; by backing up the address information and operation time of the slave outdoor units, it is convenient to determine the standby main unit and switch it to the main outdoor unit, improving the safety and stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0008] In the outdoor unit control method of the above multi-connected air-conditioning system, the outdoor unit main machine obtains the address information of each outdoor unit slave machine and records the running duration of each outdoor unit slave machine, including:

[0009] The outdoor unit main machine sends addressing information to each outdoor unit slave machine and receives a reply message, where the reply message is a response message determined by the outdoor unit slave machine for addressing after receiving the addressing message;

[0010] The outdoor unit main machine obtains the address information of the outdoor unit slave machine according to the reply message;

[0011] The outdoor unit main machine obtains the initial running time of each outdoor unit slave machine and obtains the running duration of each outdoor unit slave machine according to the initial running time.

[0012] In the outdoor unit control method of the above multi-connected air-conditioning system, the outdoor unit includes a hydraulic module; the outdoor unit main machine stops heat exchange with the indoor equipment and instructs the outdoor unit slave machine to operate according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, including:

[0013] The outdoor unit main machine stops running the compressor and the fan, and the outdoor unit main machine closes the hydraulic module or closes the valve between the outdoor unit main machine and the indoor equipment;

[0014] Adjust the operating parameters of the outdoor unit slave machine according to the working state of the outdoor unit slave machine so that the outdoor unit slave machine outputs according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

[0015] In a second aspect, an outdoor unit control method for a multi-connected air-conditioning system, the multi-connected air-conditioning system includes a plurality of outdoor units, one of the plurality of outdoor units is an outdoor unit main machine, and the rest of the outdoor units are outdoor unit slave machines. The control method includes:

[0016] The outdoor unit slave machine reports the address information and running duration of its own machine to the outdoor unit main machine and receives the address information and running duration backup information of each outdoor unit slave machine sent by the outdoor unit main machine;

[0017] If the communication between the current outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine is disconnected, communicate with other outdoor unit slave machines and determine a new outdoor unit main machine according to the address information and running duration of each outdoor unit slave machine.

[0018] The outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system provided by the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By determining a new outdoor unit host through communication with the slave outdoor units according to the operating state of the main outdoor unit, the operating stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system is ensured; By backing up the address information and operating time of the slave outdoor units, it is convenient to determine the standby host and switch it to the main outdoor unit, improving the safety and stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0019] In the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system, the reporting of the address information and operating duration of the local unit to the main outdoor unit and receiving the backup information of the address information and operating duration of each slave outdoor unit sent by the main outdoor unit includes:

[0020] The slave outdoor unit receives the addressing information sent by the main outdoor unit and generates a reply information including the address information of the local unit;

[0021] The slave outdoor unit sends the reply information and the operating duration of the local unit to the main outdoor unit;

[0022] The slave outdoor unit receives and stores the backup information sent by the main outdoor unit, where the backup information includes the address information and operating duration of each slave outdoor unit.

[0023] In the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system, when the communication between the slave outdoor unit and the main outdoor unit is disconnected, communicating with other slave outdoor units and determining a new main outdoor unit according to the address information and operating duration of each slave outdoor unit includes:

[0024] When the communication between the slave outdoor unit and the main outdoor unit is disconnected, the slave outdoor unit determines a standby host according to the address information and operating duration of each slave outdoor unit;

[0025] The standby host is switched to a new main outdoor unit.

[0026] In the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system, the determining of the standby host according to the address information and operating duration of each slave outdoor unit includes:

[0027] The slave outdoor unit obtains the operating duration of each slave outdoor unit according to the backup information;

[0028] The slave outdoor unit determines the slave outdoor unit with the shortest operating duration as the standby host according to the operating duration of the slave outdoor unit;

[0029] In the case where the number of slave outdoor units with the shortest operating duration is multiple, the address information of each slave outdoor unit is obtained according to the backup information;

[0030] Based on the address information of each of the slave outdoor units, determine the slave outdoor unit with the smallest address as the standby master unit.

[0031] In the above outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system, the switching of the standby master unit to the new outdoor unit master unit includes:

[0032] When the local unit is confirmed as the standby master unit, send addressing information to the remaining slave outdoor units and receive reply information, where the reply information is the response message of the slave outdoor unit that is confirmed as the local unit after receiving the addressing message and determines to perform addressing;

[0033] According to the reply information, instruct the slave outdoor units to output according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0034] In the above outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system, the method further includes:

[0035] When the communication between the slave outdoor unit and the master outdoor unit is disconnected and all the slave outdoor units are in a fault state, stop switching the standby master unit to the master unit;

[0036] When the backup information of the slave outdoor unit is lost, stop switching the standby master unit to the master unit.

[0037] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an outdoor unit control device for a multi-connected air conditioner system, which is characterized by including at least one control processor and a memory for communicatively connecting with the at least one control processor; the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one control processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one control processor to enable the at least one control processor to execute the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system as described above.

[0038] According to the outdoor unit control device for a multi-connected air conditioner system provided by the embodiment of the present invention, it has at least the following beneficial effects: By determining a new outdoor unit master unit according to the operating state of the outdoor unit master unit, communicating with the slave outdoor units, the operation stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system is ensured; By backing up the address information and operating time of the slave outdoor units, it is convenient to determine the standby master unit and switch it to the outdoor unit master unit, improving the safety and stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0039] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium, which is characterized in that the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to execute the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system as described above.

[0040] The computer-readable storage medium provided by the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: By communicating with the slave outdoor unit according to the operating state of the master outdoor unit and determining a new master outdoor unit, the operation stability of the multi-connected air-conditioning system is ensured; By backing up the address information and operating time of the slave outdoor unit, it is convenient to determine the standby master unit and switch it to the master outdoor unit, improving the security and stability of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

[0041] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following specification, and, in part, will be obvious from the specification, or will be understood by implementing the present invention. The objectives and other advantages of the present invention can be realized and obtained by the structures specifically pointed out in the specification, claims, and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] The drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the technical solutions of the present application, and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present application, they are used to explain the technical solutions of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation to the technical solutions of the present application.

[0043] Figure 1 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an outdoor unit of a multi-connected air-conditioning system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0044] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a flowchart of step S1000 in

[0045] Figure 3 is Figure 1 a flowchart of step S2000 in

[0046] Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method for controlling an outdoor unit of a multi-connected air-conditioning system provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 5 is Figure 4 a flowchart of step S3000 in

[0048] Figure 6 is Figure 4 a flowchart of step S4000 in

[0049] Figure 7 is Figure 6 a flowchart of step S4100 in

[0050] Figure 8 is Figure 6 a flowchart of step S4200 in

[0051] Figure 9 is Figure 4 a flowchart of step S4000 in

[0052] Figure 10 It is a schematic diagram of an outdoor unit control device of a multi-connected air conditioner system provided by an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0053] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below. The examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application and should not be construed as a limitation of the present application.

[0054] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that with regard to the orientation description, such as the orientation or positional relationship indicated by up, down, front, back, left, right, etc. is the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present application.

[0055] In the description of the present application, the meaning of several is one or more, the meaning of multiple is more than two, greater than, less than, exceeding, etc. are understood as not including the present number, and above, below, within, etc. are understood as including the present number. If the first and second are described only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, they should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the quantity of the indicated technical features or the sequence relationship of the indicated technical features.

[0056] In the description of the present application, unless otherwise clearly defined, words such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above words in the present application in combination with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0057] The embodiments of the present application provide a control method, device and storage medium for an outdoor unit of a multi-connected air conditioner system, which can determine a new outdoor unit main machine through communication with the slave outdoor units according to the operating state of the outdoor unit main machine, ensuring the operation stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system; by backing up the address information and running time of the slave outdoor units, it is convenient to determine the standby main machine and switch it to the outdoor unit main machine, improving the safety and stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0058] The multi-connected air-conditioning system involved in the embodiments of the present application includes indoor devices and multiple outdoor units, and one of the multiple outdoor units is the main outdoor unit, and the rest of the outdoor units are slave outdoor units. Specifically, the multi-connected air-conditioning system belongs to a combination system of a ceiling water and floor water system, which is a central air-conditioning system that exchanges heat through water in the indoor device and combines with an air-source water floor heating system. The working principle of the ceiling water and floor water system is that the outdoor unit first exchanges heat between water and refrigerant, cools the water and then sends it to the indoor device through a water pipe for refrigeration, or heats the water and then transmits it to the indoor device through a water pipe for heating, which belongs to secondary heat exchange. When the ceiling water and floor water system performs secondary heat exchange for refrigeration, the outlet air temperature of the indoor device during refrigeration is between 15°C and 20°C, and the outlet air is gentle and the body feeling is comfortable. In addition, the water system does not limit the connection ratio of indoor and outdoor units. In application scenarios with a relatively low simultaneous operation rate, the matching ratio of indoor and outdoor units is relatively low, resulting in a relatively low cost of indoor devices, which makes the ceiling water and floor water system have the characteristics of high cost performance and is widely used in various refrigeration and heating scenarios.

[0059] Currently, in the ceiling water and floor water system, there are multiple indoor devices, and there will also be a situation where multiple outdoor units are connected in parallel due to the output capacity of the outdoor unit. Therefore, during the operation of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, if the main outdoor unit fails or loses the control signal of the main outdoor unit, the multiple parallel outdoor units will stop running accordingly, affecting the use of the entire multi-connected air-conditioning system. To ensure the stable operation of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, when the main outdoor unit fails, the system needs to continue to provide energy output for the indoor unit without switching the main unit; when losing the control signal of the main outdoor unit, the multi-connected air-conditioning system needs to automatically switch the main unit to ensure the continuous operation of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

[0060] The following further elaborates on the embodiments of the present application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0061] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 which shows a flowchart of a control method for an outdoor unit of a multi-connected air-conditioning system provided by an embodiment of the first aspect of the present application. As Figure 1 shown, the control method for the outdoor unit of the multi-connected air-conditioning system includes the following steps:

[0062] Step S1000: The main outdoor unit obtains the address information of each slave outdoor unit and records the running duration of each slave outdoor unit, and backs up the address information and running duration of each slave outdoor unit to each slave outdoor unit.

[0063] It can be understood that in a multi-connected air conditioner system, the main unit serves as the control center of the outdoor unit, and realizes functions such as refrigeration, heating of the outdoor unit and controlling the power output of the outdoor unit by connecting multiple slave units. The main unit and the slave units are connected through communication cables, enabling different outdoor units to independently control the power output, improving the comfort and energy-saving effect of the multi-connected air conditioner system. In practical applications, the outdoor unit main unit communicates with each outdoor unit slave unit through the RS485 interface. The RS485 communication protocol is a serial communication protocol, a standard for data communication between multiple devices, and its main function is to realize data exchange and communication between devices; it is usually applied in the field of industrial automation to realize data transmission and control between various devices in an industrial control system.

[0064] Specifically, the RS485 communication protocol uses the master-slave mode for communication, where the outdoor unit main unit is responsible for initiating a communication request, and the outdoor unit slave unit is responsible for responding to the request and returning data. The communication process between the outdoor unit main unit and the outdoor unit slave unit is as follows: the outdoor unit main unit sends a request item, and the outdoor unit main unit sends a data frame containing the request data to the outdoor unit slave unit; the outdoor unit slave unit responds to the request frame. After receiving the request frame, the outdoor unit slave unit performs corresponding processing according to the request data and generates response data; the outdoor unit slave unit sends a response frame, and the outdoor unit slave unit encapsulates the generated response data in a data frame and sends it to the outdoor unit main unit; the outdoor unit main unit receives the response frame. After receiving the response frame, the outdoor unit main unit parses the data therein and performs corresponding processing. Of course, in other embodiments, the outdoor unit main unit can also communicate with each outdoor unit slave unit through other interfaces, such as the RS232 interface, etc., which is not limited herein.

[0065] It can be understood that in order for the outdoor unit main unit to timely obtain the operating conditions of the outdoor unit slave units, it is necessary to obtain the address information of each outdoor unit slave unit and record the operating duration of each outdoor unit slave unit. At the same time, in order to ensure that the outdoor unit main unit fails to read the address information and operating duration of each outdoor unit slave unit due to a communication failure, it is necessary to back up all the address information and operating duration to each outdoor unit slave unit to provide the outdoor unit slave units to elect a new outdoor unit main unit and quickly obtain the address information of the outdoor unit slave units, ensuring the stable operation of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0066] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 which shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above step S1000. As Figure 4 shown, step S1000 at least includes the following steps:

[0067] Step S1100: The outdoor unit main unit sends addressing information to each outdoor unit slave unit and receives a reply message, where the reply message is a response message determined by the outdoor unit slave unit to perform addressing after receiving the addressing message.

[0068] It is understandable that the communication principle of RS485 is based on the master-slave mode. In communication, the host is responsible for sending commands and requests, and the slave responds and returns data. Therefore, the outdoor unit host sends addressing information containing addressing request data to each outdoor unit slave, that is, the outdoor unit host sends a command to request addressing to each outdoor unit slave; after receiving the request frame of the addressing information, the outdoor unit slave performs corresponding processing according to the addressing request data and generates response data containing its own address information; then the outdoor unit slave sends a reply message, that is, the outdoor unit slave encapsulates the generated response data in the data frame of the response message and sends it to the outdoor unit host.

[0069] Step S1200: The outdoor unit host obtains the address information of the outdoor unit slave according to the reply message.

[0070] It is understandable that after receiving the reply message including the response frame sent by the outdoor unit slave, the outdoor unit host analyzes the data therein and performs corresponding processing. Specifically, the outdoor unit host obtains the address information of the outdoor unit slave by unpacking the data frame of the reply message. The outdoor unit host obtains the address information of each outdoor unit slave by sending addressing information to each outdoor unit slave.

[0071] Step S1300: The outdoor unit host obtains the initial running time of each outdoor unit slave and obtains the running duration of each outdoor unit slave according to the initial running time.

[0072] It is understandable that the outdoor unit host and the outdoor unit slave are connected through the RS485 interface. The connection line of the RS485 interface not only serves as the communication connection line between the outdoor unit host and the outdoor unit slave, but also serves as the clock synchronization signal line between the outdoor unit host and the outdoor unit slave, which is used for the outdoor unit host to control the clock synchronization command for the outdoor unit slave. Therefore, through clock synchronization, the outdoor unit host can obtain the running duration of each outdoor unit slave by obtaining the initial running time of each outdoor unit slave. It is understandable that the process of the outdoor unit host obtaining the initial running time by sending instructions to the outdoor unit slave is the same as the process of obtaining the address information in the above steps S1100 to S1200, and will not be elaborated here.

[0073] Step S2000: When the outdoor unit host is in a fault state and the communication between the outdoor unit host and the outdoor unit slave is normal, the outdoor unit host stops heat exchange with the indoor equipment and instructs the outdoor unit slave to output according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

[0074] It is understandable that when the communication between the outdoor unit main machine and each outdoor unit slave machine is normal, the outdoor unit main machine can send control commands to the outdoor unit slave machines through the RS485 interface to control the power output of the outdoor unit. Specifically, the outdoor unit main machine can link and control multiple outdoor units through the RS485 interface to achieve centralized control and management; similarly, when it is necessary to exchange data and integrate the air conditioning system with other devices (such as PLC, energy management system, etc.), the air conditioning system can be connected to the RS485 communication network to facilitate data exchange with other devices and achieve overall automated control and management; in the case of monitoring and controlling the indoor environment, such as monitoring and adjusting parameters such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed, the indoor environment sensor can be connected to the RS485 communication network to achieve more precise indoor environment control; finally, in the case of fault diagnosis and maintenance of the air conditioning system, the air conditioning system can be connected to the RS485 communication network so that when a fault occurs in the outdoor unit main machine or the outdoor unit slave machine, the operating parameters of the outdoor unit can be adjusted in a timely manner, and the outdoor unit slave machine is instructed to output according to the load of the multi-split system.

[0075] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 3 which shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above step S2000. As Figure 4 shown, step S2000 at least includes the following steps:

[0076] Step S2100: The outdoor unit main machine stops running the compressor and the fan, and the outdoor unit main machine closes the hydraulic module or closes the valve between the indoor equipment.

[0077] It is understandable that when the main outdoor unit is in a fault state and the communication between the main outdoor unit and the slave outdoor unit is normal, although the main outdoor unit cannot operate properly due to the fault, it can still send control commands to the slave outdoor unit normally because the communication between the main outdoor unit and the slave outdoor unit is normal. Therefore, it is necessary to stop the heat exchange with the indoor equipment first. Specifically, in the water-to-water system, the main outdoor unit exchanges heat with the indoor equipment through the hot water pipeline. Therefore, there are various methods to cut off the heat exchange between the main outdoor unit and the indoor equipment. For example, stop the compressor of the main outdoor unit, stop the fan of the main outdoor unit, close the hydraulic module of the main outdoor unit, or close the valve between the main outdoor unit and the indoor equipment. Among them, when the compressor of the main outdoor unit stops running, the refrigerant in the main outdoor unit stops exchanging heat with the outside world, so that the main outdoor unit stops delivering hot water or cold water to the indoor equipment, and at the same time, the effect of energy conservation and emission reduction is achieved; stopping the fan of the main outdoor unit and closing the hydraulic module of the main outdoor unit can also achieve the effect that the main outdoor unit stops delivering hot water or cold water to the indoor equipment; closing the valve between the main outdoor unit and the indoor equipment can physically isolate the pipeline between the main outdoor unit and the indoor equipment, ensuring that there is no water flow and heat exchange between the main outdoor unit and the indoor equipment, and avoiding the impact of the main outdoor unit in a fault state on the normal operation of the indoor equipment.

[0078] Step S2200: Adjust the operating parameters of the slave outdoor unit according to the working state of the slave outdoor unit so that the slave outdoor unit outputs according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

[0079] It is understandable that since the heat exchange between the main outdoor unit and the indoor equipment is stopped, the power output of the outdoor unit decreases. To ensure the temperature control effect of the indoor equipment, it is necessary to adjust the operating parameters of the slave outdoor unit according to the working state of the slave outdoor unit so that the slave outdoor unit outputs according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system. Specifically, the main outdoor unit issues commands to adjust the operating parameters to each slave outdoor unit according to the difference between the total output power of the current slave outdoor units and the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system. For example, if the total output power of the current slave outdoor units is lower than the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, in order to meet the temperature control requirements of the indoor equipment, the main outdoor unit issues commands to each slave outdoor unit to increase the power output. The slave outdoor units respond to the commands and increase their own power outputs, so that the total power output of the slave outdoor units is consistent with the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, ensuring the operation stability of the multi-connected air-conditioning system and the comfort of users.

[0080] Please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 which shows a flowchart of a control method for the outdoor unit of a multi-connected air-conditioning system provided by an embodiment of the second aspect of the present application. As Figure 4 shown, the control method for the outdoor unit of the multi-connected air-conditioning system includes the following steps:

[0081] Step S3000: The slave outdoor unit reports its own address information and operation duration to the master outdoor unit, and receives the address information and operation duration backup information of each slave outdoor unit sent by the master outdoor unit.

[0082] It can be understood that in order for the master outdoor unit to timely obtain the operation status of the slave outdoor units, the slave outdoor units need to report their own address information and operation duration to the master outdoor unit. At the same time, in order to ensure that when the master outdoor unit has a communication failure and cannot read the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit, all the address information and operation duration need to be backed up to each slave outdoor unit, so as to provide for the slave outdoor units to elect a new master outdoor unit and quickly obtain the address information of the slave outdoor units, ensuring the operation stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0083] Please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 which shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above step S3000. As Figure 5 shown, step S3000 at least includes the following steps:

[0084] Step S3100: The slave outdoor unit receives the addressing information sent by the master outdoor unit and generates a reply message including its own address information.

[0085] It can be understood that, consistent with the above step S1100, in this embodiment, the slave outdoor unit communicates with the master outdoor unit through the RS485 interface. The slave outdoor unit receives the addressing information containing the addressing request data from the master outdoor unit, that is, the slave outdoor unit receives the command for requesting addressing sent by the master outdoor unit; after receiving the request frame of the addressing information, the slave outdoor unit performs corresponding processing according to the addressing request data and generates response data containing its own address information.

[0086] Step S3200: The slave outdoor unit sends the reply message and its own operation duration to the master outdoor unit.

[0087] It can be understood that the slave outdoor unit sends the reply message, that is, the slave outdoor unit encapsulates the generated response data in the data frame of the response message to form a reply message including its own address information. At the same time, the slave outdoor unit responds to the command of the master outdoor unit to request the operation duration of its own unit and sends a reply message including its own operation duration to the master outdoor unit.

[0088] Step S3300: The slave outdoor unit receives and stores the backup information sent by the master outdoor unit, where the backup information includes the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit.

[0089] It is understandable that after the outdoor unit main machine obtains the reply information of the outdoor unit slave machine including the address information and operation duration of the outdoor unit main machine, by unpacking the data frame of the reply information, the address information and operation duration of each outdoor unit slave machine are obtained. In order to prevent the outdoor unit main machine from being unable to read the address information and operation duration of each outdoor unit slave machine due to communication failures, all the address information and operation duration need to be packaged and a backup information of the address information and operation duration of the outdoor unit slave machine is generated, and then sent to each outdoor unit slave machine. After receiving and storing the backup information sent by the outdoor unit main machine, the outdoor unit slave machine stores it for easy access to relevant data at any time. In practical applications, in order to save the storage space of the outdoor unit slave machine, after receiving the current backup information, the outdoor unit slave machine can delete the previously received backup information to ensure the timeliness of the backup information.

[0090] Step S4000: If the communication between the current outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine is disconnected, communicate with other outdoor unit slave machines and determine a new outdoor unit main machine according to the address information and operation duration of each outdoor unit slave machine.

[0091] It is understandable that if the communication between the current outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine is disconnected, it is impossible to determine whether the outdoor unit main machine is operating normally at this time, nor can it ensure that other outdoor unit slave machines can operate according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system under the control of the outdoor unit main machine. At this time, the operating states of each outdoor unit cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, the current outdoor unit slave machine needs to communicate with other outdoor unit slave machines and determine a new outdoor unit main machine.

[0092] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 which shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above step S4000. As Figure 6 shown, step S4000 at least includes the following steps:

[0093] Step S4100: When the communication between the outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine is disconnected, the outdoor unit slave machine determines a standby main machine according to the address information and operation duration of each outdoor unit slave machine.

[0094] It is understandable that in the case of the communication between the outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine being disconnected, since the outdoor unit main machine cannot communicate with each outdoor unit slave machine normally, in order to ensure the operation stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system, it is necessary to elect an outdoor unit from the outdoor unit slave machines as the standby main machine. During the process of determining the new outdoor unit main machine, in order to ensure that the elected standby main machine is operating normally and communicating normally with other outdoor units, it is necessary to continue to determine through the address information and operation duration of each outdoor unit slave machine in the backup information to ensure the stability and uniqueness of the elected standby main machine.

[0095] Please refer toFigure 7 , Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above-mentioned step S4100. As Figure 7 shown, step S4100 at least includes the following steps:

[0096] Step S4110: The slave outdoor unit obtains the running duration of each slave outdoor unit according to the backup information.

[0097] It can be understood that, as can be seen from the above step S3200, the backup information includes the running duration of each slave outdoor unit. Therefore, by unpacking the backup information stored in the slave outdoor unit, the running duration of each slave outdoor unit can be obtained. Since each slave outdoor unit stores backup information with the same content, obtaining the running duration of each slave outdoor unit through the backup information can effectively ensure the consistency of the running duration obtained by each slave outdoor unit, and avoid the situation of inconsistent backup information, which affects the uniqueness of the elected standby host.

[0098] Step S4120: The slave outdoor unit determines the slave outdoor unit with the shortest running duration as the standby host according to the running duration of the slave outdoor unit.

[0099] It can be understood that, in order to ensure the stability of the standby host, in practical applications, the slave outdoor unit with the shortest running duration is preferentially selected as the standby host. Since the running stability and service life of the outdoor unit are directly related to the running duration, the shorter the running duration, the stronger the running stability of the outdoor unit, and the longer its service life. Therefore, determining the slave outdoor unit with the shortest running duration as the standby host is beneficial to ensuring the stability of the multi-connected air-conditioning system and avoiding the situation of frequent switching of the outdoor unit host.

[0100] Step S4130: When the number of slave outdoor units with the shortest running duration is multiple, obtain the address information of each slave outdoor unit according to the backup information.

[0101] It can be understood that, due to the situation where multiple slave outdoor units run simultaneously, there will be multiple slave outdoor units with the shortest running duration. When the running states of the slave outdoor units are the same, it is necessary to sort through other parameters of the slave outdoor units to select the most suitable slave outdoor unit as the standby host. In this embodiment, through the address information of each slave outdoor unit in the backup information, multiple slave outdoor units with the same running duration can be sorted to ensure the uniqueness of the standby host.

[0102] Step S4140: Determine the slave outdoor unit with the smallest address as the standby host according to the address information of each slave outdoor unit.

[0103] It can be understood that, as can be seen from the above step S3100, the backup information includes the address information of each slave outdoor unit. Therefore, by unpacking the backup information stored in the slave outdoor unit, the address information of each slave outdoor unit can be obtained. Although in the RS485 communication system, the address information of the slave outdoor unit has no priority, in the relevant communication protocols, there is still a situation where the communication address is automatically assigned with the smallest address taking precedence. Therefore, in this embodiment, the slave outdoor unit with the smallest address is determined as the standby host, further ensuring the stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system and avoiding the situation of frequent switching of the outdoor unit host.

[0104] Step S4200: The standby host is switched to a new outdoor unit host.

[0105] It can be understood that after determining that the current slave outdoor unit is the standby host, it is necessary to switch the standby host to a new outdoor unit host. The new outdoor unit host needs to take over the old outdoor unit host, establish communication with each slave outdoor unit, and instruct the slave outdoor unit to output according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system to ensure the stable operation of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0106] Please refer to Figure 8 , Figure 8 which shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above step S4200. As Figure 8 shown, step S4200 at least includes the following steps:

[0107] Step S4210: When the local machine is confirmed as the standby host, send addressing information to the remaining slave outdoor units and receive a reply message, where the reply message is a response message that the slave outdoor unit confirms as the local machine after receiving the addressing message and determines to perform addressing.

[0108] It can be understood that after the local machine is confirmed as the standby host, similar to the above step S1100, the new outdoor unit host sends addressing information containing addressing request data to each slave outdoor unit, that is, the outdoor unit host sends a command requesting addressing to each slave outdoor unit; after receiving the request frame of the addressing information, the slave outdoor unit performs corresponding processing according to the addressing request data and generates response data containing the local machine address information; then the slave outdoor unit sends a reply message, that is, the slave outdoor unit encapsulates the generated response data in the data frame of the response message and sends it to the new outdoor unit host.

[0109] Step S4220: According to the reply message, instruct the slave outdoor unit to output according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0110] It can be understood that since the communication between the old outdoor unit main machine and the outdoor unit main machine has been disconnected and its output power cannot be guaranteed, usually, the valve between the old outdoor unit main machine and the indoor equipment is closed to stop the heat exchange between the old outdoor unit main machine and the indoor equipment. At this time, in order to meet the load of the current multi-connected air-conditioning system, the new outdoor unit main machine needs to send an instruction to adjust the operating parameters to the outdoor unit slave machines to instruct the outdoor unit slave machines to output according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system. The specific process is the same as that of step S2200 above and will not be elaborated here.

[0111] Please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9 which shows a schematic diagram of a specific implementation process of the above step S4000. As Figure 9 shown, step S4000 at least includes the following steps:

[0112] Step S4300: When the communication between the outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine is disconnected and all outdoor unit slave machines are in a fault state, stop switching the standby main machine to the main machine.

[0113] It can be understood that when the outdoor unit main machine fails, in some special cases, in order to ensure the normal operation of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, it is not necessary to switch the standby main machine to the main machine. Specifically, when the communication between the outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine is disconnected and all outdoor unit slave machines are in a fault state, if the standby main machine is switched to the main machine, it cannot be guaranteed that the new outdoor unit main machine can establish a communication relationship with the outdoor unit slave machines, nor can it be guaranteed that the new outdoor unit main machine can instruct the outdoor unit slave machines to operate according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system. Therefore, in this case, the original outdoor unit main machine configuration should be maintained, and an alarm for the disconnection of the communication of the outdoor unit main machine and an alarm for the fault of the outdoor unit slave machines should be sent out. After the maintenance personnel handle the problem of the disconnection of the communication between the outdoor unit slave machine and the outdoor unit main machine or repair the fault of the outdoor unit slave machine, the standby main machine is switched to the main machine according to the above steps to ensure the normal operation of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

[0114] Step S4400: When the backup information of the outdoor unit slave machine is lost, stop switching the standby main machine to the main machine.

[0115] It can be understood that when the backup information of the outdoor unit slave machine is lost, the outdoor unit slave machine cannot obtain the address information and operation duration of each outdoor unit slave machine according to the backup information, so the unique standby main machine cannot be determined. In order to avoid the situation that the standby main machine cannot be elected to take over the work of the outdoor unit main machine or there are multiple standby main machines, resulting in the abnormal operation of the multi-connected air-conditioning system, when the backup information of the outdoor unit slave machine is lost, the switching of the standby main machine to the main machine should be stopped.

[0116] Refer to Figure 10, an embodiment of the third aspect of the present application further provides an outdoor unit control device 500 for a multi-connected air conditioner system, including at least one control processor 510 and a memory 520 communicatively connected to the at least one control processor 510; the memory 520 stores instructions executable by the at least one control processor 510, and the instructions are executed by the at least one control processor 510 to enable the at least one control processor 510 to execute the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system as described above.

[0117] The outdoor unit control device for a multi-connected air conditioner system provided by the embodiment of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects: according to the operating state of the outdoor unit main machine, the outdoor unit slave machine communicates to determine a new outdoor unit main machine, ensuring the operating stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system; by backing up the address information and operating time of the outdoor unit slave machine, it is convenient to determine the standby main machine and switch it to the outdoor unit main machine, improving the safety and stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0118] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to execute the control methods of the embodiments of the first and second aspects.

[0119] The computer-readable storage medium provided by the embodiment of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects: according to the operating state of the outdoor unit main machine, the outdoor unit slave machine communicates to determine a new outdoor unit main machine, ensuring the operating stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system; by backing up the address information and operating time of the outdoor unit slave machine, it is convenient to determine the standby main machine and switch it to the outdoor unit main machine, improving the safety and stability of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

[0120] Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that all or some of the steps and systems disclosed in the above methods can be implemented as software, firmware, hardware, and their appropriate combinations. Some physical components or all physical components can be implemented as software executed by a processor, such as a central processing unit, a digital signal processor, or a microprocessor, or as hardware, or as an integrated circuit, such as an application-specific integrated circuit. Such software can be distributed on a computer-readable medium, which can include a computer storage medium (or non-transitory medium) and a communication medium (or transitory medium). As is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the term computer storage medium includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storing information, such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, tapes, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store the desired information and can be accessed by a computer. In addition, it is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art that a communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transmission mechanism, and can include any information delivery medium.

[0121] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "illustrative embodiments", "examples", "specific examples", or "some examples", etc. mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0122] Although the embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and purposes of this application, and the scope of this application is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A control method for an outdoor unit of a multi-connected air conditioner system, the multi-connected air conditioner system including indoor devices and a plurality of outdoor units, one of the plurality of outdoor units being the main outdoor unit and the remaining outdoor units being slave outdoor units, the control method comprises: The main outdoor unit obtains the address information of each slave outdoor unit and records the running duration of each slave outdoor unit, and backs up the address information and running duration of each slave outdoor unit to each slave outdoor unit; When the main outdoor unit is in a fault state and the communication between the main outdoor unit and the slave outdoor units is normal, the main outdoor unit stops heat exchange with the indoor devices and instructs the slave outdoor units to operate according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The main outdoor unit obtains the address information of each slave outdoor unit and records the running duration of each slave outdoor unit, including: The main outdoor unit sends addressing information to each slave outdoor unit and receives a reply message, wherein the reply message is a response message determined by the slave outdoor unit for addressing after receiving the addressing message; The main outdoor unit obtains the address information of the slave outdoor unit according to the reply message; The main outdoor unit obtains the initial running time of each slave outdoor unit and obtains the running duration of each slave outdoor unit according to the initial running time.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The outdoor unit includes a hydraulic module; the main outdoor unit stops heat exchange with the indoor devices and instructs the slave outdoor units to operate according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system, including: The main outdoor unit stops the compressor and the fan from running, and the main outdoor unit closes the hydraulic module or closes the valve between the main outdoor unit and the indoor devices; Adjust the running parameters of the slave outdoor unit according to the working state of the slave outdoor unit, so that the slave outdoor unit outputs according to the load of the multi-connected air conditioner system.

4. A control method for an outdoor unit of a multi-connected air conditioner system, the multi-connected air conditioner system including a plurality of outdoor units, one of the plurality of outdoor units being the main outdoor unit and the remaining outdoor units being slave outdoor units, the control method comprises: The slave outdoor unit reports the address information and running duration of its own unit to the main outdoor unit and receives the backup information of the address information and running duration of each slave outdoor unit sent by the main outdoor unit; If the communication between the current slave outdoor unit and the main outdoor unit is disconnected, communicate with other slave outdoor units and determine a new main outdoor unit according to the address information and running duration of each slave outdoor unit.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, The reporting the address information and running duration of its own unit to the main outdoor unit and receiving the backup information of the address information and running duration of each slave outdoor unit sent by the main outdoor unit, includes: The slave outdoor unit receives the addressing information sent by the main outdoor unit and generates a reply message including the address information of its own unit; The slave outdoor unit sends the reply information and the operation duration of the local unit to the master outdoor unit; The slave outdoor unit receives and stores the backup information sent by the master outdoor unit, where the backup information includes the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the communication between the slave outdoor unit and the master outdoor unit is disconnected, communicate with other slave outdoor units and determine a new master outdoor unit according to the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit, including: when the communication between the slave outdoor unit and the master outdoor unit is disconnected, the slave outdoor unit determines a standby master according to the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit; The standby master is switched to a new master outdoor unit.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, determining a standby master according to the address information and operation duration of each slave outdoor unit includes: the slave outdoor unit obtains the operation duration of each slave outdoor unit according to the backup information; the slave outdoor unit determines the slave outdoor unit with the shortest operation duration as the standby master according to the operation duration of the slave outdoor unit; in the case where the number of slave outdoor units with the shortest operation duration is multiple, obtain the address information of each slave outdoor unit according to the backup information; determine the slave outdoor unit with the smallest address as the standby master according to the address information of each slave outdoor unit.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein, switching the standby master to a new master outdoor unit includes: when the local unit is confirmed as the standby master, send an addressing message to the remaining slave outdoor units and receive a reply message, where the reply message is a response message that the slave outdoor unit confirms as the local unit after receiving the addressing message and determines to perform addressing; According to the reply message, instruct the slave outdoor unit to output according to the load of the multi-connected air-conditioning system.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein, the method further includes: when the communication between the slave outdoor unit and the master outdoor unit is disconnected and all slave outdoor units are in a fault state, stop switching the standby master to the master; when the backup information of the slave outdoor unit is lost, stop switching the standby master to the master.

10. An outdoor unit control device for a multi-connected air-conditioning system, wherein, includes at least one control processor and a memory for communicating with the at least one control processor; the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one control processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one control processor so that the at least one control processor can execute the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air-conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 4 to 9.

11. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein, The computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer to execute the outdoor unit control method of the multi-connected air conditioner system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 4 to 9.

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