Multi-split air conditioner household charging method, device and equipment, control system and medium

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-split air conditioner household charging method, device and equipment, a control system and a medium. The method comprises the steps that the total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner in a charging period and the effective operation time of all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioner in the charging period are obtained; the capacity coefficient of each indoor unit is determined according to the nominal refrigerating capacity or heating capacity of each indoor unit; for each indoor unit, the weighting time of the indoor unit is determined based on the effective operation time and the basic capability coefficient; determining the apportionment coefficient of each indoor unit according to the ratio of the weighting time of each indoor unit to the total weighting time of all indoor units; and according to the total power consumption and the apportionment coefficient of each indoor unit, calculating the apportionment cost of each indoor unit in the charging period. According to the invention, energy consumption sharing can be carried out based on the effective operation time and the capability coefficient of the indoor unit, and compared with traditional area sharing or simple time charging, the charging result is more fair and reasonable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning control and energy management technology, specifically to a method, device, equipment, control system, and medium for billing individual households of multi-split air conditioning systems. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of public buildings and commercial complexes, multi-split air conditioning systems have become the mainstream air conditioning solution due to their advantages such as flexible design, independent zone control, and high energy efficiency under partial load. However, their inherent distributed characteristics also bring significant challenges to centralized management: 1) With each indoor unit controlled independently, building managers find it difficult to achieve overall monitoring, unified scheduling, and energy efficiency analysis of the air conditioning system. This "data silo" phenomenon makes the overall system operation status opaque, making it impossible to perform data-driven optimization and control, often resulting in energy waste such as "turning on the machine when leaving" and "unreasonable temperature settings"; 2) In scenarios where energy costs need to be fairly allocated by tenant, department, or functional area (such as office buildings and leased shopping malls), since multi-split systems themselves usually do not have precise energy metering functions down to the terminal equipment, cost allocation has long relied on area averaging or estimation, lacking scientific basis and easily leading to conflicts.

[0003] Existing remote monitoring or billing solutions suffer from insufficient metering accuracy, poor system compatibility, or complex implementation requirements, making them difficult to promote and apply on a large scale in actual projects. In particular, existing billing methods are usually based on a simple allocation of the indoor unit's rated power and operating time, which fails to reflect the actual energy consumption differences of the indoor unit under different operating conditions, resulting in discrepancies between billing results and actual user usage. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the existing technology and provide a method, device, equipment, control system and medium for billing multi-split air conditioners that provides more accurate energy consumption measurement and fairer individual billing.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for individual billing of multi-split air conditioning units, comprising: The total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle is obtained, as well as the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. Determine the capacity coefficient of each indoor unit based on its nominal cooling or heating capacity; For each indoor unit, the weighted time of the indoor unit is determined based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient; The allocation coefficient for each indoor unit is determined based on the ratio of the weighted time of each indoor unit to the total weighted time of all indoor units. Based on the total power consumption and the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit, calculate the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit during the billing cycle.

[0006] Furthermore, obtaining the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner within the billing cycle includes: The operating status parameters of each indoor unit are collected at preset time intervals. The operating status parameters include at least the power on / off status, operating mode, and electronic expansion valve opening. When the indoor unit is turned on, the operating mode is cooling or heating, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is greater than the preset opening degree threshold, the duration corresponding to the current sampling time is included in the effective operating time of the indoor unit.

[0007] Furthermore, determining the weighted time of the indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient includes: Obtain the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor for each indoor unit. The heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is used to characterize the actual heat exchange efficiency of the indoor unit under the current operating conditions. The effective operating time of the indoor unit, the basic capacity coefficient, and the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor are calculated as the weighted time of the indoor unit.

[0008] Furthermore, obtain the weighting factor for the heat exchange efficiency of each indoor unit, including: Based on the temperature difference between the set temperature of the indoor unit and the indoor return air temperature, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the larger the temperature difference, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor; and / or Based on the fan speed parameters of the indoor unit, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the higher the fan speed, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor.

[0009] Furthermore, after calculating the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, the method also includes: The sum of the allocated power consumption is calculated based on the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit, and the sum of the allocated power consumption is compared with the total power consumption to determine the deviation between the two. If the deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold, an abnormal alarm message is generated.

[0010] Furthermore, after calculating the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, the method also includes: Based on the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, an electronic bill is generated for each indoor unit and pushed to the corresponding user terminal. The electronic bill includes the total power consumption, total cost, effective operating time of the indoor unit, capacity coefficient, allocation coefficient, and comparison with historical data from the same period within the billing cycle.

[0011] A second aspect of the present invention provides a multi-split air conditioning unit with individual billing device, comprising: The data acquisition module is used to acquire the total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle, as well as the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. The capacity coefficient determination module is used to determine the capacity coefficient of each indoor unit based on its nominal cooling or heating capacity. The weighted time determination module is used to determine the weighted time of each indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient. The allocation coefficient determination module is used to determine the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit based on the ratio of the weighted time of each indoor unit to the total weighted time of all indoor units. The cost calculation module is used to calculate the cost to be shared by each indoor unit during the billing cycle based on the total power consumption and the sharing coefficient of each indoor unit.

[0012] Furthermore, in obtaining the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner within the billing cycle, the data acquisition module is specifically used for: The operating status parameters of each indoor unit are collected at preset time intervals. The operating status parameters include at least the power on / off status, operating mode, and electronic expansion valve opening. When the indoor unit is turned on, the operating mode is cooling or heating, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is greater than the preset opening degree threshold, the duration corresponding to the current sampling time is included in the effective operating time of the indoor unit.

[0013] Furthermore, when determining the weighted time of the indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient, the weighted time determination module is specifically used for: Obtain the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor for each indoor unit. The heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is used to characterize the actual heat exchange efficiency of the indoor unit under the current operating conditions. The effective operating time of the indoor unit, the basic capacity coefficient, and the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor are calculated as the weighted time of the indoor unit.

[0014] Furthermore, when obtaining the weighting factor for the heat exchange efficiency of each indoor unit, the weighting time determination module is specifically used for: Based on the temperature difference between the set temperature of the indoor unit and the indoor return air temperature, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the larger the temperature difference, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor; and / or Based on the fan speed parameters of the indoor unit, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the higher the fan speed, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor.

[0015] Furthermore, the device also includes an alarm module for: The sum of the allocated power consumption is calculated based on the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit, and the sum of the allocated power consumption is compared with the total power consumption to determine the deviation between the two. If the deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold, an abnormal alarm message is generated.

[0016] Furthermore, the device also includes a bill push module for: Based on the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, an electronic bill is generated for each indoor unit and pushed to the corresponding user terminal. The electronic bill includes the total power consumption, total cost, effective operating time of the indoor unit, capacity coefficient, allocation coefficient, and comparison with historical data from the same period within the billing cycle.

[0017] A third aspect of the present invention provides an electronic device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that, when executed by the processor, implements the method described in the first aspect.

[0018] A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a remote control system for multi-split air conditioners, comprising: An air conditioning gateway is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit of a multi-split air conditioner and is used to collect the operating status parameters of each indoor unit in the multi-split system to which it is connected. The operating status parameters include parameters used to determine the effective operating time of the indoor unit. A smart meter is installed in the power supply circuit of the outdoor unit of the multi-split air conditioner to measure the total power consumption of the entire multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. The smart IoT gateway is communicatively connected to both the air conditioning gateway and the smart meter, and is used to aggregate and process data from both the air conditioning gateway and the smart meter. A cloud server is communicatively connected to the intelligent IoT gateway, and the cloud server is configured with a cost-sharing and billing module. The shared billing module is configured to perform the method described in the first aspect to determine the cost to be shared by each indoor unit during the billing cycle.

[0019] The fifth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, which, when executed, implement the method described in the first aspect.

[0020] The advantages and beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention obtains the total power consumption of a multi-split air conditioner and the effective operating time of each indoor unit within the billing cycle. Combined with a basic capacity coefficient determined based on the nominal cooling or heating capacity, the weighted time of each indoor unit is calculated. Then, the allocation coefficient is determined based on the weighted time ratio, and the allocated cost is calculated. Compared to traditional billing methods that rely on area-based allocation or are based solely on operating time, this invention allocates energy consumption based on the actual operating status and inherent capacity of the indoor units, making the billing results more scientific and objective. Effective operating time eliminates interference from fan mode or standby status, and the basic capacity coefficient reflects the capacity differences of the indoor units. The combination of these two factors more accurately reflects the actual contribution of each indoor unit to the system's energy consumption, making individual billing more accurate and fair. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the multi-split air conditioner individual billing method of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-split air conditioner remote control system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the multi-split air conditioner individual billing device of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The following examples are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the multi-split air conditioner individual billing method of the present invention includes the following steps: S101. Obtain the total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle, and the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. S102. Determine the capacity coefficient of each indoor unit based on its nominal cooling or heating capacity. S103. For each indoor unit, determine the weighted time of the indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient; S104. Determine the allocation coefficient for each indoor unit based on the ratio of the weighted time of each indoor unit to the total weighted time of all indoor units. S105. Based on the total power consumption and the apportionment coefficient of each indoor unit, calculate the cost to be apportioned to each indoor unit during the billing cycle.

[0024] In this embodiment of the invention, total power consumption refers to the total power consumption of the entire multi-split air conditioning system (including the outdoor unit and all indoor units) within a preset billing cycle (e.g., one month). Total power consumption can be collected by a smart meter installed in the power supply circuit of the outdoor unit of the multi-split air conditioning system. This smart meter can accurately measure the total input power of the entire multi-split air conditioning system within the billing cycle (e.g., from the 1st to the last day of the month), denoted as E_total. Effective operating time t_i refers to the operating time of the indoor unit in actual cooling or heating mode, distinct from simple fan-only mode or standby mode, where i represents the i-th indoor unit.

[0025] The basic capacity coefficient k_i is determined based on the nominal cooling capacity (cooling mode) or nominal heating capacity (heating mode) of the indoor unit. For example, the rated cooling capacity (unit: kW) of the indoor unit can be directly used as its basic capacity coefficient, or the normalized coefficient can be obtained by normalizing the rated cooling capacity of all indoor units.

[0026] Weighted time is a comprehensive weighted value that combines operating time and inherent capability. In this embodiment of the invention, the product of effective operating time and basic capability coefficient can be used as the weighted time. For the i-th indoor unit, its weighted time T_i = t_i × k_i. For example, an indoor unit with a higher basic capability coefficient will have a larger weighted time even if the operating time is the same, reflecting its greater contribution to system energy consumption.

[0027] When calculating the energy consumption allocation factor for each indoor unit, the weighted time of all indoor units is first calculated to obtain the total weighted time T_total = ΣT_i. Then, for each indoor unit, its weighted time is divided by the total weighted time to obtain the energy consumption allocation factor R_i = T_i / T_total for that indoor unit. The energy consumption allocation factor reflects the proportion of energy consumption that the indoor unit should bear.

[0028] To calculate the cost allocated to each indoor unit based on its allocation factor, you can multiply the total power consumption E_total by the electricity price P to obtain the total electricity cost C_total = E_total × P. Then, multiply the total electricity cost by the allocation factor for each indoor unit to obtain the cost allocated to each indoor unit C_i = C_total × R_i. Alternatively, you can first allocate the total power consumption to each indoor unit according to the allocation factor to obtain the allocated power consumption for each indoor unit, and then multiply it by the electricity price to obtain the allocated cost.

[0029] This invention, through its embodiments, obtains the total power consumption of a multi-split air conditioner within the billing cycle and the effective operating time of each indoor unit. Combined with a base capacity coefficient determined based on nominal cooling or heating capacity, it calculates the weighted time of each indoor unit, and then determines the allocation coefficient and calculates the allocated cost based on the weighted time percentage. Compared to traditional billing methods that rely on area-based allocation or are simply based on operating time, this invention allocates energy consumption based on the actual operating status and inherent capacity of the indoor units, making the billing results more scientific and objective. Effective operating time eliminates interference from fan mode or standby status, and the base capacity coefficient reflects the capacity differences of the indoor units. The combination of these two factors more accurately reflects the actual contribution of each indoor unit to the system's energy consumption, making individual billing more accurate and fair.

[0030] To make the statistics of effective operating time more accurate, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to obtain the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner within the billing cycle, including: collecting the operating status parameters of each indoor unit at preset time intervals, wherein the operating status parameters include at least the on / off status, operating mode, and electronic expansion valve opening; when the indoor unit is on, the operating mode is cooling or heating, and the electronic expansion valve opening is greater than a preset opening threshold, the duration corresponding to the current sampling time is included in the effective operating time of the indoor unit.

[0031] The air conditioning gateway collects operating status parameters of each indoor unit at preset time intervals (e.g., every minute). The air conditioning gateway communicates with the outdoor unit of the multi-split air conditioner and can read real-time data from all indoor units in the connected multi-split system. The collected operating status parameters include, but are not limited to: on / off status, operating mode (cooling / heating / ventilation / dehumidification, etc.), set temperature, indoor return air temperature, fan speed (high / medium / low), and electronic expansion valve opening.

[0032] For each indoor unit, the effective operating time is determined based on the collected operating status parameters. Only when all three of the following conditions are met simultaneously is the sampling time interval (e.g., 1 minute) included in the effective operating time of that indoor unit: 1. The unit is in "on" status; 2. The operating mode is "cooling" or "heating"; 3. The electronic expansion valve opening degree is greater than a preset threshold (e.g., 5%). The electronic expansion valve opening degree threshold can be preset according to the air conditioner model or actual operating conditions, typically set to 5%-10%. This determination method ensures that the effective operating time only includes the actual heat exchange time of the indoor unit, excluding standby time when the electronic expansion valve closes after the fan mode is activated or the temperature is reached. At the end of the billing cycle, the cumulative effective operating time t_i for each indoor unit can be obtained.

[0033] To reflect the actual heat exchange efficiency differences of indoor units under different operating conditions and make the billing results closer to real energy consumption, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to determine the weighted time of the indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient, including: obtaining the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor of each indoor unit, wherein the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is used to characterize the actual heat exchange efficiency of the indoor unit under the current operating conditions; and calculating the product of the effective operating time, the basic capacity coefficient, and the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor of the indoor unit as the weighted time of the indoor unit.

[0034] The heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i is used to correct the basic capacity coefficient of each indoor unit, reflecting the actual heat exchange efficiency differences of the indoor units under different operating conditions. In this embodiment of the invention, for the i-th indoor unit, its weighted time T_i = t_i × k_i × η_i. By introducing the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i, the weighted time can more accurately reflect the actual energy consumption contribution of the indoor unit within the billing cycle.

[0035] To improve the adaptability of the solution by flexibly selecting or combining heat exchange efficiency weighting factors according to actual application scenarios, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to obtain the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor of each indoor unit, including: determining the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor based on the temperature difference between the set temperature of the indoor unit and the indoor return air temperature, wherein the larger the temperature difference, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor; and / or determining the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor based on the fan speed parameter of the indoor unit, wherein the higher the fan speed, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor.

[0036] In one implementation, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i is determined based on the temperature difference between the indoor unit's set temperature and the indoor return air temperature. Specifically, the indoor unit's set temperature S_i and indoor return air temperature R_i are obtained through the air conditioning gateway, and the absolute value of the temperature difference between the two is calculated as D_i = |S_i - R_i|. The larger the temperature difference, the greater the cooling or heating capacity that the indoor unit needs to output, and the higher the actual heat exchange efficiency. Therefore, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i should have a larger value. For example, the absolute value of the temperature difference or its normalized value can be directly used as the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i. In practical applications, when the set temperature and the indoor return air temperature are close (e.g., a temperature difference of 0-2℃), the indoor unit only needs to maintain the current temperature, and the heat exchange load is small; when the temperature difference is large (e.g., the set temperature is 16℃ while the room temperature is 26℃, a temperature difference of 10℃), the indoor unit needs to cool at full capacity, and the heat exchange load is large. This solution quantifies this difference through temperature difference.

[0037] In another implementation, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i is determined based on the indoor unit's fan speed parameter. Specifically, the current fan speed (high airflow, medium airflow, low airflow) of the indoor unit is obtained through the air conditioning gateway. The higher the fan speed, the faster the indoor air circulates, and the higher the heat exchange efficiency; therefore, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor η_i, the better. For example, a factor of 1.0 can be preset for high airflow, 0.7 for medium airflow, and 0.4 for low airflow. The fan speed directly reflects the air velocity on the surface of the indoor unit's heat exchanger and has a direct impact on the heat exchange efficiency.

[0038] The two methods described above can be used individually or in combination (e.g., taking a weighted sum of the two), and this embodiment does not impose any restrictions on this.

[0039] In order to automatically verify the billing results and detect data anomalies in a timely manner, a preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes, after calculating the cost to be shared by each indoor unit, the method further includes: calculating the sum of the shared power consumption based on the sharing coefficient of each indoor unit, and comparing the sum of the shared power consumption with the total power consumption to determine the deviation between the two; if the deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold, an abnormal alarm message is generated.

[0040] Calculate the sum of allocated power consumption Σ(E_total × R_i), which theoretically should equal the total power consumption E_total. In actual calculations, slight errors may occur due to floating-point operations. If the deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold (e.g., 1%), it indicates a potential data anomaly (such as sensor malfunction or communication error), triggering an anomaly alarm and notifying the administrator for manual review.

[0041] In order to present the billing results to users in an intuitive form and improve user experience, a preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes, after calculating the cost to be shared by each indoor unit, the method further includes: generating an electronic bill for each indoor unit based on the cost to be shared by each indoor unit and pushing it to the corresponding user terminal. The electronic bill includes the total power consumption, total cost, effective operating time of the indoor unit, capacity coefficient, sharing coefficient and comparison of historical data for the same period within the billing period.

[0042] The system automatically generates electronic bills, including one or more of the following details: total electricity consumption and total cost for the month; effective operating time of the indoor unit, basic capacity coefficient, heat exchange efficiency weighting factor, and allocation coefficient; comparison with historical data for the same period; and daily operating curves. Bills can be pushed to the corresponding tenants or users via WeChat mini-program, email, and app push notifications, and online payment and appeals are supported.

[0043] like Figure 2As shown, the multi-split air conditioner remote control system of this invention includes an air conditioner gateway 202, a smart meter 203, a smart IoT gateway 201, and a cloud server 204.

[0044] The air conditioning gateway 202 is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit of the multi-split air conditioner and is used to collect the operating status parameters of each indoor unit in the connected multi-split system. These operating status parameters include parameters used to determine the effective operating time of the indoor unit, specifically including at least the on / off status, operating mode, electronic expansion valve opening, set temperature, indoor return air temperature, and fan speed. The air conditioning gateway 202 can be adapted to multi-split air conditioning systems of different brands and models. For example, for air conditioners supporting the standard Modbus protocol, it can directly read the registers via RS485; for air conditioners without an open protocol, it can collect the status of the indoor unit through an infrared learning module.

[0045] The smart meter 203 is installed in the power supply circuit of the outdoor unit of the multi-split air conditioner and is used to accurately measure the total power consumption of the entire multi-split air conditioner system during the billing cycle.

[0046] The smart IoT gateway 201 is communicatively connected to the air conditioning gateway 202 and the smart meter 203 (e.g., via RS-485, MBus, or wireless) to aggregate and process data from these two devices. The smart IoT gateway 201 has edge computing capabilities, with built-in storage and data caching modules. When a network connection to the cloud server 204 is interrupted, it automatically writes the collected data to local storage; when the network connection is restored, it re-transmits the cached data to the cloud server 204 in chronological order, ensuring data integrity.

[0047] The cloud server 204 is communicatively connected to the smart IoT gateway 201 (via wired or wireless network). The cloud server 204 is configured with a cost-sharing billing module 2044, a real-time status monitoring and visualization module 2041, an indoor unit remote control module 2042, and an intelligent control strategy module 2043.

[0048] The apportionment and billing module 2044 is configured to execute the method described in the above embodiment of the multi-split air conditioning unit individual billing method to determine the cost to be apportioned to each indoor unit within the billing cycle. The apportionment and billing module extracts parameters such as the effective operating time, basic capacity coefficient, and heat exchange efficiency weighting factor of each indoor unit within the billing cycle from the database, calculates the weighted time and apportionment coefficient, and finally generates the apportioned cost and electronic bill for each indoor unit.

[0049] The real-time status monitoring and visualization module 2041 is used to monitor and visualize the operating status of the multi-split air conditioning system in real time. Managers can intuitively view the on / off status, set temperature, operating mode, real-time power and other information of each indoor unit through the cloud platform.

[0050] The indoor unit remote control module 2042 is used to remotely turn the indoor unit on and off, switch modes, set the temperature, and adjust the fan speed. It supports single control and group control.

[0051] The intelligent control strategy module 2043 is used to execute various intelligent control strategies, including: temperature control strategy (allowing users to set the temperature freely for a short time, and the system automatically adjusts to the preset energy-saving temperature after the comfortable temperature is reached), group control strategy (grouping multiple indoor units into a logical group to achieve one-click group control), time control strategy (automatically executing power on / off and mode switching according to a preset time), and unattended state control strategy (automatically shutting down after detecting that the indoor state is unattended for more than a preset time).

[0052] After the remote control system for multi-split air conditioners is operational, the data flow and functions are as follows: Data collection and uploading: The air conditioning gateway periodically collects data from the indoor unit, the smart meter measures the electricity consumption in real time, and all data is sent to the smart IoT gateway for packaging and protocol conversion, and then uploaded to the cloud server.

[0053] Proportional Billing Calculation: The billing module in the cloud server performs calculations according to a preset period (e.g., monthly). It extracts the effective operating time of each indoor unit within that period from the database (determined and accumulated by the status recorded by the air conditioning gateway) and its rated cooling capacity (preset parameter), calculates the "capacity × time" product of each indoor unit, and then calculates the electricity consumption and cost to be shared by each indoor unit proportionally based on the sum of the products of all indoor units and the total power consumption of the outdoor unit (from the smart meter).

[0054] Implementation of intelligent control strategies: Temperature comfort control strategy: Users set a target temperature of 22℃ on the mobile app, and the system starts the air conditioner normally. When the indoor temperature sensor detects that it has reached 22℃±0.5℃ and has been running stably for 10 minutes, the system automatically adjusts the set temperature to the energy-saving recommended value (26℃ for cooling, 20℃ for heating). Users can manually adjust the temperature at any time through the app, but the system will record any abnormal adjustment behavior in the background for administrator analysis.

[0055] Group control strategy: Property management personnel group all indoor units of south-facing offices on floors 3-5 into a "south-facing office area" on the cloud platform. During off-hours, the administrator can issue a "shut down all" command with one click, and the system processes the control requests in batches, avoiding individual operation.

[0056] Time control strategy: Set the meeting room air conditioning to automatically turn on at 8:30 AM and set to 26°C, then automatically turn off at 11:50 AM on weekdays; turn it on again at 1:00 PM and automatically turn it off at 5:30 PM. The system supports exception settings for holidays, automatically skipping statutory holidays.

[0057] Unmanned status control strategy: Deploy human presence sensors indoors (optional, the indoor unit's return air temperature change rate can be used as a supplementary indicator). If no human activity is detected for 30 consecutive minutes, the system will automatically send an alert to the user's mobile phone; if there is still no response after 10 minutes, the system will automatically shut down.

[0058] Furthermore, the multi-split air conditioning remote control system of this invention can also achieve multi-brand compatibility. The following is an example of a specific implementation method: For example, for brand A that supports the standard Modbus protocol, the register address can be read directly through RS485.

[0059] For Brand B, which does not use the open protocol, the following solution is adopted: The air conditioning gateway has a built-in infrared learning module. During installation, a mobile app guides maintenance personnel to learn the gateway's buttons using the original remote control. The gateway records the infrared code value of each button (on / off, temperature +, temperature -, mode switch, etc.). In subsequent control operations, the gateway transmits the corresponding infrared code according to cloud commands to control the indoor unit.

[0060] For the centralized control system of brand C, the HTTP API interface provided by it is used to perform protocol conversion through the smart IoT gateway, so that the data format of brand C is uniformly converted into the system's internal standard JSON format.

[0061] Through the above-described system architecture, the embodiments of the present invention can achieve centralized monitoring, intelligent control, and accurate billing of multi-split air conditioners.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, the multi-split air conditioning unit with individual billing according to the present invention includes: The data acquisition module 301 is used to acquire the total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle, as well as the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. The capacity coefficient determination module 302 is used to determine the capacity coefficient of each indoor unit based on the nominal cooling capacity or heating capacity of each indoor unit. The weighted time determination module 303 is used to determine the weighted time of each indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient. The allocation coefficient determination module 304 is used to determine the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit based on the ratio of the weighted time of each indoor unit to the total weighted time of all indoor units. The cost calculation module 305 is used to calculate the cost to be shared by each indoor unit during the billing cycle based on the total power consumption and the sharing coefficient of each indoor unit.

[0063] In some embodiments, when acquiring the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner within the billing cycle, the data acquisition module 301 is specifically used for: The operating status parameters of each indoor unit are collected at preset time intervals. The operating status parameters include at least the power on / off status, operating mode, and electronic expansion valve opening. When the indoor unit is turned on, the operating mode is cooling or heating, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is greater than the preset opening degree threshold, the duration corresponding to the current sampling time is included in the effective operating time of the indoor unit.

[0064] In some embodiments, when determining the weighted time of the indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient, the weighted time determination module 303 is specifically used for: Obtain the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor for each indoor unit. The heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is used to characterize the actual heat exchange efficiency of the indoor unit under the current operating conditions. The effective operating time of the indoor unit, the basic capacity coefficient, and the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor are calculated as the weighted time of the indoor unit.

[0065] In some embodiments, when obtaining the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor for each indoor unit, the weighting time determination module 303 is specifically used for: Based on the temperature difference between the set temperature of the indoor unit and the indoor return air temperature, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the larger the temperature difference, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor; and / or Based on the fan speed parameters of the indoor unit, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the higher the fan speed, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor.

[0066] In some embodiments, the device further includes an alarm module 306, configured to: The sum of the allocated power consumption is calculated based on the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit, and the sum of the allocated power consumption is compared with the total power consumption to determine the deviation between the two. If the deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold, an abnormal alarm message is generated.

[0067] In some embodiments, the device further includes a bill push module 307, configured to: Based on the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, an electronic bill is generated for each indoor unit and pushed to the corresponding user terminal. The electronic bill includes the total power consumption, total cost, effective operating time of the indoor unit, capacity coefficient, allocation coefficient, and comparison with historical data from the same period within the billing cycle.

[0068] Figure 3 The multi-split air conditioning unit for individual billing in the illustrated embodiment can be used to implement the technical solution of the above method embodiment. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and will not be repeated here.

[0069] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The electronic device can be a server as described in the above embodiment. The electronic device provided in this embodiment of the present invention can execute the processing flow provided in the embodiment of the multi-split air conditioning individual billing method, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the electronic device 1100 includes: a memory 1101, a processor 1102, a computer program, and a communication interface 1103; wherein, the computer program is stored in the memory 1101 and is configured to be executed by the processor 1102 to perform the multi-split air conditioner individual billing method as described above.

[0070] In addition, embodiments of the present invention also provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being executed by a processor to implement the multi-split air conditioning individual billing method described in the above embodiments.

[0071] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0072] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for individual billing of multi-split air conditioning units, characterized in that, include: The total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle is obtained, as well as the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. The capacity coefficient of each indoor unit is determined based on its nominal cooling or heating capacity. For each indoor unit, the weighted time of the indoor unit is determined based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient; The allocation coefficient for each indoor unit is determined based on the ratio of the weighted time of each indoor unit to the total weighted time of all indoor units. Based on the total power consumption and the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit, calculate the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit during the billing cycle.

2. The method for separate billing of multi-split air conditioning units according to claim 1, characterized in that, Obtaining the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner within the billing cycle includes: The operating status parameters of each indoor unit are collected at preset time intervals. The operating status parameters include at least the power on / off status, operating mode, and electronic expansion valve opening. When the indoor unit is turned on, the operating mode is cooling or heating, and the opening degree of the electronic expansion valve is greater than the preset opening degree threshold, the duration corresponding to the current sampling time is included in the effective operating time of the indoor unit.

3. The method for separate billing of multi-split air conditioners according to claim 1, characterized in that, The weighted time of the indoor unit is determined based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient, including: Obtain the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor for each indoor unit. The heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is used to characterize the actual heat exchange efficiency of the indoor unit under the current operating conditions. The effective operating time of the indoor unit, the basic capacity coefficient, and the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor are calculated as the weighted time of the indoor unit.

4. The method for separate billing of multi-split air conditioners according to claim 3, characterized in that, Obtain the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor for each indoor unit, including: Based on the temperature difference between the set temperature of the indoor unit and the indoor return air temperature, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the larger the temperature difference, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor; and / or Based on the fan speed parameters of the indoor unit, the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor is determined, wherein the higher the fan speed, the larger the value of the heat exchange efficiency weighting factor.

5. The method for separate billing of multi-split air conditioning units according to claim 1, characterized in that, After calculating the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, the method further includes: The sum of the allocated power consumption is calculated based on the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit, and the sum of the allocated power consumption is compared with the total power consumption to determine the deviation between the two. If the deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold, an abnormal alarm message is generated.

6. The method for separate billing of multi-split air conditioning units according to claim 1, characterized in that, After calculating the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, the method further includes: Based on the cost to be allocated to each indoor unit, an electronic bill is generated for each indoor unit and pushed to the corresponding user terminal. The electronic bill includes the total power consumption, total cost, effective operating time of the indoor unit, capacity coefficient, allocation coefficient, and comparison with historical data from the same period within the billing cycle.

7. A multi-split air conditioning unit with individual billing system, characterized in that, include: The data acquisition module is used to acquire the total power consumption of the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle, as well as the effective operating time of each indoor unit in the multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. The capacity coefficient determination module is used to determine the capacity coefficient of each indoor unit based on its nominal cooling or heating capacity. The weighted time determination module is used to determine the weighted time of each indoor unit based on the effective operating time and the basic capacity coefficient. The allocation coefficient determination module is used to determine the allocation coefficient of each indoor unit based on the ratio of the weighted time of each indoor unit to the total weighted time of all indoor units. The cost calculation module is used to calculate the cost to be shared by each indoor unit during the billing cycle based on the total power consumption and the sharing coefficient of each indoor unit.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program that, when executed by the processor, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

9. A remote control system for multi-split air conditioning units, characterized in that, include: An air conditioning gateway is communicatively connected to the outdoor unit of a multi-split air conditioner and is used to collect the operating status parameters of each indoor unit in the multi-split system to which it is connected. The operating status parameters include parameters used to determine the effective operating time of the indoor unit. A smart meter is installed in the power supply circuit of the outdoor unit of the multi-split air conditioner to measure the total power consumption of the entire multi-split air conditioner during the billing cycle. The smart IoT gateway is communicatively connected to both the air conditioning gateway and the smart meter, and is used to aggregate and process data from both the air conditioning gateway and the smart meter. A cloud server is communicatively connected to the intelligent IoT gateway, and the cloud server is configured with a cost-sharing and billing module. The shared billing module is configured to perform the method of any one of claims 1-6 to determine the cost to be shared by each indoor unit during the billing cycle.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, It stores program instructions that, when executed, implement the method as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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