Multi-connected air conditioning system, topology generation method and device thereof, medium and product

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of multi-connected air conditioning system, and discloses a multi-connected air conditioning system, a network topology generation method and device thereof, a storage medium and a computer program product, the method comprising: on the outdoor unit side: after power-on, making the first indoor unit among N indoor units communicate with the communication bus in the communication network; making the outdoor unit start the communication protocol, realizing the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit to establish the communication connection; acquiring the equipment information of the first indoor unit and the time sequence of establishing the communication connection; realizing the outdoor unit and each indoor unit among the N indoor units to establish the communication connection, and generating the physical network topology information containing the connection sequence of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units. According to the scheme, the communication connection device is connected in the communication loop of each indoor unit, the outdoor unit and each indoor unit establish the communication connection in turn, the physical network topology information containing the outdoor unit and all indoor units is generated, and the control convenience is improved. The multi-connected air conditioning system belongs to the energy-saving air conditioner.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of multi-split air conditioning systems, specifically relating to a method, apparatus, multi-split air conditioning system, storage medium, and computer program product for generating network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system. More particularly, it relates to a method, apparatus, multi-split air conditioning system, storage medium, and computer program product for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system. Background Technology

[0002] A multi-split air conditioning system consists of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus. However, after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the physical topology of the communication network between the outdoor unit and all indoor units is not clearly defined, which is detrimental to the ease of control of the system, such as during installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance. This multi-split air conditioning system is classified as an energy-saving air conditioner.

[0003] The above content is only used to assist in understanding the technical solution of the present invention and does not imply acknowledgment that the above content is in the relevant solution. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method, apparatus, system, storage medium, and computer program product for generating network topology for multi-split air conditioning systems. This addresses the problem that, in multi-split air conditioning systems consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, the physical topology of the communication network between the outdoor unit and all indoor units is unclear after the system is powered on, hindering the ease of control. The invention achieves this by inserting a communication connection device into the communication loop of each indoor unit, controlling the on / off state of the communication connection device to sequentially establish communication connections between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This significantly improves the ease of control for multi-split air conditioning systems. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0005] This invention provides a method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system, applied to generating a network topology diagram of the multi-split air conditioning system using debugging equipment; the multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, and the outdoor unit and the N indoor units are connected in series via a physical communication bus to form a communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer; a communication connection device is connected in series in the communication loop of each of the N indoor units; the method for generating the network topology of the multi-split air conditioning system includes: on the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, disconnecting the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the remaining indoor units among the N indoor units, except for the first indoor unit, are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network. The first indoor unit is designated as the first indoor unit. The outdoor unit initiates a preset communication protocol and performs a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit. This is to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; obtain the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit; thereby, establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units; based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, generate physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units.

[0006] In some implementations, establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units on the outdoor unit side includes: on the outdoor unit side: after establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, if the communication connection device of any indoor unit after the first indoor unit is turned on, connecting any indoor unit after the first indoor unit to the communication bus in the communication network; if any indoor unit after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; acquiring the device information of any indoor unit after the first indoor unit, and recording the timing of establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit.

[0007] In some implementations, the device information of the first indoor unit includes at least one of the following: the identity information of the first indoor unit, the status information of the wired controller connected to the first indoor unit, and the identity information of the wired controller connected to the first indoor unit.

[0008] In some implementations, the communication connection devices inserted in the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units have the same structure.

[0009] In some embodiments, the communication connection device inserted in series in the communication circuit of the first indoor unit includes: a relay device; the coil terminal of the relay device is connected to the main board of the first indoor unit; the switch terminal of the relay device is connected in series in the communication circuit of the first indoor unit, and the switch terminal of the relay device is located between the communication line of the first indoor unit and the communication line of one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit.

[0010] The present invention also provides a network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system, which matches the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described above. The method includes: on the N indoor unit side: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit, the first indoor unit reports its equipment information to the outdoor unit and / or the debugging equipment, so that: upon receiving the equipment information from the first indoor unit, the debugging equipment sends a control command, denoted as a first control command, to the first indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the first indoor unit; upon receiving the first control command, the first indoor unit controls the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to connect, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit connects to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit is denoted as the second indoor unit.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the second indoor unit, causing the second indoor unit to report its equipment information to the outdoor unit and / or the debugging equipment, so that: upon receiving the equipment information from the second indoor unit, the debugging equipment sends a control command, denoted as a second control command, to the second indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the second indoor unit; upon receiving the second control command, the second indoor unit controls the communication connection device of the second indoor unit to connect, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the second indoor unit connects to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the second indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the second indoor unit is designated as the third indoor unit; thus, each of the N indoor units connects to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units; the last indoor unit among the N indoor units is designated as the Nth indoor unit.

[0012] The present invention also provides a network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system, which matches the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described above. The method includes: on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the device information of the first indoor unit reported by the first indoor unit, it records the timing of the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, and sends a control command to the first indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the first indoor unit, denoted as a first control command, so that: upon receiving the first control command, the first indoor unit controls the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device, enabling one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit to connect with the communication bus in the communication network, thereby establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is denoted as the second indoor unit.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further includes: on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the second indoor unit, recording the timing of the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit, and sending a control command for closing the communication connection device of the second indoor unit to the second indoor unit, denoted as the second control command, so as to: cause the second indoor unit to control the second indoor unit to connect its communication connection device when it receives the second control command, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the second indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the second indoor unit; thereby enabling each of the N indoor units to connect to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units.

[0014] In some implementations, the method further includes: on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of communication connections between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, it generates physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the equipment information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of communication connections between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, and displays it in the form of a physical network topology diagram containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units.

[0015] In some implementations, the method further includes: on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives equipment information from each of the N indoor units, determining whether the identity information of the wired controller in the equipment information of each of the N indoor units is the same; if it is determined that the identity information of the wired controller in the equipment information of two or more of the N indoor units is the same, then it is determined that the control method of the two or more indoor units is that the same wired controller controls the two or more indoor units; if it is determined that the identity information of the wired controller in the equipment information of each of the N indoor units is different, then it is determined that the control method of each indoor unit is that each wired controller controls each indoor unit.

[0016] And / or, on the debugging equipment side: if the debugging equipment does not receive the equipment information of the current indoor unit among the N indoor units within a set time period, a message is marked as indicating that the current indoor unit among the N indoor units is faulty.

[0017] In conjunction with the above method, another aspect of the present invention provides a network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system, applied to generate a network topology diagram of the multi-split air conditioning system using debugging equipment; the multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, and the outdoor unit and the N indoor units are connected in series via a physically connected communication bus to form a communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer; a communication connection device is connected in series in the communication loop of each of the N indoor units; the network topology generation device for the multi-split air conditioning system includes: a first control unit configured on the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, to disconnect the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the remaining indoor units among the N indoor units, except for the first indoor unit, are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; The first indoor unit is referred to as the first indoor unit. The first control unit is further configured to enable the outdoor unit to start a preset communication protocol and perform a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit, so as to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; obtain the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit; thereby, establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units. The first control unit is further configured to generate physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units.

[0018] And / or, the second control unit is configured to, on the side of the N indoor units: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit, cause the first indoor unit to report its equipment information to the outdoor unit and / or the debugging equipment, so that: upon receiving the equipment information of the first indoor unit, the debugging equipment sends a control command, denoted as the first control command, to the first indoor unit for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit; the second control unit is further configured to, upon receiving the first control command, cause the first indoor unit to control the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit connects to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is denoted as the second indoor unit.

[0019] And / or, the third control unit is further configured on the debugging equipment side to: when the debugging equipment receives the device information of the first indoor unit reported by the first indoor unit, record the timing of the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, and send a control command to the first indoor unit for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit, denoted as the first control command, so as to: cause the first indoor unit to control the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device when it receives the first control command, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; and denot the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units as the second indoor unit.

[0020] In conjunction with the above-mentioned device, the present invention further provides a multi-split air conditioning system, including: the network topology generation device for the multi-split air conditioning system described above.

[0021] In conjunction with the above method, the present invention further provides a storage medium comprising a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, the device containing the storage medium is controlled to perform the steps of the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described above.

[0022] In conjunction with the above method, the present invention further provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described above.

[0023] The present invention addresses a multi-split air conditioning system comprising one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units (e.g., N indoor units, where N is a positive integer) connected in series or parallel via a communication bus. The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, with the outdoor unit and the N indoor units connected in series via a physically connected communication bus to form a communication network for the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer. A communication connection device is inserted into the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units. On the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, while the remaining indoor units (excluding the first indoor unit) are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network. The first indoor unit is designated as the first indoor unit. The outdoor unit initiates a preset communication protocol and communicates with the... In the communication network, a communication handshake is performed on one of the N indoor units connected by the communication bus that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit, in order to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; when the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit have established a communication connection, the device information of the first indoor unit is obtained, and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit is recorded; thereby, the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units; when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units, based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units is generated. Therefore, by inserting a communication connection device into the communication circuit of each indoor unit, and controlling the on / off state of the communication connection device, the outdoor unit sequentially establishes a communication connection with each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This facilitates the control of the multi-split air conditioning system. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0024] Specifically, in the solution of this invention, for a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units (e.g., N indoor units, where N is a positive integer) connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, based on the physical connection method between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system using a communication bus, one outdoor unit is sequentially connected in series with N indoor units (the N indoor units are also connected in series with each other). A communication connection device is inserted into the communication circuit of each indoor unit, and the control terminal (e.g., the coil terminal of a relay) of the communication connection device of each indoor unit is also connected to the main board of each indoor unit. A debugging device is connected in the communication circuit between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit among the N indoor units; by default, the communication connection of the N indoor units... All devices are disconnected; after the multi-split system is powered on, the communication connection devices of all N indoor units are disconnected. The first indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates a communication handshake with the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit. The first indoor unit publishes its device information (its own identification information, such as IP address, device serial number, and model, as well as the status information of the wired controller connected to the first unit, such as offline or online status and identification information, such as a unique barcode) to the outdoor unit and the commissioning equipment. After receiving the device information from the first indoor unit, the commissioning equipment sends a control command to the first indoor unit to close the communication connection device. After receiving the control command from the debugging equipment, the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is activated; the debugging equipment records the equipment information and reporting sequence of the first indoor unit; after the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is activated, the outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates a communication handshake with the indoor unit connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit; this process continues until the outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates a communication handshake with the indoor unit connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the Nth indoor unit; based on the equipment information and reporting sequence of the N indoor units, the debugging equipment constructs a physical communication network topology diagram starting from the outdoor unit, extending to the first indoor unit and then to the Nth indoor unit; the debugging equipment... The system compares the wired controller identification information published by N indoor units. If different indoor units report the exact same wired controller identification information, it is determined that different indoor units are connected to the same wired controller, forming a one-to-many architecture. If all indoor units publish different wired controller identification information, it is determined that all indoor units are connected to different wired controllers, forming a one-to-one architecture. During the process of the outdoor unit acting as the management host communicating with the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and N indoor units, if a node of an indoor unit does not publish the device information of a certain indoor unit and the information of the connected wired controller, it is considered that the indoor unit at that node has a fault (such as communication failure and / or hardware damage failure), and the node is marked as a fault point.Therefore, for a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series via a communication bus, a communication connection device is inserted into the communication loop of each indoor unit. By controlling the on / off state of this communication connection device, the outdoor unit sequentially establishes a communication connection with each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This improves the convenience of controlling the multi-split air conditioning system, such as facilitating installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention.

[0026] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention, which implements the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units on the outdoor unit side.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method of the present invention, in which the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is controlled to be connected on the side of the N indoor units.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method of the present invention, which controls the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units to be connected on the side of the N indoor units.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method of the present invention, in which the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units is controlled to be turned on on the debugging equipment side;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the method of the present invention, which determines the control architecture of the N indoor units based on the equipment information of the N indoor units on the debugging equipment side.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of the network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8A schematic diagram of a multi-split air conditioning system according to one embodiment;

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system. It can display a schematic diagram of the communication network structure of the multi-split air conditioning unit and a schematic diagram of the unit's communication network connection topology automatically generated by the commissioning equipment.

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a structure of an embodiment of a communication connection device;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of a communication network in a multi-split air conditioning system.

[0038] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the reference numerals in the embodiments of the present invention are as follows:

[0039] 102 - First control unit; 104 - Second control unit; 106 - Third control unit. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0041] Considering that for multi-split air conditioning systems consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, the physical topology of the communication network between the outdoor unit and all indoor units cannot be clearly defined after the system is powered on, this hinders the ease of control. For example, in the installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance of multi-split air conditioning systems, accurately understanding the physical connection sequence between each indoor unit and the outdoor unit, the communication link routing, and the correspondence between the wired controllers and indoor units (e.g., whether one wired controller controls one indoor unit or multiple indoor units) is crucial for ensuring the normal operation of the multi-split air conditioning system.

[0042] In a multi-split air conditioning system, one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units are connected in series via a communication bus, i.e., a daisy-chain connection, where one outdoor unit is connected to the next indoor unit in series (serial connection). Alternatively, one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units can be connected in parallel via a communication bus, i.e., one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units are connected in parallel, with all indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit at a single point (star connection).

[0043] Figure 8 This is a structural schematic diagram of one embodiment of a multi-split air conditioning system. Figure 8 The multi-split air conditioning system shown includes: one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units; the indoor units span two floors, with the communication bus of the indoor units on the same floor (e.g., the first or second floor) connected in a serial connection (daisy-chain); then the communication bus on the same floor is ultimately connected to one outdoor unit, meaning the indoor units on both floors are connected in parallel. Figure 8 As shown, the multi-split outdoor unit is connected in series with the indoor units on the first floor in sequence: unit 1 (the first indoor unit), unit 2 (the second indoor unit), unit 3 (the third indoor unit), up to unit n (the nth indoor unit). All indoor units on the first floor are connected in series via a communication bus and then connected to the multi-split outdoor unit, where n is a positive integer. The multi-split outdoor unit is also connected in series with the indoor units on the second floor in sequence: unit 1, unit 2, unit 3, up to unit n. All indoor units on the second floor are connected in series via a communication bus and then connected to the multi-split outdoor unit. The indoor units on the first and second floors are connected in series via a communication bus and then connected to the outdoor unit (i.e., centrally connected to the outdoor unit).

[0044] In a multi-split air conditioning system, each indoor unit and outdoor unit has its own model number, barcode, etc., to represent its identity. Locating the physical installation locations of each indoor and outdoor unit in a multi-split air conditioning system is relatively difficult. The physical connection sequence of the indoor and outdoor units refers to their position in the communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system, indicating which is the first and which is the last. For example, the first unit is the outdoor unit; then, which is the first indoor unit directly connected to the outdoor unit, and which is the next indoor unit connected to that first indoor unit? Similarly, by identifying the location and connection sequence of all indoor and outdoor units in the entire communication bus network and drawing a network topology diagram, we can show the location of each device (i.e., all indoor and outdoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system) and how they are connected.

[0045] The communication links between the indoor and outdoor units mentioned above refer to: finding the specific location of each device (i.e., all indoor and outdoor units in a multi-split air conditioning system) within the entire communication network (physical connection), clarifying which indoor and outdoor unit is the first and which is the last, and identifying which device is connected to each other above and below. Ultimately, this information yields the physical connection architecture of the entire network and the path of the connection links (e.g., the connection situation on the first floor, the connection situation on the second floor, etc.).

[0046] Furthermore, considering that multi-split air conditioning systems, consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, rely primarily on manual methods for installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance, this process is inefficient, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. For example, in related solutions, technicians need to inspect each unit individually and manually record the installation location, wiring sequence, and controller configuration of each indoor unit during installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance. However, with the increasing scale of buildings, the large number of indoor units and concealed wiring make manual recording prone to omissions, misalignments, or logical inconsistencies. Especially when troubleshooting multi-split air conditioning systems, technicians often lack intuitive topology diagrams and must rely on experience to troubleshoot line segment by segment, resulting in long commissioning cycles, low maintenance efficiency, and high labor costs.

[0047] Furthermore, the existing solutions lack the function of automatically sensing and constructing the network physical topology, making it impossible to automatically generate a visual network architecture diagram after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, and making it difficult to quickly confirm the accuracy of complex architectures such as one-to-many control. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method and device that can automatically identify the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system to achieve intelligent debugging and precise maintenance. One-to-many control means one wired controller connects to and controls multiple indoor units; if one wired controller controls only one indoor unit, it is one-to-one control.

[0048] Therefore, the present invention proposes a network topology generation method for multi-split air conditioning systems. Specifically, it is a method for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system. Based on the physical connection method of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system with a communication bus, a communication connection device is installed in each indoor unit. The relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are controlled to be in the open state to establish communication with the first indoor unit. Then, commands are sent sequentially to close the relays of the previous indoor unit to connect to the next indoor unit. A physical network topology diagram containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system is generated in real time. This is beneficial to the convenience of controlling the multi-split air conditioning system, such as the convenience of control during the installation, commissioning and subsequent maintenance of the multi-split air conditioning system.

[0049] According to embodiments of the present invention, a method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system is provided, such as... Figure 1 The diagram shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. This method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system is applied to generate a network topology diagram of the multi-split air conditioning system using debugging equipment; the multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, and the outdoor unit and the N indoor units are connected in series via a physically connected communication bus to form the communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer; a communication connection device is inserted in series into the communication loop of each of the N indoor units; in the scheme of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system includes steps S110 to S130.

[0050] In step S110, on the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the remaining indoor units among the N indoor units, except for the first indoor unit, are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; that is, after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the outdoor unit, and the remaining indoor units among the N indoor units, except for the first indoor unit, are disconnected from the outdoor unit; the first indoor unit is referred to as the first indoor unit.

[0051] In step S120, the outdoor unit initiates a preset communication protocol to perform a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit. This is to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; and obtain the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit. In this way, the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units.

[0052] In step S130, when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units, physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units is generated based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units.

[0053] The present invention proposes a scheme for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system, which is applied to a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit (hereinafter referred to as the outdoor unit in the figure) and several indoor units (hereinafter referred to as indoor units in the figure). Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a system for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system. It can display a schematic diagram of the communication network structure of the multi-split air conditioning unit and a schematic diagram of the unit's communication network connection topology automatically generated by the commissioning equipment. Figure 9 In this system, the communication network between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit belongs to the first-layer network, while the communication network between the indoor unit and the wired controller belongs to the second-layer network. The first-layer network and the second-layer network are physically isolated. Only devices connected to the same layer network can perform data interaction, reporting, and sending commands within this network. Figure 9 In this system, the debugging equipment is connected to the first-layer communication network and to the outdoor unit. Within this communication network, the debugging equipment can monitor and acquire data reported by all devices (outdoor and indoor units) on the network (including device model information, IP address, model barcode, etc.). Simultaneously, the debugging equipment can also send control data to control the operation of devices on this network. Figure 9 In this system, the outdoor unit, as the main device in the network, is the manager of the entire communication network. It is responsible for assigning communication addresses (IPs) to the indoor units connected to it (i.e., communication handshake). Only after the indoor unit is assigned an IP address (i.e., after the outdoor unit and the indoor unit successfully handshake), can the indoor unit exchange data in the communication network.

[0054] like Figure 9As shown, the outdoor unit is connected sequentially to indoor units 1, 2, 3, and N via a communication bus. A communication connection device is connected in series with the communication bus of each indoor unit (1, 2, 3, and N) to control the connection between each indoor unit and the next. For example, communication connection device 1 is connected in series with the communication bus of indoor unit 1, communication connection device 2 with indoor unit 2, communication connection device 3 with indoor unit 3, and communication connection device N (where N is a positive integer) with indoor unit N. Wired controller 1 is connected to indoor unit 1, wired controller 2 is connected to both indoor units 2 and 3, and wired controller N is connected to indoor unit N. Taking the connection of communication device 1 into the communication bus of indoor unit 1 as an example, the communication bus of indoor unit 1 includes two wires (denoted as the first wire and the second wire). The relay (denoted as relay 1) in communication device 1 has a coil and two switches (denoted as the first switch and the second switch). The first switch of relay 1 is connected in series in the first wire, and the second switch of relay 1 is connected in series in the second wire. When the debugging equipment is connected to the communication bus between the outdoor unit and indoor unit 1, a physical network topology diagram containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in a multi-split air conditioning system can be generated.

[0055] In the solution of this invention, on the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the other indoor units among the N indoor units except the first indoor unit are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; the first indoor unit is designated as the first indoor unit; the outdoor unit initiates a preset communication protocol, and performs a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not established a communication connection with the outdoor unit, so that: the first indoor unit connects to the communication bus in the communication network... When connected, the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit. With this connection established, the device information of the first indoor unit is acquired, and the timing of the communication connection establishment is recorded. This allows the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with each of the N indoor units. Based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of their connection establishment, physical network topology information is generated, including the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units. Thus, by inserting a communication connection device into the communication loop of each indoor unit and controlling the on / off state of this device, the outdoor unit sequentially establishes a communication connection with each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection order of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This facilitates the control of multi-split air conditioning systems.

[0056] In some implementations, step S120 involves establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units on the outdoor unit side, as illustrated in the following exemplary description.

[0057] The following is combined Figure 2 The illustrated method of the present invention provides a schematic flowchart of an embodiment in which the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units on the outdoor unit side. The specific process of establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units in step S120 is further explained, including steps S210 to S220.

[0058] Step S210, on the outdoor unit side: after establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, when the communication connection device of any indoor unit after the first indoor unit is turned on, connect any indoor unit after the first indoor unit to the communication bus in the communication network.

[0059] Step S220: When any indoor unit after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with any indoor unit after the first indoor unit, obtain the device information of any indoor unit after the first indoor unit, and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; then, when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units, generate physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units.

[0060] This invention proposes a scheme for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of the communication network of a multi-split air conditioning system. Specifically, it addresses a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus. Based on the physical connection method of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system using a communication bus, a communication connection device is installed in each indoor unit. The relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are controlled to be in the open state, establishing communication with the first indoor unit. Then, commands are sequentially sent to close the relays of the previous indoor unit to connect to the next indoor unit. This generates a physical network topology diagram in real time, containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system. This improves the convenience of controlling the multi-split air conditioning system, such as facilitating installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance.

[0061] In some implementations, the device information of the first indoor unit includes at least one of the following: the identity information of the first indoor unit, the status information of the wired controller connected to the first indoor unit, and the identity information of the wired controller connected to the first indoor unit.

[0062] In this invention, a smart identification algorithm for wired controller architecture based on unique barcode matching is proposed. This method automatically determines the control architecture by analyzing the unique barcode information of the wired controllers reported by each indoor unit. The logical judgment method includes: when multiple indoor units report identical wired controller barcodes, it is automatically determined that these indoor units share the same wired controller (one-to-many architecture); if all indoor units report different wired controller barcodes, it is determined to be a one-to-one correspondence (one-to-one architecture). In this way, without manual intervention, a mapping relationship diagram between the wired controller and the indoor units can be automatically constructed solely through data comparison, solving the problem of difficulty in automatically distinguishing the control architecture between the wired controller and the indoor units under complex wiring (i.e., the inability to automatically determine whether it is one-to-one or one-to-many).

[0063] In some implementations, the communication connection devices inserted in the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units have the same structure.

[0064] In this invention, an active topology scanning mechanism based on relay cascading is proposed: a scheme is implemented using relay switches embedded in the communication connection devices of each indoor unit to control the system according to a preset timing strategy. In this invention, the communication connection devices are set up and cascaded, which reduces the hardware modification cost of multi-split air conditioning systems. The proposed communication connection devices can adopt modular design or integrated solutions, enabling multi-split air conditioning systems to automatically identify components without large-scale replacement of the original motherboard, thus demonstrating good scalability and economic efficiency.

[0065] In some embodiments, the communication connection device inserted in series in the communication circuit of the first indoor unit includes: a relay device; the coil terminal of the relay device is connected to the main board of the first indoor unit; the switch terminal of the relay device is connected in series in the communication circuit of the first indoor unit, and the switch terminal of the relay device is located between the communication line of the first indoor unit and the communication line of one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit.

[0066] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a communication connection device. In the present invention, a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus is described, such as... Figure 10 As shown, communication connection devices are installed or integrated on each indoor unit. Figure 10 In the communication connector, the IN port connects to the previous indoor unit; the OUT port connects to the next indoor unit; and the mainboard port connects the communication connector to the mainboard of each indoor unit, which controls the on / off state of the communication connector. Figure 9The example shown is that a communication connection device 1 is connected in series in the communication bus of indoor unit 1. The communication connection device 1 is connected to the motherboard port of indoor unit 1.

[0067] like Figure 10 As shown, the communication connection device includes a relay. The first connection terminal of the relay coil is pin 1, the second connection terminal is pin 2, the first connection terminal of the relay coil's first switch is pin 3, the second connection terminal of the relay coil's first switch is pin 4, the first connection terminal of the relay coil's second switch is pin 5, and the second connection terminal of the relay coil's second switch is pin 6. Pin 6 is connected to the first connection terminal of the communication IN port, and pin 4 is connected to the second connection terminal of the communication IN port; pin 5 is connected to the first connection terminal of the communication OUT port, and pin 3 is connected to the second connection terminal of the communication OUT port. Pins 1, 2, 4, and 6 are all connected to the motherboard ports. Pins 4 and 6 are connected to the communication lines inside the motherboard, such as CAN_H and CAN_L for CAN communication, or A and B for RS485 communication; pins 1 and 2 are connected to the relay control signal ports inside the motherboard, for example, pin 1 is connected to the 12V power supply port, and pin 2 is connected to the control port.

[0068] The relay in the communication connection device acts as an electronic switch, connected in series in the communication circuit between the previous indoor unit and the next indoor unit. It controls the opening and closing of the communication path between the current indoor unit and the next indoor unit. (See [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 10 The diagram shows the structure of the communication connection device. The relay controls the communication circuit between adjacent indoor units. Once this communication circuit is connected, it connects to the previous indoor unit, and ultimately to the outdoor unit. Because the outdoor unit is the main unit, communication can only be successfully established and data can be reported normally once it is connected to the main unit.

[0069] The communication input port (i.e., the IN port) in the communication connection device is used to connect to the communication bus of the upstream device (outdoor unit or the previous indoor unit). The communication output port (i.e., the OUT port) in the communication connection device is used to connect to the communication bus of the downstream device. The motherboard connection port in the communication connection device is responsible for transmitting control signals from the main control board (i.e., the indoor unit motherboard) to the relays to execute opening and closing actions. It can also connect to the communication bus to realize data interaction with the bus and upload the device information collected by the motherboard to the communication network. This communication connection device can be designed as an independent pluggable module or integrated directly into the indoor unit's main control board in the form of a printed circuit board (PCB). Using an independent pluggable module provides strong versatility and can be used with different types of indoor units; integrating it into the indoor unit's motherboard saves space.

[0070] In the solution of this invention, the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system is automatically constructed: through a specific relay cascading mechanism, the multi-split air conditioning system can automatically traverse all nodes (i.e., the installation location node of each device in all indoor and outdoor units of the multi-split air conditioning system) and generate a physical network topology diagram in real time containing the complete connection sequence of all indoor and outdoor units of the multi-split air conditioning system. This significantly improves the intelligence level of the initialization of the multi-split air conditioning system and solves the problem in related solutions that the physical connection sequence and link structure between indoor units cannot be automatically sensed and determined after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on.

[0071] One specific relay cascading mechanism utilizes a communication connection device for cascading. Internally, this device uses a relay to control the connection or disconnection of the communication bus. First, the relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are in the open state (communication can only connect to the upstream unit), establishing a communication link with the first indoor unit. Then, commands are sent sequentially to cause the relays in the communication connection devices of the preceding indoor unit to close, connecting to the next indoor unit, and so on, until the last indoor unit is connected.

[0072] In the solution of this invention, based on the modular communication connection device design, an independent module or integrated board design is proposed, which includes a relay, an IN / OUT communication port, and a motherboard control interface. Figure 10 The communication connection device shown is flexibly deployable on the mainboard of a multi-split air conditioning unit, providing existing equipment with automatic identification capabilities at low cost.

[0073] The present invention also provides a network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system, which is compatible with the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described above, including: on the side of the N indoor units, controlling the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to be connected.

[0074] The following is combined with Figure 3 The flowchart shown is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the method of the present invention in which the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is controlled to be turned on on the side of the N indoor units. The specific process of controlling the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to be turned on on the side of the N indoor units is further explained, including: steps S310 to S320.

[0075] In step S310, on the N indoor unit side: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit, the first indoor unit reports its equipment information to the outdoor unit and / or the debugging device, so that: when the debugging device receives the equipment information of the first indoor unit, it sends a control command for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to the first indoor unit, which is denoted as the first control command.

[0076] In step S320, when the first indoor unit receives the first control command, the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is activated, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit can be connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is referred to as the second indoor unit.

[0077] This invention proposes a solution for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of a multi-split air conditioning system's communication network. It is based on a physical connection with a communication bus (unlike related solutions that use wireless communication). The solution addresses how to automatically identify the communication bus connection architecture of the entire multi-split unit, the specific location of each device in its communication connection state, the connection sequence and direction of the entire communication line, and how to automatically identify the connection architecture between the wired controller and the indoor unit within two physically isolated communication networks: one between the indoor and outdoor units, and the other between the indoor unit and the wired controller. Specifically, the communication connection between the indoor and outdoor units forms one physical network layer, while the communication connection between the indoor unit and the wired controller forms another physical network layer; these two physical networks are not interconnected. In the solution of this invention, the problem of not being able to automatically sense and determine the physical connection sequence and link structure between indoor units after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on can be solved first. Then, when the entire communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system is connected, the problem of not being able to automatically distinguish the control architecture between the wired controller and the indoor unit (i.e., not being able to automatically determine whether it is one-to-one or one-to-many) can be solved. At the same time, the problem of low efficiency, error-proneness and lack of intuitive topology diagram guidance during fault diagnosis can be solved in the relevant solutions.

[0078] In some embodiments, the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to the present invention further includes: on the side of the N indoor units, controlling the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units to be connected.

[0079] The following is combined with Figure 4 The illustrated method of the present invention provides a schematic flowchart of an embodiment in which the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units is controlled to be connected on the side of the N indoor units. The specific process of controlling the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units to be connected on the side of the N indoor units includes: steps S410 to S430.

[0080] Step S410: When the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the second indoor unit, the second indoor unit reports its equipment information to the outdoor unit and / or the debugging device, so that the debugging device, upon receiving the equipment information of the second indoor unit, sends a control command for closing the communication connection device of the second indoor unit to the second indoor unit, denoted as the second control command.

[0081] Step S420: When the second indoor unit receives the second control command, the communication connection device of the second indoor unit is activated, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the second indoor unit can be connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with any indoor unit after the second indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the second indoor unit among the N indoor units is referred to as the third indoor unit.

[0082] Step S430: In this way, each of the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units; the last indoor unit among the N indoor units is recorded as the Nth indoor unit.

[0083] In the solution of this invention, for a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, based on the physical connection method of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system with a communication bus, a communication connection device is installed in each indoor unit. The relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are controlled to be in the open state to establish communication with the first indoor unit. Then, commands are sent sequentially to close the relays of the previous indoor unit to connect to the next indoor unit. A physical network topology diagram containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system is generated in real time. During installation, commissioning and subsequent maintenance, installation, commissioning and subsequent maintenance are carried out based on the physical network topology diagram containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system, which is efficient and saves time and effort.

[0084] The present invention also provides a method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system, which is compatible with the network topology generation method for multi-split air conditioning systems described above. The method includes: on the debugging equipment side, controlling the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to be connected, specifically as follows:

[0085] In step S500, on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the first indoor unit reported by the first indoor unit, it records the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, and sends a control command to the first indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the first indoor unit, which is recorded as the first control command, so that: when the first indoor unit receives the first control command, it controls the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is recorded as the second indoor unit.

[0086] In this invention, a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus is provided. Based on the physical connection method using a communication bus between the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system, a communication connection device is installed in each indoor unit. Initially, the relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are disconnected, cutting off the downstream communication link. In this initial state, the relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are disconnected; at this time, only the first indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit, while the other indoor units are in an isolated state. Therefore, once powered on, the first indoor unit to successfully communicate with the outdoor unit and report data is the first indoor unit.

[0087] In this invention, a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus is used. Based on the physical connection method of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system using a communication bus, a communication connection device is installed in each indoor unit. During the cascading process, the outdoor unit, as the host, communicates only with the first indoor unit. Subsequently, the outdoor unit instructs the first indoor unit to close the relay in the first indoor unit's communication connection device to connect the second indoor unit, and the outdoor unit then communicates with the second indoor unit; this process continues until all nodes are traversed. The first indoor unit itself is already connected to the outdoor unit; there is no switch control between the first indoor unit and the outdoor unit.

[0088] In this invention, the timing of the physical connections between the outdoor unit and all indoor units in a multi-split air conditioning system is utilized to forcibly establish a serial communication path between the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This accurately obtains the complete physical connection sequence from the outdoor unit to the last indoor unit, eliminating parallel interference and ensuring accurate topology identification. The timing of the physical connections refers to the connection from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit (because it is sequential, from the first device to the last). The physical communication bus of the indoor units is initially in an islanded state (except for the first indoor unit). Each indoor unit, according to its cascaded configuration, is forcibly connected to the next indoor unit one by one at different times, ensuring that the next indoor unit is serially connected to the communication network path of the unit.

[0089] In some embodiments, the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described in the present invention further includes: on the debugging equipment side, controlling the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units to be connected.

[0090] The following is combined with Figure 5 The illustrated method of the present invention provides a schematic flowchart of an embodiment in which the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units is controlled to be turned on on the debugging equipment side. The specific process of controlling the communication connection device of each of the N indoor units to be turned on on the debugging equipment side includes: steps S510 to S520.

[0091] Step S510, on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the second indoor unit, it records the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit, and sends a control command to the second indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the second indoor unit, denoted as the second control command, so that: when the second indoor unit receives the second control command, it controls the second indoor unit to connect its communication connection device, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the second indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the second indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the second indoor unit among the N indoor units is denoted as the third indoor unit.

[0092] Step S520: In this way, each of the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units; the last indoor unit among the N indoor units is recorded as the Nth indoor unit.

[0093] In the solution of this invention, for a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, a communication connection device is installed in each indoor unit. The relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are controlled to be in the open state and communication with the first indoor unit is established. Then, commands are sent sequentially to make the relays of the previous indoor unit close to connect the next indoor unit. This solves the problem in related solutions that cannot automatically sense and determine the physical connection sequence and link structure between indoor units. It generates a physical network topology diagram in real time that includes the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system, which significantly improves the intelligence level of the initialization of the multi-split air conditioning system.

[0094] In some embodiments, the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to the present invention further includes: on the debugging equipment side, a process for generating a physical network topology including the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units, as follows:

[0095] On the debugging equipment side: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units, and when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, it generates physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the equipment information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, and displays it in the form of a physical network topology diagram containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units.

[0096] In the present invention, based on the visualization dynamic drawing technology, a scheme is proposed in which an external debugging device receives data from each node through a communication network and dynamically draws the physical connection architecture diagram in real time in the host computer software, thereby realizing the transparency and visualization monitoring of the debugging process.

[0097] In some embodiments, the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described in the present invention further includes: on the debugging equipment side, a process of determining the control architecture of the N indoor units based on the equipment information of the N indoor units.

[0098] The following is combined with Figure 6 The illustrated method of the present invention provides a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of determining the control architecture of the N indoor units based on the equipment information of the N indoor units on the debugging equipment side. The specific process of determining the control architecture of the N indoor units based on the equipment information of the N indoor units on the debugging equipment side includes: steps S610 to S630.

[0099] Step S610, on the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of each of the N indoor units, it extracts the identity information of the wired controller from the equipment information of each of the N indoor units, and determines whether the identity information of the wired controller in the equipment information of each of the N indoor units is the same.

[0100] Step S620: If it is determined that the identity information of the wired controller is the same in the device information of two or more indoor units among the N indoor units, then it is determined that the control mode of the two or more indoor units among the N indoor units is the mode of the same wired controller controlling the two or more indoor units.

[0101] Step S630: If it is determined that the identity information of the wired controller in the device information of each of the N indoor units is different, then it is determined that the control method of each of the N indoor units is the method of each wired controller controlling each indoor unit.

[0102] In the solution of this invention, the complex control architecture of a multi-split air conditioning system is accurately identified: based on a unique equipment barcode matching algorithm, the control mode of the wired controller (i.e., one-to-one or one-to-many) can be automatically analyzed and determined, providing an accurate logical basis for subsequent parameter configuration and fault diagnosis, avoiding human misjudgment, and solving the problem in related solutions that it is difficult to automatically distinguish the control architecture between the wired controller and the indoor unit (i.e., it is impossible to automatically determine whether it is one-to-one or one-to-many).

[0103] The unique device barcode matching algorithm works as follows: once the entire network of the multi-split air conditioning system is connected, the system collects the barcode information of the wired controllers reported by each indoor unit and makes a judgment. When multiple indoor units report the same wired controller barcode, it is automatically determined that these indoor units share the same wired controller (one-to-many architecture); if the wired controller barcode reported by an indoor unit is unique (inconsistent with those reported by other indoor units), it is determined that the indoor unit belongs to a one-to-one architecture.

[0104] In the solution of this invention, a unique device barcode matching algorithm is adopted. That is, by collecting the barcode information of the wired controller reported by each indoor unit, the algorithm is judged. When multiple indoor units report the same wired controller barcode, it is automatically determined that these indoor units share the same wired controller (one-to-many architecture). This solves the problem in related solutions that it is difficult to automatically distinguish the control architecture between the wired controller and the indoor unit (i.e., it is impossible to automatically determine whether the control mode of the wired controller is one-to-one or one-to-many). The algorithm automatically analyzes and determines the control mode of the wired controller (one-to-one or one-to-many), providing an accurate logical basis for subsequent parameter configuration and fault diagnosis, and avoiding human misjudgment.

[0105] In some embodiments, the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to the present invention further includes: marking the current indoor unit as faulty when the device information of the current indoor unit among the N indoor units is not received on the debugging equipment side, as detailed below:

[0106] On the debugging equipment side: if the debugging equipment does not receive the equipment information of the current indoor unit among the N indoor units within a set time period, the process of marking the current indoor unit among the N indoor units as faulty.

[0107] The solution of this invention significantly improves the commissioning and maintenance efficiency of multi-split air conditioning systems: it reduces the on-site manual troubleshooting work that originally required several hours to minutes, greatly reducing the labor and time costs of engineering installation and commissioning; in the after-sales maintenance stage, it can quickly locate faulty equipment and its position in the network, shortening the troubleshooting time, and solving the problems of low efficiency, error-proneness and lack of intuitive topology diagram guidance in the manual commissioning method of related solutions.

[0108] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of a communication network in a multi-split air conditioning system. Figure 11 As shown, a method for automatically identifying the physical connection topology of a communication network in a multi-split air conditioning system includes:

[0109] Step S1: System initialization, then proceed to step S2.

[0110] When all units in a multi-split air conditioning system are powered on (i.e., both the outdoor and indoor units are powered on), the relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are in the default disconnected state. At this time, the communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system presents a broken chain structure. Assuming there are N indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system, initially, as follows... Figure 9 As shown, only the physical line between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit (located at the head of the chain) is connected; the communication links between the remaining indoor units are all cut off by their respective relays, forming an island state.

[0111] Only when the main communication line connecting the indoor units is connected can the indoor units initiate a communication handshake with the outdoor units (to request and obtain an IP address assigned by the outdoor unit), and only then can data exchange occur. In other words, at this stage, only the first indoor unit can initiate a communication handshake with the outdoor unit; the other indoor units cannot.

[0112] Step S2: Establish initial communication and publish device information, then proceed to step S3.

[0113] The outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates the communication protocol and assigns IP addresses to the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network. Since only the first indoor unit is connected at this time, the outdoor unit first establishes a communication connection with it (assigning an IP address). After the outdoor unit establishes a connection with the first indoor unit, the first indoor unit immediately communicates with the outdoor unit and external debugging equipment (such as…). Figure 9 As shown, the debugging equipment (such as a handheld multi-split air conditioning system or PC software) publishes the equipment information of the first indoor unit; it also publishes the indoor unit's equipment information to the outdoor unit, so that the outdoor unit and the external debugging equipment can obtain the indoor unit's identity information. The equipment information of the first indoor unit includes: the first indoor unit's own IP address, device serial number (barcode), model, status of the connected wired controller (online or offline), and the unique barcode of the wired controller. Knowing the online or offline status of the wired controller indicates that the indoor unit is connected to a wired controller; online means the indoor unit is connected to a wired controller, and offline means the indoor unit is not connected to a wired controller. For example, ducted air conditioners generally have wired controllers installed, while ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted air conditioners usually do not.

[0114] Step S3, cascade scanning process, followed by step S4.

[0115] Figure 9 In this process, after receiving the equipment information from the first indoor unit, the commissioning equipment sends a control command to the first indoor unit to close the relay. The commissioning equipment is used for functions such as installation and commissioning of multi-split air conditioning units and monitoring the unit's operating status.

[0116] The first indoor unit's operation: After receiving the instruction, the first indoor unit controls the relay in the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to close, thereby opening the communication path from the first indoor unit to the second indoor unit (that is, the communication IN port signal is conducted to the communication OUT port through the relay).

[0117] Outdoor unit information acquisition: After the relay in the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is closed, the outdoor unit immediately establishes communication with the second indoor unit. The second indoor unit also publishes its equipment information and wired controller information to the outdoor unit and the external debugging equipment. The debugging equipment collects this information in real time and records the connection sequence between indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2, such as recording the connection sequence of indoor unit 1 → indoor unit 2.

[0118] The outdoor unit cascade scanning iterative process: After receiving the equipment information from the second indoor unit, the debugging equipment continues to send a relay closing command to the second indoor unit. After the second indoor unit closes the relay, the third indoor unit connects to the network and reports information. This process repeats until the last indoor unit completes its information reporting and no subsequent indoor unit responds. Through this cascaded method of communication handshake → relay closing → re-handshake, the multi-split air conditioning system successfully obtains the physical connection sequence from the outdoor unit, through indoor unit 1, indoor unit 2, ... up to indoor unit N. It also obtains information such as the model, IP address, and barcode of each indoor unit. This allows the system to determine the model, barcode, and other information of each indoor unit in the entire multi-split communication network, from the first to the last (e.g., the first is a ducted unit (barcode ****), the second is a wall-mounted unit (barcode ****), and the third is a ceiling unit (barcode ****)), greatly facilitating equipment location and after-sales maintenance.

[0119] Step S4: Draw the topology diagram and analyze the architecture, then proceed to step S5.

[0120] Based on all collected device information and their reporting sequence (i.e., the order in which indoor units report their model information), the debugging equipment automatically constructs a physical communication network topology diagram of "outdoor unit → indoor unit 1 → indoor unit 2 → ... → indoor unit N" and displays it on the screen. Simultaneously, the multi-split air conditioning system compares and analyzes the collected controller barcode data: if indoor unit A and indoor unit B report the exact same controller barcode, it is determined that these two indoor units are connected to the same controller, forming a one-to-many architecture; if all indoor units report different controller barcodes, it is determined to be a standard one-to-one architecture. Finally, the debugging equipment dynamically draws a complete network topology diagram on the screen, including the device connection sequence and controller control relationships, for engineers to view, save, or export.

[0121] Step S5: Exception handling and feedback.

[0122] If a step in the process times out without a response, the debugging equipment can determine that the node device has a communication failure or hardware damage, and mark the fault point on the topology diagram, prompting technicians to prioritize checking that connection. If a fault is determined in an indoor unit, communication handshakes with subsequent indoor units cannot continue, and a complete network topology diagram cannot be completed. In this case, technicians can be prompted to check the fault location (for example, if a timeout occurs at the third device, check if there is an incorrect connection between the third and fourth devices, or if the device is damaged, etc.).

[0123] The above solution can automatically identify the communication network between the indoor and outdoor units of a multi-split air conditioner, the physical connection sequence between the indoor unit and the wired controller, and the topology.

[0124] In this invention, a relay-cascaded step-by-step handshake scanning mechanism is used: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are disconnected. The outdoor unit first connects to the first unit → instructs the first unit to close its relay to connect the second unit → the outdoor unit then connects to the second unit → and so on, traversing the entire network. A one-to-many automatic identification algorithm based on the unique barcode of the wired controller is used: the unique barcode of the wired controller reported by each indoor unit is collected. If multiple indoor units report the same barcode, it is automatically determined to be a one-to-many architecture; otherwise, it is determined to be a one-to-one architecture. An automatic generation and visualization of the network topology diagram is used: based on the collected connection sequence and wired controller information, the debugging equipment dynamically draws a topology diagram on the screen containing the physical connection sequence and control relationships. Hardware for the communication connection device integrating relays and IN / OUT ports is used: the indoor unit's mainboard integrates a dedicated module or circuit containing relays, a communication input port (i.e., the communication IN port), and an output port (i.e., the communication OUT port). Serial port debugging tools are used to capture communication messages between the outdoor and indoor units. If a strict query → response → sending a closing command → querying again sequence is found, rather than the broadcast-style simultaneous wake-up found in related solutions, it can be identified as a problem. During debugging, if it is found that indoor units must be activated sequentially one by one to obtain subsequent device information, rather than obtaining all information at once, it meets this characteristic. Check whether the packet capture data contains the unique barcode field of the wired controller (in related solutions, the system usually only reports the indoor unit code). Set up a one-to-many simulation environment (one wired controller connected to two indoor units) and observe whether the topology diagram or report generated by the competitor's system is automatically marked as one-to-many without manual configuration.

[0125] In this invention, an active topology scanning mechanism based on relay cascading is proposed, which utilizes relay switches embedded in the communication connection devices of each indoor unit to control the system according to a preset timing strategy. Initially, the relays in the communication connection devices of all indoor units are disconnected, cutting off downstream communication links. During cascading, the outdoor unit, acting as the host, communicates only with the first indoor unit; subsequently, the first indoor unit is instructed to close its relay to connect to the second indoor unit, and the outdoor unit then communicates with the second; this process continues until all nodes are traversed. By utilizing the timing of physical connections, a "serial" communication path is forcibly established, thereby accurately obtaining the complete physical connection sequence from the outdoor unit to the last indoor unit, eliminating parallel interference, and ensuring the accuracy of topology identification.

[0126] In this invention, a smart identification algorithm for wired controller architecture based on unique barcode matching is proposed. This method automatically determines the control architecture by analyzing the unique barcode information of the wired controllers reported by each indoor unit. When multiple indoor units report identical wired controller barcodes, it automatically determines that these indoor units share the same wired controller (one-to-many architecture). If all indoor units report different wired controller barcodes, it determines a one-to-one correspondence (one-to-one architecture). No manual intervention is required; a mapping diagram between wired controllers and indoor units can be automatically constructed solely through data comparison, solving the architecture identification problem under complex wiring conditions.

[0127] The technical solution of this embodiment addresses a multi-split air conditioning system composed of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units (e.g., N indoor units, where N is a positive integer) connected in series or parallel via a communication bus. The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, with the outdoor unit and the N indoor units connected in series via a physically connected communication bus to form a communication network for the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer. A communication connection device is inserted into the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units. On the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, while the remaining indoor units (excluding the first indoor unit) are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network. The first indoor unit is designated as the first indoor unit. The outdoor unit then initiates a preset communication protocol. A communication handshake is performed on one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit, in order to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; obtain the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit have established a communication connection; thereby, establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units; and generate physical network topology information containing the connection order between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units when the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units have established a communication connection. Therefore, by inserting a communication connection device into the communication circuit of each indoor unit, and controlling the on / off state of the communication connection device, the outdoor unit sequentially establishes a communication connection with each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This facilitates the control of the multi-split air conditioning system. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0128] Specifically, in the solution of this invention, for a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units (e.g., N indoor units, where N is a positive integer) connected in series or parallel via a communication bus, based on the physical connection method between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units in the multi-split air conditioning system using a communication bus, one outdoor unit is sequentially connected in series with N indoor units (the N indoor units are also connected in series with each other). A communication connection device is inserted into the communication circuit of each indoor unit, and the control terminal (e.g., the coil terminal of a relay) of the communication connection device of each indoor unit is also connected to the main board of each indoor unit. A debugging device is connected in the communication circuit between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit among the N indoor units; by default, the communication circuit of the N indoor units... All connection devices are disconnected; after the multi-split system is powered on, the communication connection devices of all N indoor units are disconnected. The first indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit. The outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates a communication handshake with the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit. The first indoor unit publishes its device information (its own identification information, such as IP address, device serial number, and model, as well as the status information of the wired controller connected to the first unit, such as offline or online status and identification information, such as a unique barcode) to the outdoor unit and the commissioning equipment. After receiving the device information from the first indoor unit, the commissioning equipment sends a control command to the first indoor unit to close the communication connection device. After receiving the control command from the debugging equipment, the first indoor unit's control communication connection is activated. The debugging equipment records the equipment information and reporting sequence of the first indoor unit. After the first indoor unit's communication connection is activated, the outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates a communication handshake with the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit. This process continues until the outdoor unit, acting as the management host, initiates a communication handshake with the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the Nth indoor unit. Based on the equipment information and reporting sequence of the N indoor units, the debugging equipment constructs a physical communication network topology diagram starting from the outdoor unit and extending to the Nth indoor unit. The system compares the wired controller identification information published by N indoor units. If different indoor units report the exact same wired controller identification information, it is determined that different indoor units are connected to the same wired controller, forming a one-to-many architecture. If all indoor units publish different wired controller identification information, it is determined that all indoor units are connected to different wired controllers, forming a one-to-one architecture. During the process of the outdoor unit acting as the management host communicating with the indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network to establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and N indoor units, if a node of an indoor unit does not publish the device information of a certain indoor unit and the information of the connected wired controller, it is considered that the indoor unit at that node has a fault (such as communication failure and / or hardware damage failure), and the node is marked as a fault point.Therefore, for a multi-split air conditioning system consisting of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units connected in series via a communication bus, a communication connection device is inserted into the communication loop of each indoor unit. By controlling the on / off state of this communication connection device, the outdoor unit sequentially establishes a communication connection with each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection sequence of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This improves the convenience of controlling the multi-split air conditioning system, such as facilitating installation, commissioning, and subsequent maintenance. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0129] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system, corresponding to a network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system, is also provided. This device is used to generate a network topology diagram of the multi-split air conditioning system using debugging equipment. The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, and the outdoor unit and the N indoor units are connected in series via a physically connected communication bus to form a communication network for the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer. A communication connection device is connected in series in the communication loop of each of the N indoor units. See also... Figure 7 The diagram shows a structural schematic of an embodiment of the device of the present invention. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system. The network topology generation device for this multi-split air conditioning system may include at least one of a first control unit 102, a second control unit 104, and a third control unit 106.

[0130] The first control unit 102 is configured on the outdoor unit side to: disconnect the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the remaining indoor units among the N indoor units, except for the first indoor unit, are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; that is, after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, disconnect the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the outdoor unit, and the remaining indoor units among the N indoor units, except for the first indoor unit, are disconnected from the outdoor unit; the first indoor unit is referred to as the first indoor unit. The specific functions and processing of the first control unit 102 are described in step S110.

[0131] The first control unit 102 is further configured to cause the outdoor unit to initiate a preset communication protocol and perform a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit. This is to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; and acquire the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when a communication connection is established; thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with each of the N indoor units. The specific functions and processing of this first control unit 102 are further described in step S120.

[0132] The first control unit 102 is further configured to, when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units, generate physical network topology information containing the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units. The specific functions and processing of this first control unit 102 are further described in step S130.

[0133] In the solution of this invention, on the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the other indoor units among the N indoor units except the first indoor unit are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; the first indoor unit is designated as the first indoor unit; the outdoor unit initiates a preset communication protocol, and performs a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not established a communication connection with the outdoor unit, so that: the first indoor unit connects to the communication bus in the communication network... When connected, the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit. With this connection established, the device information of the first indoor unit is acquired, and the timing of the communication connection establishment is recorded. This allows the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with each of the N indoor units. Based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of their connection establishment, physical network topology information is generated, including the connection order of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units. Thus, by inserting a communication connection device into the communication loop of each indoor unit and controlling the on / off state of this device, the outdoor unit sequentially establishes a communication connection with each indoor unit, generating physical network topology information containing the complete connection order of the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This facilitates the control of multi-split air conditioning systems.

[0134] And / or, the second control unit 104 is configured to, on the side of the N indoor units: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit, cause the first indoor unit to report its equipment information to the outdoor unit and / or the debugging equipment, so that: upon receiving the equipment information from the first indoor unit, the debugging equipment sends a control command, denoted as the first control command, to the first indoor unit for closing the communication connection of the first indoor unit. The specific functions and processing of the second control unit 104 are described in step S310.

[0135] The second control unit 104 is further configured to, upon receiving the first control command, enable the first indoor unit to control the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to connect, thereby connecting one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit to the communication bus in the communication network, thus establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is designated as the second indoor unit. The specific functions and processing of the second control unit 104 are further described in step S320.

[0136] In this invention, a connection method with a communication bus based on physical connection (distinct from the wireless communication connection method in related solutions) is proposed to automatically identify the communication bus connection architecture of the entire multi-split unit, the specific location of each device in the communication connection state, the connection sequence and direction of the entire communication line; and how to automatically identify the connection architecture between the wired controller and the indoor unit in a two-layer physically isolated communication network of indoor and outdoor unit communication and indoor unit and wired controller communication. This can first solve the problem in related solutions that it is impossible to automatically sense and determine the physical connection sequence and link structure between indoor units after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on; then, when the entire communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system is connected, it can solve the problem in related solutions that it is difficult to automatically distinguish the control architecture between the wired controller and the indoor unit (i.e., it is impossible to automatically determine whether it is one-to-one or one-to-many control), and at the same time, it can solve the problems in related solutions that the manual debugging method is inefficient, error-prone, and lacks intuitive topology diagram guidance during fault diagnosis.

[0137] And / or, the third control unit 106 is further configured on the debugging equipment side to: when the debugging equipment receives the device information of the first indoor unit reported by the first indoor unit, record the timing of the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, and send a control command to the first indoor unit for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit, denoted as the first control command, so as to: cause the first indoor unit to control the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device when it receives the first control command, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit can connect to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; and denot the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units as the second indoor unit. For the specific functions and processing of the third control unit 106, please refer to step S500.

[0138] In this invention, the timing of the physical connections between the outdoor unit and all indoor units in a multi-split air conditioning system is utilized to forcibly establish a serial communication path between the outdoor unit and all indoor units. This accurately obtains the complete physical connection sequence from the outdoor unit to the last indoor unit, eliminating parallel interference and ensuring accurate topology identification. The timing of the physical connections refers to the connection from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit (because it is sequential, from the first device to the last). The physical communication bus of the indoor units is initially in an islanded state (except for the first indoor unit). Each indoor unit, according to its cascaded configuration, is forcibly connected to the next indoor unit one by one at different times, ensuring that the next indoor unit is serially connected to the communication network path of the unit.

[0139] Since the processing and functions implemented by the device in this embodiment are basically the same as the embodiments, principles and examples of the aforementioned methods, any details not covered in the description of this embodiment can be found in the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0140] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a multi-split air conditioning system corresponding to a network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system is also provided. This multi-split air conditioning system may include the network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system described above. This multi-split air conditioning system belongs to the category of energy-saving air conditioning systems.

[0141] Since the processing and functions implemented by the multi-split air conditioning system in this embodiment are basically the same as the embodiments, principles and examples of the aforementioned device, any details not covered in this embodiment can be found in the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0142] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product corresponding to the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system is also provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system described above.

[0143] Since the processing and functions implemented by the product in this embodiment are basically the same as the embodiments, principles and examples of the aforementioned methods, any details not covered in the description of this embodiment can be found in the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0144] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a storage medium corresponding to a network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system is also provided. The storage medium includes a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, the device where the storage medium is located controls the execution of the steps of the network topology generation method for the multi-split air conditioning system described above.

[0145] Since the processing and functions implemented by the storage medium in this embodiment are basically the same as the embodiments, principles and examples of the aforementioned methods, any details not covered in this embodiment can be found in the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0146] In summary, it is readily understood by those skilled in the art that, without conflict, the aforementioned advantageous methods can be freely combined and superimposed.

[0147] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for generating network topology for a multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that, This is used to generate a network topology diagram of the multi-split air conditioning system using debugging equipment; the multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, and the outdoor unit and the N indoor units are connected in series through a physical connection communication bus to form the communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer; A communication connection device is connected in series in the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units; the network topology generation method of the multi-split air conditioning system includes: On the outdoor unit side: after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units is disconnected, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the other indoor units among the N indoor units except the first indoor unit are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; the first indoor unit is referred to as the first indoor unit; The outdoor unit initiates a preset communication protocol to initiate a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit. This is to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; obtain the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit; thereby, establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units. Based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, physical network topology information containing the connection order between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units is generated.

2. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, On the outdoor unit side, establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units includes: On the outdoor unit side: after establishing a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, when the communication connection device of any indoor unit after the first indoor unit is connected, the indoor unit after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network. When any indoor unit after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; obtains the device information of any indoor unit after the first indoor unit, and records the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit.

3. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The device information of the first indoor unit includes at least one of the following: the identity information of the first indoor unit, the status information of the wired controller connected to the first indoor unit, and the identity information of the wired controller connected to the first indoor unit.

4. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The communication connection devices inserted in the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units have the same structure.

5. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The communication connection device inserted into the communication circuit of the first indoor unit includes: a relay device; the coil terminal of the relay device is connected to the main board of the first indoor unit. The switch terminal of the relay device is connected in series in the communication circuit of the first indoor unit, and the switch terminal of the relay device is located between the communication line of the first indoor unit and the communication line of one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit.

6. A method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system, matching the method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, include: On the N indoor unit side: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit, the first indoor unit reports its equipment information to the outdoor unit and the debugging equipment, so that: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the first indoor unit, it sends a control command for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to the first indoor unit, which is recorded as the first control command. When the first indoor unit receives the first control command, the communication connection device of the first indoor unit is activated, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit can be connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is referred to as the second indoor unit.

7. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: When the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the second indoor unit, the second indoor unit reports its equipment information to the outdoor unit and the debugging equipment, so that: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the second indoor unit, it sends a control command for closing the communication connection device of the second indoor unit to the second indoor unit, which is recorded as the second control command. When the second indoor unit receives the second control command, the communication connection device of the second indoor unit is activated, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the second indoor unit can be connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with any indoor unit after the second indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the second indoor unit among the N indoor units is referred to as the third indoor unit; In this way, each of the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with each of the N indoor units; the last indoor unit among the N indoor units is denoted as the Nth indoor unit.

8. A method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system, matching the method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and / or matching the method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 6 to 7, characterized in that, include: On the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the first indoor unit reported by the first indoor unit, it records the timing of the establishment of communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, and sends a control command to the first indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the first indoor unit, which is recorded as the first control command, so that: when the first indoor unit receives the first control command, it controls the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is recorded as the second indoor unit.

9. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: On the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of the second indoor unit, it records the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the second indoor unit, and sends a control command to the second indoor unit to close the communication connection device of the second indoor unit, which is recorded as the second control command, so that: when the second indoor unit receives the second control command, the second indoor unit controls the second indoor unit to connect, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the second indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the second indoor unit; In this way, each of the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with each of the N indoor units.

10. The network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 8, characterized in that, Also includes: On the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of communication connections between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, it generates physical network topology information containing the connection order between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the equipment information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of communication connections between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units, and displays it in the form of a physical network topology diagram containing the connection order between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units.

11. The method for generating the network topology of a multi-split air conditioning system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, Also includes: On the debugging equipment side: when the debugging equipment receives the equipment information of each of the N indoor units, it determines whether the identity information of the wired controller in the equipment information of each of the N indoor units is the same; If it is determined that the identity information of the wired controller is the same in the device information of two or more indoor units among the N indoor units, then it is determined that the control method of the two or more indoor units among the N indoor units is the method of the same wired controller controlling the two or more indoor units. If it is determined that the identity information of the wired controller in the device information of each of the N indoor units is different, then the control method of each of the N indoor units is determined to be the method of each wired controller controlling each indoor unit. And / or, On the debugging equipment side: if the debugging equipment does not receive the equipment information of the current indoor unit among the N indoor units within a set time period, a message indicating that the current indoor unit among the N indoor units is faulty is displayed.

12. A network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that, This is used to generate a network topology diagram of the multi-split air conditioning system using debugging equipment; the multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units, and the outdoor unit and the N indoor units are connected in series through a physical connection communication bus to form the communication network of the multi-split air conditioning system, where N is a positive integer; A communication connection device is connected in series in the communication circuit of each of the N indoor units. The network topology generation device for the multi-split air conditioning system includes: A first control unit is configured on the outdoor unit side to: disconnect the communication connection device at each of the N indoor units after the multi-split air conditioning system is powered on, so that the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is connected to the communication bus in the communication network, and the other indoor units among the N indoor units except the first indoor unit are disconnected from the communication bus in the communication network; the first indoor unit is referred to as the first indoor unit; The first control unit is further configured to cause the outdoor unit to initiate a preset communication protocol and perform a communication handshake with one of the N indoor units connected to the communication bus in the communication network that has not yet established a communication connection with the outdoor unit, so as to: establish a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit when the first indoor unit is connected to the communication bus in the communication network; obtain the device information of the first indoor unit and record the timing of the establishment of the communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit; thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with each of the N indoor units; The first control unit is further configured to generate physical network topology information containing the connection order between the outdoor unit and the N indoor units based on the device information of each of the N indoor units and the timing of the establishment of communication connections between the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units.

13. The network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: The second control unit is configured to, on the side of the N indoor units: when the outdoor unit establishes a communication connection with the first indoor unit, cause the first indoor unit to report the device information of the first indoor unit to the outdoor unit and the debugging device, so that: when the debugging device receives the device information of the first indoor unit, it sends a control command for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to the first indoor unit, which is denoted as the first control command. The second control unit is further configured to, upon receiving the first control command, enable the first indoor unit to control the communication connection device of the first indoor unit to connect, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit can connect to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby enabling the outdoor unit to establish a communication connection with any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units is referred to as the second indoor unit.

14. The network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, Also includes: The third control unit is further configured on the debugging equipment side to: when the debugging equipment receives the device information of the first indoor unit reported by the first indoor unit, record the timing of the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and the first indoor unit, and send a control command to the first indoor unit for closing the communication connection device of the first indoor unit, denoted as the first control command, so as to: cause the first indoor unit to control the first indoor unit to connect its communication connection device when it receives the first control command, so that one of the N indoor units connected after the first indoor unit can connect to the communication bus in the communication network, thereby realizing the establishment of a communication connection between the outdoor unit and any indoor unit after the first indoor unit; and denot the indoor unit connected after the first indoor unit among the N indoor units as the second indoor unit.

15. A multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that, include: The network topology generation device for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 12 to 14.

16. A storage medium, characterized in that, The storage medium includes a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, the device where the storage medium is located executes the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 6 to 7, or the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 8 to 11.

17. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps of the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, or the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 6 to 7, or the network topology generation method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 8 to 11.

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