Communication device and method of a multi-split air conditioning system and multi-split air conditioning system

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of communication device, method and multi-connected air conditioning system of multi-connected air conditioning system, the multi-connected air conditioning system has outdoor unit and N indoor units, the outdoor unit is powered to each indoor unit in the N indoor units by zero fire line, N is positive integer and N is greater than or equal to 2;The communication device of the multi-connected air conditioning system, comprising: power carrier communication unit;Wherein, the outdoor unit and each indoor unit in the N indoor units all have the power carrier communication unit;The power carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit is communicated with the power carrier communication unit in each indoor unit in the N indoor units by the zero fire line.This scheme, by multiplexing outdoor unit to each indoor unit power supply zero fire line as communication line, and matching power carrier communication circuit, realize reliable communication between outdoor unit and each indoor unit, greatly reduce construction difficulty.The multi-connected air conditioning system belongs to 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 communication device, method, and system for multi-split air conditioning systems. More particularly, it relates to a communication circuit, method, and system for a dual-split air conditioning system (one unit connected to two units) based on power line carrier communication. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system. Background Technology

[0002] A multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many model) consists of one outdoor unit and multiple indoor units. The indoor and outdoor units need to exchange control commands, temperature parameters, and operating status data in real time to achieve coordinated distribution of cooling or heating loads. In related solutions, a dedicated wired bus communication is used, establishing a communication link between the indoor and outdoor units by laying additional cables, which presents significant construction challenges. This multi-split air conditioning system is classified as energy-efficient.

[0003] The above content is only used to help understand the technical solution of the present invention, and does not represent an admission that the above content is the technology in the relevant solution. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a communication device, method, and system for a multi-split air conditioning system. This addresses the problem of high construction difficulty associated with traditional multi-split air conditioning systems (multi-unit type) that use a dedicated wired bus for communication between indoor and outdoor units, requiring additional cabling to establish a communication link. The invention achieves reliable communication between the outdoor and indoor units by reusing the live and neutral wires from the outdoor unit's power supply to each indoor unit, and by matching a power line carrier communication circuit. This significantly reduces construction difficulty. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0005] This invention provides a communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system. The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units. The outdoor unit supplies power to each of the N indoor units via a live and neutral wire, where N is a positive integer and N≥2. The communication device for the multi-split air conditioning system includes a power line carrier communication unit. Each of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units has the power line carrier communication unit. The power line carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the power line carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the live and neutral wires.

[0006] In some embodiments, the system further includes a filtering unit; wherein the filtering unit is disposed between the external AC power source and the outdoor unit, and is used to filter the AC power supplied by the external AC power source before supplying power to the outdoor unit.

[0007] In some embodiments, the power line carrier communication unit includes a signal processing module and a capacitive coupling module; wherein, for any communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units: the signal processing module is used to modulate the signal to be transmitted by the communication terminal to obtain the required modulated signal, and / or to demodulate the signal to be received by the communication terminal to obtain the required demodulated signal; the capacitive coupling module is used to filter the modulated signal of the signal to be transmitted by the communication terminal and couple it to the live and neutral wires, and / or to receive and filter the demodulated signal of the signal to be received that has been coupled to the live and neutral wires.

[0008] In some implementations, any one of the communication terminals of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units is designated as the first communication terminal, and the other communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units is designated as the second communication terminal. When the main control unit in the first communication terminal is in a transmitting state: the signal processing module in the first communication terminal is used to modulate the signal transmitted by the main control unit in the first communication terminal to obtain the desired sine wave signal; the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to filter the sine wave signal modulated by the signal processing module in the first communication terminal and couple it to the live and neutral wires, so as to transmit the signal transmitted by the main control unit in the first communication terminal to the main control unit in the second communication terminal through the live and neutral wires.

[0009] And / or, when the main control unit in the first communication terminal is in the receiving state: the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to filter the signal to be received on the live and neutral wires; the signal processing module in the first communication terminal is used to demodulate the signal filtered by the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal to obtain the required TTL signal; and transmit the TTL signal to the main control unit in the first communication terminal, so as to realize the transmission of the signal sent by the main control unit in the second communication terminal to the main control unit in the first communication terminal through the live and neutral wires;

[0010] In some embodiments, the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals includes: a modulation module, a demodulation module, and a carrier terminal; wherein, the modulation module in any of the communication terminals is used to modulate the signal sent by the main control unit in any of the communication terminals to obtain a modulated signal, and then transmit it to the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals; the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals is used to transmit the modulated signal to the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals.

[0011] And / or, the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals is further configured to receive, filter, and transmit the signal that the communication terminal needs to receive from the neutral and live wires via the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals, and transmit it to the demodulation module in any of the communication terminals; the demodulation module in any of the communication terminals is configured to demodulate the signal that the communication terminal needs to receive transmitted by the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals to obtain a demodulated signal, and then transmit it to the main control unit in any of the communication terminals.

[0012] In some embodiments, the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals includes: a filtering module and a coupling module; wherein, the filtering module in any of the communication terminals is used to filter the modulation signal output by the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals for the signal that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals needs to send; the coupling module in any of the communication terminals is used to couple the filtered signal of the modulation signal output by the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals to the live and neutral wires;

[0013] And / or, the coupling module in any of the communication terminals is further configured to receive signals that have been coupled to the live and neutral wires and that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals needs to receive; the filtering module in any of the communication terminals is further configured to filter the signals that have been coupled to the live and neutral wires and that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals receives from the coupling module in any of the communication terminals, and then transmit them to the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals, so that the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals can demodulate the signals to obtain demodulated signals and then transmit them to the main control unit in any of the communication terminals.

[0014] In some embodiments, the coupling module includes a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module; wherein the live wire of the live and neutral wires is connected to a first connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer module after passing through the coupling capacitor module; the neutral wire of the live and neutral wires is connected to a second connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer module; and the secondary winding of the isolation transformer module is connected to the filter module.

[0015] In some embodiments, the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals further includes: a discharge module and / or a matching module; wherein the discharge module is connected to the coupling module and is used to discharge energy in the coupling module; when the coupling module includes a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module, the discharge module is connected in parallel with the primary winding of the isolation transformer module; the matching module is disposed between the coupling module and the filtering module and is used to match the impedance of the filtering module.

[0016] In conjunction with the above-mentioned device, the present invention further provides a multi-split air conditioning system, including: the communication device for the multi-split air conditioning system described above.

[0017] In conjunction with the aforementioned multi-split air conditioning system, this invention further provides a communication method for the multi-split air conditioning system, comprising: for each of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units, the outdoor unit is designated as a communication host, and each indoor unit is designated as a communication slave; the communication host sends downlink query frames via the communication line in a polling broadcast manner according to a set polling cycle, thereby alternately polling the N communication slaves; a target slave among the N communication slaves parses the downlink query frame, and if the address of the target slave matches the address targeted by the downlink query frame, and the preset verification method passes, the target slave sends back an uplink response frame corresponding to the downlink query frame via the communication line, thereby realizing communication between the communication host and the target slave.

[0018] This invention addresses the communication problem in multi-split air conditioning systems (such as a two-split air conditioning system). The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units. The outdoor unit supplies power to each of the N indoor units via a live and neutral wire, where N is a positive integer and N≥2. The communication device of the multi-split air conditioning system includes a power line carrier communication unit. Each of the N indoor units has a power line carrier communication unit (such as a power line carrier communication circuit). The power line carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the power line carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the live and neutral wires. Therefore, by reusing the live and neutral wires from the outdoor unit to each indoor unit as communication lines and matching them with power line carrier communication circuits, reliable communication between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit is achieved without the need for additional communication lines, greatly reducing construction difficulty. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0019] Specifically, in the solution of this invention, addressing the communication problem of multi-split air conditioning systems (such as a one-to-many air conditioning system, or a one-to-two air conditioning system), taking a one-to-two air conditioning system as an example, the one-to-two air conditioning system has an outdoor unit, an indoor unit 1, and an indoor unit 2. The neutral and live wires (live wire L and neutral wire N) that supply power from the outdoor unit to each indoor unit (i.e., indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2) are reused as communication lines. Power line carrier communication circuits matching the neutral and live wire communication are installed in both the outdoor unit and each indoor unit. The power line carrier communication circuit includes a signal processing module connected to the main control MCU and a capacitive coupling circuit. The signal processing module includes a modulation module, a demodulation module, and a carrier terminal. The capacitive coupling circuit includes a bandpass filter, an impedance matching module, and a coupler. The coupler includes a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer T1. When the main control MCU in the outdoor unit is in transmit mode, the transmit port TX of the UART communication port of the main control MCU in the outdoor unit sends the signal to be transmitted (such as a signal transmitted in TTL level form) to the modulation module in the signal processing module of the outdoor unit. After modulation by the modulation module, a sine wave signal is obtained. This sine wave signal is then transmitted through the signal processing module in the outdoor unit. The carrier terminal is fed into the capacitive coupling circuit. After interference noise is filtered out by the bandpass filter in the capacitive coupling circuit, it is coupled to the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) through the coupler, so as to transmit the signal to the corresponding indoor unit (such as indoor unit 1 and / or indoor unit 2) through the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N). When the main control MCU in the outdoor unit is in the receiving state, the capacitive coupling circuit in the outdoor unit transmits the signal to be received (such as a high-frequency signal, i.e., a sine wave signal) on the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) through the coupler to the bandpass filter, and then transmitted after being filtered by the bandpass filter. The signal transmitted through the carrier terminal in the signal processing module of the outdoor unit is demodulated by the demodulation module in the signal processing module of the outdoor unit to obtain a TTL level signal, which is then transmitted to the receiver port RX of the UART communication port of the main control MCU in the outdoor unit. The capacitive coupling circuit also has a bleed resistor R and an impedance matching module. The bleed resistor R is connected in parallel to the primary side of the isolation transformer T1 to bleed the energy stored in the isolation transformer T1. The impedance matching module is set between the isolation transformer T1 and the bandpass filter to perform impedance matching to improve signal quality. Thus, by reusing the neutral and live wires that supply power to each indoor unit from the outdoor unit as communication lines and matching them with the power line carrier communication circuit, reliable communication between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit is achieved without the need for additional communication lines, greatly reducing construction difficulty and resulting in a low communication failure rate. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioner.

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a communication system embodiment for a multi-split air conditioning system (one unit for multiple units);

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the signal processing module;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a capacitive coupling circuit;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a communication method between the indoor and outdoor units of a dual-split air conditioning system based on power line carrier communication.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the communication method for a multi-split air conditioning system according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0028] 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.

[0029] Considering that multi-split air conditioning systems (multi-unit models) use a dedicated wired bus for communication between the indoor and outdoor units, establishing a communication link between the indoor and outdoor units by laying additional cables presents significant construction challenges. Specifically, relevant solutions typically employ dedicated wired bus communication methods such as Controller Area Network (CAN), RS-485, and live / neutral wire communication, establishing a communication link between the indoor and outdoor units by laying additional cables.

[0030] Taking a multi-split air conditioning system (one unit for multiple units) with a single unit supporting two air conditioners as an example, at least one additional signal line is required besides the power lines (live wire L and neutral wire N). This necessitates pre-embedding or threading additional cables into the wall during installation, increasing the complexity of the work. For renovations of existing homes that have already been renovated, the difficulty and labor costs of drilling through walls are particularly pronounced. The communication line has numerous connectors (e.g., one at the outdoor unit + one at the indoor unit 1 + one at the indoor unit 2), and communication failures due to contact oxidation or loosening account for a significant proportion of on-site after-sales service failures.

[0031] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a reliable communication solution that can overcome the electromagnetic noise environment of multi-split air conditioning systems (multi-unit models) without requiring additional dedicated communication cables. Therefore, this invention proposes a communication device for multi-split air conditioning systems, specifically a communication circuit between the indoor and outdoor units of a multi-split air conditioning system based on power line carrier communication. It reuses the live and neutral wires (L and N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit model) as the physical communication medium. By designing a power line carrier communication (PLC) hardware circuit adapted to the multi-split scenario, it achieves highly reliable transmission of control data between the indoor and outdoor units, greatly reducing construction difficulty and communication failure rate.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system is provided. See also... Figure 1 The diagram shows a structural schematic of an embodiment of the device of the present invention. The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units. The outdoor unit supplies power to each of the N indoor units via a neutral and live wire, where N is a positive integer and N≥2; the neutral and live wire supplying power from the outdoor unit to each of the N indoor units can be referred to as the first neutral and live wire. In the solution of the present invention, as... Figure 1 As shown, the communication device of the multi-split air conditioning system includes: a power line carrier communication unit, which is a power line carrier communication circuit.

[0033] The outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units have the power line carrier communication unit; that is, the number of the power line carrier communication units is N+1, and the N+1 power line carrier communication units are respectively set in each of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units.

[0034] The powerline carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the powerline carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the live and neutral wires. Specifically, the powerline carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the powerline carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the first live and neutral wires. The powerline carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit has the same structure and function as the powerline carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units.

[0035] In the present invention, the multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units. The outdoor unit supplies power to each of the N indoor units via a live and neutral wire, where N is a positive integer and N≥2. The communication device of the multi-split air conditioning system includes a power line carrier communication unit. Each of the N indoor units has a power line carrier communication unit (such as a power line carrier communication circuit). The power line carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the power line carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the live and neutral wire. Therefore, by reusing the live and neutral wires from the outdoor unit to each indoor unit as communication lines and matching them with power line carrier communication circuits, reliable communication between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit is achieved without the need for additional communication lines, greatly reducing construction difficulty.

[0036] The present invention proposes a communication circuit between the indoor and outdoor units of a dual-split air conditioning system based on power line carrier communication. It reuses the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the power supply for multi-split air conditioning systems (multi-unit type) as the physical communication medium. By designing a power line carrier communication (PLC) hardware circuit adapted to the dual-split scenario, it achieves highly reliable transmission of control data between the indoor and outdoor units. This eliminates the need for laying additional dedicated communication cables between the indoor and outdoor units in related solutions, greatly reducing construction difficulty and communication failure rate.

[0037] In some embodiments, the communication device of the multi-split air conditioning system further includes: a filtering unit, such as a high-voltage filtering circuit; a neutral and live wire for external AC power supply to the power supply terminal of the outdoor unit, which can be referred to as the second neutral and live wire; the external AC power supply passes through the filtering unit and then through the second neutral and live wire. Both the first and second neutral and live wires are power supply lines used for power supply; the distinction between the first and second neutral and live wires is to differentiate the different locations where the power supply lines are positioned.

[0038] The filtering unit is located between the external AC power supply and the outdoor unit, specifically between the external AC power supply and the power supply terminal of the outdoor unit. It is used to filter the AC power supplied by the external AC power supply before supplying power to the outdoor unit. Specifically, it is used to filter the AC power supplied by the external AC power supply to remove the fixed frequency signal on the second neutral and live wires before supplying power to the outdoor unit.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the communication system for a multi-split air conditioning system (one unit connecting multiple units), which reduces the number of connecting lines compared to related solutions that use a communication (COM) line. Figure 2 As shown, a multi-split air conditioning system (such as a two-split system) has an outdoor unit, indoor unit 1, and indoor unit 2. The physical address of indoor unit 1 is 0X01, and the physical address of indoor unit 2 is 0X02. The AC power supply (220VAC, 50Hz) is filtered by a high-voltage power supply circuit and then connected to the outdoor unit via the live and neutral wires (live wire L and neutral wire N). The outdoor unit is then connected to indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2 via the live and neutral wires (live wire L and neutral wire N) respectively.

[0040] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, the high-voltage filtering circuit is installed after connection to the power grid, before the indoor and outdoor units are powered. The common-mode inductor in the high-voltage filtering circuit filters out fixed-frequency signals on the live and neutral wires (live wire L and neutral wire N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type), avoiding interference with the power grid. Simultaneously, it reduces interference noise in the communication channels within the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type), confining the entire communication process within the multi-split air conditioning system to prevent interference with other electrical systems and improving the overall electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance of the unit.

[0041] In this invention, a high-voltage filtering circuit is employed. This high-voltage filtering circuit is installed after connection to the power grid, before the indoor and outdoor units are powered. The high-voltage filtering circuit mainly includes a common-mode inductor. For example, the high-voltage filtering circuit may include filtering modules such as CLC, LCL, CLCL, and LCLC. In these filtering modules, L represents a common-mode inductor, and C represents an X capacitor. The common-mode inductor L is typically selected with an inductance of around 22mH or 33mH, and the X capacitor is typically selected between 0.1μF and 0.82μF, with 0.22μF being commonly used. By filtering out fixed-frequency signals on the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) in a multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type), interference with the power grid is avoided. Simultaneously, interference noise in the communication channel within the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type) is reduced, improving the overall electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type).

[0042] In some embodiments, the power line carrier communication unit includes a signal processing module and a capacitive coupling module, such as a capacitive coupling circuit.

[0043] Specifically, for any communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units:

[0044] The signal processing module is used to modulate the signal to be transmitted by any of the communication terminals to obtain the required modulated signal, and / or to demodulate the signal to be received by any of the communication terminals to obtain the required demodulated signal.

[0045] The capacitive coupling module is used to filter the modulation signal of the signal to be transmitted by any of the communication terminals and couple it to the live and neutral wires, and / or to receive and filter the demodulated signal of the signal to be received that has been coupled to the live and neutral wires.

[0046] like Figure 2 As shown, the outdoor unit, indoor unit 1, and indoor unit 2 each have their own microcontroller unit (MCU), signal processing module, and capacitive coupling circuit. The MCU, signal processing module, and capacitive coupling circuit in the outdoor unit are connected in sequence and then connected to the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N), and are respectively connected to the capacitive coupling circuits in indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2. The MCU, signal processing module, and capacitive coupling circuit in indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2 are connected in sequence.

[0047] In the solution of this invention, the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many model) are reused as the physical medium for communication. By designing a power line carrier communication circuit adapted to the one-to-two scenario, such as the power line carrier communication unit including a signal processing module and a capacitive coupling module, high-reliability transmission of control data between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit is achieved. This eliminates the need for laying additional dedicated communication cables between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit in related solutions, greatly reducing construction difficulty and communication failure rate.

[0048] In some implementations, any one of the communication terminals of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units is designated as the first communication terminal, and the other communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units is designated as the second communication terminal; the other communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units refers to the other communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units besides the aforementioned communication terminal. The main control unit in the first communication terminal is, for example, the main control MCU in the outdoor unit.

[0049] Wherein, when the main control unit in the first communication terminal is in the sending state:

[0050] The signal processing module in the first communication terminal is used to modulate the signal sent by the main control unit in the first communication terminal to obtain the required sine wave signal, and then transmit it to the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal; the signal sent by the main control unit in the first communication terminal is a TTL signal.

[0051] The capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to filter the sinusoidal signal modulated by the signal processing module in the first communication terminal and couple it to the neutral and live wires, so as to transmit the sinusoidal signal modulated by the signal processing module in the first communication terminal to the capacitive coupling module in the second communication terminal through the neutral and live wires, thereby realizing the transmission of the signal sent by the main control unit in the first communication terminal to the main control unit in the second communication terminal through the neutral and live wires.

[0052] And / or, when the main control unit in the first communication terminal is in receiving mode:

[0053] The capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to filter the signal to be received on the live and neutral wires and then transmit it to the signal processing module in the first communication terminal. Specifically, the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to receive the sinusoidal signal coupled to the live and neutral wires by the capacitive coupling module in the second communication terminal, as the signal to be received on the live and neutral wires; after filtering the signal to be received on the live and neutral wires, it is transmitted to the signal processing module in the first communication terminal.

[0054] The signal processing module in the first communication terminal is used to demodulate the signal filtered by the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal to obtain the required TTL signal; and transmit the TTL signal to the main control unit in the first communication terminal so as to transmit the sinusoidal signal coupled to the neutral and live wires by the capacitive coupling module in the second communication terminal to the signal processing module in the first communication terminal through the neutral and live wires, thereby realizing the transmission of the signal sent by the main control unit in the second communication terminal to the main control unit in the first communication terminal through the neutral and live wires;

[0055] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, the outdoor unit includes a first main control MCU, a first signal processing module, and a first capacitive coupling circuit, with the outdoor unit serving as the host of the communication system. The first main control MCU sends and receives high and low level data through a Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART) communication port.

[0056] When the first master control MCU is in transmit mode, the transmit port TX (Transmit) of the UART communication port of the first master control MCU sends the signal sent by the first master control MCU to the signal FSK modulation circuit in the first signal processing module to obtain a modulated sine wave signal. The signal is then sent to the live wire and neutral wire (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) through the carrier terminal in the first signal processing module. When the first master control MCU is in transmit mode, the TTL level corresponding to the signal sent by the first master control MCU needs to be FSK modulated into a sine wave signal by the signal FSK modulation circuit. The frequency of the sine wave signal distinguishes between 0 and 1 of the TTL level signal. The characteristic of the high-frequency sine wave signal having low impedance and high DC or power frequency current impedance in the capacitive coupling circuit is used to complete the signal transmission in the communication link.

[0057] When the first main control MCU is in receiving mode, the capacitive coupling circuit selects and couples the high-frequency signal on the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) to the carrier terminal in the first signal processing module. The carrier terminal in the first signal processing module demodulates the signal using the FSK modulation circuit and identifies it as a high or low level, transmitting it to the receive port RX (receive) of the UART communication port of the first main control MCU. The low impedance of the high-frequency sinusoidal signal in the capacitive coupling circuit, compared to the high impedance of DC or power frequency current, allows the signal to be transmitted in the communication link. When the first main control MCU is in receiving mode, it demodulates the sinusoidal AC signal acquired by the capacitive coupling circuit in the outdoor unit (which couples the analog signal from the communication link) to obtain a TTL level for identifying communication data.

[0058] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2 each include a second and third main control MCU, a second and third signal processing module, and a second and third capacitor coupling circuit, and are configured with their own physical address codes for communication addressing, acting as slave units in the communication system. The MCUs, signal processing modules, and capacitor coupling circuits involved function the same as those in the outdoor unit. Specifically, indoor unit 1 includes a second main control MCU, a second signal processing module, and a second capacitor coupling circuit, configured with a physical address code such as 0X01; indoor unit 2 includes a third main control MCU, a third signal processing module, and a third capacitor coupling circuit, configured with a physical address code such as 0X02.

[0059] In the solution of this invention, the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the power supply of the multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many model) are reused as the physical medium for communication. The communication between the live and neutral wires is realized through the signal processing module and the capacitive coupling module, so as to achieve highly reliable transmission of control data between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. This eliminates the need to lay additional dedicated communication cables between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit in related solutions, greatly reducing the construction difficulty and communication failure rate.

[0060] In some embodiments, the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals includes: a modulation module, a demodulation module, and a carrier terminal.

[0061] The modulation module in any of the communication terminals is used to modulate the signal sent by the main control unit in any of the communication terminals to obtain a modulated signal, and then transmit it to the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals.

[0062] The carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals is used to transmit the modulated signal to the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals.

[0063] And / or, the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals is further configured to receive, filter and transmit the signal that the communication terminal needs to receive from the neutral and live wires via the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals, and transmit it to the demodulation module in any of the communication terminals.

[0064] The demodulation module in any of the communication terminals is used to demodulate the signal that the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals needs to receive, and then transmit the demodulated signal to the main control unit in any of the communication terminals.

[0065] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the signal processing module, illustrating the frequency shift keying (FSK) modulation and demodulation process. The modulation circuit is essentially an FSK modulation circuit, converting TTL level signals into frequency information, such as using a sine wave with frequency f1 to represent 1 and a sine wave with frequency f2 to represent 0.

[0066] exist Figure 3 In the example shown, during the transmission process, the main control MCU's transmit port TX inputs a TTL logic level to the modulation circuit to obtain a carrier frequency of... The offset frequency is The FSK modulated signal. The TTL levels representing 0 and 1 are modulated into... ± The sinusoidal signal, adapted to the characteristics of capacitive coupling circuits that allow high frequencies to pass while blocking low frequencies, achieves the purpose of transmitting signals and isolating power frequency power. Among these, Represents logic 1. A represents logic 0, and A represents the amplitude of the sine wave signal.

[0067] In this invention, by modulating the serial port transistor-transistor logic (TTL) signal level into a higher frequency AC signal and utilizing the characteristics of magnetic coupling and capacitor high-frequency transmission, the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the power supply of a multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many unit type) are multiplexed as communication lines. The communication method of the multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many unit type), one-to-two air conditioning system, or even one-to-many air conditioning system is realized through a host computer polling mechanism. This solves the problem in related solutions that a separate path needs to be set up for communication in the connection cables of multi-split air conditioning systems, thereby achieving the effect of reducing costs.

[0068] In some embodiments, the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals includes a filtering module and a coupling module, wherein the filtering module is such as a bandpass filter and the coupling module is such as a coupler.

[0069] The filtering module in any of the communication terminals is used to filter the modulation signal output by the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals for the signal that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals needs to send, and then output it to the coupling module in any of the communication terminals.

[0070] The coupling module in any of the communication terminals is used to couple the filtered signal of the modulation signal output by the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals to the live and neutral wires.

[0071] And / or, the coupling module in any of the communication terminals is further configured to receive a signal that has been coupled to the live and neutral wires and that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals needs to receive, and then output it to the filtering module in any of the communication terminals.

[0072] The filtering module in any of the communication terminals is further configured to filter the signal received by the coupling module in any of the communication terminals, which has been coupled to the live and neutral wires and is required to be received by the main control unit in any of the communication terminals, and then transmit it to the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals, so that the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals can demodulate the signal and then transmit it to the main control unit in any of the communication terminals.

[0073] In this invention, a capacitive coupling circuit is provided to describe the method of signal coupling and decoupling on the communication link. Through the capacitive coupling circuit, electrical isolation between strong and weak currents is achieved via a transformer and capacitor, and a signal path is provided for high-frequency AC signals. A strong current filtering circuit is also provided, designed before the entire communication system of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type) and after the power grid connection point, such as... Figure 2As shown, the carrier signal is isolated from the grid by a high-voltage filter circuit. Grid connection refers to the modulated carrier signal flowing into the grid through the live and neutral wires. Because the modulated signal is a high-frequency signal with regular modulation information, it can easily interfere with other electrical or PLC systems. Therefore, a filter circuit needs to be installed before this multi-split air conditioning system to prevent the carrier signal from affecting the residential power grid. A carrier signal is a high-frequency signal (sound, image) loaded onto a regular signal. Without the regular high-frequency signal, the amplitude of the high-frequency signal is fixed. After loading, the amplitude changes with the regular signal (amplitude modulation). Phase modulation and frequency modulation are also possible. Generally, the frequency of the carrier signal must be much higher than the bandwidth of the modulating signal; otherwise, aliasing will occur, distorting the transmitted signal. Frequency band selection, polling mechanisms, and frame structures are used to assist in constructing the entire communication system of the multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many unit type). This solves the problem of increased wiring costs and complex installation caused by the additional installation of dedicated communication cables in multi-split air conditioning systems (multi-unit models) in related solutions.

[0074] In some embodiments, the coupling module includes: a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module, wherein the coupling capacitor module is as follows: Figure 4 The coupling capacitor in the isolation transformer module, such as Figure 4 The isolation transformer T1 in the middle.

[0075] The live wire of the neutral-live wire is connected to the first connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer module after passing through the coupling capacitor module; the neutral wire of the neutral-live wire is connected to the second connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer module. The secondary winding of the isolation transformer module is connected to the filter module.

[0076] In the present invention, the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many model) are reused as the physical medium for communication, eliminating the need for laying additional dedicated communication cables between the indoor and outdoor units in related solutions. The capacitive coupling circuit, i.e., the coupling module, includes a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module, which differentially couples the modulated high-frequency sinusoidal signal onto the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) for transmission. At the same time, it isolates the 50Hz power frequency strong current from entering the low-voltage communication chip side, taking into account anti-interference capability and device cost, greatly reducing construction difficulty and communication failure rate.

[0077] In some embodiments, the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals further includes: a discharge module and / or a matching module, wherein the discharge module is as follows: Figure 4 The bleed resistor R in the matching module is as follows: Figure 4 The impedance matching module in the system.

[0078] The discharge module is connected to the coupling module and is used to discharge the energy in the coupling module; when the coupling module includes a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module, the discharge module is connected in parallel with the primary winding of the isolation transformer module.

[0079] The matching module is disposed between the coupling module and the filtering module, and is used to match the impedance of the filtering module.

[0080] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a capacitively coupled circuit, illustrating the various unit circuits for signal coupling and processing. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the capacitive coupling circuit mainly consists of a bandpass filter, an impedance matching module, and a coupler. The coupler includes a coupling capacitor, a resistor R, and a 1:1 isolation transformer T1. The live wire L (live wire L and neutral wire N) is connected to the neutral wire L via the coupling capacitor and resistor R. The common terminal of the coupling capacitor and resistor R is connected to the first connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer T1, and the neutral wire L is connected to the second connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer T1. The first connection terminal of the secondary winding of isolation transformer T1 is connected to the first connection terminal of the impedance matching module. The second connection terminal of the secondary winding of isolation transformer T1 is connected to the second connection terminal of the impedance matching module. The third connection terminal of the impedance matching module is connected to the first connection terminal of the bandpass filter. The fourth connection terminal of the impedance matching module is connected to the second connection terminal of the bandpass filter. The third connection terminal of the bandpass filter is connected to the first connection terminal of the carrier terminal. The fourth connection terminal of the bandpass filter is connected to the second connection terminal of the carrier terminal. The third connection terminal of the carrier terminal is connected to the output terminal of the modulation module. The fourth connection terminal of the carrier terminal is connected to the input terminal of the demodulation module. The input terminal of the modulation module is connected to the TX port of the main control MCU. The output terminal of the demodulation module is connected to the RX port of the main control MCU.

[0081] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, the bandpass filter relates to the cutoff frequency. , ,in < < < The bandpass filter should have a symmetrical structure to meet the bidirectional transfer requirements of the coupled circuit and be used to filter out interference noise. The symmetrical structure of the bandpass filter should ensure that the forward transfer function from input to output is the same as the reverse transfer function from input to input, and that the characteristics remain unchanged after the input and output are interchanged, thus meeting the bidirectional signal transfer requirements.

[0082] exist Figure 4In the example shown, the impedance matching module is used to compensate for the characteristic impedance between the source and the channel, thereby reducing the reflection coefficient and improving signal quality. For example, the impedance matching module can be a combination of an adjustable capacitor and an adjustable inductor, with the aim of compensating for the reactive components caused by parasitic inductance and capacitance in the communication link, so that the imaginary part of the impedance of the entire communication system is 0. The coupler mainly consists of an isolation transformer T1 with a turns ratio of 1 and a coupling capacitor. A resistor R is connected in parallel to the primary side of the isolation transformer T1 to discharge the energy stored in the isolation transformer T1. Utilizing the characteristic of the coupling capacitor that it has low impedance to high-frequency signals and high impedance to low-frequency signals, the 50Hz power frequency voltage is blocked from flowing into the coupler, while the high-frequency FSK modulated signal remains unaffected. When transmitting data, the modulated sinusoidal signal is input from the carrier terminal. After interference noise is filtered out by the bandpass filter, the signal is transmitted to the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) via the coupler. When receiving data, the high-frequency FSK modulated signal on the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) is coupled and transmitted to the bandpass filter via the coupling capacitor. After being filtered by the bandpass filter, it is transmitted to the signal processing stage.

[0083] The carrier terminal serves as both the input to the signal processing module and the output of the bandpass filter in the capacitive coupling circuit when acting as a receiver; and as the output of the signal processing module and the input of the bandpass filter in the capacitive coupling circuit when acting as a transmitter. In the diagram, it connects the upper and lower structures and has no actual function. The bandpass filter in the capacitive coupling circuit uses a CLC-type (e.g., a T-type third-order filter) or LCL-type (e.g., a π-type third-order filter) symmetrical structure, ensuring that the filtering system has the same frequency characteristics in both forward and reverse directions. The impedance matching module compensates for the impedance of the transmission path, preventing signal attenuation due to reflections during transmission and improving communication quality. The isolation transformer T1 uses magnetic coupling to electrically isolate the high-voltage and low-voltage circuits of the signal processing section, preventing safety hazards. The coupling capacitor injects the high-frequency FSK signal into the live and neutral wires (L and N) and blocks the power frequency high-voltage from entering the low-voltage system. The bleeder resistor R provides an energy discharge circuit for the coil of the isolation transformer T1.

[0084] In this invention, a capacitive coupling circuit is employed. This circuit mainly consists of a coupling capacitor, an isolation transformer, a bleeder resistor, an impedance matching module, a bandpass filter, and a carrier termination. The capacitive coupling circuit differentially couples the modulated high-frequency sinusoidal signal onto the live and neutral wires (L and N) for transmission, while simultaneously isolating the 50Hz power frequency current from entering the low-voltage communication chip. In this invention, a frequency band selection method is used, choosing a 100kHz~150kHz band as the carrier modulation band. This is higher than the typical noise concentration band (usually ≤50kHz) generated by the pulse-width modulation (PWM) drive of the variable frequency compressor, while being lower than the upper limits of the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) B or C bands, balancing anti-interference capability and device cost.

[0085] The technical solution of this invention addresses the communication problem in multi-split air conditioning systems (such as a two-split air conditioning system). The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units. The outdoor unit supplies power to each of the N indoor units via a live and neutral wire, where N is a positive integer and N≥2. The communication device of the multi-split air conditioning system includes a power line carrier communication unit. Each of the N indoor units has a power line carrier communication unit (such as a power line carrier communication circuit). The power line carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the power line carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the live and neutral wires. Therefore, by reusing the live and neutral wires from the outdoor unit to each indoor unit as communication lines and matching them with power line carrier communication circuits, reliable communication between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit is achieved without the need for additional communication lines, greatly reducing construction difficulty. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0086] Specifically, in the solution of this invention, addressing the communication problem of multi-split air conditioning systems (such as a one-to-many air conditioning system, or a one-to-two air conditioning system), taking a one-to-two air conditioning system as an example, the one-to-two air conditioning system has an outdoor unit, an indoor unit 1, and an indoor unit 2. The neutral and live wires (live wire L and neutral wire N) that supply power from the outdoor unit to each indoor unit (i.e., indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2) are reused as communication lines. Power line carrier communication circuits matching the neutral and live wire communication are installed in both the outdoor unit and each indoor unit. The power line carrier communication circuit includes a signal processing module connected to the main control MCU and a capacitive coupling circuit. The signal processing module includes a modulation module, a demodulation module, and a carrier terminal. The capacitive coupling circuit includes a bandpass filter, an impedance matching module, and a coupler. The coupler includes a coupling capacitor and an isolation transformer T1. When the main control MCU in the outdoor unit is in transmit mode, the transmit port TX of the UART communication port of the main control MCU in the outdoor unit sends the signal to be transmitted (such as a signal transmitted in TTL level form) to the modulation module in the signal processing module of the outdoor unit. After modulation by the modulation module, a sine wave signal is obtained. This sine wave signal is then transmitted through the signal processing module in the outdoor unit. The carrier terminal is fed into the capacitive coupling circuit. After interference noise is filtered out by the bandpass filter in the capacitive coupling circuit, it is coupled to the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) through the coupler, so as to transmit the signal to the corresponding indoor unit (such as indoor unit 1 and / or indoor unit 2) through the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N). When the main control MCU in the outdoor unit is in the receiving state, the capacitive coupling circuit in the outdoor unit transmits the signal to be received (such as a high-frequency signal, i.e., a sine wave signal) on the live and neutral wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) through the coupler to the bandpass filter, and then transmitted after being filtered by the bandpass filter. The signal transmitted through the carrier terminal in the signal processing module of the outdoor unit is demodulated by the demodulation module in the signal processing module of the outdoor unit to obtain a TTL level signal, which is then transmitted to the receiver port RX of the UART communication port of the main control MCU in the outdoor unit. The capacitive coupling circuit also has a bleed resistor R and an impedance matching module. The bleed resistor R is connected in parallel to the primary side of the isolation transformer T1 to bleed the energy stored in the isolation transformer T1. The impedance matching module is set between the isolation transformer T1 and the bandpass filter to perform impedance matching to improve signal quality. Thus, by reusing the neutral and live wires that supply power to each indoor unit from the outdoor unit as communication lines and matching them with the power line carrier communication circuit, reliable communication between the outdoor unit and each indoor unit is achieved without the need for additional communication lines, greatly reducing construction difficulty and resulting in a low communication failure rate. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioner.

[0087] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a multi-split air conditioning system corresponding to a communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system is also provided. This multi-split air conditioning system may include the communication device described above for a multi-split air conditioning system. This multi-split air conditioning system belongs to the category of energy-saving air conditioning systems.

[0088] Since the processing and functions implemented by the multi-split air conditioning system in this embodiment are basically the same as those in the embodiments, principles and examples of the device, any details not covered in this embodiment can be found in the relevant descriptions in the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0089] According to embodiments of the present invention, a communication method for a multi-split air conditioning system corresponding to a multi-split air conditioning system is also provided, such as... Figure 6 The diagram shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present invention. The communication method of the multi-split air conditioning system may include steps S110 to S130.

[0090] In step S110, for each of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units, the outdoor unit is designated as the communication master and each indoor unit is designated as the communication slave.

[0091] In step S120, the communication host sends downlink query frames through the communication line in a polling broadcast manner according to a set polling period, so as to alternately poll N communication slaves;

[0092] In step S130, the target slave among the N communication slaves parses the downlink query frame. If the address of the target slave matches the address targeted by the downlink query frame, and the preset verification method passes, the target slave sends back an uplink response frame corresponding to the downlink query frame via the communication line, thereby realizing communication between the communication host and the target slave. The preset verification method may be, for example, CRC check.

[0093] In the solution of this invention, a master-slave polling communication timing method is adopted for multi-split air conditioning system (one-to-many type) and one-to-two air conditioning system (i.e., outdoor unit, indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2). The outdoor unit acts as the master node and polls indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2 alternately according to a fixed polling cycle. Each polling cycle includes two fixed time slots: a downlink broadcast frame (outdoor unit → target indoor unit) and an uplink response frame (target indoor unit → outdoor unit). This eliminates conflicts from a physical timing perspective and eliminates the need for a complex carrier sense multiple access / collision detection (CSMA / CD) mechanism.

[0094] In the solution of this invention, a communication frame structure is adopted. The communication frame structure includes a start code + address code (to distinguish indoor unit 1 / indoor unit 2) + command code (control / query / status reporting) + data segment + cyclic redundancy check (CRC) code.

[0095] In this invention, the communication method employs a polling timing sequence and a communication frame structure. Polling timing sequence: The outdoor unit acts as the communication master, and the indoor unit acts as the slave. The outdoor unit performs polling according to a fixed period T. T / 2 before the first period, the outdoor unit sends a downlink query frame containing the target slave address 0x01 (indoor unit 1 address). T / 2 after the first period, the target slave parses the frame information. If the address matches and the CRC check passes, it sends back an uplink response frame before the end of the first period. By establishing a polling mechanism, orderly communication between different slave units in a dual-split air conditioning system is achieved. The dual-split air conditioning system distinguishes different slave units by address codes. When a slave unit recognizes that the received information contains the correct address code, it processes the data; otherwise, it discards it. The second period follows the same process as the first period, except that the target slave address is changed to 0x02 (indoor unit 2 address). Communication frame structure: Includes a start code + address code (distinguishing between indoor unit 1 and indoor unit 2) + command code (control / query / status reporting) + data segment + CRC check.

[0096] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a communication method between the indoor and outdoor units of a dual-unit air conditioning system based on power line carrier communication. Figure 5 As shown, a communication method between the indoor and outdoor units of a dual-unit air conditioning system based on power line carrier communication includes:

[0097] Step 1: Initialize, then proceed to Step 2.

[0098] In step 1, the initialization operations may include: agreeing on the baud rate, slave address, etc., such as slave 1 having the address 0X01 and slave 2 having the address 0X02. Among them, agreeing on the baud rate, such as 9600bps (bit rate), is a low communication frequency with high communication reliability, which is suitable for systems with a small amount of communication information, such as air conditioners.

[0099] Step 2: The outdoor unit sends a query frame containing address code 0X01, and then proceeds to step 3.

[0100] Step 3: Indoor unit 1 receives a query frame with address code 0X01, identifies the address code as correct and the CRC check as passed, processes the data and returns a data frame at time T / 2, and then executes step 4.

[0101] Among them, the address code is identified. For example, the address code information is contained in a fixed position in the communication frame. This information is compared with the slave address for identification. The slave address can be set by hardware (such as jumper caps, selection ports, etc.) or stored in software (EEPROM, etc.).

[0102] CRC check, for example: the sender and receiver agree on a generator polynomial. The sender calculates the remainder of the data by dividing the data frame by the generator polynomial, and appends the remainder as a check code to the end of the communication frame as a redundancy code. The receiver calculates the remainder in the same way to see if it is zero, and thus determines whether the data has been corrupted during transmission.

[0103] Data processing, such as parsing information detected during air conditioner operation, such as ambient temperature, pipe temperature, and compressor frequency, by identifying bit information in fixed fields.

[0104] Step 4: After receiving the information returned by the indoor unit 1 and passing the CRC check, the outdoor unit sends a query frame containing the address code 0X02 at time T, and then executes step 5.

[0105] Step 5: Indoor unit 2 identifies the correct address code and passes the CRC check, processes the data, and returns a data frame at time 3T / 2. Then, proceed to step 6.

[0106] Step 6: After the outdoor unit receives the information returned by the indoor unit 2 and the CRC check passes, it starts the next round of communication (if the address code is changed, repeat steps 1 to 6).

[0107] The preceding steps (up to step 6) only describe the process of accessing slave device 0X01. Under the polling mechanism, the second round of communication should traverse the remaining slave devices. The process of traversing other slave devices is basically the same as described above, only the address codes need to be modified. After changing the address codes, steps 1 to 6 are repeated to access all slave devices in sequence.

[0108] In the present invention, the high-voltage filtering circuit is suitable for communication within a multi-split air conditioning system, and the carrier signal will not be connected to the power grid; the outdoor unit serves as the host of the communication system, and the capacitive coupling circuit includes a bandpass filter and a coupler, the coupler being composed of an isolation transformer and a coupling capacitor; the communication method adopts a polling timing sequence and exchanges data based on UART communication.

[0109] In related solutions, the core component used is a bidirectional optocoupler, and the matching communication method is the neutral-live communication commonly used in the industry. Although the signal energy source is the neutral and live wires, communication requires an additional connection line between the indoor and outdoor units. Alternatively, optocoupler-isolated RS485 communication is used, with the host and slave units linked by a 485 communication line, and an optocoupler is set up in the outdoor unit for communication isolation. Or, the indoor and outdoor unit systems form a signal communication loop through a COM line and a neutral wire. The solution of this invention mainly reuses the neutral and live wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type), directly coupling the modulated signal to the neutral and live wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) for communication. In the solution of this invention, the main purpose is to reuse the neutral and live wires (i.e., live wire L and neutral wire N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type) as a communication link, achieving communication between the indoor and outdoor units through power line carrier communication; rather than, as mentioned in related solutions, forming a communication loop by setting up an additional communication line with the neutral wire.

[0110] In related solutions, the connection between the indoor and outdoor units includes a live wire, a ground wire, and a communication line. The indoor and outdoor units are connected for power supply via the live wire and communicate via the communication line. The communication line utilizes devices such as optocouplers and diodes and draws power from the live wire to achieve communication. In the solution of this invention, the communication line is eliminated. Instead, the live wire (L) and neutral wire (N) of the multi-split air conditioning system (multi-unit type) are reused for communication. The indoor and outdoor units only need to be connected to the live wire and the ground wire. This saves on wiring costs, simplifies installation, and avoids communication abnormalities caused by reverse connection of the live and neutral wires in the live-neutral communication system.

[0111] Since the processing and functions implemented by the method in this embodiment are basically the same as those in the aforementioned embodiments, principles, and examples of multi-split air conditioning systems, any details not covered in this embodiment can be found in the relevant descriptions in the aforementioned embodiments, and will not be repeated here. This multi-split air conditioning system is an energy-saving air conditioning system.

[0112] 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.

[0113] 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 communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that, The multi-split air conditioning system has an outdoor unit and N indoor units. The outdoor unit supplies power to each of the N indoor units via a live and neutral wire, where N is a positive integer and N≥2. The communication device of the multi-split air conditioning system includes: a power line carrier communication unit; wherein... The outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units have the power line carrier communication unit; The power line carrier communication unit in the outdoor unit communicates with the power line carrier communication unit in each of the N indoor units via the live and neutral wires.

2. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: Filtering unit; where, The filtering unit is located between the external AC power source and the outdoor unit, and is used to filter the AC power supplied by the external AC power source before supplying power to the outdoor unit.

3. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The power line carrier communication unit includes: a signal processing module and a capacitive coupling module; wherein, For any communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units: The signal processing module is used to modulate the signal that needs to be sent by any of the communication terminals to obtain the required modulated signal, and / or to demodulate the signal that needs to be received by any of the communication terminals to obtain the required demodulated signal. The capacitive coupling module is used to filter the modulation signal of the signal to be transmitted by any of the communication terminals and couple it to the live and neutral wires, and / or to receive and filter the demodulated signal of the signal to be received that has been coupled to the live and neutral wires.

4. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 3, characterized in that, Any one of the communication terminals of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units is designated as the first communication terminal, and the other communication terminal of the outdoor unit and each of the N indoor units is designated as the second communication terminal. in, When the main control unit of the first communication terminal is in the sending state: The signal processing module in the first communication terminal is used to modulate the signal sent by the main control unit in the first communication terminal to obtain the required sine wave signal. The capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to filter the sinusoidal signal modulated by the signal processing module in the first communication terminal and couple it to the live and neutral wires, so as to transmit the signal sent by the main control unit in the first communication terminal to the main control unit in the second communication terminal through the live and neutral wires. And / or, When the main control unit of the first communication terminal is in receiving mode: The capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal is used to filter the signals to be received on the live and neutral wires; The signal processing module in the first communication terminal is used to demodulate the signal filtered by the capacitive coupling module in the first communication terminal to obtain the required TTL signal; and to transmit the TTL signal to the main control unit in the first communication terminal so as to realize the transmission of the signal sent by the main control unit in the second communication terminal to the main control unit in the first communication terminal through the live and neutral wires.

5. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The signal processing module in any of the communication terminals includes: a modulation module, a demodulation module, and a carrier terminal; wherein, The modulation module in any of the communication terminals is used to modulate the signal sent by the main control unit in any of the communication terminals to obtain a modulated signal, and then transmit it to the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals. The carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals is used to transmit the modulated signal to the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals. And / or, The carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals is further configured to receive, filter, and transmit the signal that the communication terminal needs to receive from the neutral and live wires via the capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals, and transmit it to the demodulation module in any of the communication terminals. The demodulation module in any of the communication terminals is used to demodulate the signal that the carrier terminal in any of the communication terminals needs to receive, and then transmit the demodulated signal to the main control unit in any of the communication terminals.

6. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, The capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals includes: a filtering module and a coupling module; wherein, The filtering module in any of the communication terminals is used to filter the modulation signal output by the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals for the signal that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals needs to send. The coupling module in any of the communication terminals is used to couple the filtered signal of the modulated signal output by the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals to the live and neutral wires. And / or, The coupling module in any of the communication terminals is also used to receive signals that have been coupled to the live and neutral wires and that the main control unit in any of the communication terminals needs to receive. The filtering module in any of the communication terminals is further configured to filter the signal received by the coupling module in any of the communication terminals, which has been coupled to the live and neutral wires and is required to be received by the main control unit in any of the communication terminals, and then transmit it to the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals, so that the signal processing module in any of the communication terminals can demodulate the signal and then transmit it to the main control unit in any of the communication terminals.

7. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The coupling module includes: a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module; wherein, The live wire in the neutral-live wire is connected to the first connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer module after passing through the coupling capacitor module; the neutral wire in the neutral-live wire is connected to the second connection terminal of the primary winding of the isolation transformer module. The secondary winding of the isolation transformer module is connected to the filter module.

8. The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The capacitive coupling module in any of the communication terminals further includes: a discharge module and / or a matching module; wherein... The discharge module is connected to the coupling module and is used to discharge the energy in the coupling module; when the coupling module includes a coupling capacitor module and an isolation transformer module, the discharge module is connected in parallel with the primary winding of the isolation transformer module. The matching module is disposed between the coupling module and the filtering module, and is used to match the impedance of the filtering module.

9. A multi-split air conditioning system, characterized in that, include: The communication device for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A communication method for a multi-split air conditioning system as described in claim 9, characterized in that, include: For each of the outdoor unit and the N indoor units, the outdoor unit is used as the communication master and each indoor unit is used as the communication slave. The communication host sends downlink query frames through the communication line in a polling broadcast manner according to a set polling period, so as to alternately poll N communication slaves; The target slave among the N communication slaves parses the downlink query frame. If the address of the target slave matches the address targeted by the downlink query frame and the preset verification method passes, the target slave sends back the uplink response frame corresponding to the downlink query frame through the communication line to realize communication between the communication host and the target slave.

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