Air conditioner controller, air conditioning equipment

Abstract

To improve reliability on an air-conditioning installation and to suppress ear-offensive operation noise.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning controller 50 is mounted with a latching type relay unit 71 which has a contact part provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal and a driving coil displacing the movable terminal, and control signals are transmitted to an air-conditioning device 40 through the relay unit 71. A CPU 61 of the air-conditioning controller 50 can switch the state of the contact part into a plurality of states including an initial state corresponding to a stop control signal of stopping the operation of the air-conditioning device 40, by energizing the coil. The CPU 61 specifies a power-OFF time in which the power source of the air-conditioning controller 50 is OFF when executing actuation processing on the air-conditioning controller 50, and places the contact part into the initial state when the power-OFF time is longer than a reference time, whereas leaves the contact part in the state before starting as it is when the power-OFF time is shorter than the reference time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an air conditioning controller and air conditioning equipment.

Background Art

[0002] Some air conditioning equipment applied to buildings such as houses includes an air conditioning controller for setting operations such as an operation mode (cooling, heating, dehumidifying, air supply) by a user, and an air conditioner that performs air conditioning based on a control signal (command) transmitted through a relay mounted on the air conditioning controller. For example, the thermostat (corresponding to an air conditioning controller) described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a plurality of relays such as a relay for air supply operation, a relay for cooling operation, and a relay for heating operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] If the above-described relay is a contact type (so-called mechanical relay) having a contact portion composed of a fixed terminal and a movable terminal and a drive coil for the movable terminal, and the movable terminal is held at the displaced position even after the energization of the drive coil ends, it can contribute to reducing the power consumption in the air conditioning controller. However, external forces such as vibrations may be applied to the air conditioning controller during construction such as installation or rearrangement (especially during transportation), and it cannot be denied that the movable terminal may be displaced due to the influence of such external forces. If the arrangement of the movable terminal becomes an arrangement corresponding to operations such as cooling and the air conditioning controller is started as it is, there is a concern that an event such as the operation of the air conditioner being unexpectedly started during construction may occur. Such an event is not preferable because it becomes a factor for reducing the reliability of the air conditioning equipment.

[0005] In consideration of such circumstances, the inventor of the present application has devised a technique for forcibly switching each relay to a state (predetermined state) corresponding to operation stop when the startup process of the air conditioner controller is executed in the control unit of the air conditioner controller. With such a configuration, it is possible to avoid the unexpected start of the operation of the air conditioner during construction and contribute to the improvement of the reliability of the air conditioning equipment.

[0006] Here, an air conditioning control program is installed in the air conditioner controller, and by making this program updatable afterwards, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of product quality and the like. When performing such an update or the like, it may be necessary to restart the air conditioner controller on that occasion. When attempting to coexist the function of forcibly switching the relay to a predetermined state when executing the startup process of the air conditioner controller as described above and the function of restarting the air conditioner controller on the occasion of an update or the like, the following new concerns arise.

[0007] When the above startup process is executed during a restart triggered by an update or the like, if the state of the mechanical relay is switched, a collision sound (click sound) may be generated due to the displacement of the movable terminal. The air conditioner controller is often placed indoors (on a wall or the like) in consideration of the user's operation, and the generation of such a collision sound in such an environment is annoying to the user. In particular, when such a collision sound occurs in a situation where the user's attention is not directed towards the air conditioner controller, it is likely to give the user a sense of discomfort. This is an unfavorable factor that reduces the user's satisfaction. Thus, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the air conditioner controller in terms of improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and suppressing annoying operating sounds.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its main object is to achieve an improvement in the reliability of air conditioning equipment and the suppression of annoying operating sounds.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] Hereinafter, the means for solving the above problems will be described.

[0010] A means 1 air conditioner controller that includes a mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil that displaces the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmits a control signal to the air conditioner through the mechanical relay. The air conditioner controller includes a startup processing execution unit that executes the startup processing of the air conditioner controller when the startup condition or restart condition of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, and a switching unit that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil. The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by the energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. When the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state when the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied, while when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit and the switching avoidance condition is satisfied, the contact portion is kept in the state before startup.

[0011] The mechanical relay (specifically, the contact portion) mounted on the air conditioner controller can be forcibly switched to a predetermined state (for example, the initial state) corresponding to a control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner when the startup processing of the air conditioner controller is executed while the switching avoidance condition remains not satisfied. By switching to the predetermined state, even if an external force such as vibration is applied to the air conditioner controller during construction such as installation or relocation, and the movable terminal is displaced from the holding position, it is possible to avoid the unexpected start of the operation of the air conditioner when the air conditioner controller is started. This is preferable for improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment.

[0012] Here, regarding the forced switching described above, it is not executed when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied at the time of starting the air conditioner controller. That is, the switching avoidance condition is provided as an exclusion condition for the forced switching, and when this condition is satisfied, the state of the mechanical relay is maintained as it was before startup. According to such a configuration, for example, when the program installed in the air conditioner controller is updated retrospectively through the Internet or the like and the air conditioner controller is restarted due to the update, it is possible to realize a configuration that avoids forced switching of the mechanical relay. That is, it is possible to realize a configuration that suppresses the generation of a collision sound (click sound) associated with the displacement of the movable terminal at the time of restart due to an update or the like. Since the air conditioner controller is often placed indoors (on a wall or the like) assuming user operation, the above collision sound is likely to be annoying to the user, so suppressing the generation of the collision sound has a clear technical significance. For the above reasons, according to the configuration shown in this means, it is possible to improve the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and suppress annoying operating sounds, contributing to an improvement in user satisfaction.

[0013] Means 2. An air conditioner controller including a mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmitting a control signal to the air conditioner through the mechanical relay, wherein a switching unit is provided for switching the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil. The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal at the displaced position even after the energization of the drive coil ends. An activation processing execution unit for executing an activation process of the air conditioner controller when an activation condition or a restart condition of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, and a time specifying unit for specifying an off time during which the power of the air conditioner controller was off when the activation process is executed by the activation processing execution unit. When the activation process is executed by the activation processing execution unit, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state when the off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than a reference time set in advance, while when the off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time when the activation process is executed by the activation processing execution unit, the contact portion is left in the state before activation.

[0014] According to the configuration shown in Means 2, similar to Means 1, it is possible to contribute to improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and the user satisfaction. Also, the time during which the power of the air conditioner controller is off varies greatly depending on the situation. For example, the off time when transporting the shipped air conditioner controller to a construction site or relocating the air conditioner controller during renovation or the like tends to be longer than the power-off time during the update of the air conditioner controller or the self-recovery from an abnormal state. Therefore, as shown in this means, if the configuration is such that the possibility of forced switching of the mechanical relay is determined by comparing the off time with the reference time, it becomes possible to respond according to the timing of the activation process.

[0015] Means 3. An air conditioner controller that includes a mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil that displaces the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmits a control signal to the air conditioner through the mechanical relay, the air conditioner controller including: a startup process execution unit that executes a startup process of the air conditioner controller when a startup condition or a restart condition of the air conditioner controller is satisfied; and a switching unit that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil. The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends, and includes a monitoring unit that monitors power supply from an external power source to the air conditioner controller. When the monitoring unit determines that the power supply has been cut off before the startup process during execution of the startup process by the startup process execution unit, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state. On the other hand, when the monitoring unit determines that the power supply has not been cut off before the startup process during execution of the startup process by the startup process execution unit, the switching unit leaves the contact portion in the state before startup.

[0016] According to the configuration shown in Means 3, similar to Means 1, it can contribute to improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and the like. Also, during construction such as installation or relocation of the air conditioner controller, the power supply from the external power source is once cut off. Therefore, when the power supply is cut off, by setting the contact portion to a predetermined state, the effect of avoiding the air conditioner from suddenly operating can be preferably exerted. Also, when the air conditioner controller is restarted due to an update or recovery from an abnormal state, the power supply is not cut off. Therefore, when the power supply is not cut off, by maintaining the contact portion in its original state, the effect of suppressing the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound can be preferably exerted.

[0017] A control device for an air conditioner that transmits a control signal to the air conditioner through a mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil that displaces the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal. The control device includes a startup processing execution unit that executes startup processing of the control device when a startup condition or a restart condition of the control device is satisfied, and a switching unit that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil. The mechanical relay is configured to hold the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. The control device further includes an update execution unit that updates a program stored in the control device, and an information storage unit that stores update information indicating that the update has been executed when the update is executed by the update execution unit. When the restart condition is satisfied during the update, the information storage unit stores the update information before the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit. When the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, if the update information is not stored in the information storage unit, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state, while if the update information is stored in the information storage unit, the switching unit keeps the contact portion in the state before startup.

[0018] According to the configuration shown in means 4, similar to means 1, it can contribute to improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and the like. Also, when the program is updated by the air conditioning controller, the air conditioning controller is restarted. When executing the update, update information indicating that the update is to be executed is stored before the startup process is executed (for example, before the shutdown of the air conditioning controller). When the update information is not stored, by setting the contact part to a predetermined state, the effect of avoiding the air conditioning device from suddenly operating can be preferably exerted. On the other hand, when the update information is stored, by maintaining the contact part in the same state, the effect of suppressing the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound can be preferably exerted.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, an embodiment embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, it is embodied in the air conditioning equipment provided in the building.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioning equipment 30 provided in the building 10 includes an air conditioner 40 installed indoors (in the machine room 24), an outdoor unit 41 installed outdoors, a heat exchange pipe 44 connecting the air conditioner 40 and the outdoor unit 41, intake ducts 45 to 47 for taking in air for air conditioning into the air conditioner 40, supply ducts 48 and 49 for supplying the conditioned air to the living rooms 21, 22, etc. of the building 10, and an exhaust duct for discharging air outdoors.

[0022] A plurality of living rooms are provided inside the building 10 (the indoor space IS), and for each of these living rooms, an intake port of the above-described intake duct and a supply port of the supply duct are arranged. For example, in the living room 21, an intake port 45a provided in the intake duct 45 and a supply port 48a provided in the supply duct 48 are arranged, and for the living room 22 as well, an intake port 46a provided in the intake duct 46 and a supply port 49a provided in the supply duct 49 are arranged. The building 10 shown in this embodiment is a highly airtight and highly heat-insulated house, and the entire building is air-conditioned by the air conditioning equipment 30 (the air conditioner 40) (so-called full-building air conditioning).

[0023] Further, the air conditioning equipment 30 has an air conditioning controller 50 arranged on the wall of the living room 21. The air conditioning controller 50 enables a user to perform setting operations such as the operation mode (cooling, heating, dehumidifying, air supply), etc., and the air conditioner 40 and the outdoor unit 41 operate according to the set operation mode.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the air conditioning controller 50 includes a CPU 61 that performs various controls related to air conditioning, and a memory (ROM 62, RAM 63) in which various control programs and data are stored. The air conditioning controller 50 is connected to an external power source (commercial power supply), and the CPU 61 operates with the power supplied from the external power source.

[0025] Regarding the air conditioner controller 50 shown in this embodiment, it is connected to a cloud server via the Internet, and it is possible to download the latest programs and data for air conditioner control from the cloud server. That is, the programs and data for air conditioner control stored in the air conditioner controller 50 can be updated to the latest ones even after the product is shipped. This update (online update) is roughly classified into a manual update executed based on a user's update operation and an automatic update executed when the air conditioner controller 50 itself periodically checks for the presence or absence of an update and confirms the distribution of update programs and the like. In either case of the manual update and the automatic update, the air conditioner controller 50 will be restarted at the timing when the download and installation of programs and the like are completed.

[0026] In addition to the program for executing the update process, the memory stores a program for self-diagnosing whether an abnormality (error) such as freezing has occurred in the air conditioner controller 50, and a program for eliminating the abnormality when the diagnosis result indicates that an abnormality has occurred. In this embodiment, a startup process described later is executed when the air conditioner controller 50 is started up or restarted, and as part of this startup process, the information stored in the CPU 61, the temporary storage area of the memory, and the like is erased. The program for eliminating abnormalities is for eliminating abnormalities by forcibly restarting the air conditioner controller 50 and erasing the information stored in the temporary storage area, that is, the information that may be the cause of the abnormality.

[0027] In addition, the air conditioner controller 50 is equipped with a real-time clock (hereinafter referred to as RTC 64) and a built-in power source for the RTC 64. The RTC 64 operates by the power supplied from the built-in power source and can operate even when the air conditioner controller 50 is not connected to an external power source, that is, when the power of the air conditioner controller 50 is OFF. Although details will be described later, the CPU 61 reads the current time from the RTC 64 and stores it in the time storage area of the memory. The time storage area is provided in a non-volatile memory and is configured to be able to retain the stored information even when the power supply from the external power source to the air conditioner controller 50 is not performed. Note that the time storage area is not subject to information erasure in the startup process.

[0028] The air conditioner 40 is connected to the input / output unit 65 of the air conditioner controller 50 via a harness. Specifically, a relay unit 71 composed of a plurality (eight in this embodiment) of relays R1 to R8 including a relay for heating operation, a relay for cooling operation, a relay for dehumidifying operation, a relay for blowing operation, a relay for air volume setting, a relay for air direction setting, etc. is disposed in the input / output unit 65, and the wirings constituting the harness are respectively attached to the relays R1 to R8. The relays R1 to R4 are relays for switching the operation mode, and the relays R5 to R8 are relays for controlling the air volume and the like. The air conditioner 40 operates based on control signals (control commands) transmitted through the relays R1 to R8 and the harness. Here, with reference to FIG. 3, the structure of the relays R1 to R8 will be described. The relays R1 to R8 are all two-winding latching type mechanical relays, and their main structures are common.

[0029] Relays R1 to R8 each include a signal line 72 connected to each wiring of the harness, a contact portion 75 composed of a pair of fixed terminals 73 that cut off the signal line 72, and a movable terminal 74 that forms part of the signal transmission path together with these fixed terminals 73, and a drive coil as a drive unit for the movable terminal 74. The signal lines 72 of each of the relays R1 to R8 are connected to an external power source via a conversion circuit provided in the air conditioner controller 50 or the like, and a voltage is applied to each signal line 72 from the conversion circuit when the air conditioner controller 50 is activated.

[0030] The drive coil consists of a set coil 76 and a reset coil 77, and these set coil 76 and reset coil 77 are arranged so as to face each other with the contact portion 75 (specifically, the movable terminal 74) interposed therebetween. The set coil 76 and the reset coil 77 can be individually switched between an energized state and a non-energized state by the CPU 61.

[0031] When the set coil 76 is in the energized state and the reset coil 77 is in the non-energized state, an attractive force that attracts the movable terminal 74 to the set coil 76 is generated. The movable terminal 74 attracted by this attractive force abuts against the fixed terminal 73, thereby preventing further displacement toward the set coil 76 side, and forms a signal transmission path together with the fixed terminal 73 (see FIGS. 3(a)→3(b)). In the following description, this state is referred to as the "closed state".

[0032] A magnetic force for attracting the movable terminal 74 is applied to the fixed terminal 73, and the movable terminal 74 displaced to the position where it abuts against the fixed terminal 73 remains at the abutting position even after the energization of the set coil 76 is released (see FIG. 3(b)). That is, the relay remains in the closed state. When a current flows from the relay to the air conditioner 40 in a situation where the relay is in the closed state, an on signal (HI level signal) is input to the air conditioner 40.

[0033] With the relay in the closed state, the reset coil 77 is energized. Since the set coil 76 is de-energized and the reset coil 77 is energized, an attractive force is generated in the reset coil 77 to attract the movable terminal 74. As the movable terminal 74 is attracted toward the reset coil 77 against the magnetic force of the fixed terminal 73, the movable terminal 74 moves away from the fixed terminal 73. The movable terminal 74 that has moved away from the fixed terminal 73 hits the stopper 78 provided in the contact portion 75. As a result, further displacement of the movable terminal 74 (displacement toward the reset coil 77) is prevented (see Fig. 3(b) → Fig. 3(c)).

[0034] The stopper 78 is also provided with a magnetic force for attracting the movable terminal 74, and the movable terminal 74 remains in contact with the stopper 78 even after the energization of the reset coil 77 is released. When the fixed terminal 73 and the movable terminal 74 are separated, an off signal (LOW level signal) is output from the relay to the air conditioner 40. In the following description, this state is referred to as the "open state".

[0035] Next, with reference to Fig. 4, the relationship between the operation mode of the air conditioner 40 and the control command will be described.

[0036] When all of the relays R1 to R4 are in the open state, the signals input from these relays R1 to R4 to the air conditioner 40 are all off signals. When this control command is input during operation, the air conditioner 40 stops operating, and when this control command is input during a stopped operation, the air conditioner 40 remains stopped. In the following description, the state of the relay unit 71 in which all of the relays R1 to R4 are in the open state is referred to as the "initial state".

[0037] When the relay R1 is in the closed state and the relays R2 to R4 are in the open state, an on signal is input from the relay R1 to the air conditioner 40 and off signals are input from the relays R2 to R4 to the air conditioner 40. When this control command is input during operation, the air conditioner 40 switches the operation mode to the heating mode, and when this control command is input during a stopped operation, the air conditioner 40 starts operating in the heating mode.

[0038] When relays R1, R3 to R4 are in the open state and relay R2 is in the closed state, an off signal is input to the air conditioner 40 from relays R1, R3 to R4 and an on signal is input to the air conditioner 40 from relay R2. When this control command is input during the operation of the air conditioner 40, the operation mode is switched to the cooling mode, and when this control command is input during the operation stop, the operation in the cooling mode is started.

[0039] When relays R1 to R2, R4 are in the open state and relay R3 is in the closed state, an off signal is input to the air conditioner 40 from relays R1 to R2, R4 and an on signal is input to the air conditioner 40 from relay R3. When this control command is input during the operation of the air conditioner 40, the operation mode is switched to the dehumidifying mode, and when this control command is input during the operation stop, the operation in the dehumidifying mode is started.

[0040] When relays R1 to R3 are in the open state and relay R4 is in the closed state, an off signal is input to the air conditioner 40 from relays R1 to R3 and an on signal is input to the air conditioner 40 from relay R4. When this control command is input during the operation of the air conditioner 40, the operation mode is switched to the blowing mode, and when this control command is input during the operation stop, the operation in the blowing mode is started.

[0041] As described in detail above, the state (initial state) of the relay unit 71 in which all of the relays R1 to R4 are in the open state corresponds to the output of the control command for operation stop, and the state of the relay unit 71 in which any one of the relays R1 to R4 is in the closed state corresponds to the output of the control command for operation.

[0042] Next, with reference to FIG. 5, a supplementary explanation will be given of the configuration related to the installation of the air conditioner controller 50. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the case where the air conditioner controller 50 installed in the living room A is relocated to the living room B is illustrated.

[0043] In the wall portion 31A of the living room A, the harness that connects the air conditioner controller 50, an external power source, the air conditioner 40, and a router for the Internet is embedded, and a connector 32A attached to the harness is fixed to a bracket provided on the wall portion 31A. This bracket constitutes attachment means for attaching the air conditioner controller 50 to the wall portion 31A, and the air conditioner controller 50 is fixed to the bracket such that a display screen 51 for displaying various information related to air conditioning faces the front side. In a state where the air conditioner controller 50 is fixed to the bracket, a connector 52 provided on the back surface portion of the air conditioner controller 50 is connected to the connector 32A. By connecting the connector 52 and the connector 32A, a power supply path (power line) from the external power source to the air conditioner controller 50, a signal transmission path from the air conditioner controller 50 to the air conditioner 40, and a communication path with a cloud server are formed.

[0044] When the air conditioner controller 50 is relocated from the living room A to the living room B due to renovation or the like, the operation of the air conditioner 40 is stopped by operating the air conditioner controller 50. By this stop operation, the relay unit 71 switches to the initial state described above. Thereafter, by removing the air conditioner controller 50 from the bracket, the connector 32A and the connector 52 are separated, and the power supply from the external power source to the air conditioner controller 50 is cut off. As a result, the control command input to the air conditioner 40 also corresponds to the operation stop.

[0045] Regarding the air conditioner controller 50 shown in this embodiment, there is no power button (power operation unit) for turning ON / OFF the power of the air conditioner controller 50, and the power of the air conditioner controller 50 is turned OFF at the timing when the power supply is cut off. The removed air conditioner controller 50 is transported to the living room B.

[0046] In the wall portion 31B of the living room B, the harness that connects the air conditioner controller 50, an external power supply, the air conditioner 40, and a router for the Internet is also embedded, and a connector 32B of this harness is fixed to a bracket provided on the wall portion 31B. By fixing the air conditioner controller 50 carried into the living room B to the bracket, the connector 52 on the air conditioner controller 50 side and the connector 32B on the bracket side are connected. When the connector 52 and the connector 32B are connected, a power supply path (power line) from the external power supply to the air conditioner controller 50, a signal transmission path from the air conditioner controller 50 to the air conditioner 40, and a communication path with the cloud server are formed. Then, the power supply from the external power supply to the air conditioner controller 50 is resumed, and the power of the air conditioner controller 50 is turned on.

[0047] The air conditioner controller 50 shown in this embodiment has a latching function, and the movable terminal 74 is held at the displaced position even after the energization of the drive coil ends. However, when the air conditioner controller 50 is under construction such as installation or rearrangement (especially during transportation), an external force such as vibration may be applied, and it cannot be denied that the movable terminal 74 may be displaced by the influence of the external force. When the relay unit 71 is switched to a state where it outputs a control command corresponding to any one of heating, cooling, dehumidification, and air supply due to such displacement, an event such as the air conditioner 40 unexpectedly starting to operate may occur when the air conditioner controller 50 is started. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 3, while the air conditioner controller 50 is being carried, the movable terminal 74 of the relay R2 is displaced due to the influence of an external force, and the relay R2 is switched from the open state to the closed state. That is, the state of the relay unit 71 is switched from the initial state corresponding to the operation stop to the state corresponding to the cooling operation. If the air conditioner controller 50 is installed in the living room B in this state and the air conditioner controller 50 is started, the operation of the air conditioner 40 will be unexpectedly started during construction. Such an event is not preferable because it may interfere with the construction or may cause a factor that reduces the reliability of the air conditioning equipment 30.

[0048] In this embodiment, one of the features is that the following contrivance is made in consideration of such circumstances. That is, when the CPU 61 of the air conditioner controller 50 executes a process (start-up process) for starting up the air conditioner controller 50, the relay unit 71 can be forcibly switched to the initial state, thereby suppressing an unexpected start of operation of the air conditioner 40.

[0049] However, in this air conditioner controller 50, when an update is executed or when an abnormal state is resolved, a restart condition is satisfied and the start-up process is executed. For this reason, when attempting to coexist a function of forcibly switching the relay unit 71 to the initial state when the start-up process of the air conditioner controller 50 is executed and a function of restarting the air conditioner controller 50 triggered by an update or the like, the following new concerns arise. That is, when the above start-up process is executed during a restart triggered by an update or the like, if the state of the relay unit 71 is switched, a collision sound (click sound) may be generated due to the displacement of the movable terminal 74. The air conditioner controller 50 is often placed indoors in consideration of user operations, and the occurrence of such a collision sound in such an environment is annoying to the user. In particular, when such a collision sound occurs in a situation where the user's attention is not directed to the air conditioner controller 50, it is likely to give the user an uncomfortable feeling. This is not preferable because it is a factor that reduces the user's satisfaction.

[0050] In this embodiment, one of the features is that a further contrivance is made to solve such problems. Specifically, when the air conditioner controller 50 is started (restarted), when the trigger is an update or the resolution of an abnormal state, the above forced switching is avoided, and one of the features is that the power-off time during which the power of the air conditioner controller 50 is turned off is monitored as a determination material. Hereinafter, the configuration related to the contrivance, specifically, various processes executed by the CPU 61 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6.

[0051] When the startup conditions or restart conditions of the air conditioner controller 50 are satisfied in the CPU 61, the above startup process is executed to start the air conditioner controller 50. After the completion of this startup process, as part of the periodic process, a preparation process for monitoring the above power-off time (preparation process for power-off time monitoring) is executed.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 6(a), in the preparation process for power-off time monitoring, first, at step S101, it is determined whether or not a preset interval time (1 minute in this embodiment) has elapsed since the previous time acquisition. If the interval time has not elapsed, a negative determination is made at step S101 and this preparation process ends. If the interval time has elapsed, an affirmative determination is made at step S101, the current time acquisition processes of steps S102 to S103 are executed, and then this preparation process ends. Specifically, at step S102, the current time is read from the RTC 64, and in the subsequent step S103, the time read at step S102 is stored (overwritten) in the time storage area of the non-volatile memory. Thereby, the current time stored in the time storage area is updated every minute. The time stored in the time storage area is retained without being erased even after the power of the air conditioner controller 50 is turned off.

[0053] The CPU 61 of the air conditioner controller 50 executes a startup process when (1) power supply from an external power source to the air conditioner controller 50 is started, or (2) restart conditions are satisfied triggered by an update or an abnormality diagnosis. As part of this startup process, a relay-related process for switching the state of the relay unit 71 is included.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 6(b), in the relay-related process, first, the past time is read at step S201. Specifically, the time stored in the time storage area is read. In the subsequent step S202, the current time is read from the RTC 64. Then, at step S203, the past time and the current time are compared to calculate (estimate) the power-off time during which the power of the air conditioner controller 50 was off.

[0055] Next, the power-off time calculated in step S203 is compared with a preset reference time (3 minutes in this embodiment). In this embodiment, when the restart condition is satisfied due to an update or an abnormality diagnosis, the time (blank) from power-off to power-on (startup process) is set to be shorter than the reference time. Specifically, the blank is set to be several seconds. That is, basically, when the restart condition is satisfied due to an update or an abnormality diagnosis, the power-off time < reference time. On the other hand, when installing the shipped air-conditioning controller 50 in the building 10 or when relocating the installed air-conditioning controller 50, it is necessary to follow the procedure of (removing →) transporting → installing the air-conditioning controller 50, and the power-off time is basically sufficiently longer than the reference time. In other words, the reference time is set to be longer than the required time for relocation or the like in consideration of such a procedure.

[0056] If the calculated power-off time is longer than the reference time, an affirmative determination is made in step S204 and the process proceeds to step S205 to switch the relay unit 71 to the initial state (forced switching). As a result, the control command output to the air-conditioning apparatus 40 after the completion of the startup process corresponds to operation stop.

[0057] On the other hand, if the power-off time is shorter than the reference time, a negative determination is made in step S204 and this relay processing is terminated as it is. That is, the above forced switching is avoided and the state of the relay unit 71 remains the same as the state before restart.

[0058] Here, with reference to FIG. 7, the startup flow of the air-conditioning controller 50 will be described. FIG. 7(a) is a timing chart illustrating the flow when changing the arrangement of the air-conditioning controller 50, and FIG. 7(b) is a timing chart illustrating the flow when automatic update is executed by the air-conditioning controller 50.

[0059] In the example shown in Fig. 7(a), the air-conditioning controller 50 is removed from the above-described bracket at the timing of ta, and the power supply of the air-conditioning controller 50 is turned off along with this removal. Ordinarily, the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 40 should be stopped before removing the air-conditioning controller 50, but in the example shown in Fig. 7(a), the air-conditioning controller 50 is removed without performing an operation stop operation. However, the control command input to the air-conditioning apparatus 40 is switched from the one corresponding to the operation (cooling) to the one corresponding to the operation stop by this removal. As a result, the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 40 is also stopped at the timing of ta. Note that in the state where the air-conditioning controller 50 is removed, the relay unit 71 remains in a state where it can output a control command corresponding to the cooling operation, and the air-conditioning controller 50 is transported to another room in this state.

[0060] At the timing of tb, about 45 minutes have elapsed since the timing of ta, and the air-conditioning controller 50 is fixed to the bracket prepared in another room. Thereby, the power supply from the external power source to the air-conditioning controller 50 is started, and the startup process is started by the CPU 61 of the air-conditioning controller 50. In this startup process, the power-off time of the air-conditioning controller 50 is calculated (estimated). In the example of Fig. 7(a), since the power-off time exceeds the reference time (3 minutes), the relay unit 71 is forcibly switched to the initial state during the startup process. Specifically, each reset coil 77 is energized so that all of the relays R1 to R8 are in the open state. As a result, the control command input to the air-conditioning apparatus 40 at the timing of tc when the startup of the air-conditioning controller 50 is completed corresponds to the operation stop. That is, the air-conditioning apparatus 40 remains in the operation stop state, and an unexpected operation start is avoided. Note that when the air-conditioning controller 50 is first installed in the building 10, the power-off time also exceeds the reference time, and the same behavior as the example shown in Fig. 7(a) (relays R1 to R8 → open state) occurs.

[0061] In the example shown in FIG. 7(b), the automatic update of the air-conditioning controller 50 is started at the timing of td during the cooling operation. At the timing of te after the start of the automatic update, the download and installation of the newly distributed program are completed, and the restart condition of the air-conditioning controller 50 is satisfied. At this timing of te, the power-off process is executed by the CPU 61, and the power of the air-conditioning controller 50 is turned off. At the timing of tf immediately after the power-off, specifically, at the timing when the above blank (several seconds) has elapsed since the power-off, the power of the air-conditioning controller 50 is turned on and the startup process of the air-conditioning controller 50 is started.

[0062] When the power of the air-conditioning controller 50 is turned off → on triggered by an update, the power-off time becomes shorter than the above reference time. For this reason, the forced switching of the relay unit 71 is avoided, and the relay unit 71 remains in the state before the power-on. At the timing of tg when the startup of the air-conditioning controller 50 is completed, the output of the control command to the air-conditioning apparatus 40 is resumed. This control command corresponds to the operation (cooling) in the same manner as before the restart. In the case of manual update as well, basically the power-off time becomes shorter than the above reference time, and the same behavior (avoidance of forced switching of the relay unit 71) as in the example shown in FIG. 7(b) occurs.

[0063] According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following excellent effects can be expected.

[0064] When the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 40 is unexpectedly started during construction such as the installation or rearrangement of the air-conditioning controller 50, it is not preferable because it may interfere with the construction or may cause a factor for reducing the reliability of the air-conditioning equipment 30. In this embodiment, when the startup process of the air-conditioning controller 50 is executed by the CPU 61 of the air-conditioning controller 50, the relay unit 71 can be forcibly switched to the initial state, thereby suppressing the unexpected start of the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus 40.

[0065] On the other hand, when the startup process is executed upon restart due to an update or the like, switching to the initial state is avoided. This suppresses the generation of a collision sound (click sound) caused by the displacement of the movable terminal 74. By suppressing the generation of the collision sound that is annoying to the user and making it difficult to give the user an uncomfortable feeling, it is possible to prevent the user satisfaction from decreasing due to the collision sound.

[0066] Regarding the latching type mechanical relay, although it is preferable for reducing the power consumption of the air conditioner controller 50 and the like, due to its structure, when an external force such as vibration is applied to the air conditioner controller 50, it cannot be denied that the movable terminal 74 may be displaced by the influence of the external force. By paying attention to the handling of the air conditioner controller 50 during transportation and being careful with delicate work, it is possible to suppress the influence of the external force, but such restrictions in the work can be a factor in reducing work efficiency.

[0067] Here, in this embodiment, when the power-off time of the air conditioner controller 50 is longer than the reference time when the air conditioner controller 50 is started up, paying attention to the fact that this startup is likely to be triggered by the installation or rearrangement of the air conditioner controller 50, in such a case, by adopting a configuration in which the relay unit 71 is switched to the initial state when the air conditioner controller 50 is started up, it is possible to preferably avoid the operation of the air conditioner 40 being unexpectedly started. Thereby, the above-mentioned concerns can be preferably addressed.

[0068] Also, the forced switching to the initial state is avoided when the power-off time is shorter than the reference time when the air conditioner controller 50 is started up. That is, an exclusion condition (switching avoidance condition) is provided for the forced switching, and when this condition is satisfied, the state of the relay unit 71 is maintained as it was before startup. According to such a configuration, for example, when the air conditioner controller 50 is restarted due to an update or the resolution of an abnormal state, it is possible to preferably suppress the generation of a collision sound (click sound) accompanying the displacement of the movable terminal 74. Since the collision sound is likely to be annoying to the user, suppressing the generation of the collision sound has a clear technical significance.

[0069] When transporting the shipped air conditioner controller 50 to the construction site or changing (relocating) the placement of the air conditioner controller 50 due to renovation or the like, the air conditioner controller 50 starts up when the power supply is started. On the other hand, for the update of the air conditioner controller 50 or the elimination of the abnormal state (self - recovery), the air conditioner controller 50 starts up (restarts) while the power supply is continuing. The power - off time in the case of assuming the former is longer than the power - off time in the case of assuming the latter. Therefore, as shown in the present embodiment, if a configuration is adopted in which the power - off time is compared with the reference time to determine whether or not to forcibly switch to the initial state, it becomes possible to take corresponding measures according to the trigger of the startup process.

[0070] As shown in the present embodiment, if a configuration is adopted in which the current time is periodically stored, it is possible to estimate the approximate power - off time without saving the time at the timing when the power of the air conditioner controller 50 is turned off. This is preferable for simplifying the processing at the time of power - off (the electrical configuration related to the air conditioner controller 50).

[0071] <Other Embodiments> Note that the present invention is not limited to the description of the above - described embodiments, and for example, it may be implemented as follows. Incidentally, each of the following configurations may be applied to the above - described embodiments individually, or some or all of them may be combined and applied to the above - described embodiments.

[0072] · In the above - described embodiment, when the startup process of the air conditioner controller 50 is executed, the OFF time of the air conditioner controller 50 is calculated (estimated), and by comparing the calculated OFF time with the reference time, a configuration is adopted to determine whether or not to switch the relay unit 71 to the initial state (corresponding to the "predetermined state"). During construction such as the installation or placement change of the air conditioner controller 50, the power supply (power supply line) from the external power supply to the air conditioner controller 50 is cut off. On the other hand, in view of the fact that the power supply (power supply line) is not cut off during the update or self - recovery from the abnormal state, the configuration related to the forced switching of the relay unit 71 may be changed as follows.

[0073] That is, a monitoring circuit may be provided as a monitoring unit in the air conditioner controller 50 to monitor the power supply status from an external power source. When the power supply was cut off before startup, the relay unit 71 is switched to the initial state at startup. On the other hand, when the power supply was not cut off before startup, the relay unit 71 may be left in the state before startup (not switched to the initial state).

[0074] Also, the monitoring function of the power supply by the monitoring circuit and the calculation function of the OFF time may be used in combination. When it is determined that the OFF time is longer than the reference time and the power supply was cut off before startup, the relay unit 71 is switched to the initial state at startup. On the other hand, when it is determined that the OFF time is shorter than the reference time and the power supply was not cut off before startup, the relay unit 71 may be left in the state before startup (not switched to the initial state). In addition, when it is determined that the OFF time is shorter than the reference time or the power supply was cut off before startup, the relay unit 71 may be left in the state before startup.

[0075] · When updating the air conditioner controller 50, an update flag (update information) indicating that the update is to be executed may be stored in the holding area of the RAM 63 (an area that is held without being erased during startup). When the startup process is executed, it may be configured to determine whether to switch the relay unit 71 to the initial state based on the presence or absence of the update flag. Specifically, when the update flag is not stored at startup, the relay unit 71 is switched to the initial state. On the other hand, when the update flag is stored at startup, the relay unit 71 may be left in the state before startup. The update flag may be configured to be erased when the startup process is completed.

[0076] Further, by combining the function of identifying the presence or absence of an update based on the update flag and the function of calculating the OFF time, when the OFF time is longer than the reference time and the update flag is not stored, the relay unit 71 is switched to the initial state at startup. On the other hand, when the OFF time is shorter than the reference time and the update flag is stored, the relay unit 71 may be configured to remain in the state before startup (not switched to the initial state). Note that it is also possible to configure the relay unit 71 to remain in the state before startup when it is determined that the OFF time is shorter than the reference time or when the update flag is stored.

[0077] ·In the above embodiment, the CPU 61 of the air conditioner controller 50 is configured to acquire the current time from the RTC 64, but it is not limited thereto. For example, it is also possible to configure to acquire the current time from the Internet.

[0078] ·The method (estimation method) for measuring the OFF time shown in the above embodiment is arbitrary. For example, it may be configured to measure the power-off time using a timer counter.

[0079] ·In the above embodiment, an example of the configuration in which the air conditioner controller 50 is restarted when executing an update of the program (software) installed in the air conditioner controller 50 or when automatically recovering when an abnormal state occurs in the air conditioner controller 50 is illustrated, but it does not deny a configuration having only one of these two functions.

[0080] ·In the above-described embodiment, the air-conditioning controller 50 determines by itself whether the program needs to be updated and automatically updates it without the user performing an update operation. However, instead of or in addition to this, it may be configured to execute the update based on the user's update operation. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the air-conditioning controller 50 determines by itself whether there is an abnormality and automatically performs recovery without the user performing an abnormality recovery operation (reset operation). However, instead of or in addition to this, it may be configured to perform recovery based on the user's recovery operation.

[0081] ·In the above-described embodiment, the air conditioner 40 is configured to stop operating when all of the relays R1 to R8 are in the open state, that is, each of the relays R1 to R8 is configured to be in the open state in the "predetermined state". However, it is not limited to this. For example, in the "predetermined state", each of the relays R1 to R8 may be configured to be in the closed state.

[0082] ·For the relays R1 to R8, a mechanical relay having a latching function is sufficient. For example, a ratchet-type mechanical relay may be used.

[0083] ·In the above-described embodiment, after the startup process is completed, the time is periodically stored from the RTC 64. However, this may be changed as follows. That is, a power storage unit such as a power capacitor is provided in the air-conditioning controller 50, and when the power supply from the external power source is interrupted, power for executing the power-off process is supplied from the power storage unit to the CPU 61. It may be configured to obtain the time from the RTC 64 during this power-off process.

[0084] ·A power button for turning ON / OFF the power supply of the air conditioner controller 50 shown in the above embodiment may be provided on the air conditioner controller 50. In this case, depending on whether the startup process is executed triggered by the operation of the power button (manual operation) or the automatic startup process (restart) is executed triggered by something other than the operation of the power button (such as an update), a configuration may be adopted in which it is determined whether to forcibly switch the relay unit 71 to its initial state. Specifically, when triggered by the operation of the power button, the relay unit 71 may be switched to the initial state, while when not triggered by the operation of the power button, the relay unit 71 may be maintained in its current state.

[0085] ·Regarding the air conditioner controller 50 shown in the above embodiment, instead of the whole-building air conditioning, it may be applied to other air conditioning equipment such as room air conditioners and air purifiers. Also, the air conditioner controller 50 can be applied not only to building air conditioning equipment but also to air conditioning equipment installed in vehicles such as cars, trains, and airplanes.

[0086] <Regarding the invention groups extracted from the above embodiment> Hereinafter, the features of the invention groups extracted from the above embodiment will be described while showing effects etc. as necessary. In the following, for ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above embodiment are appropriately shown in parentheses etc., but the invention is not limited to the specific configurations shown in such parentheses etc.

[0087] Feature 1. An air conditioner controller (air conditioner controller 50) that includes a mechanical relay (relay unit 71) having a contact portion (contact portion 75) provided with a movable terminal (movable terminal 74) and a fixed terminal (fixed terminal 73), and drive coils (coils 76, 77) for displacing the movable terminal to positions where it contacts and does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmits a control signal to an air conditioner (air conditioner 40) through the mechanical relay, When the startup condition (start of power supply from an external power source) or restart condition (update, abnormality, etc.) of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, a startup process execution unit that executes the startup process of the air conditioner controller (a function that executes the startup process in CPU61), A switching unit (the switching function of the relay unit 71 in CPU61) that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state (initial state) corresponding to a control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil, comprising The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. The switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state when the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied during the execution of the startup process by the startup process execution unit, while keeping the contact portion in the state before startup when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied during the execution of the startup process by the startup process execution unit. An air conditioner controller.

[0088] The mechanical relay (specifically, the contact portion) mounted on the air conditioner controller can be forcibly switched to a predetermined state (for example, the initial state) corresponding to a control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner when the startup process of the air conditioner controller is executed while the switching avoidance condition remains unsatisfied. By switching to a predetermined state, even if an external force such as vibration is applied to the air conditioner controller during construction such as installation or relocation, and the movable terminal is displaced from the holding position, it is possible to avoid the unexpected start of the operation of the air conditioner when the air conditioner controller is started. This is preferable for improving the reliability of air conditioning equipment.

[0089] Here, regarding the forced switching described above, it is not executed when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied at the time of starting the air conditioner controller. That is, a switching avoidance condition is provided as an exclusion condition for the forced switching, and when this condition is satisfied, the state of the mechanical relay is maintained as it was before startup. According to such a configuration, for example, when the program installed in the air conditioner controller is updated retrospectively through the Internet or the like and the air conditioner controller is restarted due to the update, it is possible to realize a configuration that avoids forced switching of the mechanical relay. That is, it is possible to realize a configuration that suppresses the generation of a collision sound (click sound) associated with the displacement of the movable terminal during restart triggered by an update or the like. Since the air conditioner controller is often placed indoors (such as on a wall) assuming user operation, the above-mentioned collision sound is likely to be annoying to the user, so suppressing the generation of the collision sound has a clear technical significance. For the above reasons, according to the configuration shown in this means, it is possible to improve the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and suppress annoying operating sounds, contributing to an improvement in user satisfaction.

[0090] Incidentally, if the technical idea shown in this feature is applied to a configuration in which, for example, the air conditioner controller monitors its own abnormality and restarts when recovering from an abnormal state (when returning), it is possible to preferably realize a configuration that suppresses the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound during the restart.

[0091] Incidentally, while changing the "predetermined state" shown in this feature to the "initial state" and changing the description of "when the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied when the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit, the contact unit is set to the predetermined state, while when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, the contact unit remains in the state before startup" to "when the return condition is satisfied when the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit, the contact unit is set to the initial state, while when the return condition is not satisfied when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, the contact unit remains in the state before startup" may be acceptable.

[0092] Also, the configuration shown in this feature is "a mechanical relay (relay unit 71) having a contact portion (contact portion 75) provided with a movable terminal (movable terminal 74) and a fixed terminal (fixed terminal 73), and drive coils (coils 76, 77) for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and an air conditioner controller (air conditioner controller 50) for transmitting a control signal to an air conditioner (air conditioner 40) through the mechanical relay. The switching unit (the switching function of the relay unit 71 in the CPU 61) switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state (initial state) for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coils. The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by the energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. When the air conditioner controller is started under the condition that the contact portion is not in the predetermined state, the switching unit switches the contact portion to the predetermined state when the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied, while leaving the contact portion in the state before startup when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied." It is also possible to do so.

[0093] Feature 2. The configuration is such that the transmission of the control signal through the mechanical relay is started after the startup of the air conditioner controller. When the startup process is executed by the startup process execution unit, the switching unit switches the contact portion to the predetermined state before the transmission of the control signal starts when the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied. When the startup process is executed by the startup process execution unit and the switching avoidance condition is satisfied, the air conditioner controller according to Feature 1 does not switch the state of the contact portion triggered by the current startup process.

[0094] When the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied, it is possible to suitably suppress the air conditioner from suddenly stopping → operating by switching the contact part to a predetermined state before the transmission of the control signal is started. On the other hand, when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied, the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound can be suitably suppressed by leaving the state of the contact part unchanged without switching it.

[0095] Feature 3. When the start-up process is executed by the start-up process execution unit, a time specifying unit (a function for calculating the power-off time by the CPU 61) for specifying the power-off time during which the power of the air conditioner controller was off is provided. When the start-up process is executed by the start-up process execution unit, if the power-off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than a reference time set in advance, the contact part is set to the predetermined state as the switching avoidance condition is satisfied. On the other hand, when the start-up process is executed by the start-up process execution unit, if the power-off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time, the contact part is left in the state before start-up as the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied. The air conditioner controller according to Feature 1 or Feature 2.

[0096] The time during which the power of the air conditioner controller is off varies greatly depending on the situation. For example, the power-off time when transporting the shipped air conditioner controller to the construction site or relocating the air conditioner controller due to renovation or the like is longer than the power-off time during the update of the air conditioner controller or self-recovery from an abnormal state. Therefore, as shown in this feature, if a configuration is adopted in which the possibility of forced switching of the mechanical relay is determined by comparing the power-off time with the reference time, it becomes possible to take corresponding measures according to the timing of the start-up process.

[0097] An air conditioner controller (air conditioner controller 50) that includes a mechanical relay (relay unit 71) having a contact part (contact part 75) provided with a movable terminal (movable terminal 74) and a fixed terminal (fixed terminal 73), and drive coils (coils 76, 77) for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmits a control signal to an air conditioner (air conditioner 40) through the mechanical relay. By energizing the drive coil, a switching unit (the switching function of the relay unit 71 in the CPU 61) is provided to switch the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state (initial state) corresponding to a control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner, The mechanical relay can hold the movable terminal at the displaced position even after the energization of the drive coil ends, A startup processing execution unit (a function for executing startup processing by the CPU 61) that executes the startup processing of the air conditioner controller when the startup condition (start of power supply from an external power source) or restart condition (such as completion of update) of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, A time specifying unit (a function for calculating the power-off time by the CPU 61) that specifies the power-off time during which the power of the air conditioner controller was off when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit and has, When the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, if the power-off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than a preset reference time, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state. On the other hand, when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, if the power-off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time, the air conditioner controller keeps the contact portion in the state before startup.

[0098] According to the configuration shown in this feature, similar to the configuration shown in Feature 1, it can contribute to improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and the user's satisfaction. Also, the time during which the power of the air conditioner controller is off varies greatly depending on the situation. For example, the power-off time when transporting the shipped air conditioner controller to the construction site or relocating the air conditioner controller during renovation or the like tends to be longer than the power-off time during the update of the air conditioner controller or self-recovery from an abnormal state. Therefore, as shown in this feature, if a configuration is adopted to determine whether to forcibly switch the mechanical relay by comparing the power-off time with the reference time, it becomes possible to take corresponding measures according to the timing of the startup processing.

[0099] Feature 5. The air conditioner controller according to Feature 3 or Feature 4, wherein when the restart condition is satisfied and the startup process is executed, the OFF time is set to be shorter than the reference time.

[0100] When embodying the technical idea shown in Feature 3 or the like, it is preferable to set the OFF time to be shorter than the reference time when the restart condition is satisfied and the air conditioner controller is restarted as shown in this feature.

[0101] Feature 6. The air conditioner controller according to any one of Features 3 to 5, wherein the time specifying unit includes a time storage unit (holding area of RAM63) that periodically stores the current time after the execution of the startup process, a time acquisition unit (function of acquiring the time at startup by CPU61) that acquires the current time when the startup process is executed, and specifies the OFF time based on the time stored in the time storage unit and the time acquired by the time acquisition unit.

[0102] As shown in this feature, if configured to periodically store the current time, it is possible to estimate the approximate OFF time without saving the time at the timing when the power of the air conditioner controller is turned off. This is preferable for simplifying the processing at the time of power-off. Also, a configuration such as intentionally delaying the power-off timing using a capacitor or the like is not required, which is preferable for simplifying the electrical configuration related to the air conditioner controller.

[0103] Note that the time storage unit may be configured to periodically store the current time, and the period may be set to a time shorter than the reference time.

[0104] Feature 7. The air conditioner controller includes a monitoring unit (power line monitoring circuit) that monitors the power supply from an external power source to the air conditioner controller. When the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit, if it is determined that the OFF time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than the reference time and the power supply was cut off before the startup process by the monitoring unit, the contact unit is set to the predetermined state with the switching avoidance condition not satisfied. On the other hand, when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, if it is determined that the OFF time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time and the power supply was not cut off before the startup process by the monitoring unit, the contact unit is left in the state before startup with the switching avoidance condition satisfied. The air conditioner controller according to any one of Features 3 to 6.

[0105] During construction such as installation or relocation of the air conditioner controller, the OFF time tends to be long and the power supply from the external power source is also assumed to be cut off once. Therefore, when these two requirements are met, by setting the contact unit to a predetermined state, the effect of avoiding unexpected operation of the air conditioner can be preferably exerted. Also, when restarting the air conditioner controller triggered by an update or recovery from an abnormal state, the OFF time is 0 or slight and the power supply is not cut off. Therefore, when these two requirements are met, by maintaining the contact unit in its original state, the effect of suppressing the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound can be preferably exerted.

[0106] Feature 8. An air conditioner controller (air conditioner controller 50) that includes a mechanical relay (relay unit 71) having a contact unit (contact unit 75) provided with a movable terminal (movable terminal 74) and a fixed terminal (fixed terminal 73), and drive coils (coils 76, 77) that displace the movable terminal to positions where it contacts and does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmits a control signal to an air conditioner (air conditioner 40) through the mechanical relay, A startup process execution unit (a function that executes a startup process by CPU 61) that executes the startup process of the air conditioner controller when the startup condition (start of power supply from an external power source) or restart condition (update, abnormality, etc.) of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, A switching unit (the switching function of the relay unit 71 in the CPU 61) that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state (initial state) corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil. Comprising The mechanical relay is configured to hold the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. A monitoring unit (power line monitoring circuit) that monitors the power supply from an external power source to the air conditioner controller. When the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit and the monitoring unit determines that the power supply was cut off before the startup process, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state. On the other hand, when the monitoring unit determines that the power supply was not cut off before the startup process when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, the air conditioner controller leaves the contact portion in the state before startup.

[0107] According to the configuration shown in this feature, similar to the configuration shown in Feature 1, it can contribute to improving the reliability of air conditioning equipment. Also, during construction such as installation or relocation of the air conditioner controller, the power supply from the external power source is once cut off. Therefore, when the power supply is cut off, by setting the contact portion to a predetermined state, the effect of avoiding the air conditioner suddenly operating can be preferably exerted. Also, when restarting the air conditioner controller due to an update or recovery from an abnormal state, the power supply is not cut off. Therefore, when the power supply is not cut off, by maintaining the contact portion in its original state, the effect of suppressing the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound can be preferably exerted.

[0108] An update execution unit (a function that executes update processing in the CPU 61) that updates the program stored in the air conditioner controller. When the update is executed by the update execution unit, an information storage unit (a holding area of the RAM 63) that stores update information (update flag) indicating that the update has been executed and includes When the restart condition is satisfied during the update, the information storage unit is configured to store the update information before the start-up process is executed by the start-up process execution unit. When the switching unit executes the start-up process by the start-up process execution unit, if the off-time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than the reference time and the update information is not stored in the information storage unit, the switching unit sets the contact unit to the predetermined state as a non-establishment of the switching avoidance condition. On the other hand, when the start-up process is executed by the start-up process execution unit, if the off-time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time and the update information is stored in the information storage unit, the switching unit sets the contact unit to the state before start-up as an establishment of the switching avoidance condition. The air conditioner controller according to any one of Features 3 to 5.

[0109] When a program update is executed by the air conditioner controller, the air conditioner controller is restarted. When the update is executed, update information indicating that the update has been executed is stored before the start-up process is executed (for example, before the air conditioner controller shuts down). When the off-time > reference time and the update information is not stored, by setting the contact unit to a predetermined state, the effect of preventing the air conditioner from operating suddenly can be preferably exerted. On the other hand, when the off-time < reference time and the update information is stored, by maintaining the contact unit in its current state, the effect of suppressing the generation of the collision sound can be preferably exerted.

[0110] A mechanical relay (relay unit 71) having a contact portion (contact portion 75) provided with a movable terminal (movable terminal 74) and a fixed terminal (fixed terminal 73), and drive coils (coils 76, 77) for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and an air conditioner controller (air conditioner controller 50) for transmitting a control signal to an air conditioner (air conditioner 40) through the mechanical relay, An activation processing execution unit (a function for executing activation processing by CPU 61) that executes the activation processing of the air conditioner controller when the activation condition (start of power supply from an external power source) or restart condition (update, abnormality, etc.) of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, A switching unit (a switching function of relay unit 71 in CPU 61) that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state (initial state) corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil, Comprising, The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends, An update execution unit (a function for executing update processing by CPU 61) that updates a program stored in the air conditioner controller, An information storage unit (a holding area of RAM 63) that stores update information (update flag) indicating that the update has been executed when the update is executed by the update execution unit, Comprising, When the restart condition is satisfied during the update, the information storage unit is configured to store the update information before the activation processing is executed by the activation processing execution unit, The switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state when the activation processing execution unit executes the activation processing and the update information is not stored in the information storage unit, while when the activation processing execution unit executes the activation processing and the update information is stored in the information storage unit, the air conditioner controller keeps the contact portion in the state before activation.

[0111] According to the configuration shown in this feature, similar to the configuration shown in Feature 1, it can contribute to improving the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and the like. When the program update is executed by the air conditioning controller, the air conditioning controller is restarted. When executing the update, update information indicating that the update is to be executed is stored before the start-up process is executed (for example, before the shutdown of the air conditioning controller). When the update information is not stored, by setting the contact part to a predetermined state, the effect of avoiding the sudden operation of the air conditioning device can be preferably exerted. On the other hand, when the update information is stored, by maintaining the contact part in its original state, the effect of suppressing the generation of the above-mentioned collision sound can be preferably exerted.

[0112] Feature 11. The mechanical relay is provided with a stopper (stopper 78) that abuts against the movable terminal displaced to the non-contact position by energization of the drive coil to prevent further displacement of the movable terminal. The air conditioning controller according to any one of Features 1 to 10.

[0113] When a stopper is provided that abuts against the movable terminal displaced to the non-contact position, a collision sound (click sound) may be generated when the movable terminal and the stopper collide. By applying various technical ideas shown in Feature 1 and the like to such a configuration, the opportunity for generating the collision sound can be preferably reduced.

[0114] Feature 12. An air conditioning equipment including the air conditioning controller according to any one of Features 1 to 11 and the air conditioning device controlled by the air conditioning controller.

[0115] According to the air conditioning equipment shown in this feature, it is possible to improve the reliability of the air conditioning equipment and suppress the annoying operating sound, contributing to the improvement of user satisfaction.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0116] 30…Air conditioning equipment, 40…Air conditioner, 50…Air conditioning controller, 61…CPU, 63…RAM, 64…RTC, 65…I / O, 71…Relay unit, 73…Fixed terminal, 74…Movable terminal, 75…Contact part, 76…Set coil, 77…Reset coil, 78…Stopper, R1~R8…Relays.

Claims

1. A mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and an air-conditioning controller for transmitting a control signal to an air-conditioning apparatus through the mechanical relay, a startup processing execution unit that executes startup processing of the air-conditioning controller when a startup condition or a restart condition of the air-conditioning controller is satisfied; a switching unit that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus by energizing the drive coil; comprising: the mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends; the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state when a switching avoidance condition is not satisfied during execution of the startup processing by the startup processing execution unit, while when the switching avoidance condition is satisfied during execution of the startup processing by the startup processing execution unit, the contact portion is left in the state before startup. An air-conditioning controller.

2. comprising a time specifying unit that specifies an off time during which the power supply of the air-conditioning controller was off when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit; When the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state as the switching avoidance condition is satisfied when the off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than a reference time set in advance, while when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, when the off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time, the contact portion is left in the state before startup as the switching avoidance condition is not satisfied. The air-conditioning controller according to claim 1.

3. comprising a monitoring unit that monitors power supply from an external power source to the air-conditioning controller; When the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit, if the off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than the reference time and it is determined that the power supply has been cut off before the startup process by the monitoring unit, the contact unit is set to the predetermined state as the switching avoidance condition not being satisfied. On the other hand, when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, if the off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time and it is determined by the monitoring unit that the power supply has not been cut off before the startup process, the contact unit is kept in the state before startup as the switching avoidance condition being satisfied. The air conditioner controller according to claim 2.

4. An update execution unit that updates the program stored in the air conditioner controller, An information storage unit that stores update information indicating that the update is executed when the update is executed by the update execution unit and comprising When the restart condition is satisfied during the update, the information storage unit is configured to store the update information before the startup process is executed by the startup process execution unit, When the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit, if the off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than the reference time and the update information is not stored in the information storage unit, the contact unit is set to the predetermined state as the switching avoidance condition not being satisfied. On the other hand, when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, if the off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time and the update information is stored in the information storage unit, the contact unit is kept in the state before startup as the switching avoidance condition being satisfied. The air conditioner controller according to claim 2.

5. A mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and an air-conditioning controller for transmitting a control signal to an air-conditioning apparatus through the mechanical relay, wherein: A switching unit that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus by energizing the drive coil; The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal at the displaced position even after the energization of the drive coil ends; A startup processing execution unit that executes startup processing of the air-conditioning controller when a startup condition or a restart condition of the air-conditioning controller is satisfied; A time specifying unit that specifies an off time during which the power of the air-conditioning controller was off when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit; and When the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, the switching unit sets the contact portion to the predetermined state when the off time specified by the time specifying unit is longer than a reference time set in advance, while when the startup processing is executed by the startup processing execution unit, and the off time specified by the time specifying unit is shorter than the reference time, the contact portion is left in the state before startup. An air-conditioning controller.

6. A mechanical relay having a contact portion provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil for displacing the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and an air-conditioning controller for transmitting a control signal to an air-conditioning apparatus through the mechanical relay, wherein: A startup processing execution unit that executes startup processing of the air-conditioning controller when a startup condition or a restart condition of the air-conditioning controller is satisfied; A switching unit that switches the state of the contact portion to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a stop control signal for stopping the operation of the air-conditioning apparatus by energizing the drive coil; and The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. It includes a monitoring unit that monitors power supply from an external power source to the air conditioner controller. When the switching unit determines, based on the monitoring unit, that the power supply was cut off before the start-up process when the start-up process execution unit executes the start-up process, the switching unit sets the contact unit to the predetermined state. On the other hand, when the monitoring unit determines that the power supply was not cut off before the start-up process when the start-up process execution unit executes the start-up process, the switching unit leaves the contact unit in the state before start-up. An air conditioner controller.

7. An air conditioner controller including a mechanical relay having a contact unit provided with a movable terminal and a fixed terminal, and a drive coil that displaces the movable terminal to a position where it contacts the fixed terminal and a position where it does not contact the fixed terminal, and transmitting a control signal to the air conditioner through the mechanical relay, A start-up process execution unit that executes a start-up process of the air conditioner controller when a start-up condition or a restart condition of the air conditioner controller is satisfied, A switching unit that switches the state of the contact unit to a plurality of states including a predetermined state corresponding to a control signal for stopping the operation of the air conditioner by energizing the drive coil and includes, The mechanical relay is capable of holding the movable terminal displaced by energization of the drive coil at the displaced position even after the energization ends. An update execution unit that updates a program stored in the air conditioner controller, An information storage unit that stores update information indicating that the update is executed when the update is executed by the update execution unit and includes, When the restart condition is satisfied during the update, the information storage unit stores the update information before the start-up process is executed by the start-up process execution unit. When the switching unit executes the startup process by the startup process execution unit, if the update information is not stored in the information storage unit, the contact unit is set to the predetermined state. On the other hand, when the startup process execution unit executes the startup process, if the update information is stored in the information storage unit, the contact unit remains in the state before startup. An air conditioner controller.

8. An air conditioning facility comprising the air conditioner controller according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and the air conditioner controlled by the air conditioner controller.

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