air conditioning system

Abstract

To determine whether an air-conditioner can correspond to an additional function.SOLUTION: An air-conditioning system 1 has an air-conditioner 11, a communication adaptor 12 that is connected to the air-conditioner 11 and can be connected to a public line 21, and a portable terminal 30 capable of operating the air-conditioner 11 through the communication adaptor 12. The communication adaptor 12, when receiving information on a function to be provided to the air-conditioner 11 through the public line 21, checks whether the air-conditioner 11 can correspond to the function to be provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to air conditioning systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Air conditioners that can communicate with a server via a public line are known, and air conditioners that can be operated from outside the home via a public line using a mobile terminal such as a smart device are also known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-082336 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In recent years, air conditioners have been required to be equipped with additional functions (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "additional functions"), such as a weekly timer function and an external device linkage function, in addition to basic functions such as cooling and heating operation (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "basic functions"). The weekly timer function is a function that allows the air conditioner's operation schedule for all days of the week to be viewed using a mobile terminal, and allows the air conditioner's operation to be reserved and registered for each day of the week. The external device linkage function is a function that controls devices other than the air conditioner, such as a humidifier or air purifier, in conjunction with the air conditioner. Hereinafter, devices other than the air conditioner that are controlled in conjunction with the air conditioner may be referred to as "externally linked devices."

[0005] Even if the above-mentioned additional functions are not installed in the air conditioner when it is installed in a room, it is possible that the software that realizes the additional functions can be downloaded from a server to the air conditioner via a public line, and the additional functions can be added to the air conditioner afterwards. Below, additional functions that are not installed in the air conditioner when it is installed in a room and that are added to the air conditioner after installation may be referred to as "additional functions."

[0006] However, even if an air conditioner can be connected to a public line, if it is a model that does not support additional functions, a situation may arise in which the additional function does not work even if the software that realizes the additional function (hereinafter referred to as "additional function software") is downloaded to the air conditioner. When this situation occurs, the additional function will not work even if the user operates it, which may lead the user to mistakenly believe that the air conditioner or externally linked device has broken down, or that there is a communication failure between the mobile terminal and the air conditioner.

[0007] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes a technique that can determine whether an air conditioner can support an additional function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The air conditioning system of the present disclosure includes an air conditioner, a communication adapter connected to the air conditioner and connectable to a public line, and a mobile terminal capable of operating the air conditioner via the communication adapter. When the communication adapter receives information about a function provided to the air conditioner via the public line, it checks whether the air conditioner can support the function. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the disclosed technology, it is possible to determine whether or not an air conditioner can support an additional function. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the air conditioning system of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0012] [Example] <Air conditioning system configuration> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of an air conditioning system according to the present disclosure. In Fig. 1, the air conditioning system 1 includes an air conditioner 11, a communication adapter 12, a dedicated remote control 13, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) router 14, a mobile terminal 30, and a server 23 that can communicate with the communication adapter 12 via the wireless LAN router 14 and a public line 21. The air conditioner 11, the communication adapter 12, and the wireless LAN router 14 are installed inside the home, and the public line 21 and the server 23 are installed outside the home. The dedicated remote control 13 and the mobile terminal 30 are operated by a user of the air conditioner 11, and the user can operate the air conditioner 11 using the dedicated remote control 13 or the mobile terminal 30.

[0013] The air conditioner 11 is equipped with basic functions such as heating operation, cooling operation, and dehumidification operation to adjust the temperature and humidity inside the home. The air conditioner 11 can also be equipped with additional functions such as a weekly timer function and an external device linkage function.

[0014] The communication adapter 12 is connected to the air conditioner 11 by wire or wirelessly. The communication adapter 12 is also connected wirelessly to a wireless LAN router 14 that is connected to a public line 21. Because the communication adapter 12 can be connected to the public line 21 via the wireless LAN router 14, using the communication adapter 12 makes it possible to connect the air conditioner 11 to the public line 21. Furthermore, inside the home, the communication adapter 12 can directly communicate with a mobile terminal 30 via short-range wireless communication (for example, communication based on the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) standard). Therefore, when a user carrying the mobile terminal 30 is located inside the home, the air conditioner 11 can be operated using the mobile terminal 30 by communication via the communication adapter 12. Furthermore, additional function software can be downloaded to the air conditioner 11 from a server 23 via the public line 21, the wireless LAN router 14, and the communication adapter 12 using the mobile terminal 30.

[0015] The dedicated remote controller 13 is a remote controller dedicated to the air conditioner 11, and communicates directly with the air conditioner 11 wirelessly.

[0016] <Air conditioning system operation> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the air conditioning system of the present disclosure.

[0017] An application (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "operation app") capable of operating the air conditioner 11 is installed on the mobile terminal 30. The operation app is capable of displaying operation screens related to additional functions on the touch panel of the mobile terminal 30 in addition to operation screens related to the basic functions described above. The operation app is also capable of displaying operation screens (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "download operation screen") on the touch panel of the mobile terminal 30 for downloading additional function software from the server 23 to the air conditioner 11. The download operation screen displays buttons corresponding to each additional function, such as a weekly timer function, an external device linkage function, etc.

[0018] When a button corresponding to an additional function to be downloaded (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "target additional function") is touched on the download operation screen, a download request is sent from the mobile terminal 30 to the server 23, as shown in FIG. 2, and in response to the download request, additional function software that realizes the target additional function is sent from the server 23 to the communication adapter 12. Each additional function software is assigned information that can uniquely identify each additional function (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "additional function identification information"). An example of additional function identification information is the ID number of the additional function.

[0019] The additional function software transmitted from the server 23 is received by the communication adapter 12 via the public line 21 and the wireless LAN router 14 .

[0020] When the communication adapter 12 receives additional function software provided to the air conditioner 11 via the public line 21, it confirms with the air conditioner 11 whether or not the air conditioner 11 is compatible with the target additional function realized by the additional function software. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the communication adapter 12 generates a signal (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "confirmation signal") for confirming with the air conditioner 11 whether or not the air conditioner 11 is compatible with the target additional function, and transmits the generated confirmation signal to the air conditioner 11. The communication adapter 12 sets the additional function identification information assigned to the received additional function software in the confirmation signal, and transmits the confirmation signal including the additional function identification information to the air conditioner 11.

[0021] When the air conditioner 11 receives the confirmation signal, it determines whether or not the air conditioner 11 can support the target additional function based on the additional function identification information. Then, as shown in Fig. 2, the air conditioner 11 generates a signal (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "response signal") indicating whether or not the air conditioner 11 can support the target additional function, and transmits the generated response signal to the communication adapter 12. For example, a list of ID numbers of additional functions that the air conditioner 11 can support (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "ID number list") is registered in advance in the air conditioner 11, and the air conditioner 11 determines that the air conditioner 11 can support the target additional function if the ID number of the target additional function is present in the ID number list, and determines that the air conditioner 11 cannot support the target additional function if the ID number of the target additional function is not present in the ID number list.

[0022] When the response signal contains information indicating that the air conditioner 11 is compatible with the target additional function, the communications adapter 12 sends a signal indicating that the target additional function is enabled (hereinafter may be referred to as a "function enable signal") to the mobile terminal 30, as shown in Fig. 2, and also sends the received additional function software to the air conditioner 11. This causes the additional function software to be downloaded to the air conditioner 11, enabling the additional function to operate in the air conditioner 11.

[0023] On the other hand, when the response signal contains information indicating that the air conditioner 11 is not compatible with the target additional function, or when a predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes) has passed since the confirmation signal was sent without receiving a response signal, the communication adapter 12 sends a signal indicating that the target additional function is disabled (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "function disabled signal") to the mobile terminal 30, as shown in Figure 2, and discards the received additional function software.

[0024] When the mobile terminal 30 receives the function enable signal, it enables the operation screen related to the target addition function in the operation app, thereby enabling the user to operate the target addition function. On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 30 receives the function disable signal, it disables the operation screen related to the target addition function in the operation app.

[0025] In this way, it is possible to determine whether the air conditioner 11 can support the additional function. It is also possible to inform the user whether the air conditioner 11 can support the additional function.

[0026] In the above description, an example of an operation within a home is an operation performed by direct communication between the mobile terminal 30 and the communication adapter 12. However, the disclosed technology is also applicable to a case where an operation within a home is performed by communication between the mobile terminal 30 and the communication adapter 12 via the wireless LAN router 14.

[0027] Furthermore, in the above explanation, a case has been described in which, when the communications adapter 12 receives a function enable signal from the air conditioner 11 indicating that the target additional function is enabled, the communications adapter 12 transmits the received additional function software to the air conditioner 11, thereby downloading the additional function software to the air conditioner 11. Alternatively, when the communications adapter 12 receives a function enable signal from the air conditioner 11 indicating that the target additional function is enabled, the communications adapter 12 may use the received additional function software to perform control related to the target additional function.

[0028] As described above, the air conditioning system (air conditioning system 1 in the embodiment) of the disclosed technology has an air conditioner (air conditioner 11 in the embodiment), a communication adapter (communication adapter 12 in the embodiment) that is connected to the air conditioner and can be connected to a public line (public line 21 in the embodiment), and a mobile terminal (mobile terminal 30 in the embodiment) that can operate the air conditioner via the communication adapter. When the communication adapter receives information about functions (additional function software in the embodiment) that are provided to the air conditioner via the public line, it checks whether the air conditioner is compatible with the provided functions.

[0029] Furthermore, the communications adapter transmits a confirmation signal (confirmation signal in the embodiment) to the air conditioner to confirm with the air conditioner whether or not the air conditioner is compatible with the provided functions.

[0030] Furthermore, when the air conditioner receives the confirmation signal, it transmits to the communication adapter a response signal (response signal in the embodiment) indicating whether or not the air conditioner is compatible with the provided function.

[0031] Furthermore, when the response signal contains information indicating that the air conditioner can support the provided function, the communication adapter transmits to the mobile terminal a first signal (function enabled signal in the embodiment) indicating that the provided function is enabled. Furthermore, when the response signal contains information indicating that the air conditioner cannot support the provided function, or when a predetermined time has passed since transmitting the confirmation signal without receiving a response signal, the communication adapter transmits to the mobile terminal a second signal (function disabled signal in the embodiment) indicating that the provided function is disabled.

[0032] When the mobile terminal receives the first signal, it enables the operation screen related to the function to be provided, and when it receives the second signal, it disables the operation screen related to the function to be provided. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1. Air conditioning system 11 Air conditioner 12 Communication adapter 13 Dedicated remote control 14 Wireless LAN router 21 Public lines 23 Server 30 Mobile Devices

Claims

1. An air conditioning system comprising an air conditioner, a communication adapter connected to the air conditioner and connectable to a public line, and a mobile terminal capable of operating the air conditioner via the communication adapter, When the communication adapter receives information about a function provided to the air conditioner via the public line, it checks whether the air conditioner can support the function. Air conditioning system.

2. the communication adapter transmits a confirmation signal to the air conditioner to confirm whether the air conditioner is capable of supporting the function; The air conditioning system of claim 1 .

3. When the air conditioner receives the confirmation signal, the air conditioner transmits a response signal to the communication adapter indicating whether the air conditioner is capable of supporting the function. The air conditioning system according to claim 2 .

4. The communication adapter When the response signal includes information indicating that the air conditioner is capable of supporting the function, a first signal indicating that the function is enabled is transmitted to the mobile terminal; When the response signal contains information indicating that the air conditioner cannot support the function, or when a predetermined time has passed since the transmission of the confirmation signal without receiving the response signal, a second signal indicating that the function is disabled is sent to the mobile terminal. The air conditioning system according to claim 3 .

5. The mobile terminal When the first signal is received, an operation screen related to the function is enabled; When the second signal is received, the operation screen is disabled. The air conditioning system according to claim 4.

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