Air conditioners and air conditioning systems

Abstract

An air conditioner (10A) comprises: an indoor equipment operating value acquisition unit (23) that is an operating value acquisition unit acquiring an operating value, which is a value that is obtained in conjunction with the operation of the air conditioner (10A); a calculation unit (11) that calculates a comparison reference value on the basis of the operating value; an indoor equipment determination unit (21) that is a determination unit determining, on the basis of the difference between the comparison reference value and the current operating value acquired by the indoor equipment operating value acquisition unit (23), whether said operating value is a transmission target that is to be transmitted between indoor equipment (2) and outdoor equipment (1); and an outdoor equipment communication unit (22) that is a communication unit transmitting an operating value that was determined to be a transmission target between the indoor equipment (2) and the outdoor equipment (1), and not transmitting an operating value that was determined not to be a transmission target between the indoor equipment (2) and the outdoor equipment (1), in accordance with the determination results from the indoor equipment determination unit (21).

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner and an air conditioning system that communicate between an indoor unit and an outdoor unit.

Background Art

[0002] In order to grasp the state of an air conditioner, generally, in an air conditioner, data indicating the state of the air conditioner is acquired. These data are used for operation management such as monitoring of the operation status, fault diagnosis, and inspection. In addition, there are also increasing numbers of air conditioning systems that have a function of transmitting these data to an external device such as a cloud and performing remote operation management. When the number of data items used for operation management increases, the amount of data transmitted to the external device increases. For this reason, a configuration in which data is transmitted only when it is determined that the degree of change of the data to be transmitted exceeds a certain range is known.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, in a system in which an external device called a remote monitoring device collects data from each of a plurality of control measurement devices via a network, if it is determined that the degree of change of the data to be transmitted exceeds a certain range, the requested data is returned, and if the degree of change is within a certain range, only short data notifying that the request has been received is returned, thereby reducing the amount of data transmitted to the external device. A technique is disclosed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, when the above conventional technology is applied to an air conditioner, while the amount of data transmitted to external devices can be reduced when the number of data items used for operation management increases, the amount of data transmitted between the indoor and outdoor units increases. Since data used for controlling the air conditioner is transmitted between the indoor and outdoor units, not just data used for operation management, there was a problem that the real-time nature of the data used for controlling the air conditioner may be impaired when the number of data items used for operation management increases.

[0006] This disclosure is made in view of the above, and aims to provide an air conditioner that can reduce the amount of data transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, even when the number of data items used for operation management increases, and reduce the impact on the transmission and reception of data used for controlling the air conditioner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the air conditioner of this disclosure includes: an operating value acquisition unit that acquires an operating value which is a value obtained in conjunction with the operation of the air conditioner; a calculation unit that calculates a comparison reference value based on the operating value; a determination unit that determines whether the operating value is a transmission target to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current operating value acquired by the operating value acquisition unit; and a communication unit that transmits the operating value determined to be a transmission target between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit according to the determination result of the determination unit, and does not transmit the operating value determined not to be a transmission target between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, even when the number of data items used for operation management increases, it is possible to provide an air conditioner that can reduce the amount of data transmitted between the indoor and outdoor units, thereby reducing the impact on the transmission and reception of data used for controlling the air conditioner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1]Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This diagram shows an example where four indoor units are connected to one outdoor unit. [Figure 3] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for generating comparative reference values ​​using the outdoor unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Diagram illustrating the first example of the method for calculating the comparative reference value. [Figure 5] Diagram illustrating the second example of the method for calculating the comparative reference value. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for transmitting indoor unit operating values ​​from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit, as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 7] Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 9] Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 10] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for sending operational data from the indoor unit to the cloud, as shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 5. [Figure 12] A flowchart illustrating the procedure for transmitting outdoor unit operating data for the air conditioner shown in Figure 11 to the cloud. [Figure 13] Diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 6. [Figure 14] Figure 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the air conditioner. [Figure 15] A diagram showing the detailed configuration of the air conditioner according to Embodiment 6. [Figure 16] Diagram showing dedicated hardware for realizing the functions of the air conditioner according to Embodiments 1 to 6. [Figure 17] This diagram shows the configuration of the control circuit for realizing the functions of the air conditioner according to Embodiments 1 to 6. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Hereinafter, the air conditioner and the air conditioning system according to the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the drawings. Components denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings and the following description have the same or similar functions. Also, the sizes of the components shown in the drawings are different from the actual sizes, and the size relationships between the components may be different from the actual ones. The form of the components described below is an example and is not limited to the form described below. For example, not all of the components described in the specification may be included. In particular, the combination of components is not limited to only the combinations shown in each embodiment, and the components described in one embodiment can also be applied to other embodiments.

[0011] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1. The air conditioner 10A has an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2. Although FIG. 1 shows only one outdoor unit 1 and one indoor unit 2, a plurality of indoor units 2 may be connected to one outdoor unit 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example in which four indoor units 2-1 to 2-4 are connected to one outdoor unit 1. As shown in FIG. 2, when distinguishing each of the plurality of indoor units 2, different numbers may be attached to each indoor unit 2 following a hyphen after the common reference numeral.

[0012] Returning to the description of FIG. 1. The outdoor unit 1 has an indoor unit communication unit 12 that communicates with the indoor unit 2, and a calculation unit 11 that calculates a comparison reference value based on the operating values received from the indoor unit 2.

[0013] The operating value is a value obtained along with the operation of the air conditioner 10A. Hereinafter, among the operating values, those obtained by the indoor unit 2 are referred to as indoor unit operating values, and those obtained by the outdoor unit 1 are referred to as outdoor unit operating values. In Embodiment 1, the indoor unit operating value is acquired. The indoor unit operating value is information including at least one of, for example, indoor environmental information such as the temperature and humidity in the room where the indoor unit 2 is installed, and operation information obtained by operating the air conditioner 10A. The environmental information is information acquired by sensors such as temperature sensors and humidity sensors, and the operation information is function setting values, operation setting information, etc., such as the operation mode, set temperature, and set humidity during the operation of the air conditioner 10A. The comparison reference value is a reference for determining whether the indoor unit operating value acquired by the indoor unit 2 is a transmission target to be transmitted to the outdoor unit 1, as will be described in detail later.

[0014] The indoor unit communication unit 12 includes a transmission unit 121 that transmits data to the indoor unit 2 and a reception unit 122 that receives data from the indoor unit 2. Specifically, the transmission unit 121 transmits the comparison reference value calculated by the calculation unit 11 to the indoor unit 2, and the reception unit 122 receives the indoor unit operating value from the indoor unit 2.

[0015] The indoor unit 2 includes an indoor unit determination unit 21 that determines whether the current indoor unit operating value is a transmission target to the outdoor unit 1 based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the indoor unit operating value, an outdoor unit communication unit 22 that communicates with the outdoor unit 1, and an indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 that acquires the indoor unit operating value.

[0016] When the indoor unit determination unit 21 acquires the comparison reference value from the outdoor unit 1 via the outdoor unit communication unit 22 and acquires the indoor unit operating value from the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23, it is a determination unit that determines whether the current indoor unit operating value is a transmission target transmitted between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 2 based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current indoor unit operating value. For example, the indoor unit determination unit 21 compares the difference between the comparison reference value and the current indoor unit operating value with a first threshold value. If the difference is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, it determines that the current indoor unit operating value is a transmission target and transmits it to the outdoor unit 1. If the difference is less than the first threshold value, it determines that the current indoor unit operating value is not a transmission target and does not transmit it to the outdoor unit 1.

[0017] The outdoor unit communication unit 22 includes a receiving unit 221 that receives data from the outdoor unit 1 and a transmitting unit 222 that transmits data to the outdoor unit 1. Specifically, the receiving unit 221 receives a comparison reference value from the outdoor unit 1, and the transmitting unit 222 transmits the indoor unit operating value acquired by the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 to the outdoor unit 1.

[0018] The indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 acquires the indoor unit operating value and outputs the acquired indoor unit operating value to the indoor unit determination unit 21.

[0019] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for generating a comparison reference value by the outdoor unit 1 shown in Figure 1. The outdoor unit 1 receives the indoor unit operating value from the indoor unit 2 using the receiving unit 122 of the indoor unit communication unit 12 (step S11). The calculation unit 11 of the outdoor unit 1 calculates a comparison reference value from the received indoor unit operating value (step S12). The outdoor unit 1 transmits the calculated comparison reference value to the indoor unit 2 using the transmitting unit 121 of the indoor unit communication unit 12 (step S13).

[0020] Here, the method by which the calculation unit 11 calculates the comparison reference value will be explained. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of the first example of the method for calculating the comparison reference value. In the first example, the calculation unit 11 calculates the comparison reference value for each of the indoor units 2 based on the indoor unit operating values ​​obtained for the target indoor unit 2. In this case, the comparison reference value will be calculated for each of the multiple indoor units 2. For example, the calculation unit 11 calculates the comparison reference value using multiple operating values ​​obtained in a comparison reference value creation interval of a predetermined time length from the present to the past. The comparison reference value can be the average, median, maximum, minimum, etc. of the multiple operating values.

[0021] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of a second example of the method for calculating the comparison reference value. In the second example, the calculation unit 11 calculates the comparison reference value based on the indoor unit operating values ​​obtained from multiple indoor units 2 connected to the outdoor unit 1. In this case, the comparison reference value is a value common to all of the multiple indoor units 2. For example, the calculation unit 11 can calculate the average, median, maximum, and minimum values ​​of multiple indoor unit operating values ​​obtained from multiple indoor units 2 as the comparison reference value. In this case, Figure 5 shows one operating value for each indoor unit 2, but the calculation unit 11 may also calculate the comparison reference value using multiple indoor unit operating values ​​obtained in the comparison reference value creation interval for each of the multiple indoor units 2. When creating a comparison reference value using the indoor unit operating values ​​of multiple indoor units 2, it becomes possible to determine the environmental information of the room in which each indoor unit 2 is installed.

[0022] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for transmitting indoor unit operating values ​​from the indoor unit 2 shown in Figure 1 to the outdoor unit 1. The indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 of the indoor unit 2 acquires indoor unit operating values ​​(step S21). The indoor unit determination unit 21 calculates the difference between the acquired indoor unit operating value and the comparison reference value (step S22).

[0023] The indoor unit determination unit 21 determines whether the calculated difference is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S23). If the difference is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step S23: Yes), the indoor unit determination unit 21 uses the outdoor unit communication unit 22 to transmit the acquired current indoor unit operating value to the outdoor unit 1 (step S24). If the difference is less than the first threshold (step S23: No), the process in step S24 is omitted, and the current indoor unit operating value is not transmitted to the outdoor unit 1.

[0024] For example, in the example shown in Figure 4, the current indoor unit operating value falls within the first threshold range, where the difference between the current indoor unit operating value and the comparison reference value is less than the first threshold. Therefore, the current indoor unit operating value is not transmitted to outdoor unit 1. Also, in the example shown in Figure 5, the indoor unit operating values ​​of indoor units 2-1 and 2-2 are within the first threshold range and are therefore not transmitted to outdoor unit 1, while the indoor unit operating values ​​of indoor units 2-3 and 2-4 are outside the first threshold range and are therefore transmitted to outdoor unit 1.

[0025] When multiple types of operating values ​​are acquired, a comparison reference value is determined for each type of operating value, and the indoor unit determination unit 21 calculates the difference between the current indoor unit operating value and the comparison reference value for each type of operating value and compares it with a first threshold. Preferably, a first threshold is also provided for each type of operating value. The first threshold for each operating value is set to a range that does not affect the control during operation of the air conditioner 10A. For example, the intake temperature is used for display on the remote controller, but if the temperature change is within the range of the displayable resolution, the display will not be affected even if it is not transmitted. Therefore, if the outdoor unit 1 averages the intake temperature of the indoor unit 2 and uses it as the comparison reference value, the indoor unit 2 can reduce the communication load by not transmitting the intake temperature data to the outdoor unit 1 if the difference between the current intake temperature and the comparison reference value is within the first threshold.

[0026] As described above, the air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1 includes an indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23, which is an operating value acquisition unit that acquires indoor unit operating values, which are operating values ​​obtained in conjunction with the operation of the air conditioner 10A; a calculation unit 11 that calculates a comparison reference value based on the indoor unit operating value; an indoor unit determination unit 21, which is a determination unit that determines whether or not the indoor unit operating value is a transmission target to be transmitted between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 1 based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current indoor unit operating value acquired by the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23; and an outdoor unit communication unit 22, which is a communication unit that transmits the indoor unit operating value determined to be a transmission target between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 1, specifically from the indoor unit 2 to the outdoor unit 1, according to the determination result of the indoor unit determination unit 21. In Embodiment 1, when transmitting the indoor unit operating value, which is an operating value acquired by the indoor unit 2, to the outdoor unit 1, the transmission target operating value is limited. Therefore, even if the number of data items used for operation management increases, it becomes possible to reduce the amount of data transmitted between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 1, thereby reducing the impact on the transmission and reception of data used for controlling the air conditioner 10A.

[0027] Here, the operating value acquired by the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 includes at least one operating value from among environmental information measuring the state of the environment and operating information indicating the operating conditions of the air conditioner 10A.

[0028] Furthermore, the calculation unit 11 can use information based on at least one of the average, maximum, and minimum values ​​of multiple operating values ​​as a comparison reference value. For example, the calculation unit 11 may use the average, maximum, or minimum value of the multiple operating values ​​itself as the comparison reference value, or it may use a value calculated based on at least one of the average, maximum, and minimum values ​​of the multiple operating values ​​as the comparison reference value. Note that the multiple operating values ​​used by the calculation unit 11 when calculating the comparison reference value may be operating values ​​acquired by one indoor unit 2, or operating values ​​acquired by multiple indoor units 2.

[0029] Furthermore, when the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 acquires multiple types of operating values, the calculation unit 11 calculates a comparison reference value for each type of operating value. A first threshold value may also be provided for each type of operating value.

[0030] The indoor unit determination unit 21 determines, for example, that an operating value should be transmitted if the difference between the operating value and a comparison reference value is greater than or equal to a first threshold. The indoor unit determination unit 21 transmits only the operating values ​​that it has determined to be transmitted to the outdoor unit 1, and does not transmit operating values ​​that it has determined not to be transmitted to the outdoor unit 1.

[0031] Embodiment 2. Figure 7 shows the configuration of the air conditioner 10B according to Embodiment 2. The air conditioner 10B has an outdoor unit 1B and an indoor unit 2. Components similar to those of the air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted. The following mainly describes the parts that differ from Embodiment 1.

[0032] The air conditioner 10B acquires operating values ​​not only from the indoor unit 2 but also from the outdoor unit 1B. When transmitting the outdoor unit operating values ​​acquired by the outdoor unit 1B to the indoor unit 2, the operating values ​​transmitted to the indoor unit 2 are limited based on the difference between the operating values ​​and a comparison reference value. The specific configuration and operation are described below.

[0033] The outdoor unit 1B includes a calculation unit 11B that calculates a comparison reference value, an indoor unit communication unit 12 that communicates with the indoor unit 2, an outdoor unit determination unit 13 that determines whether or not the data is to be transmitted from the outdoor unit 1B to the indoor unit 2, and an outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14 that acquires the outdoor unit operating value.

[0034] In addition to the functions of the calculation unit 11 of the outdoor unit 1, the calculation unit 11B has the function of calculating a comparison reference value for determining whether or not the outdoor unit operating value is a target for transmission from the outdoor unit 1B to the indoor unit 2, based on the outdoor unit operating value acquired by the outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14. The detailed procedure for the calculation unit 11B to calculate the comparison reference value for the outdoor unit operating value is the same as the procedure for calculating the comparison reference value for the indoor unit operating value. The calculation unit 11B outputs the comparison reference value calculated for the outdoor unit operating value to the outdoor unit determination unit 13.

[0035] The outdoor unit determination unit 13 obtains a comparison reference value from the calculation unit 11B and an outdoor unit operating value from the outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14. Based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current outdoor unit operating value, the determination unit 13 determines whether the current outdoor unit operating value is a transmission target to be transmitted between the outdoor unit 1 and the indoor unit 2. For example, the outdoor unit determination unit 13 compares the difference between the comparison reference value and the current outdoor unit operating value with a first threshold. If the difference is greater than or equal to the first threshold, it determines that the current outdoor unit operating value is a transmission target and transmits it to the indoor unit 2. If the difference is less than the first threshold, it determines that the current outdoor unit operating value is not a transmission target and does not transmit it to the indoor unit 2.

[0036] The outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14 acquires the outdoor unit operating value and can output the acquired outdoor unit operating value to the calculation unit 11B and the outdoor unit determination unit 13, respectively. The outdoor unit operating value is the operating value obtained by the outdoor unit 1B as a result of the operation of the air conditioner 10B. The outdoor unit operating value is information that includes, for example, environmental information such as the temperature and humidity of the environment in which the outdoor unit 1B is installed, and at least one of the operational information obtained by operating the air conditioner 10B.

[0037] Regarding the procedure for generating the comparative reference value using the outdoor unit 1B, a detailed explanation is omitted by replacing "indoor unit 2" with "outdoor unit 1B" and "indoor unit operating value" with "outdoor unit operating value" in the procedure described using Figure 3 in Embodiment 1.

[0038] Furthermore, regarding the procedure for transmitting the outdoor unit operating value from the outdoor unit 1B to the indoor unit 2, a detailed explanation is omitted by replacing "indoor unit 2" with "outdoor unit 1B", "indoor unit operating value" with "outdoor unit operating value", and "outdoor unit 1" with "indoor unit 2" in the procedure described using Figure 6 in Embodiment 1.

[0039] As described above, the air conditioner 10B according to Embodiment 2 includes an outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14, which is an operating value acquisition unit that acquires an outdoor unit operating value, which is an operating value obtained in conjunction with the operation of the air conditioner 10B; a calculation unit 11B that calculates a comparison reference value based on the outdoor unit operating value; an outdoor unit determination unit 13, which is a determination unit that determines whether or not the outdoor unit operating value is a transmission target to be transmitted between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 1B based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current outdoor unit operating value acquired by the outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14; and an indoor unit communication unit 12, which is a communication unit that transmits the outdoor unit operating value determined to be a transmission target between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 1B according to the determination result of the outdoor unit determination unit 13, specifically from the outdoor unit 1B to the indoor unit 2. In Embodiment 2, when transmitting the outdoor unit operating value, which is an operating value acquired by the outdoor unit 1B, to the indoor unit 2, the transmission target operating value is limited. Therefore, even if the number of data items used for operation management increases, it becomes possible to reduce the amount of data transmitted between the indoor unit 2 and the outdoor unit 1B, thereby reducing the impact on the transmission and reception of data used for controlling the air conditioner 10B.

[0040] Embodiment 3. Figure 8 shows the configuration of the air conditioner 10C according to Embodiment 3. The air conditioner 10C includes an outdoor unit 1, an indoor unit 2C, and a threshold setting unit 3. In Embodiment 3, in addition to the functions of Embodiment 1, the threshold setting unit 3 has the function of allowing the value of the first threshold to be set externally. Components similar to those of the air conditioner 10A in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted. The following mainly describes the parts that differ from Embodiment 1.

[0041] The threshold setting unit 3, in this case a remote controller, outputs the set first threshold value to the indoor unit determination unit 21C of the indoor unit 2C. The indoor unit determination unit 21C uses the value of the first threshold output by the threshold setting unit 3 to determine whether the operating value is a target for transmission. The threshold setting unit 3 is not limited to a remote controller; it may be a storage medium that stores the value of the first threshold, or a communication device that receives the value of the first threshold via a network such as the cloud and outputs it to the indoor unit 2C. By changing the value of the first threshold using the threshold setting unit 3, the user can change the value of the first threshold to match the variation in operating values ​​that changes depending on factors such as time of day, season, and indoor environment characteristics.

[0042] In this example, the threshold setting unit 3 is used to set the value of a first threshold used to determine whether or not an operating value is a target for transmission from the indoor unit 2C to the outdoor unit 1. However, for example, in addition to the configuration of the air conditioner 10B shown in Figure 7, a threshold setting unit 3 may be provided to allow external setting of the first threshold used to determine whether or not an operating value is a target for transmission from the outdoor unit 1B to the indoor unit 2, in addition to the first threshold used to determine whether or not an operating value is a target for transmission from the indoor unit 2 to the outdoor unit 1B. In this case, the threshold setting unit 3 may be configured to directly output the value of the first threshold to be set to the outdoor unit 1B, or, if the threshold setting unit 3 is a remote controller that can communicate with the indoor unit 2, it may notify the outdoor unit 1B of the value of the first threshold via the outdoor unit communication unit 22 of the indoor unit 2. The outdoor unit determination unit 13 can use the notified value of the first threshold to determine whether or not an operating value is a target for transmission.

[0043] As described above, the air conditioner 10C according to Embodiment 3 can achieve the same effects as the air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1. In addition to the configuration of the air conditioner 10A, the air conditioner 10C has a threshold setting unit 3 that receives input for a first threshold used by the indoor unit determination unit 21C, which is a determination unit. This makes it possible to set the value of the first threshold used when determining whether or not the operating value is a target for transmission from outside the air conditioner 10C. Therefore, for example, the user can change the value of the first threshold in accordance with the variation in operating values ​​that changes depending on the time of day, season, indoor environment characteristics, etc.

[0044] Embodiment 4. Figure 9 shows the configuration of the air conditioner 10D according to Embodiment 4. The air conditioner 10D has an outdoor unit 1 and an indoor unit 2D. The indoor unit 2D can be connected to the cloud 4. Components similar to those of the air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted. The following mainly describes the parts that differ from Embodiment 1.

[0045] In addition to the configuration of the indoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1, the indoor unit 2D has a cloud transmission unit 24 that transmits operating values ​​to the cloud 4. The cloud 4 is an example of an external device of the air conditioner 10D, and the cloud transmission unit 24 is an example of an external transmission unit that transmits operating values ​​to the external device.

[0046] The cloud transmission unit 24 transmits the indoor unit operating values ​​acquired by the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 to the cloud 4. At this time, the cloud transmission unit 24 calculates the difference between the previous indoor unit operating value, which was the indoor unit operating value transmitted to the cloud 4 last time, and the current indoor unit operating value, which is the latest indoor unit operating value, and decides whether or not to transmit the current indoor unit operating value to the cloud 4 based on the calculated difference. Specifically, the cloud transmission unit 24 transmits the current indoor unit operating value to the cloud 4 if the difference between the current indoor unit operating value and the previous indoor unit operating value is greater than or equal to the second threshold, and does not transmit the current indoor unit operating value to the cloud 4 if the difference is less than the second threshold.

[0047] The second threshold is set to a range that does not affect fault diagnosis or inspection item determination when notifying Cloud 4 of each operating value.

[0048] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for transmitting operating values ​​to the cloud 4 by the indoor unit 2D shown in Figure 9. First, the cloud transmission unit 24 obtains the indoor unit operating value from the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 (step S31). The indoor unit operating value obtained here corresponds to the current indoor unit operating value. The cloud transmission unit 24 calculates the difference between the previously stored indoor unit operating value and the current indoor unit operating value obtained in step S31 (step S32).

[0049] The cloud transmission unit 24 determines whether the difference calculated in step S32 is greater than or equal to the second threshold (step S33). If the difference is greater than or equal to the second threshold (step S33: Yes), the cloud transmission unit 24 transmits the current indoor unit operating value to the cloud 4 (step S34). The cloud transmission unit 24 also stores the transmitted current indoor unit operating value (step S35). The indoor unit operating value stored here is used as the previous indoor unit operating value when the procedure shown in Figure 10 is executed next. If the difference calculated in step S32 is less than the second threshold (step S33: No), the processing in steps S34 and S35 is omitted, and the transmission procedure in Figure 10 ends.

[0050] The transmission procedure shown in Figure 10 is executed, for example, each time the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23 acquires an indoor unit operating value. Furthermore, if multiple types of operating values ​​are acquired, the transmission procedure shown in Figure 10 is executed for each type of operating value. In other words, the difference between the previous indoor unit operating value and the current indoor unit operating value is calculated for each type of operating value, and a decision is made for each type of operating value whether or not to send it to the cloud 4.

[0051] As described above, the air conditioner 10D according to Embodiment 4 can achieve the same effects as the air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the air conditioner 10D has a cloud transmission unit 24, which is an external transmission unit that determines whether or not to transmit the current operating value to an external device, the cloud 4, based on the difference between the current operating value and the previous operating value. Specifically, the cloud transmission unit 24 transmits the current indoor unit operating value to the cloud 4 if the difference between the current indoor unit operating value and the previous indoor unit operating value is greater than or equal to a second threshold, and does not transmit the current indoor unit operating value to the cloud if the difference between the current indoor unit operating value and the previous indoor unit operating value is less than the second threshold. This makes it possible to reduce the amount of communication to the cloud 4.

[0052] In Embodiment 4, the cloud transmission unit 24 has the function of transmitting indoor unit operating values ​​to the cloud 4. However, if the outdoor unit 1 has the function of acquiring outdoor unit operating values, the cloud transmission unit 24 may transmit the outdoor unit operating values ​​received by the indoor unit 2D from the outdoor unit 1 to the cloud 4. In this case as well, the cloud transmission unit 24 can decide whether or not to transmit the outdoor unit operating values ​​to the cloud 4 for each type of outdoor unit operating value, based on whether or not the difference is greater than or equal to a second threshold.

[0053] Embodiment 5. Figure 11 shows the configuration of the air conditioner 10E according to Embodiment 5. The air conditioner 10E includes an outdoor unit 1E, an indoor unit 2E, and a transmission period setting unit 5. In Embodiment 5, a transmission period is set for the period during which operating values ​​are transmitted, and operating values ​​are not transmitted outside of this period. Here, an example of setting a transmission period for the outdoor unit operating values ​​will be described.

[0054] The transmission period setting unit 5 has the function of setting the transmission period, for example, by using a remote controller, a storage medium, or by transmitting data indicating the transmission period via a network such as the cloud 4. The transmission period setting unit 5 outputs transmission period information indicating the set transmission period to the indoor unit determination unit 21E. In addition to the functions of the indoor unit determination unit 21, the indoor unit determination unit 21E notifies the outdoor unit 1E of the transmission period information output by the transmission period setting unit 5 via the outdoor unit communication unit 22. Here, the transmission period setting unit 5 has the function of communicating with the indoor unit 2E and outputs the transmission period information to the indoor unit 2E, but the transmission period setting unit 5 may also be configured to output the transmission period information directly to the outdoor unit 1E.

[0055] The outdoor unit 1E includes a calculation unit 11, an indoor unit communication unit 12, an outdoor unit determination unit 13E, and an outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14. The outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14 acquires the outdoor unit operating value and outputs the acquired outdoor unit operating value to the outdoor unit determination unit 13E.

[0056] The outdoor unit determination unit 13E receives transmission period information indicating the transmission period set by the transmission period setting unit 5 via the indoor unit 2E, and uses the received transmission period information to determine whether the outdoor unit operating value is a target to be transmitted to the indoor unit 2E. Specifically, if the outdoor unit determination unit 13E acquires the outdoor unit operating value within the transmission period, it determines that the current outdoor unit operating value is a target to be transmitted and transmits the current outdoor unit operating value to the indoor unit 2E using the indoor unit communication unit 12. If it is outside the transmission period, it determines that the current outdoor unit operating value is not a target to be transmitted and does not transmit it to the indoor unit 2E.

[0057] The indoor unit determination unit 21E of the indoor unit 2E has, in addition to the functions of the indoor unit determination unit 21, the function of notifying the outdoor unit 1E of the transmission period setting unit 5 output, as described above, and the function of outputting the outdoor unit operating values ​​received from the outdoor unit 1E via the outdoor unit communication unit 22 to the cloud transmission unit 24E. Furthermore, the cloud transmission unit 24E has, in addition to the functions of the cloud transmission unit 24, the function of transmitting the outdoor unit operating values ​​to the cloud 4. Note that, like the cloud transmission unit 24, the cloud transmission unit 24E may decide whether or not to transmit all input operating values ​​to the cloud 4 using the difference from the previous value and a second threshold, but here, the same processing as the cloud transmission unit 24 is performed for indoor unit operating values, and for outdoor unit operating values, all outdoor unit operating values ​​that the outdoor unit determination unit 13E has determined to be subject to transmission are transmitted to the cloud 4.

[0058] Furthermore, the transmission period can be set for operational values ​​whose importance changes seasonally, such as data used for defrost control, or for operational values ​​whose importance changes depending on the time of acquisition, such as data used for control to ensure comfortable sleep. This allows users to arbitrarily change the period for which they wish to collect operational values. For example, the transmission period may be set in units of several months, such as from December to March, or it may be set by time of day, such as from 10 PM to 7 AM every day.

[0059] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for transmitting outdoor unit operating values ​​to Cloud 4 in the air conditioner 10E shown in Figure 11. The outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14 acquires the outdoor unit operating value (step S41). The outdoor unit operating value acquired here corresponds to the current outdoor unit operating value. When the outdoor unit determination unit 13E acquires the current outdoor unit operating value acquired by the outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14, it determines whether or not it is within the transmission period (step S42).

[0060] If it is within the transmission period (Step S42: Yes), the outdoor unit determination unit 13E determines that the current outdoor unit operating value is to be transmitted and transmits the current outdoor unit operating value to the indoor unit 2E (Step S43). When the cloud transmission unit 24E receives the outdoor unit operating value via the outdoor unit communication unit 22 and the indoor unit determination unit 21E, it transmits the outdoor unit operating value received from the outdoor unit 1E to the cloud 4 (Step S44). If it is outside the transmission period (Step S42: No), the processes in Steps S43 and S44 are omitted, the outdoor unit operating value is not transmitted to the cloud 4, and the procedure in Figure 12 ends.

[0061] As described above, the air conditioner 10E according to Embodiment 5 can achieve the same effects as the air conditioner 10A according to Embodiment 1. Furthermore, the air conditioner 10E according to Embodiment 5 further includes a transmission period setting unit 5 that accepts input for the period during which operating values ​​are collected. When multiple types of operating values ​​are acquired, the transmission period setting unit 5 can accept input for the period during which operating values ​​are collected for each type of target operating value. The outdoor unit determination unit 13E, which is a determination unit, determines that the outdoor unit operating value is not a target for transmission if it is outside the transmission period set by the transmission period setting unit 5, regardless of the magnitude of the difference between the comparison reference value and the current outdoor unit operating value. Note that here, if it is within the transmission period, the outdoor unit determination unit 13E determines that the current outdoor unit operating value is a target for transmission regardless of the magnitude of the difference between the comparison reference value and the current outdoor unit operating value. However, if it is within the transmission period, it may determine whether or not it is a target for transmission based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current outdoor unit operating value.

[0062] Furthermore, the air conditioner 10E has a cloud transmission unit 24E, which is an external transmission unit, that transmits outdoor unit operating values, which are determined to be eligible for transmission based on transmission period information by the outdoor unit determination unit 13E, which is a determination unit, to the cloud 4, which is an external device. This makes it possible to limit the outdoor unit operating values ​​transmitted to the cloud 4 to those acquired within the transmission period, thereby reducing the amount of communication to the cloud 4.

[0063] In this example, the transmission period setting unit 5 sets the transmission period for the outdoor unit operating values ​​acquired by the outdoor unit 1E, but the same transmission period can also be set for the indoor unit operating values ​​acquired by the indoor unit 2E.

[0064] Embodiment 6. Figure 13 shows the configuration of the air conditioner 10F according to Embodiment 6. The air conditioner 10F has multiple indoor units 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 connected to one outdoor unit 1F. Indoor unit 2F is connected to Cloud 4, and the indoor unit operating values ​​acquired by each indoor unit 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 are aggregated at outdoor unit 1F, and the aggregated operating values, which are the operating values ​​aggregated at outdoor unit 1F, are transmitted from outdoor unit 1F to Cloud 4 via indoor unit 2F.

[0065] Figure 14 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation of the air conditioner 10F shown in Figure 13. First, each indoor unit 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 transmits its operating values ​​to the outdoor unit 1F (step S101). The outdoor unit 1F generates a comparison reference value based on the received operating values ​​(step S102). The outdoor unit 1F transmits the generated comparison reference value to each of the indoor units 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 (step S103). Each of the indoor units 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 uses the received comparison reference value to determine whether the current operating value is a target for transmission, and if it is determined to be a target for transmission, it transmits the operating value to the outdoor unit 1F (step S104). The outdoor unit 1F aggregates the operating values ​​(step S105) and transmits the generated aggregated operating value to the indoor unit 2F (step S106). The indoor unit on the 2nd floor sends aggregated operating values ​​to Cloud 4 (step S107).

[0066] Furthermore, the process described in Embodiment 1 above, which determines whether an operating value is to be transmitted using a comparison reference value and a first threshold value, may be performed, for example, on the operating value transmitted in step S104, or on the aggregated operating value transmitted from the outdoor unit 1F to the indoor unit 2F in step S106.

[0067] Figure 15 shows a detailed configuration of the air conditioner 10F according to Embodiment 6. Note that Figure 15 shows the outdoor unit 1F and indoor unit 2F of the air conditioner 10F shown in Figure 13, and indoor units 2-1 to 2-3 are omitted as they are the same as indoor unit 2 according to Embodiment 1.

[0068] The outdoor unit 1F comprises a calculation unit 11B, an indoor unit communication unit 12, an outdoor unit determination unit 13F, and an outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14. The calculation unit 11B calculates a comparison reference value for both the indoor unit operating value and the outdoor unit operating value. The calculation unit 11B transmits the comparison reference value calculated for the indoor unit operating value to the indoor unit 2F using the indoor unit communication unit 12, and outputs the comparison reference value calculated for the outdoor unit operating value to the outdoor unit determination unit 13F.

[0069] The outdoor unit determination unit 13F has an aggregation unit 131 that aggregates operating values ​​received from multiple indoor units 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 to generate aggregated operating values. The outdoor unit determination unit 13F can generate aggregated operating values ​​based on the indoor unit operating values ​​received from indoor units 2F, 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 and the outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14. The outdoor unit determination unit 13F transmits the aggregated operating values ​​generated by the aggregation unit 131 to indoor unit 2F using the indoor unit communication unit 12.

[0070] The indoor unit detection unit 21F on the 2nd floor of the indoor unit receives aggregated operating values ​​from the outdoor unit 1st floor and outputs the received aggregated operating values ​​to the cloud transmission unit 24. The cloud transmission unit 24 transmits the input aggregated operating values ​​to the cloud 4. The cloud transmission unit 24 can transmit all of the input aggregated operating values ​​to the cloud 4. Because the indoor unit detection unit 21F limits the amount of indoor unit operating values ​​transmitted to the outdoor unit 1st floor, even if the cloud transmission unit 24 transmits all operating values ​​to the cloud 4, the amount of indoor unit operating values ​​transmitted to the cloud 4 will be only a portion of the indoor unit operating values ​​acquired by the indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23, thus reducing the amount of communication to the cloud 4. Furthermore, if the outdoor unit detection unit 13F limits the amount of operating values ​​transmitted from the outdoor unit 1st floor to the indoor unit 2nd floor, even if the cloud transmission unit 24 transmits all operating values ​​to the cloud 4, the amount of communication to the cloud 4 can be reduced.

[0071] Furthermore, as described in Embodiment 4, the cloud transmission unit 24 may limit the operational values ​​to be transmitted to the cloud 4 using the previous operational value and a second threshold. In this case, the amount of data transmitted to the cloud 4 can be further reduced.

[0072] Here, we will describe the hardware configuration for realizing the functions of the air conditioners 10A to 10F according to Embodiments 1 to 6. The functions of the calculation units 11, 11B, outdoor unit determination units 13, 13E, 13F, outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit 14, indoor unit determination units 21, 21C, 21E, 21F, indoor unit operating value acquisition unit 23, and cloud transmission units 24, 24E are realized by processing circuits. These processing circuits may be realized by dedicated hardware or by control circuits using a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0073] When the above processing circuits are implemented using dedicated hardware, they are implemented by the processing circuit 90 shown in Figure 16. Figure 16 is a diagram showing the dedicated hardware for implementing the functions of the air conditioners 10A to 10F according to Embodiments 1 to 6. The processing circuit 90 may be a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

[0074] When the above processing circuit is implemented using a control circuit with a CPU, this control circuit is, for example, a control circuit 91 with the configuration shown in Figure 17. Figure 17 is a diagram showing the configuration of a control circuit 91 for realizing the functions of air conditioners 10A to 10F according to Embodiments 1 to 6. As shown in Figure 17, the control circuit 91 comprises a processor 92 and a memory 93. The processor 92 is a CPU, also called a processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, DSP (Digital Signal Processor), etc. The memory 93 is, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Registered Trademark) (Electrically EPROM), magnetic disk, flexible disk, optical disk, compact disk, minidisc, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), etc.

[0075] When the above processing circuit is implemented by the control circuit 91, it is implemented by the processor 92 reading and executing a program corresponding to the processing of each component stored in the memory 93. The memory 93 is also used as temporary memory for each process executed by the processor 92. The program executed by the processor 92 may be provided in a state stored on a storage medium, or it may be provided via a communication channel such as the internet.

[0076] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and it is possible to combine them with other known technologies, combine different embodiments, and omit or modify parts of the configuration without departing from the gist of the invention.

[0077] For example, in embodiments 4 to 7 described above, the cloud transmission units 24 and 24E are provided in the indoor units 2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F, but a separate communication device may also have the functions of the cloud transmission units 24 and 24E. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 1,1B,1E,1F Outdoor unit, 2,2-1~2-4,2C,2D,2E,2F Indoor unit, 3 Threshold setting unit, 4 Cloud, 5 Transmission period setting unit, 10A,10B,10C,10D,10E,10F Air conditioner, 11,11B Calculation unit, 12 Indoor unit communication unit, 13,13E,13F Outdoor unit determination unit, 14 Outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit, 21,21C,21E,21F Indoor unit determination unit, 22 Outdoor unit communication unit, 23 Indoor unit operating value acquisition unit, 24,24E Cloud transmission unit, 90 Processing circuit, 91 Control circuit, 92 Processor, 93 Memory, 121,222 Transmission unit, 122,221 Receiving unit, 131 Aggregation unit.

Claims

1. An operating value acquisition unit acquires operating values, which are values ​​obtained in conjunction with the operation of the air conditioner, A calculation unit that calculates a comparison reference value based on the aforementioned operating value, A determination unit determines whether the operating value is a transmission target to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current operating value acquired by the operating value acquisition unit. A communication unit transmits the operating values ​​determined to be to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit according to the determination result of the determination unit, and does not transmit the operating values ​​determined not to be to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. An air conditioner equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the operating value includes at least one of environmental information measuring the state of the environment and operating information indicating the operating conditions of the air conditioner.

3. The aforementioned comparison reference value is information based on at least one of the mean, median, maximum, and minimum values ​​of a plurality of aforementioned operating values. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

4. The calculation unit calculates the comparison reference value for each type of operating value. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

5. The determination unit determines that the operating value is to be transmitted if the difference between the operating value and the comparison reference value is equal to or greater than the first threshold. An air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A threshold setting unit that receives input of the first threshold used by the determination unit. To further enhance The air conditioner according to claim 5.

7. A transmission period setting unit that accepts input for the period during which the aforementioned operating values ​​are collected. To further enhance An air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. The transmission period setting unit receives input for the period during which the operating values ​​are collected, for each type of operating value to be collected. The air conditioner according to claim 7.

9. The determination unit determines that the operating value is not to be transmitted if it is outside the period for collecting the operating value set by the transmission period setting unit, regardless of the magnitude of the difference between the comparison reference value and the current operating value. The air conditioner according to claim 7.

10. An external transmission unit determines whether or not to transmit the current operating value to an external device based on the difference between the current operating value and the previous operating value. To further enhance An air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

11. The external transmission unit transmits the current operating value to the external device if the difference between the current operating value and the previous operating value is equal to or greater than the second threshold, and does not transmit the current operating value to the external device if the difference between the current operating value and the previous operating value is less than the second threshold. The air conditioner according to claim 10.

12. External transmission unit that transmits the operating value determined by the determination unit to be a target for transmission to an external device. To further enhance An air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

13. The calculation unit aggregates the operating values ​​obtained from the indoor unit and the outdoor unit of the air conditioner, The external transmission unit transmits the aggregated operating values ​​to the external device. The air conditioner according to claim 10.

14. The aforementioned operating value acquisition unit is provided in the indoor unit and includes an indoor unit operating value acquisition unit that acquires the aforementioned operating value of the indoor unit. The determination unit includes an indoor unit determination unit provided in the indoor unit, which determines whether or not to transmit the operating value of the indoor unit to the outdoor unit using the comparison reference value calculated for the operating value of the indoor unit, The calculation unit is provided in the outdoor unit, The communication unit is provided in the indoor unit and includes an outdoor unit communication unit that transmits the operating value from the indoor unit to the outdoor unit according to the determination result of the determination unit. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

15. The outdoor unit is connected to a plurality of the indoor units. The calculation unit calculates the comparison reference value based on the operating values ​​obtained from the multiple indoor units. The air conditioner according to claim 14.

16. The aforementioned operating value acquisition unit is provided in the outdoor unit and includes an outdoor unit operating value acquisition unit that acquires the aforementioned operating value of the outdoor unit. The determination unit includes an outdoor unit determination unit provided in the outdoor unit, which determines whether the operating value of the outdoor unit is the target of the transmission, using the comparison reference value calculated for the operating value of the outdoor unit. The air conditioner according to claim 1.

17. Air conditioner and, An external device that collects operating values, which are values ​​obtained in conjunction with the operation of the air conditioner, from the air conditioner, In an air conditioning system equipped with, The aforementioned air conditioner is A unit for acquiring the aforementioned operating values, A calculation unit that calculates a comparison reference value based on the aforementioned operating value, A determination unit determines whether the operating value is a transmission target to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit, based on the difference between the comparison reference value and the current operating value acquired by the operating value acquisition unit. A communication unit transmits the operating values ​​determined to be to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit according to the determination result of the determination unit, and does not transmit the operating values ​​determined not to be to be transmitted between the indoor unit and the outdoor unit. An air conditioning system equipped with [specific features / features].

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