Address setting device, refrigeration cycle system, and address setting method

Abstract

An address setting device for setting an address related to communication with a plurality of apparatuses which are connected in a system comprises: an initial address determining unit for determining, for each apparatus in the system, an initial address to serve as an initial value; a modified address determining unit for deciding, on the basis of the operation states of the apparatuses while the system is working, an order of the apparatuses for which communication should be prioritized, and determining an address based on the order; and an address setting unit for setting an address related to the determinations of the initial address determining unit and the modified address determining unit.

Description

Address setting device, refrigeration cycle system and address setting method

[0001] This technology relates to an address setting device, a refrigeration cycle system, and an address setting method for setting addresses used for communication to communicable devices within a system, and in particular to setting addresses for units constituting a refrigeration cycle device.

[0002] In facilities, refrigeration cycle devices having multiple units such as heat source units and indoor units are installed to perform air conditioning and other functions. Refrigeration cycle devices are combined with other devices to form refrigeration cycle systems. In refrigeration cycle systems, a system is established for communication between the devices, allowing for coordinated operation and management of the devices. In a refrigeration cycle system, a unique number or other address is assigned to each device. When communicating within the system, the control devices of each device use the address to identify each device.

[0003] One method for setting an address is to operate a dip switch on the device. Also, when setting an address in a communication terminal having a terminal, the communication terminal and an address setting device are directly connected via the terminal. A communication terminal has been proposed in which the address setting device applies an address input based on a voltage level via the terminal and stores the set address in memory (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Another method has been proposed in which an address setting device is provided to automatically set an address in each unit (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] JP 2020-123886 A JP 2005-098567 A

[0005] Here, as the number of devices communicating within the system increases, the volume of communication also increases, and signal collisions may occur depending on the timing. Therefore, conditions can be established, such as giving priority to communication by devices with smaller address numbers, and the timing can be adjusted to prevent signal collisions.

[0006] However, devices that require detailed control, such as those installed in locations with high thermal loads, tend to communicate frequently. Furthermore, there is a demand for acquiring data at short intervals to understand the operating status of units that have devices that require monitoring due to aging or malfunction. Therefore, it is desirable to prioritize communications for these devices, but which devices should receive priority communication can only be determined after the system is operational.

[0007] When setting an address as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to connect to an address setting device and set the address. Therefore, when trying to change the address after the unit has been installed in the attic, for example, it is difficult and inefficient to connect the unit to the address setting device. Furthermore, when setting an address as in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to change the set address.

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an address setting device, a refrigeration cycle system, and an address setting method that can automatically and dynamically change address settings.

[0009] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the disclosed address setting device is an address setting device that sets communication-related addresses for multiple devices connected within a system, and is equipped with an initial address determination unit that determines an initial address that serves as an initial value for each device within the system, a modified address determination unit that determines the order of devices that will have priority for communication based on the operating status of the devices while the system is running and determines an address based on the order, and an address setting unit that sets the addresses determined by the initial address determination unit and the modified address determination unit.

[0010] In addition, the disclosed refrigeration cycle system is configured by communicatively connecting at least two devices, namely, a heat source unit, an indoor unit, a water heater and a refrigerator, a ventilation device, and a remote controller, related to the refrigeration cycle device, with the above-mentioned address setting device, and the address setting device sets the addresses of the devices.

[0011] The disclosed address setting method is an address setting method for setting communication addresses for multiple devices connected within a system, and includes the steps of determining an initial address that will serve as an initial value for each device within the system and setting the address, and determining the order in which devices are to have priority for communication based on the operating status of the devices while the system is running, determining an address based on the order, and changing the setting to the determined address.

[0012] In the disclosed address setting device, the initial address determination unit automatically determines the initial address, and the changed address determination unit determines the address in order of communication priority based on the operating status of the devices while the system is running. By changing the initial address to an address in order of priority, the order of priority devices can be dynamically changed depending on the operating status of the devices, allowing for efficient communication within the system.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigeration cycle system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for address setting according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating pre-regulations according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for determining an initial address based on pre-condition data according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigeration cycle system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a refrigeration cycle system according to a third embodiment.

[0014] The following describes address setting devices and other devices according to embodiments, with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, components with the same reference numerals are identical or equivalent, and this applies throughout the entire description of the embodiments described below. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships between components in the drawings may differ from those in reality. The configurations of components shown throughout the specification are merely illustrative and are not limited to those described in the specification. In particular, the combinations of components are not limited to those in each embodiment, and components described in other embodiments may be applied to other embodiments. Furthermore, the levels of pressure, temperature, and the like are not determined in relation to absolute values, but are determined relatively in terms of the state, operation, and so forth, of the device. When multiple similar devices are distinguished by subscripts, the subscripts may be omitted if there is no need to distinguish or identify them.

[0015] Embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a refrigeration cycle system according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the refrigeration cycle system in embodiment 1 is a system configured with a refrigeration cycle device having a refrigerant circuit in which a heat source unit 100 and a plurality of load units 200 are connected by piping 400. Here, the configurations of the refrigeration cycle device and the refrigeration cycle system in Fig. 1 are merely examples and are not limiting.

[0016] The refrigeration cycle apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a heat source unit 100 and a load unit 200 as components. The refrigeration cycle apparatus is configured by connecting the heat source unit 100 and five load units 200 (load unit 200A, load unit 200B, load unit 200C, load unit 200D, and load unit 200E) via piping 400. The heat source unit 100 sends a refrigerant, which serves as a heat source, to the load units 200. The load units 200 are units that use the refrigerant sent from the heat source unit 100 to heat or cool a thermal load. The thermal load of the load units 200 can be, for example, air, water, or an object. Therefore, the load units 200 can be, for example, an indoor unit that conditions the air in a room to be air-conditioned, a water heater that heats water to provide hot water, or a refrigerator that cools an object to be cooled.

[0017] Each unit in the first embodiment includes not only an operating device that heats or cools the thermal load, but also a communication and control device. Here, the configuration of the communication and control device in the system (hereinafter referred to as the control device) will be mainly described.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, in the refrigeration cycle system of embodiment 1, the heat source unit 100, which is an equipment, and each load unit 200 are connected to each other via a communication line 300 so that they can communicate with each other, and signals containing various data can be communicated.

[0019] The heat source unit 100 has operating system devices such as a compressor (not shown), a heat exchanger (not shown), a throttling device (not shown), and a heat source fan (not shown). The heat source unit 100 also has control system devices such as a heat source-side control device 110, a heat source-side communication device 120, and a heat source-side storage device 130. Here, the heat source-side control device 110, the heat source-side communication device 120, and the heat source-side storage device 130 are each considered to be independent devices, but for example, these devices may be installed on a board and configured as a single control device.

[0020] The heat source side control device 110 in embodiment 1 controls the operating system devices of the heat source unit 100. The heat source side control device 110 in embodiment 1 is particularly an address setting device, and performs processing related to setting the initial address used by each unit when communicating within the system and setting changes to the address. For this reason, the heat source side control device 110 in embodiment 1 particularly has an address determination unit 111, an address setting unit 112, and an operating state acquisition unit 113. Processing other than that performed by the address determination unit 111, the address setting unit 112, and the operating state acquisition unit 113 is performed by the heat source side control device 110.

[0021] The address determination unit 111 performs a determination process to determine an address to be assigned to each unit in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. In the first embodiment, the address determination unit 111 includes an initial address determination unit 111A and an altered address determination unit 111B. The initial address determination unit 111A determines an initial address, which is an address to be set as an initial value for each unit when the refrigeration cycle apparatus is installed in a facility. The initial address determination unit 111A may randomly determine the initial address. However, in this embodiment, the initial address determination unit 111A determines the initial address based on a predefined initial address determination condition, for example. However, this is not limited to this. By predefining an optimal address determination method, more efficient communication between devices can be achieved even in the early stages of system operation. The altered address determination unit 111B determines an altered address for each unit based on the operating status of each unit and performs address alteration processing. The altered address is determined based on a priority order when signal transmission timings overlap on the communication line 300.

[0022] The address setting unit 112 performs setting processing on the address determined by the address determination unit 111, and stores the address as data in an address storage unit 131 of the heat source side storage device 130, which will be described later.

[0023] The operating state acquisition unit 113 acquires data indicating the operating state contained in signals sent from each load unit 200 via the communication line 300, performs processing such as associating the data with an address, and stores the operating data in an operating data storage unit 132 of the heat source side storage device 130, which will be described later. Here, the operating state data is data indicating the operating state of the unit, such as the operation history by the user, the operating time, the time it takes to reach the set temperature, and the state of the equipment in the unit. The processing performed by the heat source side control device 110 will be described later.

[0024] The heat source-side communication device 120 is connected to the communication line 300, serves as an interface for signal communication between the communication line 300 and the heat source-side control device 110, and transmits and receives various signals. Unless otherwise specified, communication between the heat source-side control device 110 and other devices is assumed to be performed via the heat source-side communication device 120 and the communication line 300.

[0025] The heat source-side storage device 130 also temporarily or long-term stores data required for the heat source-side control device 110 to perform processing. Here, the heat source-side storage device 130 particularly has an address storage unit 131 and an operating data storage unit 132. The address storage unit 131 stores address data set by the address setting unit 112. The operating data storage unit 132 also stores operating data of each unit acquired by the operating state acquisition unit 113.

[0026] Here, the heat source-side control device 110 is typically configured with a device that performs control and arithmetic processing, such as a microcomputer centered around a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The heat source-side control device 110 pre-programs the processing procedures performed by each unit and executes the program to realize the processing of each unit. Here, for example, the heat source-side storage device 130 stores the program data. However, the realization of processing is not limited to program execution alone, and each unit may be configured with a separate dedicated device to realize the processing. The heat source-side storage device 130 also has a volatile storage device (not shown) such as random access memory (RAM) that can temporarily store data, and a hard disk, a non-volatile auxiliary storage device (not shown) such as flash memory that can store data for the long term.

[0027] The load unit 200 also has a heat exchanger (not shown) and an indoor fan (not shown) as operating system devices, and a load-side control device 210, a load-side communication device 220, and a load-side storage device 230 as control system devices. Here, the load-side control device 210, the load-side communication device 220, and the load-side storage device 230 are each considered to be independent devices, but for example, these devices may be installed on a board and configured as a single control device.

[0028] The load-side control device 210 controls the operating devices of the load unit 200. The load-side control device 210 also has an address registration unit 211. The address registration unit 211 performs processing to set the address determined by the address determination unit 111 of the heat source-side control device 110 for its own load unit 200 to be controlled, based on a signal sent from the heat source unit 100. The load-side control device 210 also performs processing other than the processing in the address registration unit 211.

[0029] The load-side communication device 220 is connected to the communication line 300, serves as an interface for signal communication between the communication line 300 and the load-side control device 210, and transmits and receives various signals. Unless otherwise specified, communication between the load-side control device 210 and other devices is assumed to be performed via the load-side communication device 220 and the communication line 300.

[0030] The load-side storage device 230 also stores data required for processing by the load-side control device 210. The load-side storage device 230 particularly has an address storage unit 231, which is a non-volatile auxiliary storage device (not shown), and stores and registers data of addresses determined by the address determination unit 111 of the heat source-side control device 110.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the procedure for address setting according to the first embodiment. The address setting process in Fig. 2 will be described as a process performed by the heat source side control device 110, which serves as the address setting device, according to each step. For example, when a refrigeration cycle device is installed in a facility and a refrigeration cycle system is configured, each load unit 200 sends a signal including identification data for identifying the load unit 200, such as the model and serial number. The heat source side control device 110 acquires the identification data (step S1).

[0032] In the address determination unit 111 of the heat source side control device 110, the initial address determination unit 111A determines the initial address of each unit based on the identification data and the predefined settings (step S2). Here, the predefined settings in the first embodiment include address recommendation setting data that classifies addresses in advance based on the model, and priority condition data that indicates the priority conditions for determining the priority order. The determination of the initial address will be described later.

[0033] The address setting unit 112 stores the data of the initial addresses of each unit determined by the initial address determination unit 111A in the address storage unit 131 of the heat source side storage device 130 (step S3). Furthermore, the address setting unit 112 sends a signal including the data of the initial addresses determined by the initial address determination unit 111A to the load side control device 210 of each load unit 200 via the communication line 300.

[0034] When the heat source-side control device 110 determines that the system has started operating (step S4), the operating status acquisition unit 113 of the heat source-side control device 110 acquires operating status data indicating the operating status contained in signals sent from each unit at set intervals. The operating status acquisition unit 113 also creates operating data that associates the operating status data with the addresses of each unit. The operating status acquisition unit 113 stores the operating data in the operating data storage unit 132 of the heat source-side storage device 130 (step S5).

[0035] When the heat source side control device 110 determines that the operation of the refrigeration cycle system has elapsed for a certain period of time (step S6), the change address determination unit 111B in the address determination unit 111 of the heat source side control device 110 analyzes the operating data (step S7). Here, the certain period is, for example, one month. Then, the change address determination unit 111B determines the change address of each unit based on the analysis (step S8). Here, the change address determination unit 111B performs the process of determining the change address when the operation of the refrigeration cycle system has elapsed for a certain period of time, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the change address determination unit 111B may perform the process of determining whether to determine the change address based on the analysis of the operating data.

[0036] Here, the analysis of operating data performed by the change address determination unit 111B will be described. As mentioned above, the operating status data includes the operating time. Therefore, here, the change address determination unit 111B determines the communication priority order based on the operating time and changes the addresses to consecutive addresses in order of priority, starting with the smallest number, regardless of the initial address. For example, if a unit operates for a long time, the operating devices within the unit will deteriorate, making the unit or its equipment more likely to malfunction. Therefore, the heat source side control device 110 shortens the intervals at which it acquires operating status data to perform detailed monitoring. At this time, to minimize signal transmission wait times and prevent communication delays, the priority of communication is increased. Here, the change address determination unit 111B does not have to be based on the operating time. The change address determination unit 111B may also perform analysis based on other operating status data or a combination of multiple operating status data to determine the change address of each unit.

[0037] Then, the address setting unit 112 stores the data of the changed addresses in each unit determined by the changed address determination unit 111B in the address storage unit 131 of the heat source-side storage device 130 (step S9). Furthermore, the address setting unit 112 sends a signal including the data of the changed addresses determined by the changed address determination unit 111B to the load-side control device 210 of each load unit 200 via the communication line 300 (step S10). Then, the heat source-side control device 110 returns to step S5, and repeatedly creates operating data and determines changed addresses based on steps S6 to S10 at a fixed frequency.

[0038] As described above, in step S5, the operating status acquisition unit 113 periodically acquires operating status data indicating the operating status contained in signals sent from each unit and creates operating data. At this time, the heat source-side control device 110, which serves as the address setting device, may detect signs of malfunction due to breakdown, deterioration, or failure of an operating device within the unit, such as an abnormal change in the compressor drive frequency, based on the acquired operating data. The change address determination unit 111B of the heat source-side control device 110 may then immediately determine a new address upon detecting a sign of malfunction within the unit, without waiting for the timing for setting the new address determined periodically in step S6. In this case, for example, the change address determination unit 111B does not need to strictly determine new addresses for all units. For example, the change address determination unit 111B may determine a new address for a unit for which a sign of malfunction has been detected, by interrupting a communication priority number, and the address setting unit 112 may urgently set the new address. At this time, the change address number after the interruption may be shifted. In addition, when the address of a unit that has detected signs of malfunction is urgently changed, the heat source side control device 110, which serves as the address setting device, may notify an administrator, maintenance company, etc. by sending a signal containing information about the address change, the unit that has been changed, and the reason for the change.

[0039] As described above, the operating status acquisition unit 113 of the heat source-side control device 110 is described as acquiring operating status data indicating the operating status contained in signals sent from each unit at regular intervals. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the operating status acquisition unit 113 may acquire operating status data of a unit that has detected signs of malfunction at intervals shorter than the regular intervals. By acquiring operating status data at shorter intervals than other units and increasing the acquisition frequency, the heat source-side control device 110 can monitor the unit that has detected signs of malfunction more closely. Because a small address number is assigned to the unit that has detected signs of malfunction, signal delays can be prevented, enabling efficient communication. Also, although the operating status data of a unit that has detected signs of malfunction is described here as being acquired at intervals shorter than the regular intervals, the number of types of operating status data may be increased, for example.

[0040] Here, in step S9 described above, the address setting unit 112 stores the data of the changed address determined by the changed address determination unit 111B in the address memory unit 131 of the heat source side memory device 130. At this time, the initial address stored in the address memory unit 131 is overwritten, but this is not limited to this. For example, the initial address may be stored in a different area. Also, when the changed address is further changed to another changed address and stored in the address memory unit 131, it may be stored in a different area in the same way. By recording and analyzing the address change history, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction in the unit.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the pre-determination according to the first embodiment. As described above, the pre-determination according to the first embodiment includes recommended address setting data. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 3 , addresses are classified according to the type of device. When the device is a heat source unit 100, addresses 000 to 010 are assigned. When the device is a water heater that is a load unit 200, addresses 011 to 030 are assigned. When the device is an indoor unit that is a load unit 200, addresses 031 to 100 are assigned. When the device is a chiller that is a load unit 200, addresses 101 to 120 are assigned. Here, the classification of the initial addresses of the units that constitute the refrigeration cycle device has been described, but initial addresses may also be specified for devices other than the units that constitute the refrigeration cycle device.

[0042] As mentioned above, the predefined settings include priority condition data. In the first embodiment, the priority condition is to prioritize communication between units with smaller addresses. Therefore, based on the predefined settings in FIG. 3, the water heater is set to have priority over the indoor unit based on the device classification in the initial address. Here, the predefined settings can set multiple conditions and priority conditions for setting the initial address, rather than just one. For example, it is possible to set device classifications or priority conditions, such as prioritizing addresses for units with model numbers that require more detailed management.

[0043] 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a procedure for determining an initial address based on precondition data according to embodiment 1. The initial address determination unit 111A of the heat source side control device 110 requests a signal including identification data from the load unit 200 (step S11). The requested load unit 200 transmits a signal including the identification data (step S21).

[0044] The initial address determination unit 111A determines the model of the load unit 200 based on the identification data included in the signal from the load unit 200 (step S12). Then, the initial address determination unit 111A determines an initial address based on the determined model based on the pre-defined rules shown in FIG. 3 (step S13). The initial address determination unit 111A determines whether there is a load unit 200 for which an initial address has not been set and registered (step S14). If the initial address determination unit 111A determines that there is a load unit 200 for which an initial address has not been set and registered, the initial address determination unit 111A repeats the above process to determine the initial addresses of each load unit 200 and causes the load-side control device 210 of the load unit 200 to set each initial address.

[0045] On the other hand, in the load-side control device 210 to which the address signal has been sent, the address registration unit 211 performs an address registration process (step S22). The address registration unit 211 stores the initial address data included in the sent address signal in the address storage unit 231 of the load-side storage device 230, and registers the initial address (step S23). The address registration unit 211 also performs a similar address registration process when an address signal including the above-mentioned changed address data is sent.

[0046] As described above, in the refrigeration cycle system having the address setting device in the first embodiment, the initial address determination unit 111A of the address determination unit 111 automatically sets the initial address based on the type of device. This eliminates the need to set the address using a DIP switch or the like, thereby improving the efficiency of installing the refrigeration cycle device. Furthermore, it also reduces the amount of work that an operator must do in a high place, such as above the ceiling.

[0047] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the change address determination unit 111B determines change addresses in order of communication priority based on the operating status of each unit in the refrigeration cycle system while it is running, and dynamically changes the addresses. Therefore, by setting addresses according to the operating status, it is possible to prioritize communications with units that require detailed control or data acquisition, and to efficiently communicate within the system. Furthermore, by changing the addresses of units within the system to addresses with consecutive numbers, it is possible to increase the number of units that can be connected for communication within the system, regardless of the model classification.

[0048] Embodiment 2. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a refrigeration cycle system according to embodiment 2. In Fig. 5, devices and the like that are assigned the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1 perform the same operations as those described in embodiment 1. An external device 500 in embodiment 2 is an external device other than the control device possessed by the unit in the refrigeration cycle apparatus. The external device 500 is, for example, a device capable of processing various types of data, such as a computer.

[0049] The external device 500 in the second embodiment has an external processing device 510 and an external storage device 520. The external processing device 510 has an address determination unit 511 and an operating state acquisition unit 512 similar to the address determination unit 111 and the operating state acquisition unit 113 described in the first embodiment. In addition, the external storage device 520 has an operating data storage unit 521 similar to the operating data storage unit 132.

[0050] In the first embodiment, the heat source side control device 110 that controls the heat source unit 100 of the refrigeration cycle device serves as an address setting device and sets addresses in the refrigeration cycle system. In the second embodiment, an external device 500 that is independent of the refrigeration cycle device serves as an address setting device and sets addresses in the refrigeration cycle device. The process related to address setting performed by the external device 500 is the same as the process described in the first embodiment.

[0051] 5, the external device 500 and the heat source unit 100 are directly connected by a communication line, but this is not limiting. For example, the external device 500 may include a communication device or the like and be communicatively connected via a public telecommunications line (not shown). In this case, the external device 500 may be a cloud server provided by a cloud service.

[0052] As described above, according to the refrigeration cycle system of embodiment 2, the external device 500 serves as an address setting device, and by setting the address of the refrigeration cycle system, the load on the control device that controls the operating system devices of the units within the refrigeration cycle device can be reduced.

[0053] Embodiment 3. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a refrigeration cycle system according to embodiment 3. In Figure 6, devices and the like that are assigned the same reference numerals as those in Figures 1 and 5 perform the same operations as those described in embodiments 1 and 2. In the external device 500 according to embodiment 3, the external processing device 510 has a property data creation unit 513, and the external storage device 520 has a property data storage unit 522. The property data creation unit 513 creates property data that associates identification data such as the type and serial number of each unit with an address. The property data storage unit 522 stores the property data as a database.

[0054] As described above, the address determination unit 111 determines an initial address in response to a signal including identification data for identifying each unit, such as the type of the load unit 200. The identification data also includes data for identifying the load unit 200, such as a serial number. For example, in drawings such as BIM (Building Information Modeling), data on the type of load unit 200, such as an air conditioner indoor unit and a water heater, can be obtained, but it is difficult to obtain individual data for each unit.

[0055] Therefore, in the external device 500 serving as the address setting device in the third embodiment, the property data creation unit 513 associates the identification data with the address based on the identification data acquired when performing the address setting process, and creates property data. Then, the property data creation unit 513 stores the property data in the property data storage unit 522. Therefore, the property of the refrigeration cycle device can be automatically identified.

[0056] For example, as described above, when the address setting device urgently changes the address of a unit that has detected signs of malfunction, the address setting device may include property data when sending a signal to notify an administrator, maintenance company, etc. By including property data, the administrator, etc., can obtain information such as the serial number of an operating device that is showing signs of malfunction and the address of the corresponding unit. This allows the administrator, etc., to take action such as investigating the cause of the malfunction and requesting further operating data.

[0057] Embodiment 4. In the above-described embodiment 1 and the like, address setting in the units constituting the refrigeration cycle device has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to devices that communicate within the refrigeration cycle system. For example, the present invention can be applied to control system devices other than devices constituting the refrigerant circuit, such as a remote controller. The present invention can also be applied to devices outside the refrigeration cycle device, such as a ventilation device. For example, by prioritizing communication with the remote controller, the refrigeration cycle system can respond more quickly to user operations, thereby improving user comfort.

[0058] In the first embodiment and other examples, the changed addresses are described as being sequential numbers in order of priority, but this is not limiting. For example, the changed addresses may be initial addresses to which branch numbers indicating the order of priority are added. For example, within a system, it is possible to distinguish and manage models whose addresses are set by DIP switches or the like from models whose addresses cannot be changed automatically, depending on whether or not they have branch numbers.

[0059] In the first embodiment and the like, the initial address determination unit 111A of the address determination unit 111 determines the initial address based on the recommended address setting data, but this is not limited to this. For example, the initial address determination unit 111A may determine the initial address by determining the model based on a drawing such as a BIM that shows the layout of the load units 200 in the facility. Furthermore, the initial address determination unit 111A may determine the load unit 200 that should have communication priority based on data related to the thermal load in the facility, and then determine the initial address.

[0060] 100 heat source unit, 110 heat source side control device, 111 address determination unit, 111A initial address determination unit, 111B changed address determination unit, 112 address setting unit, 113 operating state acquisition unit, 120 heat source side communication device, 130 heat source side memory device, 131 address memory unit, 132 operating data memory unit, 200, 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D, 200E load unit, 210 load side control device, 211 address registration unit, 220 load side communication device, 230 load side memory device, 231 address memory unit, 300 communication line, 400 piping, 500 external device, 510 external processing device, 511 address determination unit, 512 operating state acquisition unit, 513 property data creation unit, 520 external memory device, 521 operating data memory unit, 522 property data memory unit.

Claims

1. An address setting device that sets communication addresses for a plurality of devices connected within a system, a change address determination unit that determines an order of priority of the devices for communication based on the operating states of the devices while the system is running, and determines an address based on the order; an address setting unit that sets the address determined by the changed address determining unit; Equipped with The address setting device, wherein the change address determination unit, when detecting a device showing signs of malfunction based on the operating status of the device, determines an address to be prioritized for communication with the device showing signs of malfunction.

2. An initial address determination unit that determines an initial address that serves as an initial value for each of the devices in the system; 2. The address setting device according to claim 1, wherein the address setting unit sets the address determined by the initial address determination unit.

3. a property data creation unit that creates property data by associating identification data related to the device sent from the device in the system with the determined address; a property data storage unit that stores the property data; 3. The address setting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

4. 3. The address setting device according to claim 2, wherein the initial address determination unit determines the initial address of the device based on a predefined rule that is a predetermined condition.

5. 5. The address setting device according to claim 1, wherein the change address determination unit periodically determines the address based on the order based on the operating state of the device.

6. 5. An address setting device according to claim 1, 2 or 4, wherein when the address to be prioritized for communication is immediately determined, a signal including at least a notice that the address has been changed is sent.

7. 5. The address setting device according to claim 1, wherein the intervals at which data relating to the operating state of the device showing signs of malfunction are acquired are shorter than those at which data relating to the other devices are acquired.

8. At least two of the devices, which are a heat source unit, an indoor unit, a water heater and a refrigerator, a ventilation device, and a remote controller, related to a refrigeration cycle device; The address setting device according to claim 1, claim 2 or claim 4, and a communication connection therebetween, wherein the address setting device sets the addresses of the devices.

9. The refrigeration cycle system according to claim 8, wherein the address setting device is a control device of the heat source unit.

10. An address setting method for setting communication addresses for a plurality of devices connected in a system, comprising: An address setting method comprising the steps of, when a device showing signs of malfunction is detected based on the operating status of the device while the system is running, determining an order of priority for communication with the device showing signs of malfunction, determining an address based on the order, and changing the setting to the determined address.