Air conditioning system and protocol converter

Abstract

An air conditioning system and a protocol converter. The air conditioning system comprises an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, a temperature controller, and the protocol converter. The indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit. The temperature controller is configured to receive a user setting, generate a switch signal, and send the switch signal. The protocol converter comprises a main control board and a switch input detection assembly. The switch input detection assembly is configured to receive the switch signal sent by the temperature controller and send the switch signal to the main control board. The main control board identifies and processes the switch signal, generates a differential signal, and sends the differential signal to the indoor unit.

Description

Air conditioning system and protocol converter

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410664289.0, filed on May 27, 2024, and Chinese Patent Application No. 202421169469.3, filed on May 27, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and in particular, to an air conditioning system and a protocol converter. BACKGROUND

[0003] With the improvement of living standards, based on the demand of people for the thermal comfort, air conditioning systems have entered thousands of households and become an essential appliance in people's daily life. In the operation process of the air conditioning system, the refrigerant needs to circulate in the refrigerant circulation pipeline between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

[0004] SUMMARY

[0005] In one aspect, an air conditioning system is provided, which includes an outdoor unit, an indoor unit, a temperature controller, and a protocol converter. The indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit. The temperature controller is configured to generate and send a switching value signal in response to input information. The protocol converter includes a main control board and a switching value input detection component. The switching value input detection component is configured to receive the switching value signal sent by the temperature controller and send it to the main control board. The main control board identifies and processes the switching value signal and generates a differential signal to send to the indoor unit.

[0006] In another aspect, a protocol converter includes a housing, a main control board, a switching value input detection component, a power input interface, and a transformer. The main control board is disposed in the housing. The switching value input detection component is connected to a temperature controller through a switching value control interface and is configured to receive a switching value signal sent by the temperature controller and send it to the main control board. The main control board is connected to an indoor unit main board communication terminal through a differential communication interface. The power input interface is connected to an indoor unit main board power terminal and is configured to take power from the indoor unit main board. The transformer is connected to the power input interface and is configured to convert the alternating voltage taken from the indoor unit main board into the operating voltage required by the temperature controller and supply power to the temperature controller through the switching value control interface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0007] FIG. 1A is a structural diagram of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0008] FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0009] FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of communication connection of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0010] FIG. 2A is a flow chart of a control method of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0011] FIG. 2B is a flow chart of another control method of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0012] FIG. 2C is a flow chart of yet another control method of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a temperature adjustment curve graph in a cooling state of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a temperature adjustment curve graph in a heating state of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of system connection of a protocol converter according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG. 6 is a structural diagram of a protocol converter of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0017] FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the protocol converter of FIG. 6;

[0018] FIG. 8 is another exploded view of the protocol converter of FIG. 6;

[0019] FIG. 9 is a structural diagram of a base of a protocol converter of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0020] FIG. 10 is a structural diagram of an upper cover of a protocol converter of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0021] FIG. 11 is a structural diagram of a light guide column of a protocol converter of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0022] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the upper cover of the protocol converter of the air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0023] FIG. 13 is a bottom structural diagram of the base of the protocol converter of the air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0024] FIG. 14 is a communication principle block diagram of the protocol converter of the air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0025] FIG. 15 is an electrical wiring diagram of the protocol converter of the air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0026] FIG. 16 is a momentary or long stop detection circuit principle diagram of the protocol converter of the air conditioning system according to some embodiments;

[0027] FIG. 17 is a top view of an upper cover of a protocol converter of an air conditioning system according to some embodiments.

[0028] Reference signs:

[0029] Air conditioning system 2000; outdoor unit 200; compressor 201; four-way valve 202; first heat exchanger 203; first fan 204; expansion valve 205; indoor unit 3; second heat exchanger 210; second fan 300; temperature controller 2; protocol converter 1; main control board 301; switch input detection component 302; optocoupler isolator 3021; switch control interface 14; electrically erasable programmable read-only memory 305; short-time stop detection 306; switch button 308; power-on reset 309; home bus network communication 310; simulation debugging 311; database generation program interface 312; home bus network interface 313; power input interface 19; primary side overcurrent protection 315; transformer 15; secondary side overcurrent protection 317; rectifier bridge 318; DC-DC circuit 319; indoor unit mainboard power terminal 320; indoor unit mainboard communication terminal 321; shell 11; base 111; upper cover 112; first notch 1121; second notch 1122; support fixing part 113; screw hole 114; fixing part 117; second assembly hole 118; protruding part 151; limiting frame 1123; light guide column 16; through hole 119; third rib 161; fixing lug 116; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] Some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in connection with the accompanying drawings, which clearly and completely illustrate the embodiments described, and are obviously part of the embodiments, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments provided by the present disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art belong to the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0031] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising," and the like are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, as opposed to a closed or exclusive sense, so that, for example, the term "comprising" will be understood to mean "including but not limited to." In the description of the specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "exemplary embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples" are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the above terms are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Throughout this specification, the term "comprise" or "comprising" means "including but not limited to."

[0032] Hereinafter, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used only for the purpose of description, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implying the number of the technical features indicated. Thus, the features defined with "first", "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the meaning of "a plurality of" is two or more, unless otherwise specified.

[0033] In describing some embodiments, "coupled" and "connected," and variations thereof, can be used. The term "connected" is to be construed broadly, for example, "connected" can be fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrated; can be directly connected, or connected through an intermediate medium. The term "coupled" indicates, for example, that two or more components have direct physical or electrical contact. The term "coupled" or "communicatively coupled" can also mean that two or more components do not have direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other. The embodiments disclosed herein are not necessarily limited to the content herein.

[0034] "A and / or B" includes the following three combinations: only A, only B, and a combination of A and B.

[0035] The use of "adapted for" or "configured for" herein means open and inclusive language that does not exclude devices adapted for or configured for performing additional tasks or steps.

[0036] Additionally, the use of "based on" means open and inclusive, as a process, step, calculation, or other action based on one or more described conditions or values can be based, at least in part, on additional conditions or values beyond those described. Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an air conditioning system 2000.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the air conditioning system 2000 includes an outdoor unit 200.

[0038] In some embodiments, the air conditioning system 2000 further includes an indoor unit 3 (e.g., a multi-split indoor unit). The indoor unit 3 is connected to the outdoor unit 200.

[0039] In some embodiments, the air conditioning system 2000 further includes a pipeline 30. The indoor unit 3 and the outdoor unit 200 are connected by the pipeline 30 to transmit refrigerant.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the outdoor unit 200 includes a compressor 201. The compressor 201 is configured to compress refrigerant so that low-pressure refrigerant is compressed to form high-pressure refrigerant.

[0041] In some embodiments, the outdoor unit 200 further includes a first heat exchanger 203 (outdoor heat exchanger). The first heat exchanger 203 is configured to exchange heat between outdoor air and refrigerant transmitted in the first heat exchanger 203. For example, the first heat exchanger 203 works as a condenser in the cooling mode of the air conditioning system 2000, so that the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 201 is condensed by emitting heat to outdoor air through the first heat exchanger 203. The first heat exchanger 203 works as an evaporator in the heating mode of the air conditioning system 2000, so that the refrigerant after pressure reduction is evaporated by absorbing heat of outdoor air through the first heat exchanger 203.

[0042] In some embodiments, the first heat exchanger 203 further includes heat exchange fins to expand the contact area between outdoor air and refrigerant transmitted in the first heat exchanger 203, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between outdoor air and refrigerant.

[0043] In some embodiments, the outdoor unit 200 further includes a first fan 204. The first fan 204 is configured to suck outdoor air into the outdoor unit 200 through an outdoor air inlet of the outdoor unit 200, and send outdoor air after heat exchange with the first heat exchanger 203 out of the outdoor unit 200 through an outdoor air outlet of the outdoor unit 200. The first fan 204 provides power for the flow of outdoor air.

[0044] As shown in FIG. IB, in some embodiments, the indoor unit 3 comprises a second heat exchanger 210 (indoor heat exchanger). The second heat exchanger 210 is configured to exchange heat between indoor air and refrigerant transmitted in the second heat exchanger 210. For example, the second heat exchanger 210 works as an evaporator in the cooling mode of the air conditioning system 2000, so that the refrigerant, after releasing heat via the first heat exchanger 203, absorbs heat from the indoor air via the second heat exchanger 210 to evaporate. The second heat exchanger 210 works as a condenser in the heating mode of the air conditioning system 2000, so that the refrigerant, after absorbing heat via the first heat exchanger 203, releases heat to the indoor air via the second heat exchanger 210 to condense.

[0045] In some embodiments, the second heat exchanger 210 further comprises heat exchange fins to expand the contact area between the indoor air and the refrigerant transmitted in the second heat exchanger 210, so as to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the indoor air and the refrigerant.

[0046] As shown in FIG. IB, in some embodiments, the indoor unit 3 further comprises a second fan 300 configured to suck indoor air into the indoor unit 3 via an indoor air inlet of the indoor unit 3, and send the indoor air, after heat exchange with the second heat exchanger 210, out of the indoor unit 3 via an air outlet 120 of the indoor unit 3. The second fan 300 provides power for the flow of the indoor air.

[0047] As shown in FIG. IB, in some embodiments, the outdoor unit 200 further comprises an expansion valve 205. The expansion valve 205 is connected between the first heat exchanger 203 and the second heat exchanger 210, and adjusts the pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the first heat exchanger 203 and the second heat exchanger 210 by adjusting the opening size of the expansion valve 205, so as to adjust the flow of the refrigerant circulating between the first heat exchanger 203 and the second heat exchanger 210. The flow and pressure of the refrigerant circulating between the first heat exchanger 203 and the second heat exchanger 210 affect the heat exchange performance of the first heat exchanger 203 and the second heat exchanger 210. The expansion valve 205 can be an electronic valve. The opening of the expansion valve 205 can be adjusted to adjust the flow and pressure of the refrigerant flowing through the expansion valve 205.

[0048] In some embodiments, the compressor 201, the first heat exchanger 203, the expansion valve 205 and the second heat exchanger 210 connected in sequence form a refrigerant circuit, and the refrigerant circulates in the refrigerant circuit, exchanges heat with air via the first heat exchanger 203 and the second heat exchanger 210 respectively, so as to realize the cooling mode or the heating mode of the air conditioning system 2000.

[0049] As shown in FIG. IB, in some embodiments, the outdoor unit 200 further comprises a four-way valve 202. The four-way valve 202 is connected to the refrigerant circuit, and the four-way valve 202 is configured to switch the flow direction of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit, so as to make the air conditioning system 2000 execute the cooling mode or the heating mode.

[0050] In the related art, the air conditioning system includes a wire controller, and the wire controller has many functions (such as refrigeration, window machine linkage, automatic mode return difference, self-cleaning, high-temperature sterilization, and static pressure self-recognition). Although the wire controller or the centralized controller can meet the use requirements of the terminal user, the operation is complicated. Therefore, the air conditioner 2000 uses a temperature controller with simple control logic, simple function, and simple operation. The commonly used functions of the temperature controller include refrigeration, heating, and air supply.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 1C, in some embodiments, the air conditioning system 2000 further includes a temperature controller 2 configured to generate and send a switching signal in response to input information.

[0052] In terms of communication between the indoor unit 3 and the temperature controller 2, the third-party temperature controller is a switching signal sent by the temperature controller 2, which is a general weak electric dry contact signal. At present, the indoor unit 3 usually uses a home bus protocol, and the two cannot be used compatibly.

[0053] It should be noted that the home bus protocol is a private protocol, that is, users can develop various functions on this protocol. Therefore, the home bus protocol cannot be adapted to the third-party temperature controller. Generally, the interconnection of the home bus protocol and the third-party temperature controller is usually developed on the basis of the unit machine, and the interconnection of the home bus protocol and the third-party temperature controller can be realized by developing the indoor unit software of the unit machine to identify communication.

[0054] For example, the dry contact is a communication signal, that is, a communication line for controlling start and stop.

[0055] To solve the above problem, with reference to FIG. 1C, the air conditioning system 2000 provided by some embodiments of the present disclosure further includes a protocol converter 1.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 14, in some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 includes a main control board 301. The main control board 301 is configured to receive a switching signal and perform signal processing.

[0057] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further includes a switching quantity input detection component 302. The switching quantity input detection component 302 is coupled to the main control board 301 and configured to receive the switching signal sent by the temperature controller 2 and send it to the main control board 301. The main control board 301 performs identification processing on the switching signal and generates a differential signal to send to the indoor unit 3.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 14, in some embodiments, the switching quantity input detection component 302 includes an optocoupler isolator 3021.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 8, in some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a switch quantity control interface 14, which is coupled with the switch quantity input detection component 302, and the signal sent by the temperature controller 2 is input to the switch quantity input detection component 302 through the switch quantity control interface 14.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 14, in some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM) 305, which is coupled with the main control board 301.

[0061] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a transient off detection 306, which is coupled with the main control board 301.

[0062] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a switch button 308, which is coupled with the main control board 301.

[0063] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a power-on reset 309, which is coupled with the main control board 301.

[0064] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a Homebus-Net (H-NET) communication 310, which is coupled with the main control board 301.

[0065] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises an emulation debugging 311, which is coupled with the main control board 301.

[0066] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a Data base generator (Dbg) interface 312, which is coupled with the emulation debugging 311.

[0067] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a Homebus-Net interface (H-NET interface) 313, which is coupled with the Homebus-Net communication 310.

[0068] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a power input interface 19.

[0069] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a primary side over-current protection 315, which is coupled with the power input interface 19.

[0070] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a transformer 15, which is coupled with the primary side over-current protection 315.

[0071] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a secondary side over-current protection 317, which is coupled with the transformer 15 and the switch quantity control interface 14, respectively.

[0072] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a rectifier bridge 318 coupled with the secondary side overcurrent protection 317.

[0073] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a direct current-direct current circuit (DC / DC) 319 coupled with the rectifier bridge 318.

[0074] In some embodiments, the indoor unit 3 further comprises indoor unit mainboard power supply terminals 320.

[0075] In some embodiments, the indoor unit 3 further comprises indoor unit mainboard communication terminals 321.

[0076] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 can input instructions to the indoor unit 3 through, but not limited to, a home bus network differential communication line (H-NET differential communication line), and the indoor unit 3 further analyzes the instructions, and then realizes the operation of the indoor unit 3.

[0077] The air conditioning system 2000 of some embodiments of the present disclosure solves the technical problem that the thermostat 2 and the indoor unit 3 cannot be interconnected due to the contradiction between the signals and the protocols by setting a switching quantity input detection assembly 302, the switching quantity input detection assembly 302 receiving a switching quantity signal sent by the thermostat 2 and sending the switching quantity signal to a main control board 301, the main control board 301 processing the instructions after receiving the instructions. The processed instructions are input to the indoor unit 3 through a home bus network differential communication line, and the main control board 301 of the indoor unit 3 further analyzes the instructions, and then the indoor unit 3 executes the operation according to the control command sent by the thermostat 2.

[0078] As shown in Table 1, a thermostat 2 including 8 switching quantity signals is taken as an example for illustration, and the 8 switching quantity signals of the thermostat 2 at least include a gear switching quantity signal and a wind gear switching quantity signal.

[0079] In some embodiments, the gear switching quantity signal includes a refrigeration gear and a heating gear.

[0080] In some embodiments, the refrigeration gear includes a refrigeration 1 gear Y1 and a refrigeration 2 gear Y2; wherein Y1 is determined by the return air temperature; Y2 is determined by the user set temperature.

[0081] In some embodiments, the heating gear includes a heating 1 gear W1 and a heating 2 gear W2; wherein the heating 2 gear W2 is a high temperature gear, and the heating 1 gear W1 is a low temperature gear.

[0082] In some embodiments, the wind gear switching quantity signal includes an automatic wind gear G, a low wind gear G1, a medium wind gear G2, and a high wind gear G3.

[0083] Table 1

[0084] As can be seen from Table 1, the user setting signal collected by the temperature controller 2 does not include the temperature value and the wind speed value, and for the control of the indoor unit 3, for example, the temperature setting, the control instruction to be executed by the indoor unit 3 must include an explicit heating temperature value or a cooling temperature value. Therefore, the protocol converter 1 of some embodiments of the present disclosure is configured to convert the user setting of the temperature controller 2 into a control signal that can be recognized and executed by the indoor unit 3, so as to realize the communication interworking of the temperature controller 2 and the indoor unit 3 and ensure the accuracy of the control instruction.

[0085] In order to be able to convert the on-off signal into a control signal that can be recognized and executed by the indoor unit 3, and make the action executed by the controlled indoor unit 3 meet the user's setting demand as much as possible, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2A, the main control board 301 is further configured to execute an identification processing method for the on-off signal, which includes S101 to S103.

[0086] S101, obtain a gear on-off signal, the gear on-off signal including a cooling gear and a heating gear, find a temperature setting value corresponding to the gear, and generate a temperature control signal according to the temperature setting value.

[0087] S102, obtain a wind gear on-off signal, and generate a wind speed control signal according to the wind gear.

[0088] S103, convert the temperature control signal and the wind speed control signal into a differential signal, and send the differential signal to the indoor unit 3.

[0089] Among them, the gear in the gear on-off signal corresponds to a temperature setting value, and the corresponding relationship can be stored in the protocol converter 1 in advance.

[0090] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 can also obtain the cooling or heating temperature range from the indoor unit 3, and determine the temperature setting value corresponding to different gears according to the temperature range. For example, the high-temperature heating gear corresponds to a larger value in the heating temperature range, and vice versa, the low-temperature heating gear corresponds to a smaller value in the heating temperature range.

[0091] In some embodiments, the indoor unit 3 further includes an electric auxiliary heating device, and in the case that the heating gear is a high-temperature gear, the electric auxiliary heating device needs to be turned on to realize the maximum value in the heating temperature range. Therefore, when the heating gear is a high-temperature gear, the main control board 301 is further configured to generate a control signal for turning on the electric auxiliary heating device and send the control signal to the indoor unit 3, so that the action executed by the indoor unit 3 meets the user's setting demand as much as possible.

[0092] To ensure the safe use of the electric auxiliary heating device, the control logic of the indoor unit 3 has a condition limit that requires the electric auxiliary heating device to be turned on in the highest wind state. The temperature controller 2 is set by the user for the heating level and the wind speed level respectively. Since the wind level of the temperature controller 2 only has a high wind level, a medium wind level, and a low wind level, when the heating 2 level W2 is effective, the set temperature is the highest temperature in the heating range (for example, 16-32℃, and the set temperature is 32℃ at this time), and the electric auxiliary heating function of the indoor unit 3 is turned on. At this time, no matter whether the high wind level, the medium wind level, or the low wind level of the temperature controller 2 is turned on, the running wind level of the indoor unit 3 is the highest wind level, that is, the indoor unit 3 runs at the high wind level.

[0093] In some embodiments, when the level switch signal is the high temperature heating, the temperature set value corresponding to the high temperature heating is the maximum value in the heating temperature range of the indoor unit 3, and the wind level switch signal is ignored, and the wind speed control signal is generated according to the highest level of the indoor unit 3.

[0094] In some embodiments, the main control board 301 is further configured to execute a control method of the instruction function timing processing, and the control method includes S201.

[0095] S201, obtaining the indoor unit return air temperature Ti;

[0096] The generated temperature control signal is to increase or decrease the indoor unit return air temperature Ti according to the set period and the set step size until the temperature set value. For example, the set period can be 30s or 1min.

[0097] The main control board 301 includes a timing chip, and a timing processing and a comfort function control logic are designed through the timing chip.

[0098] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the temperature controller 2 is in cooling, the indoor unit return air temperature Ti- is decreased every 30s or 1min, and will not directly jump to the temperature set value. The correction value Δt can be 4℃, that is, the indoor unit return air temperature Ti is decreased by 4° every set period in the cooling case.

[0099] As shown in FIG. 4, when the temperature controller 2 is in heating, the indoor unit return air temperature Ti+ is increased every 30s or 1min, and will not directly jump to the set temperature. The correction value Δt can be 4℃, that is, the indoor unit return air temperature Ti is increased by 4° every set period in the heating case.

[0100] In some embodiments, the main control board 301 is further configured to execute a control method of the illegal exception signal filtering processing, and the control method includes S301.

[0101] S301, acquire the mode switch signal, determine whether the indoor unit 3 supports the working mode corresponding to the mode switch signal, when the indoor unit 3 does not support the working mode corresponding to the mode switch signal, filter the mode switch signal, or convert it into a working mode that the indoor unit 3 can support, and generate a control signal to send to the indoor unit. For example, in some embodiments, when the indoor unit 3 does not support automatic air volume, if the temperature controller 2 sets the control to be automatic air volume, the air volume switch signal is converted into a high air volume signal.

[0102] In some embodiments, when the indoor unit 3 does not support cooling, heating, or air supply mode, the mode is controlled from a third-party temperature controller, and the instruction will not be sent.

[0103] In some embodiments, when the temperature range of the indoor unit 3 is inconsistent with the control range of the temperature controller 2, the protocol converter 1 can operate the temperature control range according to the temperature range of the indoor unit temperature, and the setting range is invalid.

[0104] For some scenarios where the power supply voltage is unstable or the power supply has switching, in order to prevent the control logic of the indoor unit 3 from being chaotic due to power failure, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 2C, the protocol converter 1 is also configured to perform a control method for detecting power supply voltage power failure of the main control board 301, which includes S400 to S403.

[0105] S400, acquire the duration of power supply voltage power failure;

[0106] S401, determine whether the power failure is instantaneous according to the duration of power supply voltage power failure, if yes, execute S402, if no, execute S403.

[0107] S402, control the indoor unit 3 to continue to start after the instantaneous recovery, and restore the control mode before the power failure.

[0108] S403, directly shut down after a long stop, and re-run after restarting, and reselect the control mode.

[0109] The time judgment node of instantaneous or long stop can be set according to the discharge time of different capacitor devices, for example:

[0110] Instantaneous stop is power failure within 8 seconds (input voltage Vin is about 1.55V or more).

[0111] Long stop is power failure for more than 8 seconds (input voltage Vin is about 1.55V or less).

[0112] That is, instantaneous stop refers to short-term power failure of about 8 seconds, and long stop refers to longer power failure. The main control and the line controller have corresponding detection circuits and can be distinguished, and the control is also distinguished.

[0113] After the instant stop recovery, the indoor unit continues to operate in the mode before the power-off. After the long stop, the indoor unit is directly turned off, and after the start, the indoor unit is re-operated and the control mode is re-selected.

[0114] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 16, the judgment of the instant stop / long stop can be determined according to the voltage of the electrolytic capacitor connected to the A / D input of the main control board 301.

[0115] For example, the circuit includes a preset voltage +5V, a first resistor R30, a second resistor R31, and a capacitor C49. The first end of the first resistor R30 is connected to the preset voltage +5V, the second end of the first resistor R30 is connected to the first end of the capacitor C49 and the first end of the second resistor R31, the second end of the capacitor C49 is grounded, and the second end of the second resistor R31 is connected to the A / D input of the main control board 301. In this way, the instant stop / long stop operation can be determined by judging the voltage of the capacitor C49.

[0116] Referring to FIG. 2B, in some embodiments, the disclosure also provides a recognition and processing method of the on-off signal, which includes S501 to S508.

[0117] S501, the temperature controller 2 receives the user settings, generates an on-off signal and sends it;

[0118] S502, the protocol converter 1 receives the on-off signal;

[0119] S503, determine whether it is in the heating position? If yes, execute S504, if not, execute S506;

[0120] S504, if it is in the heating position, determine whether it is in the high-temperature heating position? If yes, execute S505, if not, execute S506;

[0121] S505, the temperature setting value is the maximum value in the heating temperature range of the indoor unit 3, and the wind speed control signal is generated according to the highest temperature position of the indoor unit 3;

[0122] S506, find the temperature setting value corresponding to the position, and generate the temperature control signal according to the temperature setting value;

[0123] S507, obtain the on-off signal of the wind position, and generate the wind speed control signal according to the wind position;

[0124] S508, convert the temperature control signal and the wind speed control signal into a differential signal, and send it to the indoor unit 3.

[0125] Referring to FIG. 14, in some embodiments, the on-off signal input detection component 302 includes multiple optical couplings arranged in parallel, which are configured to receive the on-off signal sent by the temperature controller 2 in parallel.

[0126] For example, in some embodiments, if a temperature controller 2 with 8 switch signals as shown in Table 1 is used, the switch input detection component 302 includes 8 optical couplings, each corresponding to one of the 8 switch signals and configured to isolate each parallel switch signal. The 8 parallel signals can simultaneously receive the cooling, heating, and air supply instructions input by the temperature controller 2, and respond quickly. If the temperature controller 2 changes the function instruction signal, it can be immediately identified after the optical coupling isolation process.

[0127] If the switch input detection component 302 does not include optical coupling isolation, the user terminal temperature controller 2's instruction serial input master control needs to identify the signal separately, which is slow in response and may cause signal disorder, leading to the master control being unable to identify and process, causing the indoor unit 3 to be unable to identify the user terminal temperature controller 2's instruction and not being able to operate, resulting in an alarm shutdown.

[0128] For example, the user is in the air supply state, turns on the low wind gear G1, and immediately changes to the high wind gear G3. If the master control identifies and responds slowly, it may not be able to identify the high and low wind gears, which can easily cause an alarm shutdown.

[0129] In the case where the switch input detection component 302 includes optical coupling isolation signals, after turning on the low wind gear G1, if the user immediately changes to the high wind gear G3, the instruction first passes through the optical coupling isolation, then identifies the signals separately, and then inputs the main control board 301, which inputs the indoor unit 3 through the home bus network communication differential signal (H-NET communication differential signal).

[0130] The protocol converter 1 is connected to the home bus network A / B end (H-NET A / B end) of the indoor unit. According to the user's usage, three application scenarios can be divided, as shown in FIG. 5, which are described by the following three areas:

[0131] Area 1: single control, one temperature controller controls one indoor unit 3 through one protocol converter 1.

[0132] Area 2: cooperative control (also known as parent-child control), one temperature controller is used together with a line controller to control one indoor unit 3. In this area, the air conditioning system is powered on, and signals are randomly sent. The first priority in the third-party temperature controller and the line controller receives the signal first (also known as parent), and the second priority receives the signal after the first priority (also known as child). Among them, cooperative control represents sequential control.

[0133] Area 3: group control, one temperature controller is coupled to multiple protocol converters 1 to control multiple indoor units 3, and the line controller cannot be accessed. Due to the signal characteristics of the dry contact points being on and off at the same time, one third-party temperature controller is connected to multiple protocol converters 1 to control multiple indoor units 3.

[0134] It should be noted that one protocol converter 1 can only be connected to one indoor unit.

[0135] In some embodiments, the air conditioning system further comprises a wire controller, and the temperature controller and the wire controller adopt a cooperative control manner, that is, after the air conditioning system is powered on, signals are randomly sent, the first priority in the temperature controller and the wire controller receives the signals first, the second priority receives the signals after the first priority, and the indoor unit 3 mainly sends the control instructions of the first priority.

[0136] In some embodiments, in the case where the air conditioning system comprises a plurality of protocol converters 1, a group control manner is adopted, that is, the temperature controller simultaneously sends on-off signals to each protocol converter 1.

[0137] As shown in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a shell 11, and the shell 11 internally comprises a receiving cavity for accommodating circuit elements.

[0138] In some embodiments, the main control board 301 is arranged in the receiving cavity of the shell 11.

[0139] In some embodiments, the on-off input detection assembly 302 is arranged in the shell 11.

[0140] As shown in FIG. 17, in some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises a DIP switch 18, which is in communication connection with the main control board 301 and at least partially protrudes to the outside of the shell 11, so as to facilitate the user to operate the DIP switch 18.

[0141] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 comprises two groups of DIP switches 18, which can realize the selection of machine functions (referred to as functions for short): 4-bit DIP and 6-bit DIP.

[0142] For example, in the case where the DIP switch 18 is a 4-bit switch, the DIP switch 18 comprises four sub-switches, namely a first sub-switch, a second sub-switch, a third sub-switch and a fourth sub-switch, and the default state is not dialed, and the first sub-switch, the second sub-switch, the third sub-switch and the fourth sub-switch are all in the OFF state, so as to realize the control of the temperature controller 2 on the indoor unit 3.

[0143] In some embodiments, in the heating mode, when the 4-bit dial code sets the third sub-switch to ON and the fourth sub-switch to OFF, the system can simultaneously use the variable refrigerant flow (VRF) outdoor unit, ducted unit, and third-party coil system. At this time, the third-party coil system (such as a heat exchanger of another brand) is equivalent to a third-party heat source, which is communicatively connected to the mating output port (also known as the baseboard port, such as CN7) of the main control board 301 of the indoor unit, and can be controlled by the thermostat 2. The third-party coil system can be used as a supplemental heat source in extremely cold regions (outdoor temperature below -20°C) to compensate for the poor heating effect of the indoor unit 3 in winter.

[0144] In some embodiments, the 6-bit dial code can be set for static pressure self-identification.

[0145] It should be noted that the function settings of the above dial codes take effect through function selection settings. When the function selection of the indoor unit 3 does not match the dial code, the dial code is finally used as the reference. When the dial code is all OFF, i.e., all 0, the original static pressure mode and static pressure value remain unchanged. When the dial code is not 0, the static pressure manual mode is set, for example, through the static pressure mode in the wire controller to manually select the static pressure. The indoor unit 3 provides a static pressure selection of 50-200 Pa.

[0146] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 14, the protocol converter 1 further includes a differential communication interface 17, and the main control board 301 is connected to the indoor unit main board communication terminal 321 through the differential communication interface 17 (such as a home bus network interface 313).

[0147] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the protocol converter 1 further includes a power input interface 19 arranged in the shell 11, the power input interface 19 is connected to the indoor unit main board power terminal 320, and is configured to take power from the indoor unit main board (i.e., the main control board 301).

[0148] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the protocol converter 1 further includes a transformer 15 arranged in the shell 11, the transformer 15 is connected to the power input interface 19, the power input interface 19 sends the alternating voltage taken from the indoor unit main board to the transformer 15, and the transformer 15 is configured to convert the alternating voltage taken from the indoor unit main board into the working voltage required by the thermostat 2, and supply power to the thermostat 2 through the switch quantity control interface 14.

[0149] By setting the power input interface 19, the power input interface 19 takes power from the indoor unit mainboard, and the transformer 15 converts the power to the working voltage required by the temperature controller 2, and supplies power to the temperature controller 2, solving the technical problem of needing to additionally configure an AC transformer to meet the power supply requirements of the temperature controller, reducing the cost.

[0150] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 15, L (such as L1, L2), N is the power port of the protocol converter 1, which can be connected to AC 230V, AC 208V, AC 110V, etc. The transformer 15 can convert AC 230V, AC 208V, AC 110V.

[0151] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 can communicate with the indoor unit 3 through the home bus network differential communication line, but is not limited to this. The working principle of the protocol converter 1 is as follows: after the user inputs the instruction (such as refrigeration, heating, air supply) through the temperature controller 2, the protocol converter 1 receives and processes the instruction. The instruction of the protocol converter 1 is input to the indoor unit 3 through the home bus network differential communication line, and the indoor unit mainboard further analyzes the instruction, and then the indoor unit 3 is operated.

[0152] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 supports air conditioning system communication data control bus (H-Link) 1G / 2G / 2.5G / 3G communication protocol.

[0153] In some embodiments, the wire harness connected between the power input interface 19 and the indoor unit mainboard power terminal 320 is provided with a magnetic ring device, wherein the magnetic ring device can effectively increase the anti-electromagnetic interference capability.

[0154] In some embodiments, a filter capacitor is also provided at the power input interface 19, and the filter capacitor is configured to filter interference signals.

[0155] As shown in FIGS. 6-8, in some embodiments, the shell 11 includes a base 111;

[0156] In some embodiments, the shell 11 further includes an upper cover 112, and the base 111 and the upper cover 112 are detachably connected, and circuit board elements and the like are fixed in the space defined by the base 111 and the upper cover 112.

[0157] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, in order to facilitate the fixation of the circuit board, the base 111 includes a plurality of support fixing portions 113, and the support fixing portion 113 includes a screw hole 114, and the main control board 301 includes a mounting hole matched with the screw hole 114. The screw is sequentially screwed into the screw hole 114 through the mounting hole, so that the main control board 301 is detachably connected with the support fixing portion 113 through the screw.

[0158] In some embodiments, the base 111 includes four support fixing portions 113, which are respectively arranged at four corner positions of the base 111. In this way, the positioning can be achieved, i.e., the fixing screws can be aligned through the screw holes 114.

[0159] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the bottom of the upper cover 112 is open, the upper cover 112 is detachably connected with the base 111, the upper cover 112 and the base 111 form a containing space, the side wall of the upper cover 112 near the bottom end includes a first notch 1121 and a second notch 1122, the switch quantity control interface 14 and the power output interface 13 are respectively configured to be connected with the temperature controller 2, and thus the switch quantity control interface 14 and the power output interface 13 are arranged adjacent to each other and match the first notch 1121.

[0160] Since the differential communication interface 17 and the power input interface 19 are respectively connected with the indoor unit 3, the differential communication interface 17 and the power input interface 19 are arranged adjacent to each other and match the second notch 1122. The corresponding communication lines can be connected with the switch quantity control interface 14 and the power input interface 19 through the first notch 1121 and the second notch 1122 respectively.

[0161] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, the four corner positions of the base 111 further include fixing portions 117, the fixing portions 117 include screw holes, and the corresponding positions of the upper cover 112 include second assembly holes 118, through which the screws can be fixed with the screw holes of the fixing portions 117.

[0162] In order to avoid that the communication lines of the switch quantity control interface 14 and the power input interface 19 are too close to each other and are inconvenient to plug and unplug, or due to space problems, the space of the same side wall cannot satisfy the opening of two notches at the same time, in some embodiments, the first notch 1121 and the second notch 1122 are respectively located at different side walls of the upper cover 112.

[0163] In some embodiments, the first notch 1121 and the second notch 1122 can be arranged at two adjacent side walls of the upper cover 112, so as to realize the positioning and fastening.

[0164] In some embodiments, the first notch 1121 and the second notch 1122 can be arranged at two opposite side walls of the upper cover 112, so as to realize the positioning and fastening.

[0165] In some embodiments, since the main control board 301 is a large-area plate structure, and the transformer 15 has a large height and weight, the transformer 15 is fixedly arranged above the main control board 301, so as to make the space structure of the protocol converter 1 more stable.

[0166] As shown in FIG. 9, in order to facilitate the fixation of the main control board 301, the middle part of the main control board 301 is fixedly connected with the support fixing part 113. When the transformer 15 is placed on the main control board 301, the main control board 301 can be pressed and deformed, and even broken. To solve the above problems, in some embodiments, the base 111 further comprises a support part 115, which is located directly below the transformer 15.

[0167] The height of the support part 115 is consistent with the height of the support fixing part 113. When the transformer 15 is placed on the main control board 301, the support part 115 provides support for the main control board 301, avoiding deformation of the main control board 301 due to the extrusion of the transformer 15.

[0168] In some embodiments, the support part 115 comprises a plurality of first ribs arranged transversely and longitudinally, so that the gravity of the transformer 15 can be dispersed from different directions.

[0169] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the top of the transformer 15 comprises a protruding part 151, and the lower surface of the upper cover 112 forms a limiting frame 1123. When the upper cover 112 is fixed with the base 111, the protruding part 151 is inserted into the limiting frame 1123 and limited by the limiting frame 1123.

[0170] By setting the limiting frame 1123, the fixation of the upper cover 112 and the transformer 15 is positioned, and the structural features of the transformer 15 can also be used for fixation.

[0171] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 10, in order to limit the main control board 301, a plurality of second ribs 1122 are formed on the inner side of the side wall of the upper cover 112, which extend in the vertical direction. After the upper cover 112 is fixed with the base 111, the second ribs 1122 can extrude the main control board 301 to avoid the shaking of the main control board 301 inside the shell 11.

[0172] In order to facilitate the indication of the working state of the protocol converter 1, in some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 further comprises an indicating lamp, which is in communication connection with the main control board 301.

[0173] In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the indicating lamp is arranged on the main control board 301, and the protocol converter 1 further comprises a light guide column 16, and the upper cover 112 further comprises a through hole matched with the light guide column 16. The upper end of the light guide column 16 passes through the through hole and is fixed with the upper cover 112, and the lower end of the light guide column 16 extends to be adjacent to the indicating lamp.

[0174] Since the light guide column 16 is in an elongated shape, in order to fix the light guide column 16 in the upper cover 112, in addition to the fact that the upper cover 112 includes the through hole, in some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11, the outer surface of the light guide column 16 includes a plurality of third ribs (limiting ribs) 161 in the vertical direction, the third ribs 161 extend in the vertical direction, and the third ribs 161 are in interference fit with the through hole 119 when the light guide column 16 passes through the through hole. By interference fit of the third ribs 161 and the through hole 119, the light guide column 16 can be fixed to avoid shaking inside and breaking.

[0175] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 9, the opposite two side edges of the base 111 are formed with fixing ears 116, and the fixing ears 116 include fixing holes 1161. A fastener (such as a screw or a rivet structure) can be used to pass through the fixing hole 1161 to achieve fixing of the protocol converter 1.

[0176] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 12, the upper surface of the upper cover 112 is formed with a sunken recess 1124, and the recess 1124 is configured to be attached with a label.

[0177] As shown in FIG. 12, by reserving the recess 1124 for attaching a label on the upper cover 112, when it is necessary to paste a label, the label can be directly pasted into the recess 1124, achieving positioning and pasting.

[0178] In some embodiments, the through hole through which the light guide column 16 passes is located in the recess 1124.

[0179] As shown in FIG. 13, the lower surface of the base 111 is formed with a plurality of fourth ribs 1111 (reinforcing ribs), and the fourth ribs 1111 are configured to increase the support strength of the base 111.

[0180] In some embodiments, the protocol converter 1 is also configured to perform the following processing: receiving and processing of signals; filtering of illegal abnormal signals; timing processing of instruction functions; processing of agreements; processing of dial code settings; and transient long stop detection.

[0181] It should be noted that any one of the technical solutions disclosed in the present disclosure can solve one or more of the above technical problems to a certain extent and achieve certain invention purposes; multiple technical disclosures can also be combined into an overall scheme to solve one or more of the above technical problems and achieve certain invention purposes; or part of the technical disclosures can be combined into an overall scheme, while related technologies and degraded schemes are used, but the degraded trend can be compensated by the technical disclosure means, and the overall technical problems are solved to a certain extent and certain invention purposes are achieved; each technical disclosure is combined into a complete technical scheme, which constitutes an organic and indivisible overall scheme, and solves the technical problems and achieves certain invention purposes.

[0182] Any one of the technical disclosures in the present disclosure, and the recombination of multiple technical disclosures can form a complete technical solution, and can solve one or more of the above technical problems, achieve the purpose of the invention, belong to the content of the present disclosure, and belong to the content directly and without doubt determined according to the content of the present disclosure.

[0183] Those skilled in the art will understand that the scope of the disclosure of the present application is not limited to the above specific embodiments, and certain elements of the embodiments can be modified and replaced without departing from the spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An air conditioning system, comprising: Outdoor unit; The indoor unit is connected to the outdoor unit; The temperature controller is configured to generate and send a switching signal in response to input information; and Protocol converter, including: Main control board; and The switch input detection component is configured to receive the switch signal sent by the thermostat and send it to the main control board. The main control board identifies and processes the switch signal and generates a differential signal to send to the indoor unit.

2. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the main control board is configured as follows: Acquire gear switch signals, including cooling gear and heating gear; find the temperature set value corresponding to the gear; and generate a temperature control signal based on the temperature set value. Acquire the windshield switch signal and generate a wind speed control signal based on the windshield; The temperature control signal and the fan speed control signal are converted into differential signals and sent to the indoor unit.

3. In the air conditioning system according to claim 2, if the heating setting is determined to be a high temperature setting, the main control board is further configured to: generate a control signal to activate the electric auxiliary heating and send it to the indoor unit.

4. In the air conditioning system according to claim 2 or 3, if the gear switch signal is determined to be high-temperature heating, the temperature setting value corresponding to the high-temperature heating is the maximum value in the heating temperature range of the indoor unit, and a fan speed control signal is generated according to the highest setting of the indoor unit.

5. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the main control board is further configured as: Obtain the indoor unit return air temperature Ti; in, The generated temperature control signal increases or decreases the indoor unit return air temperature Ti according to a set period and a set step size until the set temperature value is reached.

6. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the main control board is further configured as: The system acquires a mode switch signal, determines whether the indoor unit supports the operating mode corresponding to the mode switch signal, and if the indoor unit does not support the operating mode corresponding to the mode switch signal, performs one of the following: filters the mode switch signal, converts it into an operating mode that the indoor unit can support, and generates a control signal to send to the indoor unit.

7. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the protocol converter is configured to: If the power outage duration is determined to be a momentary stop, the indoor unit will continue to operate after the momentary stop is restored, and the control mode before the power outage will be restored. If the duration of the power outage is determined to be a long stop, then the machine will be shut down directly after the long stop, and restarted after being turned on again, with the control mode being selected again.

8. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the switch input detection component includes multiple optocouplers arranged in parallel to receive the switch signals sent by the thermostat in parallel.

9. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the air conditioning system further includes a wired controller, and the thermostat and the wired controller are controlled in a coordinated manner.

10. In the air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, if the number of the protocol converters is determined to be multiple, a group control method is adopted, that is, the thermostat simultaneously sends switching signals to each protocol converter.

11. A protocol converter, comprising: shell; The main control board is housed within the outer casing; A digital input detection component is provided, which is connected to a thermostat via a digital control interface and configured to receive digital signals sent by the thermostat and send them to the main control board. The main control board is connected to the communication terminal of the indoor unit's main board via a differential communication interface. A power input interface is connected to the power terminal of the indoor unit main board and is configured to draw power from the indoor unit main board. and A transformer is connected to the power input interface and is configured to convert the AC voltage taken from the indoor unit main board into the operating voltage required by the thermostat, and to supply power to the thermostat through the switch control interface.

12. The protocol converter according to claim 11, wherein, The wiring harness connecting the power input interface to the power terminal of the indoor unit's main board is equipped with a magnetic ring device.

13. The protocol converter according to claim 11, wherein, The outer casing includes: The base includes multiple support and fixing parts, each of which includes a screw hole, and the main control board is detachably connected to the multiple support and fixing parts by screws; The top cover has an opening at the bottom and is detachably connected to the base. The top cover and the base form an accommodating space. The side wall of the top cover has a first notch and a second notch near the bottom. The switch control interface is matched and aligned with the first notch, and the power input interface is matched with the second notch.

14. The protocol converter according to claim 13, wherein, The first notch and the second notch of the protocol converter are located on different sidewalls of the top cover, respectively.

15. The protocol converter according to claim 13, wherein, The transformer is fixedly mounted above the main control board, and a support portion is formed on the base directly below the transformer. The support portion includes multiple first ribs arranged horizontally and vertically.

16. The protocol converter according to claim 15, wherein, The transformer has a protrusion on its top, and a limiting frame is formed on the lower surface of the upper cover. When the upper cover is fixed to the base, the protrusion extends into the limiting frame and is limited by the limiting frame. The inner sidewall of the upper cover includes multiple second ribs that extend vertically.

17. The protocol converter according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein, The protocol converter also includes an indicator light, which is communicatively connected to the main control board.

18. The protocol converter according to claim 17, wherein, The indicator light is located on the main control board. The protocol converter also includes a light guide post. The upper cover also includes a through hole that matches the light guide post. The upper end of the light guide post passes through the through hole and is fixed to the upper cover. The lower end of the light guide post extends to be adjacent to the indicator light.

19. The protocol converter according to claim 18, wherein, The outer surface of the light guide post has multiple third ribs formed in the vertical direction. The multiple third ribs extend in the vertical direction, and when the light guide post passes through the through hole, the multiple third ribs are interference-fitted with the through hole. The base has outwardly protruding fixing ears on its opposite sides, and each fixing ear includes a fixing hole; The upper surface of the cover includes a recessed portion configured to attach a label; The through hole is located in the recess.

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