Air conditioning management system
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Solution Overview
Problem
In air conditioning systems with multiple indoor units connected to a single outdoor unit, managing unique addresses for each unit is challenging due to changes in serial numbers and addresses when units are replaced or added, leading to increased management burdens and costs, especially when access to the units is restricted.
Innovation Solution
An air conditioning management system that uses logical addresses, with a local controller collecting driving information and associating it with physical addresses, allowing for temporary addresses to be set arbitrarily without remote access, enabling offsite management and reducing the need for physical address setting during communication between outdoor and indoor units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If addresses are set manually using a remote control unit, then the addresses can be set while visually confirming the set units, but it is not possible to set the addresses in locations where access is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a temporary address as an intermediary that enables address setting without direct access to the air conditioning unit. The temporary address acts as a mediator between the controller and the unit, allowing address configuration through communication protocols even when physical access is restricted, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and adaptability to access restrictions
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary address setting by assigning temporary addresses before the air conditioning units are installed in their final locations. This preliminary action allows the addressing system to be configured in advance, eliminating the need for on-site address setting and thereby overcoming access restriction issues
2Reliability
If the serial number is used for identification, then each unit has a unique identifier, but the address changes when the print substrate is replaced or new units are added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the identification system into two independent parts: the serial number (stored in EEPROM) which provides unique identification, and the address (stored in a separate address register) which provides stable addressing. This segmentation allows the address to remain unchanged even when the print substrate is replaced, as the address is independently maintained in the address register rather than being tied to the serial number or print substrate
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the identification function by maintaining both the serial number (original unique identifier) and the address (copy that can be independently managed). The address serves as a stable reference copy that doesn't change when physical components like print substrates are replaced, thereby maintaining reliable unit identification while ensuring address stability
3Manufacturing precision
If a technician visits to set addresses, then the addresses can be properly configured, but the burden and costs of work increase due to repeat visits
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary address configuration by assigning temporary addresses during the manufacturing or initial setup phase, before the air conditioning units are installed in their final locations. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent technician visits for address setting, thereby maintaining proper address configuration while significantly reducing work time and eliminating repeat visits
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service address configuration through automatic temporary address assignment and communication protocols that allow units to be identified and managed without manual intervention. The units can be added to the system automatically with temporary addresses, and the addressing is maintained through automated communication, eliminating the need for technician visits and reducing both burden and costs
Data Source
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AI summary
An air conditioning management system which is able to reduce the burden and costs for introducing the system, which manages a plurality of air conditioning units (50), which each have a unique physical address (101a), using logical addresses (105a), and which is provided with a local controller and a remote control unit (43). The local controller has a memory section which stores identification information (13a) for each of the air conditioning units, an information collecting section which collects the driving information for each of the air conditioning units (50), and an associating section which associates the driving information with the logical addresses (105a). The identification information (13a) for each of the air conditioning units (50) has a physical address section (101) which contains the physical address (101a), a real address section (103) which contains a real address (103a), and a temporary address section (104) which contains a temporary address (104a). The associating section uses the real address (103a) as the logical address (105a) in a case where the real address (103a) is set and uses the temporary address (104a) as the logical address (105a) in a case where the real address (103a) is not set.