Air conditioning system, air conditioning apparatus, and method for recognizing air conditioning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-conditioning systems require all air conditioners to stop operations to determine the refrigerant system, leading to a period where air conditioning is not executable until the system is completely determined.
Innovation Solution
The air-conditioning system allows the recognition process for air conditioners to be executed while the control process is ongoing, using time-division multiplexing or frequency-division multiplexing transmission to manage communication lines inside and outside the refrigerant systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all air conditioners stop operations to determine the refrigerant system, then the refrigerant system can be accurately determined, but air conditioning cannot be executed until the system is completely determined
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the determination process into two distinct processes: a recognition process that identifies the refrigerant system configuration, and a control process that manages air conditioner operations. These processes are executed separately and simultaneously, allowing the control process to continue operating while the recognition process determines the refrigerant system. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling both accurate system determination and continuous air conditioning execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The recognition process is executed in advance or concurrently with the control process to preliminarily determine the refrigerant system configuration. By performing the recognition process beforehand or simultaneously, the system prepares the necessary information about refrigerant system membership without interrupting the control process, thus maintaining air conditioning execution continuity while ensuring accurate system determination.
2Productivity
If recognition process and control process are executed simultaneously through the same communication line, then air conditioning continuity is maintained, but communication conflicts may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by executing the recognition process and control process at different time intervals or in alternating phases. The recognition process is performed periodically to update refrigerant system information, while the control process operates continuously. This periodic execution pattern allows both processes to share the communication line without conflicts, maintaining both air conditioning continuity and communication reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If air conditioners belong to different refrigerant systems are connected through communication line outside the systems, then system expansion is enabled, but erroneous recognition of refrigerant system membership may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a recognition process that acts as a mediator between air conditioners connected through communication lines. This recognition process verifies and confirms refrigerant system membership before establishing control relationships. By introducing this intermediary verification step, the system enables expansion through external communication lines while preventing erroneous recognition of refrigerant system membership.
Data Source
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AI summary
A recognition process for an air conditioner is executed while the deterioration of the environment due to stoppage of the air conditioner is suppressed. In an air-conditioning system (1) in which a plurality of air conditioners (10a to d, 20a to d, 30a to d) belonging to an identical refrigerant system (A, B, C, D) is connected through a communication line (6a to d) inside the system and a plurality of air conditioners (10a to d) belonging to different refrigerant systems (A, B, C, D) is connected through a communication line (5) outside the systems, for the plurality of air conditioners (10a to d, 20a to d, 30a to d) belonging to the identical refrigerant system (A, B, C, D), a recognition process is executable while an air-conditioning control process is executed by transmission through at least the communication line (6a) inside the system.