Air-conditioning system, remote controller, and method for saving a history of operation data of an air conditioner

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Solution Overview

Problem

Air conditioning systems face challenges in identifying the causes of abnormal conditions, particularly those with low reproducibility, as existing remote controllers only display error codes and require manual reproduction of issues, which can be time-consuming and difficult for service engineers.

Innovation Solution

The air conditioning system incorporates a remote controller with a storage unit, monitoring unit, and data output unit that acquires and saves operation data from both outdoor and indoor units, allowing for the storage of historical data during abnormal conditions and enabling external display or transmission, facilitating easier diagnosis of difficult-to-reproduce issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the remote controller only displays error codes and current state, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to diagnose abnormal conditions with low reproducibility deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote controller structureVSAvoidabnormal condition diagnosis
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The remote controller continuously stores operation data in advance before abnormal conditions occur. When an abnormality is detected, the historically stored operation data is preserved and made available for diagnosis, eliminating the need for service engineers to manually reproduce the abnormal condition to gather diagnostic information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of information

If the remote controller stores operation data continuously, then the information available for diagnosis is improved, but the loss of time for service engineers to reproduce abnormal conditions worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation data availabilityVSAvoiddiagnosis time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Operation data is continuously stored in advance during normal operation. When an abnormal condition occurs, the data is already recorded and preserved, eliminating the time-consuming process of manual reproduction and immediate data collection during the abnormal event.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The remote controller creates a copy of the operation data stored in its memory and transfers it to the service engineer's terminal device. This copying mechanism allows service engineers to access complete historical operation data without needing to physically reproduce the abnormal condition or use specialized diagnostic equipment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If the storage unit saves all operation data without overwriting, then the measurement precision of historical operation data is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation data accuracyVSAvoidstorage management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the storage mode dynamically based on operational status. During normal operation, data is stored with overwrite capability to manage limited memory resources. When an abnormal condition is detected, the system switches to preservation mode, saving the current operation data without overwriting, thereby ensuring complete diagnostic information is retained.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3726157B1Air-conditioning system, remote controller, and method for saving a history of operation data of an air conditioner
Publication Date: 2022.08.24 DAIKIN INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP3726157B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3726157B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3726157B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)

AI summary

A remote controller in an air conditioning system includes a storage unit, a monitoring unit, and a data output unit. The monitoring unit acquires operation data from at least one of an outdoor unit or an indoor unit, and stores the acquired operation data in the storage unit. The monitoring unit stores operation data in the storage unit by overwriting the operation data stored in the storage unit when the storage unit stores the operation data in excess of a predetermined capacity. The monitoring unit saves the operation data stored in the storage unit during a past predetermined period when an abnormal condition occurs at the air conditioner during operation. The data output unit displays the saved operation data or sends the saved operation data externally.