Multi-unit air conditioning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a multi-unit air conditioning system, identifying a malfunctioning indoor unit is challenging when the malfunction notification configuration is not functioning, as it becomes difficult to distinguish it from a normally operating unit.
Innovation Solution
The system includes a control device that sends notification signals to each indoor unit, which responds with identification and operational status information, and if a unit malfunctions, it sends a malfunction signal. If the control device cannot verify the operation of a notification unit, it sends a signal to other units to activate their notification systems, allowing users to visually identify malfunctioning units by their operational status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If each indoor unit includes a notification unit to indicate malfunction, then malfunction identification is facilitated, but if the notification unit fails, it becomes difficult to distinguish malfunctioning units from normal units
Solution Approach 1:
The control device performs preliminary verification by transmitting notification signals to each indoor unit before malfunction identification is needed. The control device checks whether each notification unit is operating normally by receiving response signals, and stores the operational status. This preliminary action ensures that when a malfunction occurs, the system already has baseline information about which notification units are functioning, enabling reliable malfunction identification even if some notification units later fail.
2Measurement precision
If the control device verifies notification unit operation by sending signals to malfunctioning units, then accurate identification is achieved, but the malfunctioning unit cannot respond properly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of verifying notification unit operation by sending signals only to malfunctioning units (which cannot respond properly), the control device inverts the approach by transmitting notification signals to all indoor units including normal ones. The control device then verifies operation by receiving response signals from all units and comparing their operational status against stored baseline information. This inverted approach ensures that verification can be performed on units that are capable of responding.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-unit air conditioning system includes a plurality of indoor units each of which causes a notification unit of the indoor unit to operate in response to a notification signal from a control device. When at least one indoor unit among the plurality of indoor units is malfunctioning, the at least one indoor unit each transmits a malfunction occurred signal which includes identification information of the indoor unit to the control device. If the control device cannot check operation of the notification unit of each of the malfunctioning at least one indoor unit by a response signal corresponding to the transmitted notification signal, the control device transmits a notification signal to an indoor unit to which a notification signal has not been transmitted among the plurality of indoor units.