Multi-unit air conditioning system
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-unit air conditioning systems, identifying a malfunctioning indoor unit is challenging when the malfunction notification configuration fails, as it becomes difficult to distinguish between malfunctioning and normally operating units.
Innovation Solution
A multi-unit air conditioning system with a control device that sends notification signals to indoor units, which respond with identification and operational status information, and transmits malfunction signals; if a unit's notification operation cannot be checked, the control device alerts other units to visually indicate the malfunctioning unit by operating their notification units.
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 the system cannot reliably detect when the notification unit itself fails
Solution Approach 1:
The control device transmits notification signals to indoor units and receives response signals containing operational status information. This feedback mechanism allows the system to verify whether notification units are functioning properly by checking if they respond to test signals, thereby solving the reliability problem of self-monitoring notification systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Each indoor unit monitors its own notification unit status by responding to notification signals from the control device. The system performs self-diagnosis by having each unit report its notification unit operational status, eliminating the need for external monitoring equipment while maintaining reliable detection capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple indoor units are deployed in different spaces, then system coverage is improved, but locating a malfunctioning unit becomes difficult when notification fails
Solution Approach 1:
The control device receives response signals from each indoor unit containing identification information and notification unit status. By correlating the absence of response signals or malfunction indicators with the known locations of indoor units, the system can identify which specific unit is malfunctioning even when distributed across multiple spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Each indoor unit is assigned unique identification information and independently reports its status. This segmentation allows the control device to pinpoint the exact malfunctioning unit among multiple distributed units by processing individual response signals, making location identification feasible even when units are spread across different spaces.
Data Source
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AI summary
A multi-unit air conditioning system (100) includes a plurality of indoor units (1A to 1C) each of which causes a notification unit (11A to 11C, 12A to 12C) of the indoor unit to operate in response to a notification signal (Cm1 to Cm3) from a control device (2). When at least one indoor unit (1C) among the plurality of indoor units (1A to 1C) is malfunctioning, the at least one indoor unit (1C) each transmits a malfunction occurred signal (Ab3) which includes identification information (Ad3) of the indoor unit (1C) to the control device (2). If the control device (2) cannot check operation of the notification unit (11C, 12C) of each of the malfunctioning at least one indoor unit (1C) by a response signal (Ac3F) corresponding to the transmitted notification signal (Cm3), the control device (2) transmits a notification signal (Cm1, Cm2) to an indoor unit (1A, 1B) to which a notification signal (Cm3) has not been transmitted among the plurality of indoor units (1A to 1C).