Abstract:
In an air conditioning system, a first controller converts the communication method of an external command inputted into the second controller and transmits the same to an air conditioner. Further, the first controller displays operating information of the air conditioner. Accordingly, the structure of the air conditioning system is simplified, and installation costs are reduced.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an air conditioning system, and more particularly, to an air conditioning system, which includes a controller capable of converting a communication method and displaying operating information of an air conditioner. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In a conventional air conditioning system, an interface device has to be installed in order to convert the communication method of a signal received from the outside. However, the interface device does not display operating information of air conditioners. Therefore, since a separate display device other than the interface device is further required, there has been the problem of cost increase and an increase of the installation time of the air conditioning system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioning system, which includes a controller capable of converting a communication method and displaying operating information of an air conditioner. 
         [0006]    The air conditioning system of the present invention comprises: an air conditioner; a first controller networked to the air conditioner in a first communication method and displaying operating information of the air conditioner; and a second controller networked to the first controller in a second communication method and receiving a first external command for controlling the operation of the air conditioner. The first communication method is different from the second communication method, and the first controller converts a communication method of the first external command to transmit the same so that the first external command can be transmitted to the air conditioner. 
         [0007]    In the present invention, the first controller may receive an external signal in the second communication method in response to the first external command, generate control data for controlling the air conditioner on the basis of the external signal, and send a control signal corresponding to the control data to the air conditioner in the first communication method. The first controller may comprise: a first communication module for receiving the external signal from the first controller; a control module for generating the control data on the basis of the external signal; a communication method conversion module for generating the control signal from the control data; a second communication module for sending the control signal to the air conditioner; and a display module for displaying the operating information of the air conditioner. 
         [0008]    In the air conditioning system in accordance with the present invention, the first controller converts the communication method of an external command inputted into the second controller and transmits the same to the air conditioner. Further, the first controller displays the operating information of the air conditioner. Accordingly, the structure of the air conditioning system is simplified, and installation costs are reduced. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the construction of an air conditioning system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing in detail the constructions of a first controller and a second controller as shown in  FIG. 1  and the flow of a control signal; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a screen implemented on a display module as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the construction of an air conditioning system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a web page for authentication displayed on the screen of the second controller of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a web page showing controllable and monitorable categories displayed on the screen of the second controller of  FIG. 4 ; 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the construction of an air conditioning system  100  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing in detail the constructions of a first controller  110  and a second controller  190  as shown in  FIG. 1  and the flow of a control signal. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the air conditioning system  100  includes air conditioners  140 , local controllers  150 , first controllers  110 , a second controller  190 , and a branching means  169 . Each of the air conditioners  140  includes a plurality of indoor units  130  and an outdoor unit  120 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, but each air conditioner  140  may include a plurality of indoor units  130  and a plurality of outdoor units  120 . The indoor units  130  are disposed in indoor spaces, and the outdoor unit  120  is disposed in an outdoor space. In each of the air conditioners  140 , the indoor units  130  and the outdoor unit  120  are communicatively connected to each other via a first network  161 . Further, the outdoor units  120  are communicatively connected to each other via a second network. RS-485-communicaiton is conducted in the first network  161  and the second network  162 . However, the present invention is not limited to the above communication method. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , each of the local controllers  150  is disposed in each indoor space, and each of the local controllers  150  operates operating information of the air conditioner  140  in communication with the indoor units  130  disposed in indoor spaces. Each local controller  150  is provided with a plurality of operation keys (not shown), and a user operates the plurality of operation keys (not shown) to control the operation of the air conditioner  140 . Furthermore, each local controller  150  further includes a display panel (not shown) for displaying operating information of the air conditioner  140 . The local controllers  150  and the indoor units  130  conducts communication by wired or wireless means, and the local controllers  150  may be general wired remote controllers or wireless remote controllers. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , each of the first controllers  110  is communicatively connected to the air conditioners  140  via the second network  162 . The first controllers  110  are networked to the second controller  190  by a third network  163 , a fourth network  164 , and the branching means  169 . Various devices can be selected as the branching means  169 . In  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a hub is disposed as the branching means  169 . Although in  FIG. 1 , the branching means  169  is installed such that the plurality of first controllers  110  can be networked to the single second controller  190 , if there is only a single first controller, a separate branching means may not be required. The second controller  190  is a terminal in which a program capable of communication with the first controllers  110  can be executed. The second controller  190  includes a computer, a PDA, a portable phone and so on. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the second controller  190  includes a UI implementation module  191  for displaying operating information of the air conditioners  140  and implementing a UI (user interface) so as to receive a first external command from a user; a UI driving module  192  for controlling the operation of the UI implementation module  191  and generating external command data on the basis of the first external command from the user; and a UI communication module  193  for generating an external signal on the basis of the external command data and sending the same to the first controllers  110  in the first communication method via a third network  163 , the branching means  169 , and the fourth network  164 . The first external command includes a command corresponding to the change of the set temperature of an indoor space, a command corresponding to the change of the blast volume of the indoor units  130  and so on. The first communication method can be variously selected in consideration of the characteristics of the first controllers  110  or the like, and TCP/IP type communication is conducted in the air conditioning system  100 . Also, the UI implementation module  191  is able to implement not only the UI but also a GUI (graphical user interface). 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , each of the first controllers  110  includes a first communication module  112 , a control module  111 , a display module  114 , a database  117 , a communication method conversion module  113 , an input module  118 , and a second communication module  116 . The first communication module  112  receives the external signal from the second controller  190 . Further, the first communication module  112  can send a signal of the first controller  110  to the second controller  190 . The control module  111  generates control data on the basis of the external signal. That is to say, the control module  111  generates control data for controlling the air conditioners  140  from the external signal and information of the air conditioners  140  stored in a database  117 . If the first external command is a command corresponding to the change of the blast volume of a specific indoor unit  130 , the control data corresponds to information for changing the number of turns of a blast fan (not shown) of the specific indoor unit  130 . 
         [0022]    The communication method conversion module  113  converts the generated control data into a second communication method to generate a control signal. The second communication method can be variously selected in consideration of the structure and characteristics of the air conditioners  140 , and RS-485 type communication is used in the air conditioning system  100 . 
         [0023]    The second communication module  116  sends the control signal to the air conditioners  140  by means of the second network  162 . However, the second communication module  116  may receive a signal from the air conditioners  140 . At this time, the communication method conversion module  113  converts the signal received from the air conditioners  140  into the first communication method to send it to the second controller  190 . Further, the communication method conversion module  113  does not only conduct the conversion between a specific first communication method and a specific second communication method but also the conversion between various first communication methods and various second communication methods. At this time, the first controllers  110  may include a plurality of communication method conversion modules corresponding to communication methods that are to be converted, and the communication method conversion module may conduct the conversion of various communication methods in terms of software. 
         [0024]    In the second network  162 , third network  163 , and fourth network  164 , signals are received and sent by using the same communication protocol. However, the first controllers  110  can convert a communication protocol as well as a communication method. That is to say, the first controllers  110  can conduct communication with the air conditioners  140  by using a first communication method and a first communication protocol, and conduct communication with the second controller  190  by using a second communication method and a second communication protocol. The second communication protocol may be a BACnet protocol or a LonWorks protocol. 
         [0025]    The display module  114  displays operating information of the air conditioners  140 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a screen implemented by the display module  114 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , on the screen  114 b of the display module, operating information on “basic control” mode, “schedule” mode, “history” mode, “auto control” mode, “system” mode, “setup” mode, “ventilating apparatus” mode, and “interlink control” mode are displayed.  FIG. 3  shows a state in which the “basic” mode is selected. In the “basic control” mode, icons  114   a  corresponding to the respective indoor units  130  are displayed. Further, when a specific one of the icons  114   a  is selected, operating information of the indoor unit corresponding to the specific icon is displayed at a lower part of the screen  114   b.  The operating information of the indoor unit include the operation mode of the indoor unit, the room temperature of an indoor space, the set temperature of the indoor unit, the blast volume of the indoor unit, etc. 
         [0026]    A second external command for controlling the operation of the air conditioner  140  is entered into the input module  118 . The user can enter the second external command in the first controllers  110  in order to control the air conditioner  140  by using the first controllers  110  as well as the second controller  190 . The input module  118  may include a plurality of operation keys. At this time, the user can enter the second external command by operating the plurality of operation keys. However, if the display module  114  as shown in  FIG. 3  has a touch screen system, it is possible to enter the second external command in a touch manner. If the touch screen system is employed, the input module  118  and the display module  114  have an integral structure. 
         [0027]    The control module  111  generates control data for controlling the air conditioner  140  on the basis of an external signal corresponding to the second external command, and the communication method conversion module  113  generates a control signal corresponding to the control data in the first communication method. The control signal is sent to the air conditioner  140  through the second communication module  116 . 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first communication module  112 , the control module  111 , the display module  114 , the database  117 , the communication method conversion module  113 , the input module  118 , and the second communication module  116  are integrally formed. Here, the expression “integrally formed” does not only mean that the components are formed so as to be inseparable from one other, but also that they are structurally coupled to one another. As the first communication module  112 , the control module  111 , the display module  114 , the database  117 , the communication method conversion module  113 , the input module  118 , and the second communication module  116  are all integrally formed, this has the effect of simplifying the construction of the first controllers  110 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto, only some components of the first communication module  112 , the control module  111 , the display module  114 , the database  117 , the communication method conversion module  113 , the input module  118 , and the second communication module  116  may be integrally formed with one another. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the air conditioning system  100  further includes first facilities  180  and second facilities  185 . The first facilities  180  are communicatively connected to the first controllers  110  via a fifth network  165 . The first facilities  180  can be variously selected, and, in this embodiment, the first facilities  180  are ventilators. Between the first facilities  180  and the first controllers  110 , communication is conducted by RS-485 communication protocol. The second controller  190  controls the operation of the first facilities  180  through the first controllers  110 . However, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the “ventilator” mode may be selected so that the first controllers  110  can directly control the first facilities  180  and display operating information of the first facilities  180 . 
         [0030]    The first controllers  110  work in interlink with any one of the second facilities  185  and the air conditioner  140 , thereby controlling the operation of the others. The second facilities  185  include firefighting equipment, lighting equipment, door locking equipment, ventilation equipment, etc. If the second facilities  185  are door locking equipment, the door of the door locking equipment may automatically stop the operation of the air conditioner  140  in interlink with the locking of the door of the door locking equipment. The second facilities  185  operate independently from the second controller  190 , and are in dry contact with the first controllers  110 . The second facilities  185  perform on/off communication with the first controllers  110  by using a DC power supply of 0 to 24V. The setup and operating information of the second facilities  185  are displayed upon selecting the “gang control” mode as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing the construction of an air conditioning system  200  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The same reference numerals as those in the previous embodiment denote the same members. The following description will be given with respect to differences from the previous embodiment. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the air conditioning system  200  includes air conditioner  140 , local controllers  150 , a first controller  210 , and a second controller  290 . As the first controller  210  and the second controller  290  are connected via the internet network  267 , the first controller  210  and the second controller  290  perform communication in a TCP/IP communication method. 
         [0033]    The first controller  210  has substantially the same functions and structures as the first controller  110  of  FIG. 1  has, except that it performs the function of a web server. The second controller  290  is a device that is accessible to the web server, and includes a computer, a PDA, a mobile phone, etc. The user can execute a web browser in the second controller  290 , and thereafter make a web connection to the first controller  210  on the web browser. 
         [0034]    The first controller  210  transmits to the second controller  290  a web page for displaying operating information of the air conditioner  140 , the first facilities  180 , and the second facilities  185 . The user may enter a first external command for controlling the operation of the air conditioner  140  and the first facilities  180  on the web page, and may monitor the operation state of the air conditioner  140 , the first facilities  180 , and the second facilities  185 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , if the second controller  290  makes a web connection to the first controller  210 , the first controller  210  transmits a web page for authentication to the second controller  290 . Once an authentication procedure is performed, the first controller  210  transmits to the second controller  290  a web page showing the categories that the user can execute by means of the second controller  290 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , the web page is illustrated. 
         [0035]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings, these are merely illustrative, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments of the present invention are possible. Consequently, the true technical protective scope of the present invention must be determined based on the technical spirit of the appended claims.