Patent Publication Number: US-8121735-B2

Title: Control device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This U.S. National stage application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-183701, filed in Japan on Jul. 3, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a control device of an air conditioner. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In order to simplify factor analysis when an error occurs in an air conditioner, a conventional air conditioner employs a method in which operation information at the time of occurrence of an error is stored in a memory (for example, see JP-A Publication No. 2004-156829). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Object to be Achieved by the Invention 
     However, with the method described in Patent Document 1, because the information provided is the operation information at the time of occurrence of an error, it is insufficient to perform detailed factor analysis. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide, in case of occurrence of an error in an air conditioner, a control device configured to store information necessary to analyze factors contributing to the error. 
     Means to Achieve the Object 
     A control device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a control device that controls an air conditioner configured by an air conditioner outdoor unit and an air conditioner indoor unit, and includes a microcomputer and a storage element (memory). The microcomputer causes a signal to be transmitted and received between an outdoor communication unit provided to the air conditioner outdoor unit and an indoor communication unit provided to the air conditioner indoor unit. The memory stores specific information by a command from the microcomputer. The microcomputer causes the memory to store operation information including a state of transmission and reception of the signal of the air conditioner at a constant time interval. 
     In this control device, the microcomputer causes the memory to store, as data, the time series of the state of transmission and reception of the signal and the time series of the operation information in case of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner. Accordingly, at the time of occurrence of an error, a change in the data can be analyzed, and thus it is easy to determine whether the error was caused by multiple factors or by external factors. Further, even if there is no error, if an indication of occurrence of an error is detected based on the trend of the data, it is possible to perform maintenance in advance. 
     A control device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the memory includes a predetermined number of areas to store the operation information. When the microcomputer causes the memory to store new operation information, if all the areas are used up, the microcomputer writes the new operation information in the area that stores the oldest operation information in an overwriting manner. 
     In this control device, the microcomputer sequentially updates, from oldest to new, the operation information of the air conditioner stored in the memory. Accordingly, the size of the memory capacity to be used is prevented from becoming large. 
     A control device according to a third aspect of the present invention is the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the operation information includes ambient temperature at a place where the microcomputer and the memory are disposed. 
     In this control device, the microcomputer causes the memory to store the time series of the ambient temperature in case of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner. Accordingly, it is possible to estimate a change in the behavior of electronic components associated with a temperature change, and this simplifies the narrowing down of error factors. 
     A control device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the microcomputer calculates a reception error occurrence rate based on the number of times that the outdoor communication unit failed to normally receive a signal from the indoor communication unit in a certain period of time, and causes the memory to store the reception error occurrence rate as the operation information. 
     In this control device, the microcomputer causes the memory to store the time series of the reception error occurrence rate in case of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner. This simplifies the narrowing down of factors at the time of occurrence of an error in a signal transmission system. 
     A control device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the memory is nonvolatile. 
     In this control device, memory contents will not be lost even if the power supply is interrupted. 
     A control device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the microcomputer transmits the operation information to a terminal device located away from the air conditioner. 
     In this control device, the microcomputer can notify an air conditioner service provider of the operation state. Alternatively, the air conditioner service provider at a remote location can demand the operation information from the microcomputer. By so doing, the service provider at the remote location can examine the need for maintenance of the air conditioner off-site and, if needed, can travel to the air conditioner installation site with equipment necessary for maintenance provided in advance. Accordingly, the maintenance workability is improved. 
     Effects of the Invention 
     In the control device according to the first aspect of the present invention, at the time of occurrence of an error of the air conditioner, it is easy to determine whether the error occurred due to multiple factors or due to external factors. Further, even if there is no error, if an indication of occurrence of an error is detected, it is possible to perform maintenance in advance. 
     In the control device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the microcomputer sequentially updates, from oldest to new, the operation information of the air conditioner stored in the memory. Accordingly, the size of the memory capacity to be used is prevented from becoming large. 
     In the control device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the microcomputer causes the memory to store the time series of ambient temperature in case of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner. Accordingly, it is possible to estimate a change in the behavior of electronic components associated with a temperature change, and this simplifies the narrowing down of error factors. 
     In the control device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the microcomputer causes the memory to store the time series of the reception error occurrence rate in case of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner. This simplifies the narrowing down of factors at the time of occurrence of an error in the signal transmission system. 
     In the control device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, memory contents will not be lost even if the power supply is interrupted. 
     In the control device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the service provider can examine the need for maintenance of the air conditioner and, if needed, can visit the air conditioner installation site with equipment necessary for maintenance provided in advance. Accordingly, the maintenance workability is improved. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram of an air conditioner. 
         FIG. 2(   a ) is a block diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2(   b ) is an enlarged view of a memory. 
         FIG. 3(   a ) is an image of an error indication data writing system, and  FIG. 3(   b ) is an image of an error indication data reading system. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart of error indication data writing control. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of error indication data reading control. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Structure of the Air Conditioner 
       FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram of an air conditioner. 
     An air conditioner  1  is a multi-type air conditioner for a building, in which a plurality of air conditioner indoor units  3  are connected in parallel to one or a plurality of air conditioner outdoor units  2 , and a refrigerant circuit  10  is formed by the interconnection of devices such as a compressor  111  and the like such that the refrigerant can circulate therethrough. 
       FIG. 2(   a ) is a block diagram of a control device according to the present embodiment, and  FIG. 2(   b ) is an enlarged view of a memory. Each air conditioner outdoor unit  2  has an outdoor communication unit  21  and each air conditioner indoor unit  3  has an indoor communication unit  31 , and these communication units  21  and  31  are capable of transmitting and receiving signals with each other. A control device  4  is equipped with a microcomputer  5 , a storage element (memory)  6 , and the outdoor communication unit  21 . The microcomputer  5  causes a signal to be transmitted and received between the outdoor communication unit  21  and the indoor communication unit  31 , and causes the memory  6  to store the state of transmission and reception of the signal and the operation information of the air conditioner  1 . The memory  6  has 14 areas  61  to  74 , and specific operation information is sequentially written in the areas starting from the area  61  to the area  74  at a constant time interval. When the area  74  is used, the operation information in the areas is sequentially overwritten starting from the area  61 . Note that the memory  6  is nonvolatile, and thus memory contents will not be lost even if the power supply is interrupted. 
     In addition, the microcomputer  5  monitors the ambient temperature at a place where the control device  4  is disposed via a temperature sensor  42 . Note that the temperature sensor  42  may be substituted by an outdoor temperature sensor that detects the outdoor temperature at a place where the air conditioner  1  is installed. Note that the control device  4  has many pieces of equipment (not shown) connected thereto besides the temperature sensor  42 , however, the description thereof will be omitted. 
     &lt;Error Indication Data Writing/Reading System&gt; 
     A system to store, in the memory  6 , an indication of occurrence of an error as data in the air conditioner  1  is incorporated in this embodiment. This system is called an error indication data writing/reading system. The “error indication data” herein is the operation information stored at a constant time interval in case of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner  1 , and this data allows observation of a temporal change in the operation information. 
       FIG. 3(   a ) is an image of an error indication data writing system. The microcomputer  5  sequentially writes specific operation information in the areas  61  to  74  of the memory  6  on an hourly basis, and all the areas are filled up in 14 hours. The information in the fifteenth hour overwrites the information in the area  61 . Thus, when the air conditioner  1  is abnormally stopped, the specific operation information at least up to 13 hours prior to the abnormal stoppage is stored as the error indication data in the memory  6 . 
       FIG. 3(   b ) is an image of an error indication data reading system. When a service provider uses a portable terminal (for example, a portable personal computer  90 ) to demand error indication data from the microcomputer  5  in order to analyze error factors in the air conditioner  1  that was abnormally stopped, the microcomputer  5  reads the error indication data stored in the memory  6  and sends it to the personal computer  90 . 
     &lt;Error Indication Data&gt; 
     (Reception Error Occurrence Rate) 
     As the subject of observation, the error indication data writing/reading system observes a physical quantity (for example, ambient temperature) that is constantly monitored by the control device  4  and a result of an operation frequently performed by the air conditioner  1  (for example, state of transmission and reception of a command signal). Conventionally, when the air conditioner  1  is abnormally stopped, an error code is displayed on a display of a remote control, so that it is possible to analyze factors to a certain degree. However, it is not possible to determine whether the error was caused by external factors or by multiple factors including degradation. In particular, when an error occurred in information transmission (hereinafter referred to as “in-and-out transmission”) between the air conditioner outdoor units  2  and the air conditioner indoor units  3 , it is very difficult to analyze error factors. Therefore, in this embodiment, outdoor temperature and a reception error occurrence rate on the air conditioner outdoor units  2  side are subject to observation of the error indication data. 
     The microcomputer  5  causes a signal to be transmitted and received between the outdoor communication unit  21  provided to the air conditioner outdoor units  2  and the indoor communication unit  31  provided to the air conditioner indoor units  3 . When the outdoor communication unit  21  fails to normally receive data for 15 seconds, it is counted a reception error. Additionally, the microcomputer  5  calculates a reception error occurrence rate from the number of times that the outdoor communication unit  21  received data in one hour and the number of reception errors that occurred in the same one hour, and then causes the memory  6  to store the reception error occurrence rate. At the same time, the microcomputer  5  causes the memory  6  to store an output value of the temperature sensor  42  on an hourly basis. 
     (Error Indication Data Writing Control) 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of error indication data writing control. The microcomputer  5  starts a one-hour timer in step S 1 , and counts how many times the outdoor communication unit  21  received a signal from the indoor communication unit  31  in step S 2 . In step S 3 , the microcomputer  5  counts how many times the outdoor communication unit  21  failed to normally receive a signal. In this embodiment, the state in which the outdoor communication unit  21  failed to normally receive a signal from the indoor communication unit  31  for 15 seconds is counted as the number of occurrences of a reception error. 
     The microcomputer  5  judges in step S 4  whether or not one hour has elapsed, and if one hour has elapsed, calculates the reception error occurrence rate in step S 5 . 
     Note that, the reception error occurrence rate=the number of occurrences of a reception error/the number of receptions. If one hour has not elapsed, the flow returns to step S 1 . 
     The microcomputer  5  detects the outdoor temperature in step S 6 . In step S 7 , the microcomputer  5  writes the reception error occurrence rate calculated in step S 5  and the outdoor temperature detected in step S 6  in the memory  6  as error indication data. 
     The reception error occurrence rate and the outdoor temperature are sequentially written in the areas  61  to  74  of the memory  6  on an hourly basis, and all the areas  61  to  74  are filled up in 14 hours. The information in the fifteenth hour overwrites the information in the area  61 . Thus, when the air conditioner  1  is abnormally stopped, the reception error occurrence rate and the outdoor temperature at least up to 13 hours prior to the abnormal stoppage are stored as the error indication data in the memory  6 . 
     (Error Indication Data Reading Control) 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of error indication data reading control. When the air conditioner  1  is abnormally stopped, a service provider travels to the air conditioner installation site, and transmits an error indication data demand signal to the microcomputer  5  using the personal computer  90  that is a portable terminal. The microcomputer  5  receives the error indication data demand signal in step S 11 . In step S 12 , the microcomputer  5  reads the reception error occurrence rate data and the outdoor temperature data as the error indication data from the memory  6 , and in step S 13 , transmits the data read in step S 12  to the personal computer  90  of the service provider. 
     The service provider obtains the reception error occurrence rate and the outdoor temperature on an hourly basis up to 13 hours prior to the abnormal stoppage, and analyzes factors contributing to the error. For example, there is a case where the outdoor communication unit  21  generates a reception error due to noise effects. Note that, because the occurrence of noise is accidental, the noise is considered to be a factor when there is no regularity or no increase tendency in the reception error occurrence rate. 
     On the other hand, when there is regularity or increase tendency in the reception error occurrence rate, it is likely that the degradation of electronic components such as the outdoor communication unit  21  is advanced. The electronic components are particularly susceptible to the ambient temperature, and thus it is possible to identify whether the error was caused by a failure in electronic components or the error was caused as a result of the degradation of electronic components induced by the outdoor temperature change, by comparing the time series of the reception error occurrence rate to the time series of outdoor temperature. 
     &lt;Characteristics&gt; 
     (1) 
     The control device  4  is a control device that controls the air conditioner  1  configured by the air conditioner outdoor units  2  and the air conditioner indoor units  3 , and includes the microcomputer  5  and the memory  6 . The microcomputer  5  causes a signal to be transmitted and received between the outdoor communication unit  21  provided to the air conditioner outdoor units  2  and the indoor communication unit  31  provided to the air conditioner indoor unit  3 . The microcomputer  5  calculates the reception error occurrence rate based on the number of times that the outdoor communication unit  21  failed to normally receive a signal from the indoor communication unit  31  in one hour, and causes the memory  6  to store the reception error occurrence rate as the error indication data. At the same time, the microcomputer  5  causes the memory  6  to store an output value of the temperature sensor  42  on an hourly basis. Accordingly, the time series of the reception error occurrence rate and the time series of the outdoor temperature are accumulated as data, and it is possible, based on the trend of the data, to easily determine whether the error was caused by multiple factors or by external factors. 
     (2) 
     In the control device  4 , the reception error occurrence rate and the outdoor temperature are sequentially written in the areas  61  to  74  of the memory  6  on an hourly basis, and all the areas  61  to  74  are filled up in 14 hours. The information in the fifteenth hour overwrites the information in the area  61 . Thus, when the air conditioner  1  is abnormally stopped, the reception error occurrence rate and the outdoor temperature at least up to 13 hours prior to the abnormal stoppage are stored as the error indication data in the memory  6 . Accordingly, there is no need to increase the size of the memory capacity to be used, and thus it is economical. 
     (3) 
     In the control device  4 , the memory  6  is nonvolatile, and thus memory contents will not be lost even if the power supply is interrupted. 
     Alternative Embodiment 
     While the present invention has been described, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     For example, when the microcomputer  5  writes the error indication data in the memory  6 , the microcomputer  5  may transmit the error indication data to a central control center where the operation state of the air conditioner  1  is collectively controlled. The central control center can analyze the possibility of occurrence of an error in the air conditioner  1  in the future based on the error indication data transmitted, and can take countermeasures in advance. 
     In addition, the service provider of the air conditioner  1  may read the error indication data via a wireless communication from a remote location. Accordingly, the service provider can travel to the air conditioner installation site with all the equipment necessary for maintenance of the air conditioner  1 , and thus the maintenance workability is improved. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     As described above, the present invention simplifies factor analysis when an error occurs in an air conditioner, and thus is useful to an air conditioner control device.