Patent Description:
An air conditioner is an apparatus that adjusts temperature, humidity, airflow, etc. of indoor air using movement of heat generated during evaporation and condensation of refrigerant that circulates in a cooling cycle including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve, and an evaporator.

Air conditioners may be classified into a split type air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit separately installed, and an integrated type air conditioner having an indoor unit and an outdoor unit installed together in one cabinet. The split type air conditioner includes an indoor unit installed indoors and an outdoor unit connected to the indoor unit through a refrigerant pipe and installed outdoors.

A typical air conditioner generally connects a single indoor unit to a single outdoor unit. However, in recent times, demand for a multi-system air conditioner which connects a plurality of indoor units to at least one outdoor unit to cool or hot indoor air of each space of a building (e.g., a school, a company, a hospital, etc.) having a plurality of independent spaces, is rapidly increasing.

In the multi-system air conditioner, the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units communicated through a wired line such as RS485. However, in the case of RS485 wired communication, there is a problem that a communication line must be separately installed between the outdoor unit and the plurality of indoor units, and a pipe protecting the communication line must also be installed. In addition, if the existing refrigerant pipe is used and reinstalled, the communication line may not be recycled and may not be reinstalled.

In order to solve this problem, a piping communication method for performing communication using the refrigerant pipe has been developed. However, in the case of piping communication, a communication signal needs to be increased in order to secure a communication distance in actual implementation. When the communication signal is increased, an air conditioner's own standard (EMC standard) may not be satisfied, so there is a limit to apply it to actual long-distance piping communication. In addition, when the plurality of indoor units are connected to the single outdoor unit, the number of branch pipes for branching the pipe increases, and as the number of branch pipes increases, there is a problem in that communication is not smooth because it affects impedance characteristics. In addition, it is difficult to implement smooth piping communication in the multi-system air conditioner because there is no solution for the occurrence of a physical short between the pipes.

Conventional air conditioners and pipe communication methods therefor are disclosed in <CIT> and <CIT>.

An aspect of the disclosure provides an air conditioner capable of smoothly performing communication between an outdoor unit and indoor units using piping communication, and a piping communication method thereof.

The present invention is defined by the attached independent claims. Other preferred embodiments may be found in the dependent claims. The present application discloses an air conditioner (<NUM>) comprising:an outdoor unit (<NUM>);a plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) connected to the outdoor unit (<NUM>) through a first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and a second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>); and a piping communication device (<NUM>) configured to convert information of the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) into communication signals, and to transmit the information to each other through the refrigerant pipe (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),wherein the piping communication device (<NUM>) is configured to perform communication between the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) by:in a first mode, transmitting and receiving the communication signal through the first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and the second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and in a second mode, transmitting and receiving the communication signal through at least one of the first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and the second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>);wherein the piping communication device (<NUM>) comprises:a master piping communication device (<NUM>) connected to the outdoor unit (<NUM>); and a plurality of slave piping communication devices (<NUM>) each connected to the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N),wherein the master piping communication device comprises a controller (<NUM>) configured to transmit a preamble signal to the plurality of slave piping communication devices (<NUM>) in the first mode or the second mode; and the plurality of slave piping communication devices (<NUM>) is configured to measure a reception level of the preamble signal received in the first mode or the second mode, and transmit the measured reception level of the preamble signal to the master piping communication device (<NUM>),wherein the controller (<NUM>) is configured to:determine a communication state between the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) based on the measured reception level of the preamble signal in the first mode or the second mode, and set a communication mode to the first mode or the second mode according to the communication state. The present application discloses a piping communication method of an air conditioner (<NUM>), the air conditioner (<NUM>) including an outdoor unit (<NUM>), a plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) connected to the outdoor unit (<NUM>) through a first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and a second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>), and a piping communication device (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) connected to the refrigerant pipe (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), and configured to convert and transmit/receive information of the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) into communication signals, the piping communication method comprising:transmitting a preamble signal from the piping communication device (<NUM>) of the outdoor unit (<NUM>) to the piping communication device (<NUM>) of the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N);measuring a reception level of the preamble signal from the piping communication device (<NUM>) of the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) and transmitting the measured reception level to the piping communication device (<NUM>) of the outdoor unit (<NUM>);determining a communication state using the reception level in the piping communication device (<NUM>) of the outdoor unit (<NUM>);setting, by the piping communication device (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), a communication mode between the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) according to the communication state; and performing, by the piping communication device (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), communication by transmitting the communication signal in the set communication mode.

Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<FIG> is an overall connection configuration diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, an air conditioner <NUM> may include at least one outdoor unit <NUM> and a plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) connected to the outdoor unit <NUM> through a refrigerant pipe <NUM>.

The outdoor unit <NUM> may be installed in an outdoor space to perform heat exchange between outdoor air and refrigerant. Here, the number of outdoor units <NUM> is not limited, and may be adjusted so as to exhibit the desired cooling and heating capacity according to the total cooling and heating capacity required in the entire indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,.

A physical structure of the outdoor unit <NUM> is not limited, and may vary depending on an installation position, the number of connected indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), and a designer's intention or taste.

The plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) are installed in at least one indoor space to control air, and may be provided to control an indoor temperature by discharging cold or hot air into the indoor space. In this case, one indoor unit <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N) may be installed in one indoor space, or the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may be installed in one indoor space.

The plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may have a predetermined shape that a designer can consider, such as a wall-mounted indoor unit mounted on a wall according to the embodiment, and a stand-type indoor unit mounted at one position in the indoor space, a window type indoor unit installed on a window, or a ceiling-mounted type indoor unit installed on a ceiling.

The plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) connected to the outdoor unit <NUM> may all have the same shape, may have different shapes. Some of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may have the same shape and other parts of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may have different shapes. For example, the indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may be the ceiling-mounted indoor unit, or some of the indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> , <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) are ceiling-mounted indoor units, others are stand-type indoor units, and others are wall-mounted indoor units.

The refrigerant pipe <NUM> may include one or more branch pipes for branching the high pressure pipe <NUM> and the low pressure pipe <NUM> to connect the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) to the single outdoor unit <NUM>.

In this way, the multi-system air conditioner <NUM> may provide cold air cooling (cooling operation) or hot air (heating operation) to each indoor space corresponding to each indoor unit <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N) by using the refrigerant flowing between the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) and the outdoor unit <NUM>. Here, the cooling operation and the heating operation may be selectively performed according to a predefined setting or a user's manipulation.

The refrigerant may be introduced into the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), or may be selectively introduced into only some of the indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>- <NUM>,. Accordingly, the air conditioner <NUM> may control the air in all indoor spaces in which the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) are installed, or may control only air in some indoor spaces.

According to the embodiment, the air conditioner <NUM> may further include piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) that converts information of the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) into the communication signal and transmits the information to each other through the refrigerant pipe <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>).

The piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) may include a master piping communication device <NUM> connected to the outdoor unit <NUM> and a plurality of slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) connected to the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), respectively.

<FIG> is a system configuration diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the outdoor unit <NUM> may include an outdoor-unit controller <NUM> for controlling the overall operation of the air conditioner <NUM>, and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may each include an indoor-unit controller <NUM> for controlling the operation of the corresponding indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) according to a control command transmitted from the outdoor unit <NUM>.

The outdoor-unit controller <NUM> is a microprocessor that controls the overall operation of the outdoor unit <NUM>, and may be connected to the indoor-unit controller <NUM> that controls the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), respectively, through the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>), to enable communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. In addition, the outdoor-unit controller <NUM> may vary a driving capability of the outdoor unit <NUM> according to the total cooling and heating capacity required for the entire indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,.

The indoor-unit controller <NUM> is the microprocessor that controls the overall operation of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), respectively, and may be connected to the outdoor-unit controller <NUM> through the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>). In addition, the indoor-unit controller <NUM> may receive response data through slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), and may be configured to enable communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,.

The master piping communication device <NUM> is a piping communication module connected to the outdoor unit <NUM> and is a master node that leads a network function of a piping communication network.

The plurality of slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) are piping communication modules each connected to the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) ) Is a piping communication module connected to each other, and is a slave node that communicates with the master node and other slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N).

The piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) may communicate between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) by using a first mode (hereinafter referred to as 'differential mode') in which communication lines are connected to both ends of the refrigerant pipe <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) to transmit and receive communication signals, and a second mode (hereinafter referred to as 'single mode') in which the communication line is connected to only one of the refrigerant pipe <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the other line is connected to the ground to transmit and receive the communication signals.

Since the differential mode transmits and receives the communication signals using two communication lines, the communication state is stable due to excellent communication signal quality. However, in the differential mode, when the communication signal becomes zero due to the superposition of a high signal and a low signal, a situation in which communication is disconnected (communication failure) may occur.

On the other hand, since the single mode transmits and receives the communication signals using one communication line, there is a disadvantage in that the communication state is unstable due to the deterioration of the communication signal quality, but a situation in which communication is disconnected (communication failure) does not occur.

in the multi-system air conditioner <NUM> connecting the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) to the single outdoor unit <NUM>, a pipe short may occur between the master node and each slave node, or the number of branch pipes for branching the refrigerant pipes <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) may cause the communication failure.

Accordingly, the air conditioner <NUM> according to the embodiment of the disclosure may change the communication mode to the differential mode or the single mode according to the communication state, and set the most suitable communication method for the field characteristics, so that the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) to enable smooth communication between them.

In this way, the piping communication modules <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) communicating in the differential mode and the single mode may each have a fixed or dynamic IP. The master piping communication module <NUM> may be connected to communication through a communication method such as RS-<NUM> through a communication cable to monitor the state of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) and integrally or individually control the operation of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. In addition, the master piping communication module <NUM> may distinguish each indoor unit <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) through the IP address set for each indoor unit <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,.

<FIG> is a control block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) may include the master piping communication device <NUM> that is the master node, and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N) that is the slave node.

The master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may further include controllers <NUM> and <NUM>, storages <NUM> and <NUM>, and communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively.

The controllers <NUM> and <NUM> are the microprocessor that control the overall operation of the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>), and may change the communication mode between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> , <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) to control the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) to enable smooth communication.

The controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may set the communication mode to the differential mode at the initial communication start in order to set the communication to be performed only in one of the differential mode and the single mode, and measure a reception level by transmitting a preamble signal from the master node to each slave node multiple times (n times; for example, <NUM> times). Thereafter, the controller <NUM> may change the communication mode to single mode and measure the reception level by transmitting the preamble signal from the master node to each slave node multiple times (n times).

Accordingly, the controller <NUM> of master piping communication device <NUM> may compare the reception levels of the differential mode and the single mode received from each slave node to set the communication mode with a high reception level.

The controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may measure the level (magnitude) of the preamble signal received in the differential mode and the single mode at each slave node, and transmit the reception level measured at each slave node back to the master node. At this time, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may calculate a maximum value, a minimum value, and an average value of the measured reception levels.

This will be described in more detail as follows.

The controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may set the communication mode to the differential mode at the initial communication start and transmit the preamble signal from the master node to each slave node multiple times (e.g., <NUM> or more times).

The controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the differential mode at each slave node and transmit the reception level measured at each slave node back to the master node. At this time, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the measured reception levels.

After the measurement of the reception level of the preamble signal in the differential mode is completed, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may change the communication mode to the single mode and transmit the preamble signal from the master node to each slave node multiple times (for example, <NUM> or more times).

Accordingly, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the single mode at each slave node and transmit the reception level measured at each slave node back to the master node. At this time, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the measured reception levels.

Accordingly, the master node may compare the reception levels of the differential mode and the single mode transmitted from each slave node, and set the communication mode with the high reception level.

In addition, when the communication mode set by the master node is transmitted to each slave node, each slave node may be set to the same communication mode as the master node.

The controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using a device capable of performing various operations and control operations. For example, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using a central processing unit (CPU), a MiCOM, or a microcontroller unit (MCU). The controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using one or more semiconductor chips or a device including the same.

According to the embodiment, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using a general-purpose processing device. In this case, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may perform necessary calculations and control operations by driving programs stored in the storages <NUM> and <NUM>. The programs stored in the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be stored by a designer, or may be provided from an external server device that can be connected using a separate communication network. For example, the programs may be provided through an electronic software distribution network. In addition, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using a processing device programmed to perform a specific operation in advance by the designer.

The storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store various information necessary for the operation of the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>), and store communication mode information of the differential mode and the single mode that can communicate between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,.

As for the communication mode information, it is possible to know whether the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) are currently performing communication in the differential mode or the single mode.

In addition, storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store the operation information and failure information of the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) through the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM>.

The operation information of the outdoor unit <NUM> may include a defrost state, a condenser temperature, a compressor discharge temperature, an evaporator outlet temperature, an oil temperature, a compressor suction temperature, a pressure of the low pressure pipe <NUM>, a pressure of the high pressure pipe <NUM>, an outdoor temperature, an opening degree of an outdoor electric valve, an outdoor fan rotation speed, and the like.

The operation information of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may include a power state of the indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), a set temperature, an indoor temperature, an indoor heat exchanger temperature, an indoor pipe outlet temperature, a capacity code of the indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), an opening degree of an indoor electric valve, an indoor fan rotation speed, etc..

In addition, the failure information may include various failure codes related to compressor failure, malfunction of a compressor, outdoor fan failure, malfunction of an outdoor fan, temperature sensor failure of the indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), indoor fan failure, malfunction of an indoor fan, etc..

In addition, storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store communication mode information of the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) updated in real time, piping communication module information selected as the master node. In this case, the operation information stored in the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be shared with the master piping communication device <NUM> or the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) through communication.

In addition, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store a control program and control data for controlling the operation of the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), and various application programs and application data that perform various functions according to a user input. For example, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store an operating system (OS) program for managing the configuration and resources (software and hardware) included in the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), a calendar application for managing a schedule, and the like.

The storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store reference data used during operation control of the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), operation data generated while the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) perform a predetermined operation, set information such as setting data input so that the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) perform the predetermined operation, the number of times in which the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) have performed a specific communication mode, and failure information including the cause of the malfunction or the position of the malfunction when the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) malfunction.

The storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using a magnetic disc storage medium, a magnetic drum storage medium, or a semiconductor storage medium. Here, the semiconductor storage medium may include a volatile memory, e.g., a static random access memory (S-RAM) and a dynamic random access memory (D-RAM); a non-volatile memory, e.g., a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), and a flash memory. However, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> are not limited thereto, and various storage devices that the designer may consider may be used.

In the above, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> have been functionally distinguished, but the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> are not necessarily physically distinguished. For example, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented as a single chip, or the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may each be implemented as separate chips.

The communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to the controllers <NUM> and <NUM>, and may be configured to enable communication between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,.

The communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be communication modules that supports exchanging the operation information between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), and may connect the network through the piping communication network to enable communication between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. For example, communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may include a wireless fidelity (WiFi) that connects to a local area network (LAN) through a wireless access point (AP), a Bluetooth that communicates one-to-one with a single external device or one-to-many with a few external devices, a broadcast signal receiving module that receives digital broadcast signals, and the like.

In addition, the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to other devices using a wireless communication protocol such as GSM/3GPP series communication method (GSM, HSDPA, LTE Advanced), 3GPP2 series communication method (CDMA, etc.), or WiMAX.

In addition, communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to other devices to transmit and receive information. Particularly, the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to a mobile terminal located near the air conditioner <NUM> or a server located at a remote location to transmit information from the mobile terminal or the server. For example, the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to the server to receive weather information.

Hereinafter, the operation process and effect of the air conditioner and a piping communication method according to the embodiment of the disclosure will be described.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm for setting a communication mode for piping communication in an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

When connecting the piping communication for the first time, the air conditioner <NUM> may connect the communication line to the refrigerant pipe to enable communication in the differential mode and the single mode.

During communication, the communication mode may be set as the differential mode at the initial communication, since it is necessary to set the communication only in one of the differential mode and the single mode.

In <FIG>, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may transmit the preamble signal in the differential mode to each slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is the slave node (<NUM>).

The controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may count the number of times T1 to transmit the preamble signal in the differential mode (<NUM>).

The slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is each slave node, may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the differential mode to calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value (<NUM>).

Subsequently, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine whether the number of times T1 to transmit the preamble signal in the differential mode is greater than or equal to the set first reference number T1s (the number of times to complete the reception level measurement of the preamble signal in the differential mode, about <NUM> or more) (<NUM>).

As a result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the number of times T1 to transmit the preamble signal in the differential mode is not greater than the first reference number T1s, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine that the reception level measurement has not been completed in the differential mode, and feedback to operation <NUM> to perform subsequent operations.

On the other hand, as the result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the number of times T1 to transmit the preamble signal in the differential mode is greater than the first reference number T1s, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine that the reception level measurement has been completed in the differential mode, and proceed to operation <NUM>.

In operation <NUM>, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may transmit the preamble signal in the single mode to each slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is the slave node.

The controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may count the number of times T1 to transmit the preamble signal in the single mode (<NUM>).

The slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is each slave node, may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the single mode to calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value (<NUM>).

Subsequently, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine whether the number of times T2 to transmit the preamble signal in the single mode is greater than or equal to the set second reference number T2s (the number of times to complete the reception level measurement of the preamble signal in the single mode, about <NUM> or more) (<NUM>).

As a result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the number of times T2 to transmit the preamble signal in the single mode is not greater than the second reference number T2s, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine that the reception level measurement has not been completed in the single mode, and feedback to operation <NUM> to perform subsequent operations.

On the other hand, as the result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the number of times T2 to transmit the preamble signal in the single mode is greater than the second reference number T2s, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine that the reception level measurement has been completed in the single mode, and proceed to operation <NUM>.

In operation <NUM>, the slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is each slave node, may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the differential mode and the single mode, and transmit the measured level of the preamble signal to the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node.

Accordingly, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may compare the reception level of the differential mode and the reception level of the single mode transmitted from the slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is the each slave node, and determine whether the reception level of the differential mode is greater than the reception level of the single mode (<NUM>).

As a result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the reception level in the differential mode is greater than the reception level in the single mode, it is determined that the communication signal quality in the differential mode is excellent. The master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may set the communication mode between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) as the differential mode (<NUM>).

As the result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the reception level in the differential mode is not greater than the reception level in the single mode, it is determined that the communication signal quality in the single mode is excellent. The master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may set the communication mode between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) as the single mode (<NUM>).

Typically, when communication using the refrigerant pipes <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) in the multi-system air conditioner <NUM> connecting the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) to the single outdoor unit <NUM>, a physical short may occur between the refrigerant pipes <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) or the communication may not be possible as the number of branch pipes for branching the refrigerant pipes <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) increases. In order to set the communication mode in the actual field, the installer needs equipment for measuring signals. Although the measurement level should be able to be grasped, it is possible to simplify the setting of communication mode by automating a method according to the embodiment. In addition, the communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may be smoothly performed by setting the communication mode most suitable for the field characteristics within a range in which the piping communication signal does not exceed an EMI regulation of the air conditioner <NUM>.

In this way, when the setting of the communication mode is completed, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may transmit the set communication mode to the slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. or <NUM>-N), which is each slave node, and may synchronize the each slave node to be set to the same communication mode as the master node.

Next, a method of changing the communication mode due to an unstable communication state while performing communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) in the set communication mode will be described with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating an algorithm for changing a communication mode for piping communication in an air conditioner according to an embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may synchronize the slave piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N), which is each slave node in the set communication mode (e.g., differential mode) to perform communication by transmitting and receiving the communication signals between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) (<NUM>).

During communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) in the differential communication mode, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may determine whether the communication is in an unstable state (<NUM>). The method of determining communication instability is to identify a success rate of the communication signal by measuring the level of the communication signal at the each slave node and comparing the level of the communication signal transmitted from the master node with the level of the communication signal measured at each slave node.

As a result of the determination of operation <NUM>, when the communication is not in the unstable state, by transmitting the piping communication signal in the set communication mode (for example, the differential mode), communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may be performed (<NUM>).

On the other hand, as the result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the communication is in the unstable state, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may change the communication mode, for example, from the differential mode to the single mode.

(<NUM>), and count the number of changes in the communication mode T3 (<NUM>). Counting the number of changes in the communication mode T3 is to identify the communication for a certain number of times to check whether there is any abnormality in the communication.

Subsequently, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may identify the communication state again (<NUM>) and determine whether the communication is successful (<NUM>). A method of determining whether the communication is successful is to identify the success rate of the communication signal by measuring the level of the communication signal transmitted from the master node at each slave node and comparing the level of the communication signal transmitted from the master node with the level of the communication signal measured at each slave node.

As a result of determination in operation <NUM>, when the communication is successful, the master piping communication device <NUM>, which is the master node, may perform the communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) by transmitting the piping communication signal in the changed communication mode (for example, the single mode) (<NUM>).

On the other hand, as the result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the communication is not successful, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine that the communication is impossible in the changed communication mode (e.g., the single mode), and determine whether the number of changes in the communication mode T3 is greater than or equal to the set third reference number T3s (the number of times to identify whether the communication is a communication error by checking the communication in the changed communication mode, about <NUM> or more) (<NUM>).

As a result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the number of changes in the communication mode T3 is not greater than or equal to the set third reference number T3s, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may feedback to operation <NUM> to change the communication mode again and proceed with subsequent operations.

On the other hand, as the result of the determination in operation <NUM>, when the number of changes in the communication mode is greater than or equal to the set third reference number T3s, the controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may determine that the communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) is difficult even if the communication mode is changed, and generate the communication error (<NUM>).

In this way, by changing the communication mode more than a certain number of times and searching for the most suitable communication mode, in a range where the piping communication signal does not exceed the EMI regulation of the air conditioner <NUM>, the communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,. <NUM>-N) may be performed smoothly.

<FIG> is a control block diagram of an air conditioner according to another embodiment. In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) for communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the indoor units <NUM> may be provided in each of the outdoor unit <NUM> and the indoor unit <NUM>. That is, the master piping communication device <NUM> may be provided in the outdoor unit <NUM>, the slave piping communication device <NUM> may be provided in the indoor unit <NUM>. The master piping communication device <NUM> may be integrally provided inside the outdoor unit <NUM>. In addition, the slave piping communication device <NUM> may be integrally provided inside the indoor unit <NUM>.

The master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> may be devices that communicate in a power line communication (PLC) method. The PLC is a communication technology that transmits voice, text data, and video using a power line that supplies power. Without a separate communication cable, it may be used a variety of ways, from data communication to Internet telephony (VoIP), home networking, home automation, and remote control with only the power line for power transmission. A current commonly used in homes is a frequency band of <NUM>, and a voltage is 110V or 220V. The power line communication is accomplished by transmitting the communication signal in a frequency band other than <NUM>, that is, a frequency band of <NUM> to <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the piping communication device <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) may include the master piping communication device <NUM> as the master node and the slave piping communication device <NUM> as the slave node.

The master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> may further include controllers <NUM> and <NUM>, storages <NUM> and <NUM>, and communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively.

The controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be microprocessors that control the overall operation of the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>), and may change the communication mode between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> and be controlled to enable smooth communication between the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> of the master piping communication device <NUM> may set the communication mode to the differential mode at the initial communication start in order to set the communication to be performed only in one of the differential mode and the single mode, and measure a reception level by transmitting the preamble signal from the master node to each slave node multiple times (n times; for example, <NUM> times). Thereafter, the controller <NUM> may change the communication mode to single mode and measure the reception level by transmitting the preamble signal from the master node to each slave node multiple times (n times).

The controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication device <NUM> may measure the level (magnitude) of the preamble signal received in the differential mode and the single mode at each slave node, and transmit the reception level measured at each slave node back to the master node. At this time, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication device <NUM> may calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the measured reception levels.

The controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication device <NUM> may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the differential mode at each slave node and transmit the reception level measured at each slave node back to the master node. At this time, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication device <NUM> may calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the measured reception levels.

Accordingly, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication device <NUM> may measure the level of the preamble signal received in the single mode at each slave node and transmit the reception level measured at each slave node back to the master node. At this time, the controller <NUM> of the slave piping communication device <NUM> may calculate the maximum value, the minimum value, and the average value of the measured reception levels.

The controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using the device capable of performing various operations and control operations. For example, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using the CPU, the MiCOM, or the MCU. The controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using one or more semiconductor chips or the device including the same.

According to the embodiment, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using the general-purpose processing device. In this case, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may perform necessary calculations and control operations by driving programs stored in the storages <NUM> and <NUM>. The programs stored in the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be stored by the designer, or may be provided from the external server device that can be connected using the separate communication network. For example, the programs may be provided through an electronic software distribution network. In addition, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using a processing device programmed to perform a specific operation in advance by the designer.

The storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store various information necessary for the operation of the piping communication devices <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>), and store communication mode information of the differential mode and the single mode that can communicate between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>.

As for the communication mode information, it is possible to know whether the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> are currently performing communication in the differential mode or the single mode.

In addition, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store the operation information and failure information of the outdoor unit <NUM> and the plurality of indoor units <NUM> through the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM>.

The operation information of the outdoor unit <NUM> may include the defrost state, the condenser temperature, the compressor discharge temperature, the evaporator outlet temperature, the oil temperature, the compressor suction temperature, the pressure of the low pressure pipe <NUM>, the pressure of the high pressure pipe <NUM>, the outdoor temperature, the opening degree of the outdoor electric valve, the outdoor fan rotation speed, and the like.

The operation information of the plurality of indoor units <NUM> may include the power state of the indoor units <NUM>, the set temperature, the indoor temperature, the indoor heat exchanger temperature, the indoor pipe outlet temperature, the capacity code of the indoor units <NUM>, the opening degree of the indoor electric valve, the indoor fan rotation speed, etc..

In addition, the failure information may include various failure codes related to compressor failure, malfunction of a compressor, outdoor fan failure, malfunction of an outdoor fan, temperature sensor failure of the indoor units <NUM>, indoor fan failure, malfunction of an indoor fan, etc..

In addition, storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store communication mode information of the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> updated in real time, piping communication module information selected as the master node. In this case, the operation information stored in the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be shared with the master piping communication device <NUM> or the slave piping communication device <NUM> through communication.

In addition, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store a control program and control data for controlling the operation of the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>, and various application programs and application data that perform various functions according to the user input. For example, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store the OS program for managing the configuration and resources (software and hardware) included in the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>, the calendar application for managing the schedule, and the like.

The storages <NUM> and <NUM> may store reference data used during operation control of the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>, operation data generated while the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> perform the predetermined operation, set information such as setting data input so that the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> perform the predetermined operation, the number of times in which the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> have performed the specific communication mode, and failure information including the cause of the malfunction or the position of the malfunction when the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM> malfunction.

The storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented using the magnetic disc storage medium, the magnetic drum storage medium, or the semiconductor storage medium. Here, the semiconductor storage medium may include the volatile memory, e.g., the S-RAM and the D-RAM; the non-volatile memory, e.g., the ROM, the EPROM, the EEPROM, and the flash memory. However, the storages <NUM> and <NUM> are not limited thereto, and various storage devices that the designer may consider may be used.

In the above, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> have been functionally distinguished, but the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> are not necessarily physically distinguished. For example, the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented as the single chip, or the controllers <NUM> and <NUM> and the storages <NUM> and <NUM> may each be implemented as separate chips.

The communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to the controllers <NUM> and <NUM>, and may be configured to enable communication between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>.

The communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be communication modules that supports exchanging the operation information between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>, and may connect the network through the piping communication network to enable communication between the master piping communication device <NUM> and the slave piping communication device <NUM>. For example, communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may include the WiFi that connects to the LAN through the wireless AP, the Bluetooth that communicates one-to-one with the single external device or one-to-many with the few external devices, the broadcast signal receiving module that receives digital broadcast signals, and the like.

In addition, the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to other devices using the wireless communication protocol such as GSM/3GPP series communication method (GSM, HSDPA, LTE Advanced), 3GPP2 series communication method (CDMA, etc.), or WiMAX.

In addition, communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to other devices to transmit and receive information. Particularly, the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to the mobile terminal located near the air conditioner <NUM> or the server located at the remote location to transmit information from the mobile terminal or the server. For example, the communication interfaces <NUM> and <NUM> may be connected to the server to receive weather information.

Claim 1:
An air conditioner (<NUM>) comprising:
an outdoor unit (<NUM>);
a plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,... <NUM>-N) connected to the outdoor unit (<NUM>) through a first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and a second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>); and
a piping communication device (<NUM>) configured to convert information of the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,... <NUM>-N) into communication signals, and to transmit the information to each other through the refrigerant pipe (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>),
wherein the piping communication device (<NUM>) is configured to perform communication between the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,... <NUM>-N) by:
in a first mode, transmitting and receiving the communication signal through the first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and the second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and
in a second mode, transmitting and receiving the communication signal through at least one of the first refrigerant pipe (<NUM>) and the second refrigerant pipe (<NUM>);
wherein the piping communication device (<NUM>) comprises:
a master piping communication device (<NUM>) connected to the outdoor unit (<NUM>); and
a plurality of slave piping communication devices (<NUM>) each connected to the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,... <NUM>-N),
wherein the master piping communication device comprises a controller (<NUM>) configured to transmit a preamble signal to the plurality of slave piping communication devices (<NUM>) in the first mode or the second mode; and
the plurality of slave piping communication devices (<NUM>) is configured to measure a reception level of the preamble signal received in the first mode or the second mode, and transmit the measured reception level of the preamble signal to the master piping communication device (<NUM>),
wherein the controller (<NUM>) is configured to:
determine a communication state between the outdoor unit (<NUM>) and the plurality of indoor units (<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>,... <NUM>-N) based on the measured reception level of the preamble signal in the first mode or the second mode, and
set a communication mode to the first mode or the second mode according to the communication state.