Air conditioner control system, central remote controller, and facility controller

Claim 2

An air conditioner control system comprising: an air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit (1) and an indoor unit (2); a central remote controller (5) handling operation of the air conditioner and collecting operation information of the air conditioner; and a remote monitor terminal (15) monitoring operation state of the air conditioner and controlling the operation of the air conditioner, wherein the central remote controller (5) comprises: first transmission means (6) to communicate with the air conditioner; second transmission means (13) to communicate with remote monitor terminal (15); an operation information processing section (11) processing operation information from operation setting means (8a,8b,8c), each of which is independent in function, transmitting the operation information to the air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), collecting the operation information of the air conditioner received through the first transmission means (6), generating screen information based on the collected operation information of the air conditioner, and displaying the screen information on a display means (9); and a management information processing section (12b) relaying the operation information of the air conditioner collected through the first transmission means (6), transmitting the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (13), relaying control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (13), and transmitting the control information to the air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), wherein the remote monitor terminal (15) generates screen information based on the operation information transferred from the central remote controller (5) and displays the screen information.

Claim 3

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the central remote controller comprises a plurality of central remote controllers (5a,5b,5c), and each of the central remote controllers (5a,5b,5c) connected to the corresponding air conditioner is connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) through a branch means (21).

Claim 4

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the central remote controller comprises a plurality of central remote controllers (5a,5b), and each of the central remote controllers (5a,5b) connected to the corresponding air conditioner is connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) through a branch means (21) and a public telephone network (23).

Claim 5

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the central remote controller comprises a plurality of central remote controllers (5a,5b), and each of the central remote controllers (5a,5b) connected to the corresponding air conditioner is connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) through a branch means (21) and public telephone networks (23a,23b), and Internet (25), wherein the management information processing section (12a) in each central remote controller generates E-mail information regarding the operation information transferred from the air conditioner and the control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15), and transmits the E-mail information to a cellular phone terminal (26) connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) or the Internet (25).

Claim 6

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprises first and second facility devices (33) placed together with the air conditioner, wherein the central remote controller (5) transmits to the air conditioner a request in order to monitor the first facility device (33) based on a facility device control procedure for controlling the operation of the first and second facility devices (33) stored in the central remote controller (5), and controls the operation of the second facility device (33) or the air conditioner according to the state of the first facility device (33) informed through the air conditioner.

Claim 7

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the remote monitor terminal (15), to be also used as an initial setting tool, transmits the facility device control procedure to the central remote controller (5), and the central remote controller (5) receives and stores the facility device control procedure.

Claim 8

An air conditioner control system comprising: first air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1b,1c) and indoor units (2b,2c); first central remote controllers (5b,5c) handling operation of the first air conditioners and collecting operation information of the first air conditioners; and a second air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit (1a) and an indoor unit (2a); a second central remote controller (5A) handling operation of the second air conditioner and collecting operation information of the second air conditioner; and a remote monitor terminal (15) monitoring operation state of the first and second air conditioners and controlling the operation of the first and second air conditioners through a public telephone network (23), wherein the first central remote controller (5b,5c) collect the operation information of the first air conditioners and transmit the operation information to the second central remote controller (5A) through a branch means (21), the second central remote controller (5A) generates screen information based on the operation information of the first air conditioners collected by the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) and the operation information of the second air conditioner, and transmits the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23), and the remote monitor terminal (15) receives and displays the screen information transmitted from the second central remote controller (5A).

Claim 9

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second central remote controller (5A) comprises: first transmission means (6) to communicate with the second air conditioner; second transmission means (13) to communicate with the first central remote controllers (5b,5c); third transmission means (18) to communicate with the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23); an operation information processing section (11) processing operation information from operation setting means (8a,8b,8c), each of which is independent in function, transmitting the operation information to the second air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), collecting the operation information of the second air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), generating screen information based on the collected operation information of the second air conditioner, and displaying the screen information on a display means (9); and a management information processing section (12a) generates a screen information based on the operation information of the first air conditioners obtained from the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) through the second transmission means (13) and the operation information of the second air conditioner obtained through the first transmission means (6), transmitting the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the third transmission means (18), relaying control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the third transmission means (18), transmitting the control information to the second air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), and transmitting the control information to the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) through the second transmission means (13).

Claim 10

An air conditioner control system comprising: first air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1b,1c) and indoor units (2b,2c); first central remote controllers (5b,5c) handling operation of the first air conditioners and collecting operation information of the first air conditioners; and a second air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit (1a) and an indoor unit (2a); a second central remote controller (5A) handling operation of the second air conditioner and collecting operation information of the second air conditioner; and a remote monitor terminal (15) monitoring operation state of the first and second air conditioners and controlling the operation of the first and second air conditioners through a public telephone network (23), wherein the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) collect the operation information of the first air conditioners and transmit the collected operation information to the second central remote controller (5A) through a branch means (21), the second central remote controller (5A) relays the operation information of the first air conditioners transferred from the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) and the operation information of the second air conditioner, and transmits both the operation information to the remote monitor terminal (15), and the remote monitor terminal (15) receives both the operation information, generates screen information based on both the operation information, and displays the screen information generated.

Claim 11

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second central remote controller (5A) comprises: first transmission means (6) to communicate with the second air conditioner; second transmission means (13) to communicate with the first central remote controllers (5b,5c); third transmission means (18) to communicate with the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23); an operation information processing section (11) processing operation information from operation setting means (8a,8b,8c), each of which is independent in function, generating screen information based on the operation information of the second air conditioners transmitted through the first transmission means (6), and displaying the screen information on a display means (9); and a management information processing section (12b) relaying the operation information of the first air conditioners collected by the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) and received through the second transmission means (13) and the operation information of the second air conditioner received through the first transmission means (6), transmitting both the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the third transmission means (18), relaying control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the third transmission means (18), and transmitting the control information to the second air conditioner through the first transmission means (6) and to the second central relay controllers (5b,5c) through the second transmission means (13).

Claim 12

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 8 or 10, wherein the second central remote controller (5A) is connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) through public telephone networks (23a,23b) and Internet (25), wherein the second central remote controller (5A) generates E-mail information regarding the operation information transferred from the first and second air conditioners and the control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15), and transmits the E-mail information to a cellular phone terminal (26) connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) or the Internet (25).

Claim 13

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 8 or 10, wherein the first central remote controllers (5b,5c) are mounted on a control panel (31) and the second central remote controller (5A) is mounted on an operation panel (32) mounted outside of or mounted on the control panel (31).

Claim 14

An air conditioner control system comprising: a plurality of air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1b,1c) and indoor units (2b,2c); a plurality of central remote controllers (5b,5c) handling operation of the air conditioners and collecting operation information of the air conditioners; an information relay unit (29) receiving the operation information of the air conditioners collected by the central remote controllers (5b,5c); and a remote monitor terminal (15) monitoring operation state of the air conditioner through a public telephone network (23) and controlling the operation of the air conditioner through the public telephone network (23), wherein the central remote controllers (5b,5c) transmit the collected operation information of the air conditioners to the information relay unit (29) through a branch means (21), the information relay unit (29) receives the operation information transmitted from the central remote controllers (5b,5c) and generates a screen information based on the operation information received, and transmits the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23), and the remote monitor terminal (15) receives the screen information and displays the screen information received.

Claim 15

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the information relay unit (29) comprises: first transmission means (13) to communicate with a plurality of the central remote controllers (5b,5c); second transmission means (18) to communicate with the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23); and a management information processing section (12a) generating screen information based on the operation information of the air conditioners, which is collected by the central remote controllers (5b,5c), received through the first transmission means (13), transmitting the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (18), relaying control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (13), and transmitting the received control information to the central remote controllers (5b,5c) through the first transmission means (13).

Claim 16

An air conditioner control system comprising: a plurality of air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1b,1c) and indoor units (2b,2c); a plurality of central remote controllers (5b,5c) handling operation of the air conditioners and collecting operation information of the air conditioners; an information relay unit (29) receiving the operation information of the air conditioners collected by the central remote controllers (5b,5c); and a remote monitor terminal (15) monitoring operation state of the air conditioner through a public telephone network (23) and controlling the operation of the air conditioner through the public telephone network (23), wherein the central remote controllers (5b,5c) transmit the collected operation information of the air conditioners to the information relay unit (29) through a branch means (21), the information relay unit (29) receives the operation information transmitted from the central remote controllers (5b,5c), and transmits the operation information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23), and the remote monitor terminal (15) receives the operation information transmitted from the information relay unit (29), generates a screen information based on the operation information received, and displays the screen information generated.

Claim 17

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the information relay unit (29) comprises: first transmission means (13) to communicate with a plurality of the central remote controllers (5b,5c); second transmission means (18) to communicate with the remote monitor terminal (15) through the public telephone network (23); and a management information processing section (12b) relaying the operation information of the air conditioners from the central remote controllers (5b,5c) through the first transmission means (13), transmitting the operation information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (18), receiving and relaying the control information transferred from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (18), and transmitting the control information to the central remote controllers (5b,5c) through the first transmission means (13).

Claim 18

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 14 or 16, wherein the information relay unit (29) is connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) through public telephone networks (23a,23b) and Internet (25), and the information relay unit (29) generates E-mail information regarding the operation information of the air conditioners and the control information transferred from the remote monitor terminal (15), and transmits the E-mail information to a cellular phone (26) connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) or the Internet (26).

Claim 19

An air conditioner control system comprising: a plurality of air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1a,1b) and indoor units (2a,2b); a plurality of central remote controllers (5a,5b) handling operation of the air conditioners and collecting operation information of the air conditioners; first and second facility devices (33a,33b) placed together with the air conditioners; a third facility device (39) to be added and placed after installation of the air conditioner control system; and a facility management device (37), connected to the central remote controllers (5a,5b) through a branch means (21), controlling operation of the third facility device (39); wherein the facility management device (37) transmits to the air conditioner a request to monitor the first facility device (33a) through the central remote controllers (5a,5b) based on facility device control procedure stored in the facility management device (37), and controls the operation of the second facility device (33b), the third facility device (39), and the air conditioners according to a state of the first facility device (33a) informed from the air conditioner.

Claim 20

An air conditioner control system comprising: an air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit (1) and an indoor unit (2); a central remote controller (5) handling operation of the air conditioner and collecting operation information of the air conditioner; and a facility device (39) to be added and placed after installation of the air conditioner control system; a facility management device (37), connected to the central remote controller (5) through a branch means (21), controlling operation of the facility device (39); and a remote monitor terminal (15) monitoring operation state of the air conditioner and controlling the operation of the air conditioner, wherein the central remote controller (5) generates screen information based on information regarding the facility device (39) collected by the facility management device (37), and transmits the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15), and the remote monitor terminal (15) receives the screen information and displays the screen information received.

Claim 21

A central remote controller controlling operation of an air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit (1) and an indoor unit (2), and collecting operation information of the air conditioner, the central remote controller (5) comprising: first transmission means (6) to communicate with the air conditioner; second transmission means (13) through which an operation state of the air conditioner is monitored, and to communicate with remote monitor terminal (15); an operation information processing section (11) processing operation information from operation setting means (8a,8b,8c), each of which is independent in function, transmitting the operation information to the air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), collecting the operation information of the air conditioner received through the first transmission means (6), generating screen information based on the collected operation information of the air conditioner, and displaying the screen information on a display means (9); and a management information processing section (12a) generating screen information, to be displayed by the remote monitor terminal (15), based on the operation information of the air conditioner collected through the first transmission means (6), transmitting the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (13), relaying control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (13), and transmitting the control information to the air conditioner through the first transmission means (6).

Claim 22

A central remote controller controlling operation of an air conditioner comprising an outdoor unit (1) and an indoor unit (2), and collecting operation information of the air conditioner, the central remote controller (5) comprising: first transmission means (6) to communicate with the air conditioner; second transmission means (13) through which an operation state of the air conditioner is monitored, and to communicate with remote monitor terminal (15); an operation information processing section (11) processing operation information from operation setting means (8a,8b,8c), each of which is independent in function, transmitting the operation information to the air conditioner through the first transmission means (6), collecting the operation information of the air conditioner received through the first transmission means (6), generating screen information based on the collected operation information of the air conditioner, and displaying the screen information on a display means (9); and a management information processing section (12b) relaying the operation information of the air conditioner collected through the first transmission means (6), transmitting the screen information to the remote monitor terminal (15), in order to display the screen information thereon, through the second transmission means (13), relaying control information transmitted from the remote monitor terminal (15) through the second transmission means (13), and transmitting the control information to the air conditioner through the first transmission means (6).

Claim 23

The central remote controller as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the central remote controller (5) is connected to the remote monitor terminal (15) through a public telephone network (23).

Claim 24

An air conditioner control system comprising: air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1a,1b) and indoor units (2a,2b); facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) handling operation of the air conditioners and monitoring operation state the air conditioners, collecting air conditioner information regarding the operation, storing the collected air conditioner information to memory means (94), and transmitting the air conditioner information stored in the memory means (94) when the number of collection operations is reached to a predetermined value; and a remote monitor terminal (90) receiving the air conditioner information transmitted from the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) and monitoring the operation of the air conditioners.

Claim 25

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 24, further comprises central remote controllers (80a,80b) through which the remote monitor terminal (90) controls the operation of the air conditioners and monitors the operation state of the air conditioners.

Claim 26

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 24, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) transmit a E-mail including the air conditioner information stored in the memory means (94) to a remote monitor terminal (90) when the number of collections of the air conditioner information is reached to a predetermined value, and the remote monitor terminal (90) receives the E-mail including the air conditioner information transmitted from the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) and monitors the operation of the air conditioners based on the air conditioner information received.

Claim 27

The air conditioner control system as claimed in claim 26, further comprises central remote controllers (80a,80b) through which the remote monitor terminal (90) controls the operation of the air conditioners and monitors the operation state of the air conditioners.

Claim 28

The air conditioner control system as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) collect the air conditioner information from the air conditioners which are specified in advance.

Claim 29

The air conditioner control system as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) collect the air conditioner information from the air conditioners which have transmitted the air conditioner information satisfying a predetermined condition.

Claim 30

The air conditioner control system as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) have a timer means (97), and the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) collect the air conditioner information from the air conditioners according to the time counted by the timer means (97).

Claim 31

The air conditioner control system as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) have a timer means (97), and the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) provides an instruction to initiate the operation of the remote monitor terminal (90) connected to the public telephone network (23) and an instruction to accept the control by the remote monitor terminal (90).

Claim 32

The air conditioner control system as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) have a timer means (97), and the air conditioner is selected according to a time value counted by the timer means (97), and the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) transmit a cooling instruction and a heating instruction to the indoor units (2a,2b), which are selected according to the time value of the timer means (97), based on a room temperature and a set temperature of the indoor units (2a,2b).

Claim 33

The air conditioner control system as claimed in any one of claims 24 to 27, wherein the facility controllers (81Aa,81Ab) are connected to the remote monitor terminal (90) through the public telephone network (23).

Claim 34

A facility controller collecting air conditioner information regarding operation of air conditioners comprising outdoor units (1a,1b) and indoor units (2a,2b), comprising: a collection processing section (95) collecting the air conditioner information regarding the operation of the air conditioners and storing the information into memory means (94), and instructing to transmit the air conditioner information stored in the memory means (94) when the number of collections of the air conditioner information is reached to a predetermined value; and a transmission processing section (96) receiving the instruction from the collection processing section (95) and transmitting the air conditioner information stored in the memory means (97) based on the instruction received.

Claim 35

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34, wherein the transmission processing section (36) transmits a E-mail including the air conditioner information stored in the memory means (94).

Claim 36

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34 or 35, further comprises: operation handling means (98) to drive the air conditioners; and display means (99) displaying an operation state of the air conditioners.

Claim 37

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34 or 35, wherein the collection processing section (95) collects the air conditioner information of the air conditioners previously specified.

Claim 38

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34 or 35, wherein the collection processing section (95) collects the air conditioner information of the air conditioner which has transmitted the air conditioner information that satisfies a predetermined condition.

Claim 39

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34 or 35, further comprises a timer means (97) counting a time, wherein the collection processing section (95) collects the air conditioner information of the air conditioner which is specified previously according to the time counted by the counter means (97).

Claim 40

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34 or 35, further comprises a timer means (97) counting a time, wherein the operation of the air conditioners is controlled by an outside device through the public telephone network (23) according to the time counted by the counter means (97).

Claim 41

The facility controller as claimed in claim 34 or 35, further comprises a timer means (97) counting a time, wherein the facility controller selects the indoor unit (2) according to the time counted by the timer means (97), and the facility controller transmits a cooling instruction and a heating instruction to the indoor unit (2) according to a room temperature and a set temperature.