Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
,... ~ X147220
MULTI-TYPE AIR CONDITIONER ADDRESS SETTING METHOD AND
ADDRESS SETTING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-type air
conditioner address setting method and address setting
device, and in particular, to a multi-type air conditioner
address setting method and device for setting the addresses
of interior units of a multi-type air conditioner in which
the interior units are connected, via coolant pipes and
signal wires, to coolant pipe connecting portions and signal
wire connecting portions of a single exterior unit, which is
provided with a plurality of the coolant pipe connecting
portions and signal wire connecting portions.
Description of the Related Art
In a multi-type air conditioner, a single exterior unit
and a plurality of interior units are connected at an
installation locale via coolant pipes and signal wires. If
there is faulty connection of the coolant pipe connecting
portions (valves) or signal wire connecting portions
(connectors) of the exterior unit, much time is required to
confirm the connections.
Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent
Application Laid-Open No. 3-11256, interior heat exchanger
1
r
'' 2147220
temperature sensors which detect the temperatures of
interior heat exchangers are provided at the respective
interior units, and valve temperature sensors (gas branch-
pipe temperature sensors) are disposed at the respective
coolant pipe connecting portions of the exterior unit, so
that the status of connection of the interior units can be
confirmed. In this method, first, numbers (i.e., addresses
DC1 through DC4) are given in advance to the respective
interior heat exchanger temperature sensors, and addresses
DG1 through DG4 are given to the respective valve
temperature sensors. Next, any one of flow regulating
valves is completely opened, and one of the interior units
is operated at a designated mode (e. g., a cooling mode).
The address of the interior heat exchanger temperature
sensor whose temperature has dropped and the address of the
valve temperature sensor whose temperature has dropped are
detected, and are stored in correspondence. Then, during
normal operation, the respective interior units are
controlled on the basis of the stored contents.
However, the above-described conventional method has a
drawback in that it is necessary to set the address of each
sensor in advance, and address setting requires much work.
Further, because it is necessary to dispose a temperature
sensor at each of the interior units and coolant pipe
valves, the structure of the device is complex. Moreover,
2
. 2147220
control is complicated as the corresponding relationships
between the valves and the connected interior units must
always be referred to.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present
invention is to provide a multi-type air conditioner address
setting method and address setting device which can, with a
simple structure, automatically set addresses without
necessitating advance setting of addresses.
In order to achieve the above-described object, in
accordance with a first aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a multi-type air conditioner address
setting method for a multi-type air conditioner in which a
single first unit and a plurality of second units are
connected by coolant pipes and signal wires such that a
cooling cycle for air conditioning operation is formed by
the single first unit and the plurality of second units, the
first unit having a plurality of coolant pipe connecting
portions for connection with the coolant pipes connected to
the respective second units and a plurality of signal wire
connecting portions for connection with the signal wires
connected to the respective second units, said address
setting method comprising: an operating step in which
coolant is supplied from the first unit, via a coolant pipe
3
214722U
connected to one of the plurality of coolant pipe connecting
portions, to a second unit connected to the coolant pipe so
that the second unit is operated in a predetermined state;
a dummy address sending step in which a dummy address is
sent from the first unit, via a signal wire connected to one
of the plurality of signal wire connecting portions, to a
second unit connected to said signal wire; a personal
address storing step in which the second unit which receives
the dummy address from the first unit via said signal wire
determines whether the second unit is operating in the
predetermined state, and in a case in which it is determined
that the second unit is operating in the predetermined
state, the second unit stores the dummy address sent from
the first unit as the personal address of the second unit;
an address storing repeating step in which said operating
step, said dummy address sending step, and said personal
address storing step are repeated for second units which are
connected to coolant pipes connected to coolant pipe
connecting portions other than said one coolant pipe
connecting portion, so that all of the second units store
respective personal addresses; and an address sending-back
step in which the first unit sends an address request signal
from the plurality of signal wire connecting portions'to the
respective second units to cause the respective second units
to send back the personal addresses stored in the respective
4
,~
214'220
second units to the first unit, wherein said first unit
determines the addresses of the second units connected to
the signal wire connecting portions on the basis of which of
the signal wire connecting portions the personal addresses
of the respective second units sent back in said address
sending-back step were sent back through.
Further, in accordance with a second aspect of the
present invention, there is provided a multi-type air
conditioner address setting device for a multi-type air
conditioner in which a single first unit and a plurality of
second units are connected by coolant pipes and signal wires
such that a cooling cycle for air conditioning operation is
formed by the single first unit and the plurality of second
units, the first unit comprising: a plurality of coolant
pipe connecting portions for connection with the coolant
pipes connected to the respective second units and a
plurality of signal wire connecting portions for connection
with the signal wires connected to the respective second
units; operating means for operating each of the second
units in a predetermined state by supplying coolant, via the
coolant pipes connected to the plurality of coolant pipe
connecting portions, from the first unit in order to the
second units connected to the respective coolant pipes;
dummy address sending means for sending a dummy address from
the first unit, via the signal wires connected to the
2147220
plurality of signal wire connecting portions, to the second
units connected to the respective signal wires; address
request signal sending means for sending an address request
signal from the plurality of signal wire connecting portions
to each of the second units; and storing means for storing
addresses sent back from the second units via the signal
wire connecting portions in response to the address request
signal, and each of the second units comprising: determining
means for determining whether the second unit is operating
in the predetermined state when the dummy address is
received from the first unit via the signal wire; personal
address storing means for, in a case in which said
determining means determines that the second unit is
operating in the predetermined state, storing the dummy
address already sent from the first unit as a personal
address of the second unit; and sending-back means for
sending back, as address data, the personal address stored
in said personal address storing means when the address
request signal is received from the first unit via the
signal wire.
The multi-type air conditioner of the first and second
aspects of the present invention is structured such that
second units are connected, via coolant pipes and signal
wires, to the coolant pipe connecting portions and signal
wire connecting portions of the single first unit which is
6
;'o..
2147220
provided with a plurality of the coolant pipe connecting
portions and signal wire connecting portions. The first
unit may be an exterior unit or an interior unit. When the
first unit is an exterior unit, the second units are
interior units. When the first unit is an interior unit,
the second units are exterior units.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of
the present invention will become apparent from the
following description and the appended claims taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which a
preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown by
way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-type air
conditioner of an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a cooling cycle
of Fig. 1 .
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a-control
circuit of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an address setting
routine for an exterior device control device.
Fig. 5 includes Figs. 5A and 5B, and is a flowchart
illustrating details of step 106 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 includes Figs. 6A and 6B, and is a flowchart
illustrating an interior device trial operation control
7
'~. ' 2147220
routine.
Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating details of step 108
of Fig. 4.
Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a specific
example of a connecting circuit which connects the exterior
device control device and interior device control devices.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The embodiments of the present invention will be
described in detail hereinafter with reference to the
accompanying drawings. As illustrated in Fig. 1, a multi-
type air conditioner of the present embodiment is provided
with an exterior device (exterior unit) 10 having a
plurality of coolant pipe connecting ports PO through P3 and
RO through R3, and a plurality of signal wire connectors CO
through C3. Four interior devices (interior units) 12A
through 12D are connected to the coolant pipe connecting
ports and the signal wire connectors via coolant pipes 14
and signal wires 16. Flow regulating valves 18A through
18D, which regulate the flow rates of the coolant flowing
through the pipes, are provided at the respective coolant
pipes 14.
Fig. 2 illustrates a cooling cycle of the multi-'type
air conditioner of Fig. 1. The exterior device 10 is formed
by a compressor 20, a four way type valve 22, an exterior
8
:~.. . 2147220
device heat exchanger 24, a capillary tube 26, and an
accumulator 28. The exterior device 10 is connected
together with interior device heat exchangers 30A through
30D in a ring shape by the coolant pipes 14 so as to form a
cooling cycle. The interior device heat exchangers 30A
through 30D are connected in parallel in the cooling cycle.
In the multi-type air conditioner, when the four way
type valve 22 is in the state illustrated by the solid lines
in the drawing, coolant discharged from the compressor 20
flows in the direction indicated by the solid arrow. The
coolant is condensed at the exterior device heat exchanger
24 and passes through the capillary tube 26. Thereafter,
the coolant evaporates at those interior device heat
exchangers whose flow regulating valves are open so that
cooling of the interiors is effected by the heat of
vaporization at this time. Further, when the four way type
valve is in the state illustrated by the broken lines in the
figure, coolant discharged from the compressor 20 flows in
the direction indicated by the broken arrow. The coolant is
condensed at those interior device heat exchangers whose
flow regulating valves are open, and passes through the
capillary tube 26. Thereafter, the coolant evaporates at
the exterior device heat exchanger 24 so that heating~of the
interiors is effected by the heat of condensation at the
time that the coolant condenses.
9
214'220
Reference numeral 32 is an exterior air blower which
blows air to the exterior device heat exchanger 24, and 34A
through 34D are interior air blowers which blow air to the
interior device heat exchangers 30A through 30D,
respectively. Further, the interior devices are provided
with temperature sensors 40A through 40D, which detect the
temperatures (coil temperatures) of the interior device heat
exchangers, and room temperature sensors 50A through 50D
which detect the temperatures of the interiors at which the
interior devices are disposed.
Fig. 3 illustrates a control circuit of the multi-type
air conditioner of Fig. 1. A control apparatus 36 is
provided within the exterior device 10. The control
apparatus 36 is structured by microcomputer or the like
equipped with a RAM and a ROM in which the program of an
address setting routine which will be described later is
stored. Control devices 38A through 38D, which are provided
at the interior devices 12A through 12D respectively and
which each are structured by a microcomputer or the like,
are connected to the control apparatus 36 such that
communication between the control apparatus 36 and the
respective control devices 38A through 38D is possible.
Further, a nonvolatile memory 46, which comprises a PROM, a
backup RAM backed up by a battery, and the like for storing
the set addresses, is connected to the control apparatus 36.
214220
The control apparatus 36 is also connected via unillustrated
drivers to the flow regulating valves 18A through 18D which
are structured such that the respective degrees of opening
thereof can be regulated. Further, the control apparatus 36
is also connected to the compressor 20, the four way type
valve 22 and the exterior air blower 32 so as to be able to
control these elements.
Similarly to the control apparatus 36, each of the
control devices 38A through 38D is provided with a RAM and a
ROM in which the program of the address setting routine
which will be described later is stored. The temperature
sensors 40A through 40D which detect coil temperatures,
nonvolatile memories 44A through 44D which comprise backup
RAMs, PROMs and the like, the room temperature sensors 50A
through 50D which detect the temperatures of the interiors,
and the interior device air blowers 34A through 34D are
connected to the control devices 38A through 38D
respectively.
Fig. 8 illustrates a concrete connection circuit for
connecting the control apparatus 36 and the control devices
38A through 38D by the signal wires 16. In this figure, PC1
through PC10 are photocouplers, Rl through R5 are resistors,
Il through I5 are inverters, Tr1 through Tr4 are
transistors, and L is a logic IC.
In accordance with this circuit, for example, during
11
2147220
the time over which the transistor Trl is held on by the
logic IC, the control device 38A applies a signal to the
light-emitting diode of the photocoupler PC2 connected to
the output side of control device 38A. A signal can thereby
be sent from the control device 38A to the control apparatus
36 via the phototransistor of the photocoupler PC2, the
transistor Trl, the photocoupler PC9 and the inverter I5.
Conversely, due to the control apparatus 36 applying a
signal to the light-emitting diode of the photocoupler PC10,
a signal can be sent from the control apparatus 36 to the
input of the control device 38A. In the same way, by
turning any of the transistors Tr2 through Tr4 on and
applying a signal as described above, signals can be sent
and received between the control apparatus 36 and any of the
control devices 38B through 38D.
Next, the address setting routine executed by the
control apparatus 36 and the control devices 38A through 38D
will be described.
The address setting routine is executed when all of the
coolant pipes and the signal wires between the exterior
device and the interior devices have been connected, and
power source wiring work has been completed, and all of the
interior devices have been supplied with electricity, and
the switches of all of the interior devices are positioned
at their operation positions. The piping work and wiring
12
,
2147220
work are carried out without taking into account the
addresses of the interior devices. The following
explanation includes an example in which the addresses 0
through 3 correspond to the coolant pipe connecting ports PO
through P3 and the signal wire connectors CO through C3,
respectively. However, the corresponding relationships
between the addresses 0 through 3, the coolant pipe
connecting ports PO through P3 and the plurality of signal
wire connectors CO through C3 may be changed.
Fig. 4 illustrates the address setting routine executed
by the control devices 36 of the interior devices. In step
100, by determining the storage contents of the non-volatile
memory 46, a determination is made as to whether it is
necessary to initialize the interior device addresses, i.e.,
a determination is made as to whether the interior device
addresses are properly set. If addresses have not been set,
in step 102, the number of interior devices connected to the
exterior device 10 is determined by detecting the voltage
(e.g., DC 15 volts) from the interior devices on the
respective signal wires 16. Also in step 102, commands are
given to the respective interior devices so that the current
room temperatures and coil temperatures are read from the
room temperature sensors 50A through 50D and the temperature
sensors 40A through 40D, and are stored in the RAMs or the
like of the respective interior devices. In step 104, the
13
214'220
four way type valve 22 is switched to the cooling operation
side (the state illustrated by the solid line in Fig. 2),
and the compressor 20 is forcibly operated regardless of the
output from the room temperature sensors so that cooling
operation is possible by the interior device heat
exchangers. In step 106, address setting which will be
described later is carried out. In step 108, pipe
fault/wire fault checking, which will also be described
later, is carried out. In step 110, a determination is made
as to whether data sent from the interior devices indicates
"satisfactory". If it is determined that the data indicates
"unsatisfactory", in step 112, the "unsatisfactory"
information is stored in the RAM of the control device 36.
«'hen the data does not indicate "unsatisfactory", the
"satisfactory" information is stored in step 114.
Fig. 5 illustrates the details of the address setting
routine of step 106. In step 120, first, the address ADD is
set to 0. In step 122, a determination is made as to
whether the address is being set, i.e., as to whether the
currently-setting-address flag is set. If the address is
not being set, i.e., if the currently-setting-address flag
is not set, in step 124, the flow regulating valve 18A
connected to the coolant pipe connecting port PO
corresponding to the address ADD is opened completely, and
the other flow regulating valves 18B through 18D are closed
i
14
2147220
completely. In step 126, the currently-setting-address flag
indicating that the address is being set is set. In step
128, a trial operation signal and a signal indicating that
the operation mode is cooling are sent to the interior
device which is connected via the signal wire 16 connected
to the connector CO which corresponds to the address ADD.
In step 130, the address ADD is sent as a dummy address to
this interior device, and in step 131, a timer TO is cleared
and started. Due to the sending of the trial operation
signal in step 128, the control device of the interior
device which received the trial operation signal executes
the interior device trial operation routine illustrated in
Fig. 6.
In subsequent step 132, due to a determination
regarding the state of an interior device address setting
completion signal which is sent from the interior device, a
determination is made as to whether address setting for the
interior device whose address is currently being set has
been completed, i.e., a determination is made as to whether
trial operation of the interior device has been effected
satisfactorily. The interior device address setting
completion signal is sent from the interior device in a case
in which setting of the address of the interior device has
been completed and trial operation of the interior device
has been carried out satisfactorily. In a case in which the
.~,.. ~ 2147220
setting of the address of the interior device has not been
completed, a determination is made in step 133 as to whether
a predetermined period of time has elapsed, i.e., as to
whether the time set on the timer, which was started in step
131, has elapsed. If the predetermined period of time has
not elapsed, steps 122, 132 and 133 are repeated.
Here, description has been given of a case in which the
signal wire 16 from the connector CO illustrated in Fig. 1
is connected to the interior device 12A connected to the
corresponding coolant pipe connecting port P0. Therefore,
the interior device address setting completion signal, which
indicates that address setting for the interior device has
been completed, is received in step 132 from the control
device 38A of the interior device 12A within the
predetermined period of time.
However, for example, in a case such as that of the
signal wire from the connector C2 shown in Fig. 1 which is
connected to the interior device 12D which is different from
the interior device 12C connected to the corresponding
coolant pipe connecting port P2, the interior device address
setting completion signal will not be received even if the
predetermined period of time elapses. In the present
invention, even in cases such as this type of connection,
the port P2 and the connector C3 are stored in
correspondence and the port P3 and the connector C2 are
16
2147220
stored in correspondence in the case shown in Fig. 1. In
this way, subsequent control is made possible. As a result,
when the interior device address setting completion signal
is not received even if the predetermined period of time has
elapsed (i.e., when the answer to the determination in step
133 is "Yes"), it is determined that the interior device
whose flow regulating valve is fully open and the interior
device to which the trial operation signal and the dummy
address were sent via the signal wire are different. The
flow regulating valve remains as it is, and in step 134, the
trial operation signal and the dummy address (ADD=0) are
sent via the signal wire connected to the next signal wire
connector. After the timer T~ is cleared and started, steps
122, 132 and 133 are repeated in the same way as described
above. These steps are repeated until the interior device
address setting completion signal is sent from the interior
device due to the interior device, whose flow regulating
valve is fully open, and the interior device, to which the
trial operation signal and the dummy address are sent via
the signal wire, being the same.
In this way, when the interior device address setting
completion signal is received in step 132, in step 136, the
flow regulating valve 18A of the address ADD is closed
fully, and in step 137, the address ADD is incremented by 1.
In step 138, the currently-setting-address flag is reset,
17
.~. 2147220
and in step 140, a determination is made as to whether the
value of the address ADD is greater than the number of
interior devices connected to the exterior device. If the
value of the address ADD has not exceeded the number of
interior devices, the process returns to step 122.
Because the currently-setting-address flag is reset in
step 138, the process proceeds from step 122 to step 124.
The next flow regulating valve 18B is opened completely,
and, in the same way as described above, the trial operation
signal is sent to the interior device connected to the
address ADD. The address ADD is sent as a dummy address and
the process waits until address setting has been completed
at the interior device. The same processes as described
above are repeated until the value of the address exceeds
the number of interior devices.
In this way, when only one of the flow regulating
valves is completely open, the trial operation signal and
the dummy address are sent via the corresponding signal wire
and the process waits for completion of the setting of the
address of the interior device. In a case in which address
setting has not been completed, the signal wire is changed
in order and sending of the trial operation signal and the
dummy address are repeated until the address of the interior
device is set. When address setting has been completed,
only the next flow regulating valve is opened completely,
18
2147220
and the signal wire is changed in order if necessary, and
sending of the trial operation signal and the dummy address
are repeated until the address of the interior device is
set.
In this way, by repeating the routine in Fig. 5, when
address setting has been completed at all of the interior
devices connected to the exterior device, this routine is
completed, and the process proceeds to step 108.
Fig. 6 illustrates an interior device trial operation
routine which is activated by the trial operation signal of
step 128. Although explanation will be given hereinafter of
a case in which the interior device 12A receives the trial
operation signal, the operations of Fig. 6 are also carried
out when the interior devices 12A through 12D receive the
trial operation signal. When the trial operation signal is
received, the routine in Fig. 6 is activated. In step 160,
a determination is made as to whether the switch of the
interior device is positioned at its operation position.
When the switch is at the operation position, in step 162,
the trial operation mode is set at the interior device. In
this trial operation mode, the interior air blower is held
in a strong blowing state, the flap is set at its upper side
position, and the fact that a trial operation is in progress
is displayed by an unillustrated LED provided at the
interior device being lit or the like.
19
2147220
In step 164, a determination is made as to whether the
address setting completion flag has been reset. When it is
determined that address setting has not been completed, in
step 166, the address ADD sent from the exterior device is
stored in the RAM as a dummy address. In step 168, the
room temperature and coil temperature measured and stored in
the RAM or the like due to a command from the exterior
device in step 102 of Fig. 4 are read from the RAM, and the
lower temperature of a temperature, which is a predetermined
value (e.g., 5°C) less than the read coil temperature, and a
temperature, which is a predetermined value (e.g., 10°C)
less than the read room temperature, is set as a first
target temperature TD1.
In step 170, a determination is made as to whether the
present coil temperature is less than or equal to the first
target temperature TD1. In step 172, a determination is
made as to whether the current coil temperature is less than
the current room temperature. Due to the determinations of
steps 170 and 172, a determination is made as to whether the
interior device itself is actually carrying out cooling
operation. If either of the determinations in steps 170 and
172 is negative, the process returns to step 164. When both
of the determinations are positive, it is determined that
the interior device itself is actually operating in the
operation mode sent from the external device, and the dummy
z147z~o
address stored in the RAM is stored in the nonvolatile
memory 44A as the personal address of the interior device.
In step 176, the address setting completion flag is set, and
in step 178, it is determined that the cooling operation is
satisfactory, and the contents of the determination are
stored.
In subsequent step 180, a determination is made as to
whether there was an address send request from the exterior
device. When there is an address send request, in step 182,
the personal address of the interior device stored in the
non-volatile memory 44A is sent to the exterior device as
answer data. However, because up to the present time there
should not have been an address send request from the
exterior device, the process returns to step 164.
In step 164, it is determined that address setting has
been completed because the address setting completion flag
is set in step 176. When it is determined that address
setting has been completed, in step 186, the mode is
switched to the heating operation mode, a signal indicating
that the mode is the heating operation mode is sent to the
exterior device, and the four way type valve is switched to
the heating operation side. In step 188, the room
temperature and coil temperature measured and stored in the
RAM or the like due to a command from the exterior device in
step 102 of Fig. 4 are read from the RAM, and the higher
21
X147220
temperature of a temperature, which is a predetermined value
(e.g., 5°C) higher than the read coil temperature, and a
temperature, which is a predetermined value (e.g., 10°C)
higher than the read room temperature, is set as a second
target temperature TD2. In steps 190 and 192, by
determining whether the coil temperature is greater than or
equal to the second target temperature TD2, and by
determining whether the coil temperature has exceeded the
room temperature, it can be determined that the interior
device itself is actually carrying out heating operation.
When the answer to either determination is negative, the
process proceeds to step 180. When the answers to both
determinations are affirmative, in step 194, it is
determined that the heating operation is satisfactory, and
the determination contents are stored. Then, in the
stopping process of step 196, a signal indicating address
setting completion and a signal returning the four way type
valve to the cooling operation mode are sent to the exterior
device. The signal indicating address setting completion is
received at the exterior device in step 132 of Fig. 5.
The above-described routine of Fig. 6 is executed by
each control device of the interior devices which receive
the trial operation signal of the exterior device.
In this way, at each of the interior devices, a
determination is made as to whether the interior device
22
2147220
itself is operating in the trial operation mode designated
at the exterior device. When the interior device is
operating in the designated operation mode, the set dummy
address is set as the personal address of the interior
device. When there is an address send request from the
exterior device as will be described later, the personal
address and the determination contents stored in step 178
and in step 194 are sent to the exterior device, and in step
114 or the like of Fig. 4, are stored at the exterior
device.
Fig. 7 illustrates details of the pipe fault/wire fault
check routine of step 108 of Fig. 4. In step 200, the
address ADD is set to 0. In step 202, by determining
whether a currently-checking flag is set, a determination is
made as to whether pipe fault/wire fault checking is being
carried out. If checking is not being carried out, in step
204, only the signal wire which is connected to the
connector CO corresponding to the address ADD is opened. In
step 206, a request to send the set address is sent via this
signal wire. In step 208, the currently-checking flag for
indicating that checking is being carried out is set.
When the address send request is sent in step 206, the
request is received by the interior device in step 180 of
Fig. 6. The interior device which has received the address
send request sends the address defined in step 174, the
23
:~- 214720
cooling satisfaction determination of step 178, the heating
satisfaction determination of step 194, and the like, to the
exterior device as the answer data of step 182.
Accordingly, in subsequent step 210, at the exterior device,
a determination is made as to whether the answer data from
the interior device connected via the signal line to the
connector of the address ADD has been sent. If the answer
data has been sent, in step 212, the answer data is stored
in the non-volatile memory 46 as the address ADDBUF. In
step 214, in order to check the wire of the next interior
device, the address ADD is incremented by 1, and in step
216, the currently-checking flag is reset. In step 218, a
determination is made as to whether the address ADD is
greater than the number of interior devices connected to the
exterior device. If the address ADD is greater than the
number of interior devices, a determination is made that
checking of all of the interior devices has been completed,
and this routine ends.
In this way, the addresses set at the interior devices
are sent to the exterior device and stored.
The above explanation describes an example in which
four interior devices are connected to the exterior device.
However, the number of interior devices connected to the
exterior device is not limited to this number. Further,
address setting can be carried out in the above-described
24
2147220
manner even in a case in which a plurality of exterior
devices are connected to a single interior device.
The above description includes an example in which a
trial operation signal and an address are sent in order to
the control devices of the respective interior devices.
However, when only one flow regulating valve is fully open,
an address is set at only the control device of one interior
device. Therefore, a trial operation signal and an address
may be sent simultaneously via all of the connectors to the
control devices of all of the interior devices. The control
device of the interior device connected to the connector
which has received the address setting completion signal can
be determined to correspond to the interior device connected
to the fully open flow regulating valve.
In accordance with the above-described embodiment, in a
state in which the exterior device and the interior devices
are connected via the coolant pipes and the signal wires,
each of the interior devices is trial operated, and an
address is set for the interior device which is actually
trial operated. Thereafter, the set address is sent to the
exterior device via the signal wire. Accordingly, even if
the interior devices and the exterior device are not
connected in accordance with predetermined addresses, i.e.,
even if addresses are not set in advance, addresses can be
automatically set when the exterior device and the interior
2147220
devices are in a connected state.
In accordance with the present invention described
above, because an address is set in a state in which a first
unit and a second unit are connected, there is no need to
set the address in advance or provide a sensor for setting
the address. Accordingly, address setting can be effected
quickly and with a simple structure.
While the embodiment of the present invention disclosed
herein constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood
that other forms are possible.
26
