JPH06284484A - Wireless remote control system for air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the setting of a custom code and to facilitate the retaining/change. CONSTITUTION:A remote controller 2 is provided with a switch 6 setting a custom code and an air conditioner 1 is provided with a non-volatile memory 4 storing its own custom code. When the custom code is not yet stored in this non-volatile memory 14, the custom code received from the remote controller 2 is made to store as its own custom code.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner wireless remote control system for remotely controlling an air conditioner,
In particular, the present invention relates to a wireless remote control system for an air conditioner that simplifies the setting of custom codes and makes it easy to hold and change them.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A remote control system (hereinafter referred to as a remote control system) for remotely performing operations such as turning on / off an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioner), temperature setting, timer setting, etc. The wireless remote control system to perform is currently widely used. In the remote control system, code signals indicating the above operations are transmitted and received between an air conditioner and a remote controller that can be operated by hand (hereinafter referred to as a remote controller). The code signal generally uses an optical signal transmitted through a radio wave or space as a medium.

In recent years, it is not uncommon for remote control systems to be introduced into various electric devices other than air conditioners, and optical signals of various remote control systems to be mixed in the same room. In addition, a plurality of air conditioners may be used in the same room or adjacent spaces. In order to prevent the code signals from interfering with such different devices, a custom code for associating a specific remote controller with a specific air conditioner may be provided.

In a remote control system using a custom code, a setting switch is provided for each of the remote control and the air conditioner, and both setting switches are set in advance to indicate the same custom code before operating the air conditioner. deep. At the time of driving, a custom code is added to the code signals transmitted from the remote controller and indicating the above-mentioned operations, and then transmitted. The air conditioner receiving this compares the received custom code with the set custom code and accepts various operations only when they match. As a result, even if a plurality of remote control systems are mixed, the remote control and the air conditioner are associated with each other and interference is prevented.

[0005]

By the way, in the conventional remote control system using the above-mentioned custom code, it is necessary to provide setting switches for the remote controller and the air conditioner, and it is necessary to match the settings of these setting switches. Normally, the remote control is considered to be an accessory used as one set for the air conditioner, so that one air conditioner has two identical setting switches, which is uneconomical. Also, since the user has to handle two setting switches,
Handling the air conditioner is troublesome for the user.

Further, the air conditioner normally operates by turning on / off the remote control while the power is on, but the power may be turned off or the outlet may be unplugged to prevent lightning strikes, save power, and the like. When storing and using a custom code in an air conditioner, it is possible that the custom code will be lost because the power was turned off.

On the other hand, although the remote controller is easy to carry, it may become unusable due to loss or damage due to dropping. In this case, only the remote control will be renewed and the air conditioner will be used as it is. Of course, in order to operate the air conditioner with this new remote control, it is necessary to reset the custom code. Considering such a case, it is better that the custom code can be easily changed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to provide a wireless remote control system for an air conditioner which simplifies the setting of a custom code and makes it easy to hold and change the custom code.

[0009]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a remote controller with a switch for setting a custom code, and an air conditioner with a non-volatile memory for storing its own custom code. A means is provided for storing the custom code received from the remote controller as the own custom code when the custom code is not yet stored in the nonvolatile memory.

The air conditioner is provided with a change button for changing the custom code, and the air conditioner is provided with means for updating the nonvolatile memory with the custom code received for the first time after the change button is pressed.

A change button for changing the custom code is provided on the remote controller, and when the change button is pressed, the remote controller sequentially generates all the custom codes that can be set in this system and also wants to change them with all the custom codes. When a custom code that matches a previously stored custom code is received by the air conditioner, the non-volatile memory is the continuous custom code to be changed. Is provided.

[0012]

With the above structure, the custom code is set by the switch of the remote controller. On the other hand, the air conditioner does not have a custom code when first turned on. The remote control sends its own custom code to the air conditioner. The air conditioner stores the first received custom code in a non-volatile memory, and thereafter uses it as its own custom code. Therefore, the air conditioner can be remotely operated by the remote controller having the same custom code. Also, the custom code is retained even when the power is turned off. As a result, the next time the power is turned on, the custom code can be used without waiting for reception of the custom code.

When the remote controller is replaced, the custom code is transmitted from the remote controller to match the custom code of the air conditioner already stored in the non-volatile memory with the custom code of the new remote controller. Need to be updated. If the air conditioner has a change button, pressing the change button causes the air conditioner to wait for reception of the custom code as with the first power-on, and stores the new custom code by transmission from the remote controller.

If the remote controller has a change button, pressing the change button causes the remote controller to transmit a change command having the same content with all custom codes. Since the air conditioner stores one of the custom codes, it can always receive the change command. The change instruction is to send the changed custom code (based on the setting switch) after the custom code. The air conditioner remembers this changed custom code. As a result, no matter what custom code the air conditioner was set to before the change, it will be set to the custom code that matches the remote controller after the change.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioner) 1 and its remote controller 2. The remote controller 2 is provided with an operation unit 3 including push buttons for various operations, a door interlock switch 4 that is opened and closed by opening and closing a door (described later), a temperature reading unit 5 that detects room temperature, and a custom code. Setting switch 6, a change button 7 for commanding custom code transmission / change, a liquid crystal display section 8 for displaying an operation state, a transmission section 9 for transmitting a code signal, and various operations of the remote controller 2 with each section as an input / output. CP
Have U10. The CPU 10 generates code signals corresponding to these operations in order to perform operation / stop of the air conditioner 1, temperature setting, air volume setting, operation mode setting, timer control, and the like. The remote controller 2 is driven by a built-in battery.

The appearance of the remote controller is shown in FIG. Figure 3
3C shows the door closed, and FIG. 3A shows the door opened. As shown in the figure, the remote controller 2 has a round box-shaped housing 21, and a door 23 supported by a hinge 22 on one side of the housing 21. The housing 21 is provided with a start / stop button 24 which is one of the operation parts 3. On the surface of the door 23, some buttons of the operation unit 3 and the liquid crystal display unit 8 are arranged. In addition, a button that constitutes most of the operation unit 3 and a door interlock switch 4 are arranged in the door. Operation part 3
The operation function of the operation buttons constituting the above corresponds to the notation of each operation button (“personal” or the like). The door interlock switch 4 is provided to switch the function of the operation unit 3 according to the open / closed state of the door 23. The temperature reading unit 5 is arranged in the ventilation hole 25 at the top of the housing 21.
The CPU 10 includes ROM, RAM and the like, and is mounted on a substrate or the like housed in the housing 21. The setting switch 6 is a small switch such as a DIP switch, and is arranged inside the door 23. FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the setting switch 6, and four kinds of custom codes can be selected by moving the sliding knob 31 to the positions 1 to 4. The change button 7 is arranged in the door or a lid provided on the back surface of the housing (not shown) or the like. The transmitter 9 is provided on the top of the housing 21 to radiate a signal such as a radio wave or an infrared ray.

The portion of the control program of the CPU 10 relating to the custom code is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

On the other hand, in the air conditioner 1, a receiver 11 for receiving a signal transmitted from the remote controller 2, a control circuit 13 for controlling the controlled device 12 according to the contents of the reception, and a nonvolatile memory for storing a reception code such as a custom code. It has a memory 14. The controlled device 12 is most of the air conditioner 1 excluding the remote control system part described here. Receiver 11, control circuit 13, non-volatile memory 14
Is a circuit that operates when the power of the air conditioner 1 is turned on and continues to operate even when the air conditioner 1 is stopped by the operation / stop selection of the remote controller 2. The nonvolatile memory 14 is a memory that retains its contents even after the power of the air conditioner 1 is turned off. For example, an electrically erasable (rewritable) E ² ROM is used. Although not shown, the air conditioner 1 is provided with a reset switch that operates the control circuit 13 in the same manner as when the power is turned on.

A detailed flow chart of the operation of the control circuit 13 regarding the custom code is shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be described.

The operation of the air conditioner 1 and the remote controller 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. The air conditioner 1 enters different reception operations depending on whether or not the custom code is already stored in the nonvolatile memory 14 (step 5-1). On the other hand, the remote controller 2 receives various operations of the operation unit 3 by being driven by a battery. Here, the user sets the setting switch 6 to a desired custom code in advance. If there are four types of custom codes 1, 2, 3 and 4, sliding knob 3
1 selects the appropriate one. And change button 7
Press (Step 4-1). The CPU of the remote controller 2 reads the setting switch 6 and creates the change data of the custom code corresponding thereto. Next, the count value m is set to 1 in order to sequentially generate all the custom codes that can be set (step 4-2). Change data is continuously transmitted to the m-th custom code and transmitted to the air conditioner 1 (step 4-3). Check if all custom codes are finished while advancing m. By repeating this, the modified data is continuously transmitted to each of all the custom codes and sequentially transmitted to the air conditioner. Transmitter 9
The configuration of the signal transmitted from is as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 6, the signal 61 is a signal corresponding to one count of the count value m, and is the first, second, ..., Nth from the left. The details of the signal 61 are a leader code 62, a custom code 63, and data 64 and 65 from the beginning, as enlarged and shown in the lower part. The custom code 63 in each signal 61 changes corresponding to the count value m. On the other hand, the data 64 and 65, regardless of the signal 61, are processed in Step 4-1.
This is the change data created in.

A train of signals 61 as shown in FIG. 6 reaches the receiver 11 of the air conditioner 1. When the custom code is not yet stored in the non-volatile memory 14, the air conditioner 1 receives the received custom code immediately.
(Step 5-2). When the custom code is already stored in the non-volatile memory 14, the received contents are discarded and the reception is continued until the stored custom code matches the custom code 63 in the received signal 61 (step 5- 3). Remote control 2 as described above
Sends all custom codes sequentially, so there will always be a custom code match. If the custom codes match, the air conditioner 1 determines whether the next data 64, 65 is change data or a normal operation code signal (step 5-4). If the data 64 and 65 are change data, the non-volatile memory 14 is updated with the change data as a new custom code (step 5-5).

In FIG. 4, if the operation content of the operation unit 3 is not a custom code change but a normal operation, transmission to the air conditioner 1 is performed. At that time, code signals indicating various operations are added to the custom code based on the setting switch 6 and transmitted (step 4-4). On the other hand, air conditioner 1
Controls the controlled device 12 with the control content according to the code signal only when the custom code matches and it is not the changed data (step 5-6). If the air conditioner 1 has not yet stored the custom code in the non-volatile memory 14 at this time, the custom code received here is stored in step 5-2.

As explained above, the DI on the air conditioner side
Even though there is no P code or other custom code setting switch, it receives the custom code from the remote controller and stores it, so the switch is saved and the setting labor is saved, and the custom code setting is greatly simplified. To be done.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the system of FIG. 2, the remote controller 2
Is an operating unit 3, a door interlocking switch 4, a temperature reading unit 5, a setting switch 6, a liquid crystal display unit 8, a transmitting unit 9, and a CPU 10.
have. The air conditioner 1 includes a receiver 11 and a controlled device 1
2. In addition to having the control circuit 13 and the non-volatile memory 14, a change button 15 is provided.

The air conditioner 1 operates according to the flow chart of FIG. 5, but when the change button 15 is pressed, the same reception as when the custom code is not yet stored in the non-volatile memory 14 is performed. Therefore, when the custom code is transmitted from the remote controller, it is stored in the non-volatile memory 14 (step 5-2).

[0030]

The present invention exhibits the following excellent effects.

(1) Only one set switch is required for one set of air conditioner and remote controller, which is economical.

(2) The setting switch need only be set in one place, which does not burden the user.

(3) Once the custom code is set,
It is convenient because it is retained even when the power is turned off.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a remote controller of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the remote controller of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the air conditioner of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a signal transmitted by a remote controller when changing a custom code according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Air conditioner (air conditioner) 2 Remote controller (remote control) 6 Setting switch 7, 15 Change button 14 Non-volatile memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A system for setting a custom code for making a one-to-one correspondence between an air conditioner and a remote control for remotely operating the air conditioner, wherein the remote control is provided with a switch for setting the custom code, The air conditioner is provided with a non-volatile memory for storing its own custom code and stores the custom code received from the remote controller as its own custom code when the custom code is not yet stored in this non-volatile memory. A wireless remote control system for an air conditioner, which is provided with means. 2. The air conditioner is provided with a change button for changing the custom code, and the air conditioner is provided with means for updating the non-volatile memory with the custom code received for the first time after the change button is pressed. The wireless remote control system for an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein 3. The remote controller is provided with a change button for changing a custom code, and when the change button is pressed, the remote controller sequentially generates all the custom codes that can be set in this system, and these all custom codes. The custom code you want to change is sent in succession to the air conditioner, and when the air conditioner receives a custom code that matches the already stored custom code, the non-volatile nonvolatile 2. The wireless remote control system for an air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising means for updating the memory.