Communication converting apparatus and method for pulse meter, and communication system for air conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016295306-A1
Application number	US-201514848015-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A communication converting apparatus for a pulse meter is provided, comprising: a pulse collection unit, configured to collect a pulse signal generated from the pulse meter; a storage unit, configured to store a reading of the pulse meter; a micro control unit, configured to control the pulse collection unit to collect the pulse signal, to read the reading stored in the storage unit, and to obtain an updated reading of the pulse meter according to the pulse signal and the reading stored in the storage unit; and a RS485 communication unit, configured to covert the updated reading of the pulse meter into a RS485 communication signal for outputting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A communication converting apparatus for a pulse meter, comprising:
a pulse collection unit, configured to collect a pulse signal generated from the pulse meter; a storage unit, configured to store a reading of the pulse meter; a micro control unit, configured to control the pulse collection unit to collect the pulse signal, to read the reading stored in the storage unit, and to obtain an updated reading of the pulse meter according to the pulse signal and the reading stored in the storage unit; and an RS485 communication unit, configured to convert the updated reading of the pulse meter into an RS485 communication signal for outputting.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pulse collection unit is provided with photoelectric isolation.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the micro control unit comprises:
an interrupt port, configured to receive the pulse signal from the pulse collection unit; a timer, configured to acquire a width of the pulse signal; and a determining unit, configured to determine whether the width of the pulse signal reaches a predetermined pulse width, and to update the reading of the pulse meter in response to the width of the pulse signal reaching the predetermined pulse width.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage drop in the pulse meter, wherein the micro control unit is further configured to store the updated reading of the pulse meter in the storage unit when the voltage detection unit detects that a voltage drop occurs in the pulse meter.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a power supply configured to supply power to the micro control unit, the pulse collection unit, the RS485 communication unit and the storage unit.

6 . A communication converting method, comprising:
reading an original reading of a pulse meter; collecting a pulse signal generated from the pulse meter in real-time; updating the original reading of the pulse meter according to the pulse signal so as to obtain an updated reading; and converting the updated reading into an RS 485 communication signal for outputting.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
storing the updated reading in response to a voltage drop in the pulse meter.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein updating the original reading of the pulse meter according to the pulse signal comprises:
determining whether a width of the pulse signal satisfies a predetermined pulse width; if yes, updating the reading of the pulse meter; and if no, discarding the pulse signal.

9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the updated reading of the pulse meter is obtained according to a formula of
W N =W P +Q
where W N is the updated reading, W P is the original reading, and Q is a pulse weight.

10 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein converting the updated reading into an RS485 communication signal for outputting comprises:
converting the updated reading into an RS485 communication signal in response to a checking request from a consumer device, and outputting the RS485 communication signal to the consumer device.

11 . A communication system for an air conditioner, comprising:
a pulse meter; an outdoor machine of an air conditioner; and a communication converting apparatus, wherein the pulse meter performs an RS485 communication with the outdoor machine of the air conditioner via the communication converting apparatus, and the communication converting apparatus comprises:
a pulse collection unit, configured to collect a pulse signal generated from the pulse meter;
a storage unit, configured to store a reading of the pulse meter;
a micro control unit, configured to control the pulse collection unit to collect the pulse signal, to read the reading stored in the storage unit, and to obtain an updated reading of the pulse meter according to the pulse signal and the reading stored in the storage unit; and
an RS485 communication unit, configured to convert the updated reading of the pulse meter into an RS485 communication signal and to output the RS485 communication signal to the outdoor machine of the air conditioner.

12 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the pulse collection unit is provided with photoelectric isolation.

13 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the micro control unit comprises:
an interrupt port, configured to receive the pulse signal from the pulse collection unit; a timer, configured to acquire a width of the received pulse signal; and a determining unit, configured to determine whether the width of the pulse signal reaches a predetermined pulse width, and to update the reading of the pulse meter in response to the width of the pulse signal reaching the predetermined pulse width.

14 . The system according to claim 11 , wherein the communication converting apparatus further comprises a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage drop in the pulse meter, and the micro control unit is further configured to store the updated reading of the pulse meter in the storage unit when the voltage detection unit detects that a voltage drop occurs in the pulse meter.

15 . The system according to claim 14 , wherein the communication converting apparatus further comprises a power supply configured to supply power to the micro control unit, the pulse collection unit, the RS485 communication unit and the storage unit.

Assignees

• Gd Midea Heating & Ventilating Equipment Co Ltd
• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yan Jie

Classifications

• H04Q9/14 Primary

  Calling by using pulses · CPC title

• H04Q2209/60

  for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter · CPC title