Networked air-conditioning system, repeater and program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9935784-B2
Application number	US-201314764253-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2013
Priority date	Feb 21, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

The lower-level information acquirer searches a lower-level network, and acquires lower-level addresses for air-conditioning devices that are connected to the lower-level network. A database generator searches an upper-level network, and generates a database of upper-level addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the upper-level network. An address assigner references the database generated by the database generator, and assigns vacant addresses existing among the upper-level addresses of the upper-level network to air-conditioning devices that are connected to the lower-level network. The table generator generates an address conversion table for converting the upper-level addresses assigned by the address assigner to lower-level addresses acquired by the lower-level information acquirer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A networked air-conditioning system wherein a control device that is connected to a first network controls, through a repeater, air-conditioning devices that are connected to a second network which is different from the first network, the repeater relaying communication between the first network and the second network, comprising:
a second information acquirer configured to search the second network and acquire second network addresses of the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network;
a database generator configured to search the first network and generate a database of first network addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network;
an address assigner configured to reference the database generated by the database generator and assign vacant addresses existing among the first network addresses of the first network to the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network; and
a table generator configured to generate an address conversion table for converting the first network addresses to the second network addresses of the air-conditioning devices to which the first network addresses are assigned by the address assigner.

2. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein
the address assigner is configured to assign consecutive vacant addresses to the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network.

3. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 2 , wherein
the address assigner is configured to assign the consecutive addresses that are based on an address specified by a user as the vacant addresses to the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network.

4. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 3 , wherein
when the consecutive addresses that are based on the address specified by the user overlap with the addresses of the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network,
the address assigner is configured to assign other consecutive vacant addresses to the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network.

5. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a notifier configured to notify the user that the addresses of the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network are not the consecutive addresses based on the address that is specified by the user.

6. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 3 , wherein
when the consecutive addresses based on the address that is specified by the user overlap with the addresses of the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network,
the address assigner is configured to change the addresses of the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network so as not to overlap with the addresses to be assigned to air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network.

7. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a notifier configured to notify the user that the addresses of the air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network have been changed.

8. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second information acquirer, the database generator, the address assigner and the table generator are provided in the repeater.

9. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein
the second information acquirer and the table generator are provided in the repeater; and
the database generator and address assigner are provided in the control device that is connected to the first network.

10. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first network and the second network have communication methods which are different from each other,
the address assigner is further configured to search the database for the vacant addresses existing among the first network addresses of the first network to which the control device is connected which are consecutive vacant addresses, and
the address assigner is further configured so the second network addresses of the air-conditioning devices to which the first network addresses are assigned need not be consecutive addresses of the second network.

11. The networked air-conditioning system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an address converter, responsive to receipt, from the first network, of a control command having a destination which is one of the first network addresses assigned to the air-conditioning devices connected to the second network, that converts, based on the address conversion table, the destination of the control command from the first network address to the second network address, wherein the control command with the destination that is converted to the second network address is transmitted on the second network.

12. A repeater configured to relay communication between a first network and a second network which is different from the first network, comprising:
a second information acquirer configured to search the second network and acquire second network addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network;
a database generator configured to search the first network and generate a database of first network addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network;
an address assigner configured to reference the database generated by the database generator and assign vacant addresses existing among the first network addresses of the first network to air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network; and
a table generator configured to generate an address conversion table for converting the first network addresses to the second network address of the air-conditioning devices to which the first network addresses are assigned by the address assigner.

13. A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium having stored therein a program allowing a computer to function as a repeater communication between a first network and a second network which is different from the first network, comprising:
a second information acquirer configured to search the second network and acquire second network addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network;
a database generator configured to search the first network and generate a database of first network addresses of air-conditioning devices that are connected to the first network;
an address assigner configured to reference the database generated by the database generator and assign vacant addresses existing among the first network addresses of the first network to air-conditioning devices that are connected to the second network; and
a table generator configured to generate an address conversion table for converting the first network addresses to the second network addresses of the air-conditioning devices to which the first network addresses are assigned by the address assigner.

Assignees

• KOTAKE Hiroaki
• Koizumi Yoshiaki
• Mukai Takuya
• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• KOTAKE Hiroaki
• Koizumi Yoshiaki
• Mukai Takuya

Classifications

• G08C17/00 Primary

  Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link · CPC title

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L61/2038

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L61/1505

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L12/283

  Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network · CPC title