Air conditioner and communication apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

The air conditioner includes indoor units, at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units via a refrigerant pipe to drive the indoor unit using a first signal, a central controller to control operations of the outdoor unit and the indoor units using a second signal, the second signal having a frequency band spaced from that of the first signal, and a communication apparatus installed in the outdoor unit or one of the indoor units connected to the outdoor unit to communicate with the central controller using the second signal, whereby signals with different frequency bands can be used upon communication between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit and communication between the outdoor unit or indoor unit and the central controller, so as to reduce signal interference and enhance efficiency of a system operation, resulting in improving safety of the system.

1 . An air conditioner comprising:
 a plurality of indoor units to perform air conditioning;   at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units via a refrigerant pipe to drive the indoor unit using a first signal;   a central controller to control operations of the outdoor unit and the indoor units using a second signal, the second signal having a frequency band spaced from that of the first signal; and   a communication apparatus installed in the outdoor unit or one of the indoor units connected to the outdoor unit to communicate with the central controller using the second signal.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus performs communication between a plurality of outdoor units using the first and second signals. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioner of  claim 2 , wherein the communication apparatus allows communication between the outdoor units by converting the first and second signals into wireless signals. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioner of  claim 1 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
 a wireless communication unit to perform communication with the central controller using a wireless communication method;   a signal converting unit to convert the second signal into a wireless signal corresponding to the second signal according to the wireless communication method, or convert the wireless signal into the second signal according to a preset communication method; and   a communication unit to communicate with the outdoor unit or the indoor units using the first and second signals.   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein the communication unit is a pipe communication unit to perform communication using the first and second signals according to a pipe communication method. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioner of  claim 5 , wherein the pipe communication unit comprises:
 a data transmission/reception portion to receive or transmit data from or to the outdoor unit or the indoor unit; and   a pipe communication signal converter to convert the data into a pipe communication signal or the pipe communication signal into the data.   
     
     
         7 . The air conditioner of  claim 6 , wherein the pipe communication unit further comprises:
 a pipe communication signal connection portion to connect the pipe communication signal to the refrigerant pipe; and   a pipe communication signal coupling portion positioned between the pipe communication signal converter and the pipe communication signal connection portion to filter the pipe communication signal and block noise and serge.   
     
     
         8 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein the communication unit is a dedicated line communication unit to perform communication using the first and second signals according to a dedicated line communication method. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioner of  claim 4 , wherein the central controller transmits or receives the wireless signal to or from the outdoor unit or the indoor unit installed the closest to the central controller. 
     
     
         10 . A communication apparatus for an air conditioner, the air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor units to perform air conditioning, at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units via a refrigerant pipe to drive the outdoor unit using a first signal, and a central controller to control operations of the outdoor unit and the indoor units using a second signal,
 wherein the communication apparatus is installed in the outdoor unit or one of the indoor units connected to the outdoor unit to perform communication with the central controller using a wireless communication method.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the communication apparatus converts the second signal into a wireless signal corresponding to the second signal according to the wireless communication method, or the wireless signal into the second signal according to a preset communication method,
 wherein the communication apparatus communicates with the outdoor unit or the indoor unit using the first and second signals having frequency bands spaced from each other.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the communication apparatus comprises:
 a wireless communication unit to perform communication with the central controller using a wireless communication method;   a signal converting unit to convert the second signal into a wireless signal corresponding to the second signal according to the wireless communication method, or the wireless signal into the second signal according to a preset communication method; and   a communication unit to communicate with the outdoor unit or the indoor unit using the first and second signals according to the preset communication method.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the communication unit is a pipe communication unit to perform communication using the first and second signals according to a pipe communication method. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the pipe communication unit comprises:
 a data transmission/reception portion to receive or transmit data from or to the outdoor unit or the indoor unit; and   a pipe communication signal converter to convert the data into a pipe communication signal or the pipe communication signal into the data.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the pipe communication unit further comprises:
 a pipe communication signal connection portion to connect the pipe communication signal to the refrigerant pipe; and   a pipe communication signal coupling portion positioned between the pipe communication signal converter and the pipe communication signal connection portion to filter the pipe communication signal and block noise and serge.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the communication unit is a dedicated line communication unit to perform communication using the first and second signals according to a dedicated line communication method. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the communication apparatus allows communication between the outdoor units by the wireless communication method. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the central controller transmits and receives the wireless signal to and from an outdoor unit or indoor unit located the closest thereto. 
     
     
         19 . A communication method for an air conditioner performed via a communication apparatus, the air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor units to perform air conditioning, at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units via a refrigerant pipe to drive the indoor units using a first signal, a central controller to control operations of the outdoor unit and the indoor units using a second signal, and the communication apparatus to perform communication with the central controller, the method comprising:
 converting by the central controller a control command into a wireless signal;   transmitting the wireless signal corresponding to the second signal to at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor units;   receiving the wireless signal corresponding to the second signal to convert into the second signal, the second signal having a frequency band spaced from that of the first signal;   transmitting the second signal to at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor units; and   transmitting the first signal to at least one of the outdoor unit and the indoor units.   
     
     
         20 . A communication method for an air conditioner performed via a communication apparatus performing communication using a second signal, the air conditioner comprising a plurality of indoor units to perform air conditioning, and at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units via a refrigerant pipe to drive the indoor units using a first signal, the method comprising:
 converting a control command into a wireless signal;   transmitting the wireless signal corresponding to the second signal to the outdoor unit;   converting the wireless signal corresponding to the second signal into the second signal, the second signal having a frequency band spaced from that of the first signal;   transmitting the second signal from the outdoor unit to at least one of the indoor units; and   transmitting the first signal from the outdoor unit to at least one of the indoor unit.