Multi-connected system and control method thereof

Abstract

A multi-split air conditioning system having an outdoor unit and multiple indoor units and control method therefor. The control method comprises the following steps: obtaining an outdoor ambient temperature when an indoor unit sends a start instruction received from a user; determining whether the outdoor ambient temperature falls within a preset temperature range; and determining an operation mode of the multi-split system according to operations status of other existing started indoor units when the outdoor ambient temperature falls within the preset temperature range.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a multi-split air conditioning system having an outdoor unit and multiple indoor units, comprising:
 acquiring an outdoor ambient temperature using the outdoor unit when one of the indoor units sends a starting instruction received from a user;   determining whether the outdoor ambient temperature is within a preset temperature range; and   determining an operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to current operating conditions of the indoor units, when the outdoor ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the current according to current operating conditions when the outdoor ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range comprises:
 determining whether there is an existing started indoor unit, when the outdoor ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range;   determining whether the indoor unit sending the starting instruction has a highest priority level, when there is the existing started indoor unit; and   determining the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to a preset operating mode of the indoor unit sending the starting instruction when the indoor unit sending the starting instruction has the highest priority level, and determining the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the operating mode of the existing started indoor unit when the indoor unit sending the starting instruction does not have the highest priority level.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after determining that there is no existing started indoor unit when the outdoor ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range:
 determining whether there are at least two indoor units sending the starting instruction; and 
 when there are at least two indoor units sending the starting instruction, determining the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system through a priority level rule or a majority rule according to the number of indoor units and set operating modes thereof. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 after receiving a mode switching instruction sent by an indoor unit:
 determining whether the indoor unit sending the mode switching instruction has the highest priority level; 
 when the indoor unit sending the mode switching instruction does not have the highest priority level, forwarding the mode switching instruction to another indoor unit having the highest priority level, and switching the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system when receiving confirmation from the indoor unit having the highest priority level; and 
 when the indoor unit sending the mode switching instruction has the highest priority level, switching the current operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the mode switching instruction. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 after determining the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system, acquiring a current indoor temperature corresponding to the indoor unit; and   stopping the indoor unit for a preset time period and then restarting the indoor unit, when the current indoor temperature corresponding to the indoor unit reaches a target temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 controlling the multi-split air conditioning system to operate in a heating mode when the outdoor ambient temperature is less than a lower limit of the preset temperature range; and   controlling the multi-split air conditioning system to operate in a cooling mode when the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than an upper limit of the preset temperature range.   
     
     
         7 . A multi-split air conditioning system, comprising at least one outdoor unit and at least two indoor units, wherein the at least two indoor units and the at least one outdoor unit form a refrigerant cycle loop and communicate with each other, the outdoor unit comprises a controller configured to receive a control signal from the indoor units and control the outdoor unit according to the control signal; the controller is configured to:
 acquire an outdoor ambient temperature when one of the indoor units sends a starting instruction received from a user;   determine whether the outdoor ambient temperature is within a preset temperature range; and   determining an operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to current operating conditions of the indoor units, when the outdoor ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range.   
     
     
         8 . The multi-split air conditioning system according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether there is an existing started indoor unit when the outdoor ambient temperature is within the preset temperature range;   determine whether the indoor unit sending the starting instruction has a highest priority level when there is the existing started indoor unit; and   determine the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to a preset operating mode of the indoor unit sending the starting instruction when the indoor unit sending the starting instruction has the highest priority level, and determine the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the operating mode of the existing started indoor unit when the indoor unit sending the starting instruction does not have the highest priority level.   
     
     
         9 . The multi-split air conditioning system according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine whether there are at least two indoor units sending the starting instruction when there is no existing started indoor unit; and   when there are at least two indoor units sending the starting instruction, determine the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system through a priority level rule or a majority rule according to the number of indoor units and set operating modes thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The multi-split air conditioning system according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 when receiving a mode switching instruction sent by an indoor unit, determine whether the indoor unit sending the mode switching instruction has the highest priority level;   when the indoor unit sending the mode switching instruction does not have the highest priority level, forward the mode switching instruction to another indoor unit having the highest priority level, and switch the operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system when receiving confirmation from the indoor unit having the highest priority level; and   when the indoor unit sending the mode switching instruction has the highest priority level, switch the current operating mode of the multi-split air conditioning system according to the mode switching instruction.   
     
     
         11 . The multi-split air conditioning system according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 acquire a current indoor temperature corresponding to the indoor unit; and   stop the indoor unit for a preset time period and then restart the indoor unit, when the current indoor temperature corresponding to the indoor unit reaches a target temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The multi-split air conditioning system according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller module is further configured to:
 control the multi-split air conditioning system to operate in a heating mode when the outdoor ambient temperature is less than a lower limit of the preset temperature range; and   control the multi-split air conditioning system to operate in a cooling mode when the outdoor ambient temperature is greater than a upper limit of the preset temperature range.