# US 11,306,938 B2 · Communication control system and air-conditioning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,306,938 B2 - Document ID: US11306938B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/616,802 - Filed: 2018-01-29 - Published: 2020-03-19 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-02 - Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Shota Inoue - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306938B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 11/0008: {for air-humidification (F24F11/30 takes precedence)} - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 11/54: using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers - F24F 11/57: using telephone networks - F24F 11/58: using Internet communication - F24F 11/62: characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values - G06F 13/00: Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units (interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 {; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46}; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16 ) - H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom - H04W 4/80: Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication - H04W 12/06: Authentication - H04W 12/50: Secure pairing of devices - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04M 1/00: Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers (subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08) - H04M 11/00: Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) ## Abstract A dedicated wireless access point is not required, and an air-conditioning apparatus can be paired with a wireless access point simply by operating at hand an operating device that is separate from the air-conditioning apparatus. A remote control (15) is provided with a pairing request instruction button for instructing an air conditioner (12) to cause a first communicator serving as a wireless device of the air conditioner (12) to transmit pairing request data, and upon receiving, from the remote control (15), a signal indicating that the pairing request instruction button has been operated, the air conditioner (12) transmits pairing request data through the first communicator, completes a pairing upon receiving authentication data from a wireless AP (13), and connects to the wireless AP (13). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication control system comprising: an air-conditioning apparatus having a wireless device; and a remote control device that is capable of operating the air-conditioning apparatus, wherein the communication control system controls a connection between the air-conditioning apparatus and a communication network, the remote control device is capable of accepting a first pairing request operation that causes the wireless device to transmit pairing request data and a second pairing request operation that causes the air-conditioning apparatus to request a start of a pairing of the air-conditioning apparatus and a terminal device, upon receiving, from the remote control device, a signal indicating that the remote control device has accepted the first pairing request operation, the air-conditioning apparatus causes the wireless device to transmit the pairing request data, completes the pairing upon receiving, from a wireless access point, authentication data corresponding to the pairing request data thus transmitted, and connects the wireless device to the wireless access point, and upon receiving, from the remote control device without via a communication network, a signal indicating that the remote control device has accepted the second pairing request operation in a state where the wireless device is connected to the wireless access point, the air-conditioning apparatus is paired with a terminal device that is capable of operating the air-conditioning apparatus via a communication network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein upon receiving, from the remote control device, a signal indicating that the remote control device has accepted the first pairing request operation in a state where the wireless device is inactive, the air-conditioning apparatus activates the wireless device and then causes the wireless device to transmit the pairing request data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device is capable of accepting a disconnection operation for instructing the air-conditioning apparatus to disconnect from the communication network, and upon receiving a signal indicating that the remote control device has accepted the disconnection operation, the air-conditioning apparatus disconnects the wireless device from the wireless access point. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The communication control system according to claim 3, wherein the remote control device has a predetermined function button, used also as an instruction button for accepting the first pairing request operation or the disconnection operation, which in case of pressing does not effect a change in operating state of the air-conditioning apparatus, and the air-conditioning apparatus receives a signal indicating that the predetermined function button has been held down from the remote control device as a signal indicating that the instruction button has been operated. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device has a predetermined function button, used also as an instruction button for accepting the first pairing request operation, which in case of pressing does not effect a change in operating state of the air-conditioning apparatus, and the air-conditioning apparatus receives a signal indicating that the predetermined function button has been held down from the remote control device as a signal indicating that the pairing request instruction button has been operated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the air-conditioning apparatus includes an annunciator that informs a user of a change in state of communication with the wireless access point during a pairing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the air-conditioning apparatus activates the wireless device into an on state by supplying a power supply voltage to the wireless device and disconnects the wireless device from the wireless access point by bringing the wireless device into an off state by stopping supplying the power supply voltage to the wireless device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device includes an integrated circuit, and the air-conditioning apparatus activates the wireless device into an on state by controlling a signal that is inputted to a reset port of the integrated circuit and disconnects the wireless device from the wireless access point by bringing the wireless device into an off state by controlling the signal that is inputted to the reset port of the integrated circuit.