# US 11,994,307 B2 · Air conditioning system and management device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,307 B2 - Document ID: US11994307B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/429,430 - Filed: 2019-02-22 - Published: 2022-04-28 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-02-22 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Inventors: Makoto Katsukura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994307B2 ## CPC - F24F 11/46: Improving electric energy efficiency or saving - F24F 11/50: characterised by user interfaces or communication - F24F 11/56: Remote control - F24F 11/61: using timers - F24F 11/65: for selecting an operating mode - F24F 2005/0067: {with photovoltaic panels} - 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) ## Abstract A communication device generates electricity by receiving light and uses the generated electricity to wirelessly transmit communication data. An air conditioner includes an air-conditioner main body that performs air conditioning. An operation state of the air-conditioner main body is caused to be a setback in a case where communication data from the communication device is not transmitted for a predetermined transition time when the operation state of the air-conditioner main body is caused to be in a stop, the setback being a state in which air conditioning of the air-conditioner main body is performed, and the temperature of a space where the air conditioner is placed does not exceed a predetermined limit temperature, the stop being a state in which air conditioning by the air-conditioner main body is not performed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An air conditioning system comprising: a communication device including an electricity generator to generate electricity by receiving light; a wireless transmitter to receive a supply of the electricity generated by the electricity generator and to transmit communication data wirelessly; and a communication controller configured to control the transmitter to transmit the communication data on a periodic basis, and an air conditioner including an air-conditioner main body to perform air conditioning; and an operation controller to control the air-conditioner main body, and configured to determine, while an operation state of the air-conditioner main body is in a stop, whether the communication data is not transmitted for a predetermined transmission time by the wireless transmitter indicating that light is not being received by the electricity generator of the communication device, and responsive to determining that the communication data is not transmitted in the stop, cause the operation state to be in a setback, the setback being a state in which the air conditioning is performed by the air-conditioner main body so that a temperature in a space where the air conditioner is placed does not exceed a predetermined limit temperature, the stop being a state in which the air conditioning is not performed by the air-conditioner main body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the limit temperature is at least one of an upper limit temperature or a lower limit temperature, the upper limit temperature is a temperature at which the air-conditioner main body needs to perform cooling, and the lower limit temperature is a temperature at which the air-conditioner main body needs to perform heating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the operation controller is further configured to determine, while the operation state of the air-conditioner main body is in the setback, whether a plurality of pieces of communication data is transmitted from the wireless transmitter within a predetermined recovery time, and responsive to determining that the plurality of pieces of the communication data is transmitted, cause the operation state to be in the stop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a management device including a wireless receiver to receive the communication data wirelessly; and a unit communicator to communicate with the air conditioner, a management controller configured to send an operation command for causing the operation state to be in the setback to the air conditioner via the unit communicator, in a case where the wireless receiver does not receive the communication data for the transition time while the operation state is in the stop, the air conditioner further includes a device communicator to communicate with the management device, and the operation controller is further configured to cause the operation state to be in the setback in accordance with the operation command received by the device communicator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The air conditioning system according to claim 4, wherein the communication device further includes a detector to detect a physical quantity, the communication data includes information indicating the physical quantity detected by the detector, the management controller is further configured to send the information included in the communication data received by the wireless receiver to the air conditioner via the unit communicator, and the operation controller is further configured to control the air-conditioner main body depending on the physical quantity indicated by the information received by the device communicator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The air conditioning system according to claim 5, wherein the physical quantity is a temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a management device, wherein the communication data includes communication device identification information that is identification information for identifying the communication device, the management device includes a wireless receiver to receive the communication data wirelessly; a unit communicator to communicate with the air conditioner; and a management controller configured to determine whether or not the communication device identification information included in the communication data received by the wireless receiver matches a predetermined receivable identification information, and responsive to determining that the wireless receiver does not receive the communication data including the communication device identification information matching the receivable identification information for the transmission time while the operation state is in the stop, send an operation command for causing the operation state to be in the setback to the air conditioner via the unit communicator, wherein the air conditioner further includes a device communicator to communicate with the management device, and the operation controller is further configured to cause the operation state to be in the setback in accordance with the operation command received by the device communicator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a management device including a unit communicator to communicate with the air conditioner; and a management controller to manage the air conditioner, wherein the air conditioner includes a wireless receiver to receive the communication data wirelessly; and a device communicator to communicate with the management device, the device communicator transmits the communication data received by the wireless receiver to the management device, the management controller is further configured to send an operation command for causing the operation state to be in the setback to the air conditioner via the unit communicator in a case where the unit communicator does not receive the communication data for the transition time while the operation state is in the stop, and the operation controller is further configured to cause the operation state to be in the setback in accordance with the operation command received by the device communicator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The air conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein the communication device further includes a detector to detect a physical quantity, the communication data includes information indicating the physical quantity detected by the detector, and the operation controller is further configured to control the air-conditioner main body depending on the physical quantity indicated by the information included in the communication data received by the wireless receiver. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The air conditioning system according to claim 9, wherein the physical quantity is a temperature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, further comprising: a management device, wherein the communication data includes communication device identification information that is identification information for identifying the communication device, the management device includes a unit communicator to communicate with the air conditioner; and a management controller to manage the air conditioner, the air conditioner includes a wireless receiver to receive the communication data wirelessly; and a device communicator to communicate with the management device, the device communicator transmits communication data received by the wireless receiver to the management device, the management controller is further configured to determine whether or not the communication device identification information included in the communication data received by the wireless receiver matches a predetermined receivable identification information, and send an operation command for causing the operation state to be in the setback to the air conditioner via the unit communicator in a case where the wireless receiver does not receive the communication data including the communication device identification information matching the receivable identification information for the transmission time while the operation state is in the stop, and the operation controller is further configured to cause the operation state to be in the setback in accordance with the operation command received by the device communicator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the communication device includes an electric battery to store electricity generated by the electricity generator; and the communication controller is further configured to cause the wireless transmitter to transmit the communication data in a case where the amount of electricity stored in the electric battery is larger than or equal to a threshold value. ### Claim 13 A management device comprising: a unit communicator to communicate with an air conditioner; a wireless receiver wirelessly receiving communication data from a communication device upon the communication device generating electricity by receiving light; and a management controller configured to determine, while an operation state of the air-conditioner main body is in a stop, whether the wireless receiver does not receive the communication data for a predetermined transmission time by the wireless transmitter at the communication device indicating that light is not being received by the communication device, and responsive to determining that the communication data is not received in the stop, send an operation command for causing the operation state to be in a setback, to the air conditioner via the unit communicator, the setback being a state in which air conditioning is performed by the air conditioner and the temperature of a space where the air conditioner is placed is prevented from exceeding a predetermined limit temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The management device according to claim 13, wherein the limit temperature is at least one of an upper limit temperature or a lower limit temperature, the upper limit temperature is a temperature at which the air-conditioner main body needs to perform cooling, and the lower limit temperature is a temperature at which the air-conditioner main body needs to perform heating. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The management device according to claim 13, wherein the management controller is further configured to determine whether or not communication device identification information included in the communication data received by the wireless receiver matches a predetermined receivable identification information, and responsive to determining that the wireless receiver does not receive the communication data including the communication device identification information matching the receivable identification information for the transmission time while the operation state is in the stop, send an operation command for causing the operation state to be in the setback to the air conditioner via the unit communicator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The management device according to claim 13, wherein the communication data includes information indicating a physical quantity detected by a detector, the management controller is further configured to send the information included in the communication data received by the wireless receiver to the air conditioner via the unit communicator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The management device according to claim 16, wherein the physical quantity is a temperature.