# US 2023/0054461 A1 · Control device, heat exchange system, and recording medium recording program > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0054461 A1 - Document ID: US20230054461A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/890,316 - Filed: 2022-08-18 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-19 - Assignees: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc. - Applicants: Hitachi-Johnson Controls Air Conditioning, Inc. - Inventors: Kyohei SAKAI; Mutsumi MOROOKA; Aya KINOSHITA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054461A1 ## CPC - F24F 11/50: characterised by user interfaces or communication - F24F 11/63: Electronic processing - 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 controller includes a first storage storing setting information used for operation control of a heat exchange system that exchanges heat between fluid and a heat medium. The controller executes operation control using the setting information. A communicator includes a second storage medium storing setting information used for the operation control, the communicator communicates with external equipment, the controller and the communicator are mounted on an identical outdoor unit, an identical indoor unit, or an identical central control panel. The controller and the communicator execute synchronization processing between the setting information stored in the first storage and the setting information stored in the second storage, and in a case where the setting information stored in the second storage has been changed in response to a request from the external equipment, the communicator transmits the changed setting information to the controller in the synchronization processing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device comprising: a controller including a first storage medium configured to store setting information used for operation control of a heat exchange system configured to exchange heat between fluid and a heat medium, the controller being configured to execute the operation control by use of the setting information; and a communicator including a second storage medium configured to store setting information used for the operation control, the communicator being configured to communicate with external equipment, wherein the controller and the communicator are mounted on an identical outdoor unit, an identical indoor unit, or an identical central control panel, the controller and the communicator execute synchronization processing between the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information stored in the second storage medium, and in a case where the setting information stored in the second storage medium has been changed in response to a request from the external equipment, the communicator transmits the changed setting information to the controller in the synchronization processing. ### Claim 2 A control device comprising: a controller including a first storage medium configured to store setting information used for operation control of a heat exchange system configured to exchange heat between fluid and a heat medium, the controller being configured to execute the operation control by use of the setting information; and a communicator including a second storage medium configured to store setting information used for the operation control, the communicator being configured to communicate with external equipment, wherein the controller and the communicator execute synchronization processing between the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information stored in the second storage medium, and in the synchronization processing, the setting information stored in the first storage medium is transmitted at least from the first storage medium of the controller to the second storage medium of the communicator, and in a case where the setting information stored in the second storage medium has been changed in response to a request from the external equipment, the communicator transmits the changed setting information to the controller in the synchronization processing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the communicator transmits the setting information stored in the second storage medium to the controller in response to power-on of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The control device according to claim 2, wherein the communicator transmits the setting information stored in the second storage medium to the controller in response to power-on of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The control device according to claim 3, wherein the communicator determines whether or not the communicator is communicable with the controller, and in a case where it is determined as communicable, transmits the setting information stored in the second storage medium to the controller. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The control device according to claim 4, wherein the communicator determines whether or not the communicator is communicable with the controller, and in a case where it is determined as communicable, transmits the setting information stored in the second storage medium to the controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The control device according to claim 3, wherein the controller determines whether or not the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information received from the communicator are different from each other, and in a case where it is determined as different, sets the setting information received from the communicator as setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The control device according to claim 4, wherein the controller determines whether or not the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information received from the communicator are different from each other, and in a case where it is determined as different, sets the setting information received from the communicator as setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The control device according to claim 7, wherein the controller includes one or more switches capable of setting setting information used for the operation control, and in a case where it is determined that the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information received from the communicator are identical to each other, determines whether or not the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information set by the one or more switches are different from each other, and in a case where it is determined as different, sets the setting information set by the one or more switches, as the setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The control device according to claim 8, wherein the controller includes one or more switches capable of setting setting information used for the operation control, and in a case where it is determined that the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information received from the communicator are identical to each other, determines whether or not the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information set by the one or more switches are different from each other, and in a case where it is determined as different, sets the setting information set by the one or more switches, as the setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The control device according to claim 3, wherein the controller determines, based on specific information in the setting information received from the communicator, whether or not the setting information received from the communicator is set as setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system, and in a case where it is determined as the setting information being not set, sets the setting information stored in the first storage medium as the setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The control device according to claim 4, wherein the controller determines, based on specific information in the setting information received from the communicator, whether or not the setting information received from the communicator is set as setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system, and in a case where it is determined as the setting information being not set, sets the setting information stored in the first storage medium as the setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the controller and the communicator execute the synchronization processing, in a case where the setting information in any of the controller and the communicator has been changed, or at a certain time interval. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The control device according to claim 2, wherein the controller and the communicator execute the synchronization processing, in a case where the setting information in any of the controller and the communicator has been changed, or at a certain time interval. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A heat exchange system comprising: the control device according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange system is configured to exchange heat between fluid and a heat medium, and operation of the heat exchange system is controlled by the control device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) A heat exchange system comprising: the control device according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchange system is configured to exchange heat between fluid and a heat medium, and operation of the heat exchange system is controlled by the control device. ### Claim 17 A recording medium recording a program causing a computer to execute operation control of a heat exchange system configured to exchange heat between fluid and a heat medium, wherein the computer includes first and second storage media configured to store setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system, the first storage medium is included in a controller configured to execute the operation control by use of the setting information, the second storage medium is included in a communicator configured to communicate with external equipment, the controller and the communicator are mounted on an identical outdoor unit, an identical indoor unit, or an identical central control panel, the program causes the computer to execute a step of executing synchronization processing between the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information stored in the second storage medium and a step of changing the setting information stored in the second storage medium in response to a request from the external equipment, and the step of executing the synchronization processing includes a step of transmitting, after the setting information stored in the second storage medium has been changed, the changed setting information to the first storage medium. ### Claim 18 A recording medium recording a program causing a computer to execute operation control of a heat exchange system configured to exchange heat between fluid and a heat medium, wherein the computer includes first and second storage media configured to store setting information used for the operation control of the heat exchange system, the first storage medium is included in a controller configured to execute the operation control by use of the setting information, the second storage medium is included in a communicator configured to communicate with external equipment, the program causes the computer to execute a step of executing synchronization processing between the setting information stored in the first storage medium and the setting information stored in the second storage medium and a step of changing the setting information stored in the second storage medium in response to a request from the external equipment, and the step of executing the synchronization processing includes a step of transmitting, after the setting information stored in the second storage medium has been changed, the changed setting information to the first storage medium, or a step of transmitting the setting information stored in the first storage medium at least from the first storage medium of the controller to the second storage medium of the communicator.