Air conditioner control system using a public switched telephone network and method for operating the same

An air conditioner control system that uses a PSTN to control a plurality of air conditioners, said control system comprising:

• a telephone that generates and transmits a DTMF signal representing control commands for the air conditioners through manipulation of a plurality of keys;
• and
• a plurality of receiving modules that each receive the DTMF signal from the telephone through the PSTN and transmit a control command signal based on the DTMF signal to an air conditioner identified in the DTMF signal.
• wherein each of the receiving modules comprises:
• a telephone line connector connected to the PSTN to receive the DTMF signal transmitted by the telephone;
• a signal decoder that converts and decodes the DTMF signal received by the telephone line connector into the control command signal that can be utilized by the air conditioner;
• and
• a microcomputer that transmits the control command signal, converted and decoded by the signal decoder, to the air conditioner, and transmits operating state data of the air conditioner operated according to the control command signal to the PSTN.

A method of operating an air conditioner control system that uses a PSTN, comprising:

• receiving an initial control command signal including a telephone number associated with at least one air conditioner to be controlled and control command information input through one of an electronic device and a telephone;
• converting and coding the initial control command signal into a DTMF signal;
• transmitting the DTMF signal to a destination of the telephone number through the PSTN;
• receiving the DTMF signal with a receiving module connected to the air conditioner;
• converting and decoding the received DTMF signal into a final control command signal;
• transmitting the final control command signal to the air conditioner;
• and
• transmitting operating state data of the air conditioner operated according to the final control command signal to one of the electronic device and the telephone through the PSTN.