IP Library › Granted Patent US 12663174

Granted Patent B2

US 12663174 · App. 18/274,625 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Air conditioner, air conditioning control apparatus, and air conditioning system

Inventors: Takuro Nidaira (Kanagawa, JP); Kotaro Wada (Kanagawa, JP); Kento Kamitsuma (Kanagawa, JP)

Assignee: FUJITSU GENERAL LIMITED

F24F11/56 H04L43/0829 H04L43/0882

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12663174
App. No.: 18/274,625
Granted: Jun 23, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A communication adapter connected to an indoor unit included in an air conditioner includes a communication unit, a determination unit, and a communication control unit. The communication unit communicates data to an air conditioning control apparatus that performs centralized control of a plurality of air conditioners. The determination unit determines whether or not transmission target data is communicated by using encryption communication. The communication control unit controls, when the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication, the communication unit in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the encryption communication. Consequently, it is possible to decrease a laying cost of a dedicated communication cable and reduce a communication load needed for data communication related to the air conditioners in an existing communication network at the time of central control performed on the air conditioners.

Claims (72)

1 . An air conditioner comprising:

a memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to:

communicate data to an air conditioning control apparatus that performs centralized control of a plurality of air conditioners;

refer to a table in the memory that stores whether transmission target data associated with each of data types is an encryption target data or not;

determine that the transmission target data is communicated by using encryption communication when the transmission target data is the encryption target data and that the transmission target data is communicated by using un-encryption communication when the transmission target data is not the encryption target data;

control, when the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication, the communicating in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the encryption communication; and

control, when the transmission target data is communicated by using the un-encryption communication, the communicating in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the un-encryption communication.

2 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to

monitor a congestion state of data communication performed by the communicating; and

determine, based on a congestion index that indicates the congestion state, whether or not the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication.

3 . The air conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein, when the congestion index exceeds a predetermined value, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to un-encryption communication.

4 . The air conditioner according to claim 3 , wherein the memory includes

a switching table that manages a data type indicating, in each of a plurality of ranges of the congestion index, whether or not the encryption communication with respect to the transmission target data is switched to the un-encryption communication, and wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to refer to the switching table and determine, based on the congestion index, whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to the un-encryption communication.

5 . The air conditioner according to claim 4 , wherein the switching table is constituted such that the encryption communication is switched to the un-encryption communication in accordance with an increase in a value of the congestion index in ascending order of a degree related to personal information on a user associated with the data type.

6 . The air conditioner according to claim 2 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to calculate the congestion index from a packet loss count with respect to a predetermined amount of data transmission.

7 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein data having a data type associated with an encryption target is data that is related to setting and a state about an operation of each of the air conditioners that is used by users and that is related to the individual users.

8 . The air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine, based on an indoor unit type of each of the air conditioners, whether or not the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication.

9 . The air conditioner according to claim 8 , wherein,

when the indoor unit type of the air conditioner is an indoor unit having a wall mounted type, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication, and,

when the indoor unit type of the air conditioner is an indoor unit having a ceiling type or an indoor unit having a duct type, determine that the transmission target data is not communicated by using the encryption communication.

10 . An air conditioning control apparatus that performs centralized control of a plurality of air conditioners, the air conditioning control apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

processing circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to:

communicate data to the air conditioners;

refer to a table in the memory that stores whether transmission target data associated with each of data types is an encryption target data or not;

11 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to monitor a count number of the air conditioners; and

determine, based on the count number, whether or not the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication.

12 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein, when the count number is larger than a predetermined threshold, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to un-encryption communication.

13 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the memory includes

a switching table that manages a data type indicating, in each of a plurality of ranges of the count number, whether or not the encryption communication with respect to the transmission target data is switched to the un-encryption communication, and wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to refer to the switching table and determine, based on the count number, whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to the un-encryption communication.

14 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the switching table is constituted such that the encryption communication is switched to the un-encryption communication in order of predetermined confidentiality from a data type having a low confidentiality to a data type having a high confidentiality when the count number is larger than a predetermined threshold.

15 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to monitor an amount of processing load placed on the communicating; and

determine, based on the amount of processing load, whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to un-encryption communication.

16 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein, when the amount of processing load is larger than a predetermined threshold, the processing circuitry is further configured to determine that the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to the un-encryption communication.

17 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the memory includes

a switching table that manages a data type indicating, in each of a plurality of ranges of the amount of processing load, whether or not the encryption communication with respect to the transmission target data is switched to the un-encryption communication, and wherein

the processing circuitry is further configured to refer to the switching table and determine whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to the un-encryption communication.

18 . The air conditioning control apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the switching table is constituted such that the encryption communication is switched to the un-encryption communication in order of predetermined confidentiality from a data type having a low confidentiality to a data type having a high confidentiality when the amount of processing load is larger than a predetermined threshold.

19 . An air conditioning system comprising:

an air conditioner; and

air conditioning control apparatus that monitors the air conditioner, wherein

the air conditioner includes:

a first memory; and

first processing circuitry coupled to the first memory and configured to:

communicate data to the air conditioning control apparatus,

refer to a first table in the first memory that stores whether transmission target data associated with each of data types is an encryption target data or not,

determine that the transmission target data is communicated by using encryption communication by the first communicating when the transmission target data is the encryption target data and that the transmission target data is communicated by using un-encryption communication by the first communicating when the transmission target data is not the encryption target data,

control the first communicating in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the encryption communication when the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication, and

control the first communicating in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the un-encryption communication when the transmission target data is communicated by using the un-encryption communication,

the air conditioning control apparatus includes:

a second memory; and

second processing circuitry coupled to the second memory and configured to:

communicate data to the air conditioner,

refer to a second table in the second memory that stores whether transmission target data associated with each of data types is an encryption target data or not,

determine that the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication by the second communicating when the transmission target data is the encryption target data and that the transmission target data is communicated by using un-encryption communication by the second communicating when the transmission target data is not the encryption target data,

control the second communicating in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the encryption communication when the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication, and

control the second communicating in order to communicate the transmission target data by using the un-encryption communication when the transmission target data is communicated by using the un-encryption communication.

20 . The air conditioning system according to claim 19 , wherein

the first processing circuitry is further configured to monitor a congestion state of data communication performed by the first communicating, and

determine, based on a congestion index that indicates the congestion state, whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to un-encryption communication.

21 . The air conditioning system according to claim 19 , wherein the first processing circuitry is further configured to determine, based on an indoor unit type of each of the air conditioners, whether or not the transmission target data is communicated by using the encryption communication.

22 . The air conditioning system according to claim 19 , wherein

the second processing circuitry is further configured to monitor a count number of the air conditioner, and

determine, based on an increase in the count number, whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to un-encryption communication.

23 . The air conditioning system according to claim 19 , wherein

the second processing circuitry is further configured to monitor an amount of processing load placed on the second communicating, and

determine, based on the amount of processing load, whether or not the transmission target data is switched from the encryption communication to the un-encryption communication.