Control system

1. A control system comprising:

n=1 to n=N control circuits configured to control n=1 to n=N electrical apparatuses, respectively; and

n=1 to n=N communication cables each including first and second communication lines, N being an integer greater than or equal to 3, wherein

the n=1 to n=N−1 control circuits are connected to the n=2 to n=N control circuits in respective subsequent stages through the n=1 to n=N−1 communication cables, respectively, the n=N control circuit being connected to the n=1 control circuit in a subsequent stage through the n=N communication cable,

the n=1 control circuit is configured to:

generate an n=1 data signal for controlling the n=1 to n=N electrical apparatuses,

control the n=1 electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal,

transmit the n=1 data signal to the n=2 control circuit in a subsequent stage through the first communication line of the n=1 communication cable, and

transmit the n=1 data signal to the n=N control circuit in a preceding stage through the second communication line of the n=N communication cable,

taking n=2 to n=N control circuits as i=1 to i=N control circuits, the control circuit in a preceding stage of an ith control circuit is the (i−1)th control circuit or the n=1 control circuit, and the control circuit in a subsequent stage of the ith control circuit is the (i+1)th control circuit or the n=1 control circuit,

the ith control circuit is configured to:

receive the n=1 data signal,

control an ith electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal and generate an ith data signal representing a result of control of the ith electrical apparatus,

if communication of data with each of the control circuits in the preceding stage and in the subsequent stage is normally performed, transmit the ith data signal and a data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to the control circuit in the subsequent stage through the first communication line of the ith communication cable, and transmit the ith data signal and a data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to the control circuit in the preceding stage through the second communication line of the (i−1)th communication cable or the second communication line of the n=1 communication cable,

if the communication of data with the control circuit in the preceding stage is not normally performed, stop the communication of data with the control circuit in the preceding stage, and transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to the control circuit in the subsequent stage through the first communication line of the ith communication cable, and

if the communication of data with the control circuit in the subsequent stage is not normally performed, stop the communication of data with the control circuit in the subsequent stage, and transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to the control circuit in the preceding stage through the second communication line of the (i−1)th communication cable or the second communication line of the n=1 communication cable,

the ith control circuit includes:

a first determination device configured to determine whether or not the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage is normal;

a second determination device configured to determine whether or not the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage is normal;

a first abnormality detector configured to output a first abnormality detection signal if the first determination device determines the data signal to be abnormal a predetermined number of times consecutively;

a second abnormality detector configured to output a second abnormality detection signal if the second determination device determines the data signal to be abnormal the predetermined number of times consecutively; and

an internal circuit configured to control the ith electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal, generate the ith data signal representing the result of control of the ith electrical apparatus, and transmit data signals in accordance with the first and second abnormality detection signals, and

the internal circuit is configured to:

if the first and second abnormality detection signals are not output from the first and second abnormality detectors, respectively, transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to the control circuit in the subsequent stage through the first communication line of the ith communication cable, and transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to the control circuit in the preceding stage through the second communication line of the (i−1)th communication cable or the second communication line of the n=1 communication cable,

if the first abnormality detection signal is output from the first abnormality detector, stop receiving the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage, and transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to the control circuit in the subsequent stage through the first communication line of the ith communication cable, and

if the second abnormality detection signal is output from the second abnormality detector, stop receiving the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage, and transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to the control circuit in the preceding stage through the second communication line of the (i−1)th communication cable or the second communication line of the n=1 communication cable.

2. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein the internal circuit is configured to output an alarm signal for notifying an occurrence of an abnormality in the communication of data if the first abnormality detection signal is output from the first abnormality detector or if the second abnormality detection signal is output from the second abnormality detector.

3. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the internal circuit is configured to:

in a first case where each of the first and second determination devices determines the data signal to be normal, control the ith electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage and based on the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage,

in a second case where the first determination device determines the signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to be normal and where the second determination device determines the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to be abnormal, control the ith electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage, and

in a third case where the first determination device determines the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to be abnormal and where the second determination device determines the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to be normal, control the ith electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage.

4. The control system according to claim 3 , wherein

the first case includes:

a fourth case where the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage and the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage match each other; and

a fifth case where the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage and the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage do not match each other, and

the internal circuit is configured to:

in the fourth case, control the ith electrical apparatus based on the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage and based on the n=1 data signal included in the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage, and store a latest n=1 data signal that has been used for controlling the ith electrical apparatus, and

in the fifth case, control the ith electrical apparatus based on the latest n=1 data signal stored in the fourth case.

5. The control system according to claim 4 , wherein the internal circuit is configured to, if the fifth case occurs a predetermined number of times consecutively, either

transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the subsequent stage to the control circuit in the subsequent stage through the first communication line of the ith communication cable, or

transmit the ith data signal and the data signal from the control circuit in the preceding stage to the control circuit in the preceding stage through the second communication line of the (i−1)th communication cable or the second communication line of the n=1 communication cable.

6. The control system according to claim 5 , wherein the internal circuit is configured to, if the fifth case occurs the predetermined number of times consecutively, output an alarm signal for notifying an occurrence of an abnormality in the communication of data.

7. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the n=1 control circuit includes:

an n=1 first determination device configured to determine whether or not a data signal from the n=N control circuit is normal;

an n=1 second determination device configured to determine whether or not a data signal from the n=2 control circuit is normal; and

an n=1 internal circuit configured to generate the n=1 data signal based on a result of determination by the n=1 first and second determination devices and based on data signals from the n=N and second n=2 control circuits, control the n=1 electrical apparatus based on the generated n=1 data signal, and transmit the generated n=1 data signal to the n=2 second and n=N control circuits, and

the n=1 internal circuit is configured to:

in a first case where each of the n=1 first and second determination devices determines the data signal to be normal, generate the n=1 data signal based on n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in data signals from the n=N and n=2 control circuits,

in a second case where the n=1 first determination device determines the data signal to be normal and where the n=1 second determination device determines the data signal to be abnormal, generate the n=1 data signal based on the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in data signals from the n=N control circuit, and

in a third case where the n=1 first determination device determines the data signal to be abnormal and where the n=1 second determination device determines the data signal to be normal, generate the n=1 data signal based on the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in data signals from the n=2 control circuit.

8. The control system according to claim 7 , wherein

the first case includes:

a fourth case where the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in the data signals from the n=N control circuit and the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in the data signals from the n=2 control circuit match each other; and

a fifth case where the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in the data signals from the n=N control circuit and the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in the data signals from the n=2 control circuit do not match each other, and

the internal circuit is configured to:

in the fourth case, generate the n=1 data signal based on the n=2 to n=N data signals from the n=2 to n=N control circuits included in the data signals from the n=N and n=2 control circuits, and store the latest n=2 to n=N data signals that have been used for generating the n=1 data signal, and

in the fifth case, generate the n=1 data signal based on the latest n=2 to n=N data signals stored in the fourth case.

9. The control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the n=1 to n=N electrical apparatuses are n=1 to n=N inverters, respectively,

the n=1 to n=N inverters are connected in parallel to a load,

each of the n=1 to n=N inverters is configured to convert a DC voltage into an AC voltage and supply the AC voltage to the load,

the n=1 data signal represents a sharing current of each of the n=1 to n=N inverters,

the ith data signal represents a load current of the ith inverter,

the n=1 control circuit is configured to control the n=1 inverter so that a cross current is 0 A, the cross current being a difference between a load current of the n=1 inverter and the sharing current, and

the ith control circuit is configured to control the ith inverter so that a cross current is 0 A, the cross current being a difference between a load current of the ith inverter and the sharing current.