FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
[See section 10, Rule 13]
AIR-CONDITIONING APPARATUS;
MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION ORGANISED AND
EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF JAPAN, WHOSE ADDRESS IS 7-3,
MARUNOUCHI 2-CHOME, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO 1008310, JAPAN
THE FOLLOWING SPECIFICATION PARTICULARLY DESCRIBES THE
INVENTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS TO BE PERFORMED

2
DESCRIPTION
Technical Field
[0001]
5 The present disclosure relates to an air-conditioning apparatus that transmits
information on a room image-captured by a thermal imaging sensor to an external
electronic device.
Background Art
[0002]
10 In recent years, an air-conditioning apparatus which includes an indoor unit
including a drivable thermal imaging sensor and a wireless local area network (LAN)
communication unit has been known. The wireless LAN communication unit of the
air-conditioning apparatus transmits thermal-imaging-sensor information, which is
based on thermal information on an air-conditioned room acquired by the thermal
15 imaging sensor, to a server linked to a network. The server performs a process on
the basis of the transmitted thermal-imaging-sensor information to generate thermal
image information on the room and accumulates the generated information. A user
can determine conditions of the room by referring to the thermal image information
accumulated in the server through a mobile terminal, for example. Furthermore, the
20 air-conditioning apparatus transmits operation information on, for example, a
refrigerant circuit of the air-conditioning apparatus, in addition to the thermal-imagingsensor information to an external device. The operation information and the thermalimaging-sensor information are large-volume data.
[0003]
25 A known communication device segments large-volume data and then
transmits the segmented data to an external device.
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0004]

3
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2019-4414
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
5 [0005]
Information that is transmitted from an air-conditioning apparatus to an external
device includes operation information on, for example, a refrigerant circuit, as well as
thermal-imaging-sensor information based on thermal information acquired by a
thermal imaging sensor. The volume of operation information and that of thermal10 imaging-sensor information have recently been growing. In particular, thermal
information acquired by a thermal imaging sensor has a relatively large volume.
[0006]
In transmitting such large-volume information containing operation information
and thermal-imaging-sensor information based on thermal information in such a
15 manner that the operation information and the thermal-imaging-sensor information
are segmented and transmitted by using a technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1,
segmentation requires much time, resulting in longer communication time for the
thermal-imaging-sensor information. Unfortunately, longer transmission time for the
thermal-imaging-sensor information leads to lower responsiveness of thermal image
20 information that a user refers to.
[0007]
In response to the above issue, it is an object of the present disclosure to
provide an air-conditioning apparatus that can improve the speed of communication
of thermal-imaging-sensor information.
25 Solution to Problem
[0008]
An air-conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure includes a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a load side heat
exchanger, an expansion valve, and a heat source side heat exchanger are
30 connected by pipes through which refrigerant is circulated, a thermal imaging sensor

4
configured to acquire thermal information on an air-conditioned room, and a wireless
LAN communication unit including an interface board connector and a wireless LAN
interface. The interface board connector connects to an operation information signal
line, through which operation information on the refrigerant circuit is transferred, and a
5 thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line, through which thermal-imagingsensor information based on the thermal information on the air-conditioned room
acquired by the thermal imaging sensor is transferred. The wireless LAN interface is
configured to separately transmit the operation information, transferred through the
operation information signal line connected to the interface board connector, and the
10 thermal-imaging-sensor information, transferred through the thermal-imaging-sensor
information signal line connected to the interface board connector, to an external
electronic device.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0009]
15 According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the operation
information and the thermal-imaging-sensor information are separately transferred to
the wireless LAN interface through the operation information signal line and the
thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line, respectively. The wireless LAN
interface separately transmits the operation information and the thermal-imaging20 sensor information based on the thermal information. This allows sequential
transmission of thermal-imaging-sensor information in response to reception of the
thermal-imaging-sensor information without segmenting the thermal-imaging-sensor
information and operation information. This improves the speed of communication of
thermal-imaging-sensor information. The improved speed of communication of
25 thermal-imaging-sensor information leads to higher responsiveness of thermal image
information that a user refers to.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0010]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of an indoor unit of an
30 air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

5
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between an indoor board
and a wireless LAN interface board of a wireless LAN communication unit in the
indoor unit of the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of transmitting thermal5 imaging-sensor information and operation information through the wireless LAN
interface of the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the indoor board in the indoor unit of the
air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating functions of a server that
10 stores thermal-imaging-sensor information associated with the air-conditioning
apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 includes diagrams illustrating a detection target area of a thermal
imaging sensor of the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1 in an airconditioned room.
15 [Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary thermal image, which is
displayed on a smartphone, of a room air-conditioned by the air-conditioning
apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a first indoor
board, a second indoor board, and the wireless LAN interface board of the wireless
20 LAN communication unit in an indoor unit of an air-conditioning apparatus according
to Embodiment 2.
Description of Embodiments
[0011]
Air-conditioning apparatuses according to embodiments will be described
25 below with reference to the drawings. The same components in the figures are
designated by the same reference signs in the following description, and a repeated
description will be given only when necessary.
[0012]
Embodiment 1

6
Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating the appearance of an indoor unit 1 of an airconditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[0013]
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the indoor unit 1 of the air-conditioning apparatus
5 incudes a thermal imaging sensor 54, which is a diode sensor that acquires thermal
information on an air-conditioned room and is controlled so that it is rotatably driven.
[0014]
The indoor unit 1 further includes therein a wireless LAN communication unit 3
that transmits thermal-imaging-sensor information based on thermal information on
10 the air-conditioned room acquired by the thermal imaging sensor 54 to an external
device. The thermal-imaging-sensor information will be described in detail later.
[0015]
Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between an indoor board 2 and a
wireless LAN interface board 30 of the wireless LAN communication unit 3 (refer to
15 Fig. 2), which will be described later, in the indoor unit 1 of the air-conditioning
apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[0016]
As illustrated in Fig. 2, the indoor board 2 in the indoor unit 1 of the airconditioning apparatus has a first indoor board connector 21 and a second indoor
20 board connector 22.
[0017]
The first indoor board connector 21 connects to an operation information signal
line 13 to transfer operation information on the air-conditioning apparatus. The
operation information on the air-conditioning apparatus is, for example, operation
25 information on a refrigerant circuit of the air-conditioning apparatus. Examples of the
operation information on the refrigerant circuit include pieces of information
representing an operating frequency of a compressor, a discharge temperature of the
compressor, a switching state of a refrigerant flow switching device, a state of an
outdoor fan, and a state of an indoor fan. The operation information may contain, for
30 example, information on a temperature detected by an indoor temperature sensor and

7
a temperature detected by an outdoor temperature sensor, remote control setting
information on the air-conditioning apparatus, and time information. The operation
information signal line 13 is sheathed in a first cable 11.
[0018]
5 The second indoor board connector 22 connects to a thermal-imaging-sensor
information signal line 14 to transfer thermal-imaging-sensor information associated
with the air-conditioning apparatus. The thermal-imaging-sensor information is
based on thermal information on the air-conditioned room acquired by the thermal
imaging sensor 54 of the air-conditioning apparatus. The thermal-imaging-sensor
10 information may contain, for example, information on a temperature detected by the
indoor temperature sensor and a temperature detected by the outdoor temperature
sensor and time information. The thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14
is sheathed in a second cable 12.
[0019]
15 The wireless LAN communication unit 3 includes the wireless LAN interface
board 30. The wireless LAN interface board 30 has a first interface board connector
31, a second interface board connector 32, and a wireless LAN interface 33.
[0020]
The first interface board connector 31 connects to the operation information
20 signal line 13. The operation information transferred through the operation
information signal line 13 is inputted to the wireless LAN interface 33.
[0021]
The second interface board connector 32 connects to the thermal-imagingsensor information signal line 14. The thermal-imaging-sensor information
25 transferred through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14 is inputted
to the wireless LAN interface 33. The first interface board connector 31 and the
second interface board connector 32 may be replaced by a single interface board
connector CC. In this case, the operation information signal line 13 and the thermalimaging-sensor information signal line 14 are connected to the single interface board
30 connector CC. A cable covering the operation information signal line 13 and the

8
thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14 connected to the interface board
connector CC bifurcates into two parts, a first part connecting to the first indoor board
connector 21 and a second part connecting to the second indoor board connector 22.
[0022]
5 The wireless LAN interface 33 separately transmits the operation information,
transferred through the operation information signal line 13 connected to the first
interface board connector 31, and the thermal-imaging-sensor information,
transferred through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14 connected
to the second interface board connector 32, to a smartphone 4, which is an external
10 device, via a wireless LAN network. A router may be provided in addition to the
smartphone 4, and the smartphone 4 may be used as an operating device.
[0023]
The speed of transfer of the thermal-imaging-sensor information to the wireless
LAN interface 33 through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14 is
15 higher than that of the operation information transferred to the wireless LAN interface
33 through the operation information signal line 13. For example, the serial
peripheral interface (SPI) is used to transmit the thermal-imaging-sensor information.
A different communication method whose communication speed is lower than that of
the SPI communication is used for transmission through the operation information
20 signal line 13.
[0024]
The smartphone 4, which serves as a router of the wireless LAN network and
an operating terminal, is linked to the Internet 5 via an access point (not illustrated) in
a public line. A server 6 is linked to the Internet 5. In other words, the indoor unit 1
25 can communicate with the smartphone 4 and the server 6 via the wireless LAN
communication unit 3.
[0025]
The thermal-imaging-sensor information and the operation information
transmitted from the indoor unit 1 to the smartphone 4 is inputted to the server 6 via
30 the Internet 5. The server 6 performs a predetermined process, which will be

9
described later, on the inputted thermal-imaging-sensor information and stores the
processed information as thermal image information. Furthermore, the server 6
stores the inputted operation information and outputs the operation information to the
smartphone 4.
5 [0026]
Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of transmitting thermal-imagingsensor information and operation information through the wireless LAN interface 33 in
the indoor unit 1 of the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1.
[0027]
10 Referring to Fig. 3, the wireless LAN interface 33 determines whether thermalimaging-sensor information has been received (S1). When determining in step S1
that thermal-imaging-sensor information has been received (YES in S1), the wireless
LAN interface 33 transmits the thermal-imaging-sensor information to the smartphone
4 (S2). After the thermal-imaging-sensor information is transmitted in step S2, the
15 process proceeds to step S3.
[0028]
If the wireless LAN interface 33 determines in step S1 that thermal-imagingsensor information has not been received (NO in S1), the process proceeds to step
S3. In step S3, the wireless LAN interface 33 determines whether operation
20 information has been received. If the wireless LAN interface 33 determines in step
S3 that operation information has not been received (NO in S3), the process returns
to step S1.
[0029]
If the wireless LAN interface 33 determines in step S3 that thermal-imaging25 sensor information has been received (YES in S3), the wireless LAN interface 33
transmits the operation information to the smartphone 4 (S4). Then, the process
returns to step S1. The transmission of operation information in step S4 is
performed at predetermined time intervals, such as every five minutes. In other
words, the wireless LAN interface 33 separately transmits thermal-imaging-sensor
30 information and operation information to the smartphone 4.

10
[0030]
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the indoor board 2 in the indoor unit 1 of the airconditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the
single indoor board 2 includes thereon the first indoor board connector 21, the second
5 indoor board connector 22, a main central processing unit (CPU) 23, a memory 24,
and a sub-CPU 26.
[0031]
The main CPU 23 cooperates with a control program 25 stored in the memory
24 to control the entire air-conditioning apparatus. The main CPU 23 receives
10 operation information from, for example, a refrigerant circuit 51 and various sensors
52. The refrigerant circuit 51 is a circuit in which at least a compressor 51a, an
expansion valve 51b, a heat source side heat exchanger 51c, and a load side heat
exchanger 51d are connected by pipes through which refrigerant is circulated. The
main CPU 23 outputs the received operation information to the wireless LAN interface
15 board 30 of the wireless LAN communication unit 3 through the operation information
signal line 13. Furthermore, the main CPU 23 outputs control information to the
refrigerant circuit 51 and a sensor driving unit 53. The sensor driving unit 53 drives
the thermal imaging sensor 54 to acquire thermal information on the air-conditioned
room.
20 [0032]
The memory 24 stores the control program 25, thermal information from the
thermal imaging sensor 54, and operation information from, for example, the
refrigerant circuit 51 and the various sensors 52, and is also used as a work area.
[0033]
25 The sub-CPU 26 cooperates with the control program 25 stored in the memory
24 to perform a process of converting thermal information from the thermal imaging
sensor 54 into thermal-imaging-sensor information. The thermal-imaging-sensor
information is a single thermal image of the air-conditioned room that is based on the
thermal information acquired by the thermal imaging sensor 54. Specifically, the
30 thermal imaging sensor 54 is driven several times to acquire pieces of thermal

11
information on the air-conditioned room, and the pieces of thermal information
acquired by the thermal imaging sensor 54 are converted into thermal-imaging-sensor
information that represents a single thermal image. The sub-CPU 26 outputs the
thermal-imaging-sensor information, obtained based on the thermal information, to
5 the wireless LAN interface board 30 of the wireless LAN communication unit 3
through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14. If the latest thermalimaging-sensor information is acquired prior to transmission of the preceding thermalimaging-sensor information because the preceding thermal-imaging-sensor
information fails to be transmitted in a timely manner, the thermal-imaging-sensor
10 information in the memory 24 will be replaced by the latest thermal-imaging-sensor
information, and the latest thermal-imaging-sensor information will be transmitted.
[0034]
The sub-CPU 26 may be dedicated hardware. The sub-CPU 26 may be, for
example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, an application specific integrated circuit
15 (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a combination thereof.
Functional parts that the sub-CPU 26 implements may be implemented by individual
hardware components or may be implemented by a single hardware component.
[0035]
Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating functions of the server 6 storing
20 thermal-imaging-sensor information associated with the air-conditioning apparatus
according to Embodiment 1.
[0036]
As illustrated in Fig. 5, the server 6 includes a transceiver unit 101, a thermalimage-information processing unit 102, an operation-information processing unit 103,
25 and a storage unit 104.
[0037]
The transceiver unit 101 receives, for example, thermal-imaging-sensor
information and operation information from the wireless LAN communication unit 3 in
the indoor unit 1 and a thermal image request from the smartphone 4. Furthermore,
30 the transceiver unit 101 transmits thermal image information to the smartphone 4 in

12
response to the thermal image request, and transmits control information based on
the operation information to the wireless LAN communication unit 3 in the indoor unit
1 via the smartphone 4, serving as a router.
[0038]
5 The thermal-image-information processing unit 102 performs a predetermined
process on the basis of thermal-imaging-sensor information from the wireless LAN
communication unit 3 to convert the thermal-imaging-sensor information into thermal
image information. The predetermined process involves, for example, combining
thermal-imaging-sensor information and a camera-captured image of an air10 conditioned room. The thermal-image-information processing unit 102 stores the
obtained thermal image information to the storage unit 104. When receiving a
thermal image request, the thermal-image-information processing unit 102 acquires
thermal-imaging-sensor information associated with the request from a memory (not
illustrated) of the wireless LAN communication unit 3 via the Internet 5 and the
15 smartphone 4. Then, the thermal-image-information processing unit 102 converts
the associated thermal-imaging-sensor information acquired from the wireless LAN
communication unit 3 into thermal image information, and the transceiver unit 101
transmits the thermal image information to the smartphone 4.
[0039]
20 The operation-information processing unit 103 stores operation information
from the wireless LAN communication unit 3 to the storage unit 104 and transmits the
operation information to the smartphone 4 via the Internet 5. The smartphone 4
displays the operation information from the server 6, and transmits information on a
user operation to the indoor unit 1 via the wireless LAN communication unit 3.
25 [0040]
A method of acquiring thermal information through the thermal imaging sensor
54 will now be described.
[0041]
Fig. 6 includes diagrams illustrating a detection target area RR of the thermal
30 imaging sensor 54 of the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1 in an

13
air-conditioned room. In Fig. 6, each hatched portion represents the detection target
area RR where the thermal imaging sensor 54 can acquire temperature information,
an open arrow represents the direction of movement of the thermal imaging sensor
54 driven the first time from an initial position, and each black arrow represents the
5 direction of driving the thermal imaging sensor 54.
[0042]
To display a thermal image on the smartphone 4, the sub-CPU 26 causes the
thermal imaging sensor 54 to be driven to the initial position and causes light from the
thermal imaging sensor 54 to be directed to the initial position. Fig. 6(A) illustrates
10 the thermal imaging sensor 54 with light directed to the initial position. For the initial
position, for example, the sensor is driven and rotated to the leftmost position, where
temperature information can be acquired, of the air-conditioned room. The leftmost
position is a limit position of a range where light from the thermal imaging sensor 54 is
not applied to the indoor unit 1. A driving amount by which the thermal imaging
15 sensor 54 is driven to this position is predetermined. The thermal imaging sensor 54
is driven and rotated based on the driving amount.
[0043]
Then, the sub-CPU 26 acquires thermal information from the thermal imaging
sensor 54 and stores the acquired thermal information in the memory 24. After that,
20 the sub-CPU 26 determines whether thermal information on the entire room has been
acquired.
[0044]
Whether thermal information on the entire room has been acquired is
determined as follows. For example, assuming that the initial position of the thermal
25 imaging sensor 54 is the leftmost position, whether the thermal imaging sensor 54
driven and rotated has reached the rightmost position, where thermal information can
be acquired, of the room as illustrated in Fig. 6(C) is determined. Like the initial
position, the rightmost position is a limit position of the range where light from the
thermal imaging sensor 54 is not applied to the indoor unit 1. A driving amount by
30 which the thermal imaging sensor 54 is driven to the rightmost position or the number

14
of times the thermal imaging sensor 54 is driven until the sensor reaches the
rightmost position is stored in the memory 24 in advance. Whether the thermal
imaging sensor 54 has reached that position is determined based on the driving
amount or the number of times, thus determining whether thermal information on the
5 entire room has been acquired.
[0045]
If the sub-CPU 26 determines that thermal information on the entire room has
not been acquired, the sub-CPU 26 causes the thermal imaging sensor 54 to be
driven and rotated a predetermined amount. For a rotational driving amount, the
10 thermal imaging sensor 54 is driven and rotated in such a manner that, for example,
as illustrated in Fig. 6(B1), there is at least no gap between the preceding detection
target area and a detection target area of interest to which light from the thermal
imaging sensor 54 is applied. A rotational driving amount for one time is stored in
the memory 24 in advance. After the sensor is driven, the sub-CPU 26 again
15 acquires thermal information and stores the acquired thermal information to the
memory 24.
[0046]
After that, while the thermal imaging sensor 54 is driven and rotated from the
left to the right as illustrated in Fig. 6(B2), thermal information is repeatedly acquired
20 and stored to the memory 24 until thermal information on the entire room is acquired.
[0047]
If the sub-CPU 26 determines that thermal information on the entire room has
been acquired, the sub-CPU 26 combines pieces of thermal information, associated
with multiple areas, stored in the memory 24 into thermal-imaging-sensor information
25 representing a single thermal image. The sub-CPU 26 outputs the thermal-imagingsensor information representing a single thermal image to the thermal-imaging-sensor
information signal line 14.
[0048]
After that, the sub-CPU 26 causes the thermal imaging sensor 54 to be driven
30 to the initial position and again acquires thermal information. In Embodiment 1, the

15
sub-CPU 26 causes the thermal imaging sensor 54 to be returned to the initial
position after transmission of thermal-imaging-sensor information.
[0049]
In Embodiment 1, the sub-CPU 26 causes the thermal imaging sensor 54 to be
5 driven and rotated from the leftmost position illustrated in Fig. 6(A) to the rightmost
position illustrated in Fig. 6(C) and then causes the thermal imaging sensor 54 to be
returned to the leftmost position. The thermal imaging sensor 54 may be driven and
rotated in another manner. After transmission of thermal-imaging-sensor information
follows arrival of the thermal imaging sensor 54 at the rightmost position, the sub10 CPU 26 may cause the thermal imaging sensor 54 to be driven and rotated from the
rightmost position to the leftmost position by a predetermined amount for each driving
to acquire thermal information.
[0050]
Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary thermal image, which is displayed
15 on the smartphone 4, of a room air-conditioned by the air-conditioning apparatus
according to Embodiment 1. As illustrated in Fig. 7, thermal image information
displayed on the smartphone 4 may contain, in addition to the thermal image, date
and time information and a camera-captured image of the air-conditioned room such
that these pieces of information are combined. The thermal image information may
20 be generated by an application program in the smartphone 4.
[0051]
In the air-conditioning apparatus according to Embodiment 1, operation
information and thermal-imaging-sensor information are separately transferred to the
wireless LAN interface 33 through the operation information signal line 13 and the
25 thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line 14, respectively. This allows
sequential transmission of thermal-imaging-sensor information without segmenting
the thermal-imaging-sensor information and operation information. This improves
the speed of communication of thermal-imaging-sensor information.
In addition, thermal-imaging-sensor information is transferred by a method
30 whose communication speed is higher than that of a method by which operation

16
information is transferred. This further improves the speed of communication of
thermal-imaging-sensor information. The improved the communication speed of
thermal-imaging-sensor information leads to higher responsiveness of thermal image
information that the user refers to.
5 [0052]
Embodiment 2
Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between a first indoor board 2A,
a second indoor board 2B, and the wireless LAN interface board 30 of the wireless
LAN communication unit 3 in an indoor unit 1 of an air-conditioning apparatus
10 according to Embodiment 2.
[0053]
Embodiment 2 differs from Embodiment 1 illustrated in Fig. 2 in that the
wireless LAN communication unit 3 is connected to the first indoor board 2A and the
second indoor board 2B instead of the single indoor board 2.
15 [0054]
The first indoor board 2A has thereon the main CPU 23 and the memory 24,
which are illustrated in Fig. 4. The second indoor board 2B has thereon the subCPU 26, which is illustrated in Fig. 4. The main CPU 23 and the sub-CPU 26
operate as in Embodiment 1. The first indoor board 2A has a first indoor board
20 connector 21A. The second indoor board 2B has a second indoor board connector
22A. In other words, operation information is inputted from the first indoor board 2A
to the wireless LAN interface 33 through the operation information signal line 13.
Thermal-imaging-sensor information is inputted from the second indoor board 2B to
the wireless LAN interface 33 through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal
25 line 14.
[0055]
The first cable 11 and the second cable 12 may be replaced by a bifurcated
cable that covers the operation information signal line 13 and the thermal-imagingsensor information signal line 14 and branches into two parts in proximity to the first
30 indoor board connector 21A and the second indoor board connector 22A. Such a

17
bifurcated cable allows the first indoor board 2A, the second indoor board 2B, and the
wireless LAN interface board 30 to be connected by a single cable.
[0056]
The embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not
5 intended to limit the scope of the embodiments. The embodiments can be embodied
in a variety of other forms. Various omissions, substitutions, and changes of the
embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
embodiments. These embodiments and modifications should be considered to fall
within the spirit and scope of the embodiments.
10 Reference Signs List
[0057]
1: indoor unit, 2: indoor board, 2A: first indoor board, 2B: second indoor board,
3: wireless LAN communication unit, 4: smartphone, 5: the Internet, 6: server, 11: first
cable, 12: second cable, 13: operation information signal line, 14: thermal-imaging15 sensor information signal line, 21, 21A: first indoor board connector, 22, 22A: second
indoor board connector, 23: main CPU, 24: memory, 25: control program, 26: subCPU, 30: wireless LAN interface board, 31: first interface board connector, 32: second
interface board connector, 33: wireless LAN interface, 51: refrigerant circuit, 51a:
compressor, 51b: expansion valve, 51c: heat source side heat exchanger, 51d: load
20 side heat exchanger, 52: various sensors, 53: sensor driving unit, 54: thermal imaging
sensor, 101: transceiver unit, 102: thermal-image-information processing unit, 103:
operation-information processing unit, 104: storage unit, RR: detection target area,
CC: interface board connector

18
We Claim:
[Claim 1]
An air-conditioning apparatus comprising:
a refrigerant circuit in which a compressor, a load side heat exchanger, an
5 expansion valve, and a heat source side heat exchanger are connected by pipes
through which refrigerant is circulated;
a thermal imaging sensor configured to acquire thermal information on an airconditioned room; and
a wireless local area network (LAN) communication unit including an interface
10 board connector and a wireless LAN interface, the interface board connector
connecting to an operation information signal line, through which operation
information on the refrigerant circuit is transferred, and a thermal-imaging-sensor
information signal line, through which thermal-imaging-sensor information based on
the thermal information on the air-conditioned room acquired by the thermal imaging
15 sensor is transferred, the wireless LAN interface being configured to separately
transmit the operation information, transferred through the operation information
signal line connected to the interface board connector, and the thermal-imagingsensor information, transferred through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal
line connected to the interface board connector, to an external electronic device.
20 [Claim 2]
The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
an indoor board having a first indoor board connector connecting to the
operation information signal line, a main central processing unit (CPU) connected to
the first indoor board connector and configured to transfer the operation information
25 on the refrigerant circuit to the wireless LAN interface through the operation
information signal line, a second indoor board connector connecting to the thermalimaging-sensor information signal line, and a sub-CPU connected to the second
indoor board connector and configured to transfer, as the thermal-imaging-sensor
information representing a thermal image, the thermal information on the air-

19
conditioned room acquired by the thermal imaging sensor to the wireless LAN
interface.
[Claim 3]
The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
5 a first indoor board having a first indoor board connector connecting to the
operation information signal line and a main CPU connected to the first indoor board
connector, the main CPU being configured to transfer the operation information on the
refrigerant circuit to the wireless LAN interface through the operation information
signal line; and
10 a second indoor board having a second indoor board connector connecting to
the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line and a sub-CPU connected to the
second indoor board connector, the sub-CPU being configured to transfer, as the
thermal-imaging-sensor information representing a thermal image, the thermal
information on the air-conditioned room acquired by the thermal imaging sensor to the
15 wireless LAN interface through the thermal-imaging-sensor information signal line.
[Claim 4]
The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:
a wireless LAN interface board including thereon the interface board connector
and the wireless LAN interface,
20 wherein the operation information signal line and the thermal-imaging-sensor
information signal line are sheathed in a bifurcated cable.
[Claim 5]
The air-conditioning apparatus of claim 2,
wherein the thermal-imaging-sensor information is transferred from the indoor
25 board to the wireless LAN interface through the thermal-imaging-sensor information
signal line by using a serial peripheral interface (SPI) communication method, and
wherein the operation information is transferred from the indoor board to the
wireless LAN interface through the operation information signal line by using a
communication method whose communication speed is lower than that of the SPI
30 communication method.

20
[Claim 6]
The air-conditioning apparatus of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wireless
LAN communication unit is incorporated in an indoor unit of the air-conditioning
apparatus.