US-12620824-B2 - Communication adapter

Abstract

A communication adapter capable of performing communication even in a case where power supply from an external device has ceased is provided. The communication adapter includes a power storage configured to receive power supplied from an external device and store the power, a communication unit configured to receive power supplied from the power storage, a control unit configured to communicate with an external management device via the communication unit, a first power supply line through which the power supplied from the external device goes to the control unit, thereby bypassing the power storage, and a second power supply line through which the power supplied from the power storage goes to the control unit.

Inventors

• Toshiyuki Tanaka
• Noriyuki Shinohara
• Minoru CHIHARA
• Yoshimasa NAKAYAMA

Assignees

• DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20220623

Priority Date

20210709

Claims (8)

1. 1 . A communication adapter, comprising: a power storage configured to receive power supplied from an external device and store the power; a communication unit configured to receive power supplied from the power storage; a control unit configured to communicate with an external management device via the communication unit; a first power supply line through which the power supplied from the external device is supplied to the control unit, while bypassing the power storage; and a second power supply line through which the power supplied from the power storage is supplied to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to: switch a normal mode to a power-saving mode that reduces power consumption compared to the normal mode, upon occurrence of a condition in which a voltage of the power supplied from the external device is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and supply the power from the power storage to the communication unit in the power-saving mode, and wherein the control unit includes a processor and entering the power-saving mode includes reducing a clock frequency of the processor and stopping a portion of components that is not involved in communication by the communication unit.
2. 2 . The communication adapter according to claim 1 , further comprising: a switch circuit configured to switch between the first power supply line and the second power supply line.
3. 3 . The communication adapter according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to switch between the first power supply line and the second power supply line by driving the switch circuit based on the voltage of the power supplied from the external device.
4. 4 . The communication adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to switch from the first power supply line to the second power supply line upon occurrence of the condition in which the voltage of the power supplied from the external device is less than or equal to the predetermined value.
5. 5 . The communication adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive the power through the first power supply line while the power is being supplied from the external device, and receive the power supplied through the second power supply line while supply of the power from the external device is interrupted.
6. 6 . The communication adapter according to claim 1 , further comprising: a booster configured to output an output voltage of the power storage to the communication unit by boosting the output voltage.
7. 7 . The communication adapter according to claim 1 , further comprising: a current limiter situated at an upstream side of the power storage, wherein the power supplied to the control unit through the first power supply line is from an upstream side of the current limiter.
8. 8 . The communication adapter according to claim 1 , wherein the external device is an outdoor unit of an air conditioner.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a communication adapter. BACKGROUND ART Hitherto, there has been a communication adapter configured to be connected to an electric device and to receive power supply from the electric device, wherein the communication adapter includes a power source terminal configured to receive power from the electric device, a current limiting circuit configured to limit a current when overloading occurs, a power storage configured to store charges, a booster circuit configured to boost the charges stored in the power storage, and a communication device, and is characterized by charging the power storage with a current supplied via the current limiting circuit from the power source terminal receiving power from the electric device, boosting the voltage across the power storage, and supplying power to the communication device. The communication adaptor also includes a microcomputer connected to the power source terminal (for example, see PTL 1). CITATION LIST Patent Literature PTL 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-223541 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem Here, in a case where the power supply from the electric device has ceased, existing communication adapters may not be capable of performing communication because they do not have a path through which the microcomputer is supplied with power in such a case. Hence, it is an object to provide a communication adapter capable of performing communication even in a case where power supply from an external device has ceased. Solution to Problem In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a communication adapter including: a power storage configured to receive power supplied from an external device and store the power;a communication unit configured to receive power supplied from the power storage;a control unit configured to communicate with an external management device via the communication unit;a first power supply line through which the power supplied from the external device goes to the control unit, thereby bypassing the power storage; anda second power supply line through which the power supplied from the power storage goes to the control unit is provided. According to this configuration, it is possible to provide a communication adapter capable of performing communication even when the power supply from the external device has ceased. The communication adapter described above may further include a switch circuit configured to switch between the first power supply line and the second power supply line. According to this configuration, it is possible to reliably switch between the first power supply line and the second power supply line in response to the power supply from the external device having ceased. In the communication adapter described above, the control unit may switch between the first power supply line and the second power supply line by driving the switch circuit based on a voltage of the power supplied from the external device. According to this configuration, it is possible to reliably switch between the first power supply line and the second power supply line in accordance with the voltage of the power supplied from the external device. In the communication adapter described above, the control unit may switch from the first power supply line to the second power supply line in response to the voltage of the power supplied from the external device becoming lower than or equal to a predetermined value. According to this configuration, power supply to the control unit through the second power supply line via the power storage can be performed in response to the voltage of the power supplied from the external device becoming lower than or equal to the predetermined value. In the communication adapter described above, the control unit may switch to a power saving mode in response to the voltage of the power supplied from the external device becoming lower than or equal to the predetermined value. According to this configuration, it is possible to save on power consumption by the control unit in response to the voltage of the power supplied from the external device becoming lower than or equal to the predetermined value. In the communication adapter described above, the control unit may receive power supplied through the first power supply line while the power is being supplied from the external device, and receive power supplied through the second power supply line while supply of power from the external device is interrupted. According to this configuration, power can be supplied to the control unit through the second power supply line via the power storage while the power supply from the external device is interrupted. The communication adapter described above may further include a booster configured to output an output voltage of the power storage to the communication unit by boosting the output voltage. According to this configuration, the communication unit can perform communication ev