Control unit

Abstract

In order to improve a control unit for operating a refrigerant compressor system, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit, such that it is operable in a user-friendly manner, it is proposed that the operating unit should have a memory for image element data, for representing at least one component of the refrigerant compressor system, that the operating unit should have a display unit which, using the image element data of the at least one component of the refrigerant compressor system, displays this at least one component on the display unit, as a component image element.

1 . A control unit for operating a refrigerant compressor system, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit,
 the operating unit has a memory for image element data, for representing at least one component of the refrigerant compressor system, the operating unit has a display unit which, using the image element data of the at least one component of the refrigerant compressor system, displays this at least one component on the display unit, as a component image element.   
     
     
         2 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the component includes at least one refrigerant compressor, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one refrigerant compressor, the operating unit represents this refrigerant compressor on the display unit, as a compressor image element. 
     
     
         3 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the component includes at least one refrigerant line, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one refrigerant line, the operating unit represents this at least one refrigerant line on the display unit, as a line image element. 
     
     
         4 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the component includes at least one sensor, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one sensor, the operating unit represents the at least one sensor on the display unit, as a sensor image element. 
     
     
         5 . A control unit according to  claim 4 , wherein the operating unit has a memory for sensor data, and in that the operating unit represents the sensor data on the display unit. 
     
     
         6 . A control unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the sensor values that are detected by the sensors are represented as a part of the sensor data. 
     
     
         7 . A control unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the sensor values are represented by a display element of the sensor image element. 
     
     
         8 . A control unit according to  claim 5 , wherein the sensor values are represented numerically in the sensor image element. 
     
     
         9 . A control unit according to  claim 4 , wherein the sensor image element is represented at the location of the refrigerant compressor system at which the sensor detects the respective sensor value. 
     
     
         10 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the component includes at least one actuator of the refrigerant compressor system, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one actuator, the operating unit represents this actuator on the display unit, as an actuator image element. 
     
     
         11 . A control unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the operating unit has a memory for actuator data, and in that the operating unit represents the actuator data on the display unit. 
     
     
         12 . A control unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the actuator data that are detected by the actuator are represented in a manner associated with the actuator image element. 
     
     
         13 . A control unit according to  claim 12 , wherein the actuator data are represented by a display element. 
     
     
         14 . A control unit according to  claim 11 , wherein the actuator data are represented numerically. 
     
     
         15 . A control unit for operating a refrigerant compressor system, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit, the operating unit has a memory for image element data for the purpose of representing at least one operating state of the refrigerant compressor system, and using the image element data of the at least one operating state of the refrigerant compressor system, the operating unit displays the at least one operating state of the refrigerant compressor system on the display unit, as a state image element. 
     
     
         16 . A control unit according to  claim 15 , wherein state image element is represented in conjunction with the respective component image element with which the operating state is associated. 
     
     
         17 . A control unit according to  claim 16 , wherein the state image element is represented as a state field that is associated with the individual component image elements. 
     
     
         18 . A control unit for operating a refrigerant compressor system, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit, the operating unit has a memory for image element data for the purpose of representing at least one operating element of the operating unit, and using the image element data of the at least one operating element of the operating unit, the operating unit displays the operating element on the display unit, as an operating image element. 
     
     
         19 . A control unit according to  claim 18 , wherein the memory has image element data for representing at least one operating state of the respective operating element of the operating unit, and in that, using the image element data of the respective operating state of the operating element, the operating unit displays the respective operating state of the operating element of the refrigerant compressor system on the display unit, as an operating state image element. 
     
     
         20 . A control unit according to  claim 19 , wherein the operating state image element is represented on the display unit in a manner associated with the respective operating element image element. 
     
     
         21 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit is designed such that, as a result of a manual interaction with one of the represented image elements of the operating unit, a command is producible. 
     
     
         22 . A control unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the display unit takes the form of a touch-detecting display unit, and in that the manual interaction is performed by manually touching a surface of the display unit in the region of the image element represented on the display unit. 
     
     
         23 . A control unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the transmitted command is a calling up of a further representation of at least one image element. 
     
     
         24 . A control unit according to  claim 23 , wherein the further representation is a changed representation of the same or a further image element. 
     
     
         25 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit communicates with the operating unit over a wired connection. 
     
     
         26 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit communicates wirelessly with the operating unit. 
     
     
         27 . A control unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display unit is a portable unit. 
     
     
         28 . A method for operating a refrigerant compressor system by means of a control unit, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit, the operating unit stores image element data, for representing at least one component of the refrigerant compressor system, using the image element data of the at least one component of the refrigerant compressor system, the operating unit displays this at least one component on the display unit, as a component image element. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the component includes at least one refrigerant compressor, and in that, using the image element data of the by means of at least one refrigerant compressor, the operating unit represents this refrigerant compressor on the display unit, as a compressor image element. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the component includes at least one refrigerant line, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one refrigerant line, the operating unit represents this at least one refrigerant line on the display unit, as a line image element. 
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the component includes at least one sensor, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one sensor, the operating unit represents the at least one sensor on the display unit, as a sensor image element. 
     
     
         32 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the operating unit stores for sensor data, and in that the operating unit represents the sensor data on the display unit. 
     
     
         33 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the sensor values that are detected by the sensors are represented as a part of the sensor data. 
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the sensor values are represented by a display element of the sensor image element. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 32 , wherein the sensor values are represented numerically in the sensor image element. 
     
     
         36 . A method according to  claim 31 , wherein the sensor image element is represented at the location of the refrigerant compressor system at which the sensor detects the respective sensor value. 
     
     
         37 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the component includes at least one actuator of the refrigerant compressor system, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one actuator, the operating unit represents this actuator on the display unit, as an actuator image element. 
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37 , wherein the operating unit stores actuator data, and in that the operating unit represents the actuator data on the display unit. 
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 37 , wherein the actuator data detected by the actuator are represented in a manner associated with the actuator image element. 
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 39 , wherein the actuator data are represented by a display element. 
     
     
         41 . A method according to  claim 29 , wherein the actuator data are represented numerically. 
     
     
         42 . A method for operating a refrigerant compressor system by means of a control unit, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit, the operating unit stores image element data for the purpose of representing at least one operating state of the refrigerant compressor system, and using the image element data of the at least one operating state of the refrigerant compressor system, the operating unit displays the at least one operating state of the refrigerant compressor system on the display unit, as a state image element. 
     
     
         43 . A method according to  claim 42 , wherein the state image element is represented in conjunction with the respective component image element with which the operating state is associated. 
     
     
         44 . A method according to  claim 43 , wherein the state image element is represented as a state field that is associated with the individual component image elements. 
     
     
         45 . A method for operating a refrigerant compressor system by means of a control unit, wherein the refrigerant compressor system has a first refrigerant line system for expanded refrigerant, a second refrigerant line system for compressed refrigerant, and at least one refrigerant compressor, which operates between the first refrigerant line system and the second refrigerant line system and is driven by its own motor, and wherein the control unit has an operating unit, the operating unit stores image element data for the purpose of representing at least one operating element of the operating unit, and in that, using the image element data of the at least one operating element of the operating unit, the operating unit displays the operating elements on the display unit, as operating image elements. 
     
     
         46 . A method according to  claim 45 , wherein the operating unit stores image element data for the purpose of representing at least one operating state of the respective operating element of the operating unit, and in that, using the image element data of the respective operating state of the operating element, the operating unit displays the operating state of the operating element of the refrigerant compressor system on the display unit, as an operating state image element. 
     
     
         47 . A method according to  claim 46 , wherein the operating state image element is represented on the display unit in a manner associated with the respective operating element image element. 
     
     
         48 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the display unit takes a form such that, as a result of a manual interaction with one of the image elements of the operating unit, a command is producible. 
     
     
         49 . A method according to  claim 48 , wherein the display unit takes the form of a touch-detecting display unit, and in that the manual interaction is performed by manually touching a surface of the display unit in the region of the image element represented on the display unit. 
     
     
         50 . A method according to  claim 48 , wherein the transmitted command is a calling up of a further representation of at least one image element. 
     
     
         51 . A method according to  claim 50 , wherein the further representation is a changed representation of the same or a further image element. 
     
     
         52 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the display unit communicates with the operating unit over a wired connection. 
     
     
         53 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the display unit communicates wirelessly with the operating unit. 
     
     
         54 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the display unit is carried by an operating person.