JP2016071722A - Apparatus management device, operation reproduction method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To present more useful information than conventional ones at the time of reproducing operation.SOLUTION: An apparatus control unit 143 of an air conditioning management device 1 performs control, when a touch panel 12 accepts a user operation, by transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation to an air conditioner. An operation recording unit 144 records information showing an operation date on which the user operation is accepted and an operation content of the user operation, and information showing an operation state of the air conditioner after the control signal corresponding to the user operation is transmitted, in an operation recording file 131 in association with each other. A reproduction unit 145 reproduces the user operation on the basis of history of user operations recorded in the operation recording file 131 and displays the operation state of the air conditioner corresponding to the reproduced user operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a device management apparatus, an operation reproduction method, and a program that are connected to a device such as an air conditioner so that data communication is possible.

  There is known a device management apparatus that transmits a control signal according to an operation received from a user to a device such as an air conditioner to control the operation state of the device. In addition, such a device management apparatus is known that records the contents of an operation received from a user and reproduces the operation.

  For example, Patent Document 1 describes a plant control monitoring device that manages the operating state of each device in a plant. When the operation content (command) is touched from the auxiliary machine screen displayed on the touch panel, the plant control monitoring apparatus records the touched screen ID, operation content, coordinate data, and time in the screen touch recording file. And this plant control monitoring apparatus reads a screen touch recording file, and reproduces operation of an auxiliary machine on a screen. Thereby, it becomes possible to automatically perform the same operation repeatedly or to find out a problem caused by a user's erroneous operation.

JP-A-8-202440

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, although the user's operation can be reproduced, it is impossible to know until the device is correctly controlled to the assumed operating state by the reproduced operation. Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it cannot be said that sufficient information is presented to the user at the time of reproducing the operation.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device management apparatus and the like that can present more useful information than before when reproducing an operation.

In order to achieve the above object, the device management apparatus of the present invention provides:
A device management device connected to a device so that data communication is possible,
Device control means for controlling the device by transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation to the device when a user operation is received;
The operation date and time when the user operation is accepted, the information indicating the operation content of the user operation, and the information indicating the operation state of the device after transmitting the control signal corresponding to the user operation are recorded in association with each other. Operation recording means;
Reproducing means for reproducing the user operation based on the history of user operations recorded in the operation recording means, and for displaying the operating state of the device corresponding to the reproduced user operation;
Is provided.

  According to the present invention, when the user's operation is reproduced, the operating state of the device controlled by this operation is displayed. Therefore, it is possible to present more useful information than before when reproducing the operation.

It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the system provided with the air-conditioning management apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the physical structure of the air-conditioning management apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structural example of an operation recording file. It is a block diagram which shows the physical structure of a remote control. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of remote control operation processing. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of an operation recording process. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of a reproduction process. It is a figure (the 1) which shows the example of a reproduction screen. It is FIG. (2) which shows the example of a reproduction screen. It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the system further provided with the server.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  As shown in FIG. 1, an air conditioning management device (device management device) 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is connected to an air conditioner 3 via a network 2 such as a LAN (Local Area Network). The air conditioning management device 1 receives an operation (user operation) from a user and transmits a control signal corresponding to the received user operation to the air conditioner 3 to control the air conditioner 3. The air conditioner 3 can be connected to the remote controller 4 so that infrared communication is possible, and the air conditioner 3 can be controlled from the remote controller 4.

  The configuration of the air conditioning management device 1 is shown in FIG. The air conditioning management device 1 includes a communication unit 11, a touch panel 12, a storage unit 13, and a control unit 14.

  The communication unit 11 includes a communication interface such as a LAN card, and communicates with the air conditioner 3 via the network 2.

  The touch panel 12 includes a liquid crystal panel and a touch pad, displays various screens for controlling the air conditioner 3, a reproduction screen described later, and the like, and accepts a touch operation from the displayed screen. When the touch panel 12 receives a touch operation, the touch panel 12 outputs the touched position to the control unit 14.

  The storage unit 13 includes an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk, and stores various programs, various screen data, and the like. The storage unit 13 also stores data of each screen displayed on the touch panel 42 of the remote controller 4 for reproducing the operation. In addition, the storage unit 13 stores an operation record file 131.

  The operation record file 131 records a history of user operations performed on the air conditioner 3. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, every time the air conditioner 3 is operated, the operation date / time, the operation content, and the driving state are recorded in the operation record file 131 in association with each other. .

  The operation content indicates the content of the operation performed on the air conditioner 3, and is information including a type, an operation screen, and operation buttons. The type indicates whether this operation is performed from the air conditioning management device 1 or the remote controller 4. The operation screen indicates a screen on which this operation is performed. The operation button indicates a button clicked by this operation. The operation state indicates the operation state of the air conditioner 3 after this operation is performed. For example, from the top entry of the operation record file 131 shown in FIG. 3, the “cooling” button is clicked from the menu screen displayed on the touch panel 12 of the air conditioning management device 1, and the operation mode of the air conditioner 3 is thereby changed. It turns out that it was controlled by cooling.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the control unit 14 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like, and controls the entire air conditioning management device 1. The control unit 14 includes an operation determination unit 141, a remote control operation reception unit 142, a device control unit 143, an operation recording unit 144, and a reproduction unit 145 as functional configurations related to the present invention.

  The operation determination unit 141 determines the content of the operation (the type of the touched button) based on the type of screen on which the touch panel 12 has received a touch operation and the touch position.

  The remote control operation reception unit 142 receives the remote control operation information transmitted from the remote controller 4 via the air conditioner 3. The remote control operation information will be described later.

  The device control unit 143 controls the air conditioner 3 by transmitting a control signal corresponding to the operation content determined by the operation determining unit 141 to the air conditioner 3.

  When a user operation (user operation) is performed from the air conditioning management device 1 or the remote controller 4, the operation recording unit 144 operates the contents of the user operation and the operation state of the air conditioner 3 after the operation in association with the operation date and time. Record in the recording file 131.

  The reproduction unit 145 reproduces the user operation performed on the air conditioner 3 based on the operation history recorded in the operation record file 131. Moreover, the reproduction unit 145 displays information indicating the operation state of the air conditioner corresponding to the user operation on the reproduction screen while reproducing the user operation. Details of the processing performed by the reproduction unit 145 will be described later.

  Returning to FIG. 1, the remote controller 4 is a device for remotely operating the air conditioner 3 and is operated by the user. As shown in FIG. 4, the remote controller 4 includes a communication unit 41, a touch panel 42, a storage unit 43, and a control unit 44.

  The communication unit 41 includes an infrared communication unit and the like, and performs infrared communication with the air conditioner 3.

  The touch panel 42 includes a liquid crystal panel and a touch pad, displays various screens for operating the air conditioner 3, and accepts touch operations from the screen.

  The storage unit 43 includes an auxiliary storage device such as a flash memory, and stores various programs and data.

  The control unit 44 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and controls the entire remote controller 4. For example, when the touch panel 42 receives a touch operation, the control unit 44 determines the operation content and transmits a corresponding control signal to the air conditioner 3. In addition, the control unit 44 transmits remote control operation information including the determined operation content and the operating state of the air conditioner 3 after the operation to the air conditioning management device 1.

(Remote control operation processing)
Next, remote control operation processing for remotely operating the air conditioner 3 from the remote controller 4 will be described. In order to control the air conditioner 3, the user touches a specific button displayed on the screen of the touch panel 42 of the remote controller 4, and the touch panel 42 receives a touch operation. When the touch panel 42 of the remote controller 4 accepts a touch operation, the control unit 44 executes a remote control operation process shown in FIG.

  First, the control unit 44 determines the content of the operation by the touch operation based on the type of the screen that has received the touch operation and the touch position (coordinates) (step S101). Specifically, the control unit 44 may determine an operation button touched by a touch operation.

  Subsequently, the control unit 44 transmits a control signal corresponding to the determined operation content to the air conditioner 3 (step S102). For example, when it is determined that the “cooling” button is clicked, the control unit 44 transmits a control signal instructing to switch the operation mode to cooling to the air conditioner 3. The air conditioner 3 executes processing according to the received control signal.

  After transmitting the control signal to the air conditioner 3, the control unit 44 transmits an operation state acquisition request to the air conditioner 3, and acquires the operation state of the air conditioner 3 (step S103). In addition, the control part 44 may acquire the driving | running state data after progress for a predetermined time (for example, after 10 second) after transmitting a control signal.

  Subsequently, the control unit 44 transmits the remote control operation information including the time when the touch operation is received, the content of the operation determined in step S101, and the operation state acquired in step S103, via the air conditioner 3. Is transmitted to the air conditioning management device 1 (step S104). This completes the remote control operation process.

  Next, each process executed by the air conditioning management device 1 will be described.

(Operation recording process)
First, an operation recording process for recording an operation performed from the air conditioning management device 1 or the remote controller 4 will be described. In the air conditioning management device 1, the operation recording process shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the remote control operation reception unit 142 determines whether or not remote control operation information has been received from the remote control 4 (step S201).

  When the remote control operation information is received (step S201; Yes), the operation recording unit 144 performs operation recording by associating the operation time indicated by the remote control operation information, the content of the operation, and information indicating the operation state of the air conditioner 3. It records in the file 131 (step S202). The type of operation content recorded here is “remote control”. When the recording is completed, the process returns to step S201.

  If remote control operation information has not been received (step S201; No), the operation determination unit 141 determines whether the touch panel 12 has accepted a touch operation (step S203). When the touch panel 12 has not received the touch operation (step S203; No), the process returns to step S201.

  When the touch panel 12 receives a touch operation (step S203; Yes), the operation determination unit 141 determines the content of the operation by the touch operation (screen) based on the type of the screen that has received the touch operation and the touch position (coordinates). Which button is touched) is determined (step S204).

  Subsequently, the device control unit 143 transmits a control signal corresponding to the determined operation content to the air conditioner 3 (step S205). The air conditioner 3 executes processing according to the received control signal.

  After transmitting the control signal to the air conditioner 3, the operation recording unit 144 transmits an operation state acquisition request to the air conditioner 3, and acquires the operation state of the air conditioner 3 (step S206). Note that the operation recording unit 144 may acquire an operation state after a predetermined time has elapsed (for example, after 10 seconds) after transmitting the control signal.

  Then, the operation recording unit 144 records the time at which the touch operation is received, the content of the operation determined in step S204, and the driving state acquired in step S206 in association with each other in the operation record file 131 (step S207). . The type of operation content recorded here is “air conditioning management device”. When the recording is completed, the process returns to step S201.

(Reproduction process)
Next, the reproduction process executed by the air conditioning management device 1 will be described. When the user operates the touch panel 12 of the air conditioning management device 1 and performs a specific operation (for example, touch of a reproduction button), the reproduction unit 145 of the air conditioning management device 1 executes a reproduction process illustrated in FIG.

  First, the reproduction unit 145 displays a period input screen on the touch panel 12, and receives an input of a period (reproduction period) for reproducing an operation from the user (step S301).

  Subsequently, the reproduction unit 145 displays the reproduction screen on the touch panel 12, and reproduces the user operation during the reproduction period on the reproduction screen based on the history of the user operation stored in the operation record file 131 (Step S1). S302). Specifically, the reproduction unit 145 reproduces the operation indicated by each entry of the operation record file 131 recorded during the reproduction period on the reproduction screen in the order recorded. Here, only the operation of the screen is reproduced, and the control performed on the air conditioner 3 by this operation is not executed. This completes the reproduction process.

  Here, the reproduction screen displayed in the reproduction process will be described with reference to FIG. In this reproduction screen, the operation corresponding to the top entry of the operation record file 131 shown in FIG. 3 is reproduced.

  In the apparatus screen display area E1 of the reproduction screen, a screen for operating the air conditioner 3 displayed on the touch panel 12 of the air conditioning management apparatus 1 is reduced and displayed. The operation performed from the touch panel 12 of the air conditioning management device 1 is reproduced on the device screen display area E1. For example, in the apparatus screen display area E1 of the reproduction screen shown in FIG. 8, the menu screen is reduced and the “COOL” button is highlighted. This indicates that the click operation of the “cooling” button is reproduced.

  In the remote control screen display area E2 of the reproduction screen, the screen for operating the air conditioner 3 displayed on the touch panel 42 of the remote control 4 is displayed in a reduced size. Operations performed from the touch panel 42 of the remote controller 4 are reproduced on the remote control screen display area E2. In the reproduction screen shown in FIG. 8, since the operation from the touch panel 12 of the air conditioning management device 1 is reproduced, nothing is displayed in the remote control screen display area E2.

  In the operation content display area E3 of the reproduction screen, a text message indicating the operation content and operation date and time reproduced in the above-described apparatus screen display area E1 and remote control screen display area E2 is displayed.

  Further, in the operation state display area E4 of the reproduction screen, the operation state of the air conditioner 3 after the operation reproduced in the device screen display area E1 and the remote control screen display area E2 is displayed as a text message.

  In addition, the “next operation” button B1 on the reproduction screen is a button for instructing reproduction of an operation performed next to the operation currently reproduced. The “previous operation” button B2 is a button for instructing the reproduction of the operation performed before the operation currently being reproduced. For example, consider the case where the “next operation” button B1 is clicked on the reproduction screen shown in FIG. In this case, the operation corresponding to the second entry from the top of the operation record file 131 shown in FIG. 3 is reproduced, and the reproduction screen shown in FIG. 9 is displayed. In this reproduction screen, an operation in which the “dehumidification” button is clicked from the menu screen displayed on the touch panel 42 of the remote controller 4 is reproduced.

  An “automatic reproduction” button B3 on the reproduction screen is a button for automatically reproducing each operation performed during the reproduction period. When the “automatic reproduction” button B3 is clicked, the entries of the operation record file 131 recorded during the reproduction period are read in the order of operation recording, and the corresponding operations are sequentially reproduced on the reproduction screen.

  When the “double speed reproduction” button B4 is clicked, the operation is reproduced at a speed twice that when the “automatic reproduction” button B3 is clicked. It should be noted that a button for reproducing the operation at 3 × speed or 4 × speed may be separately provided on the reproduction screen. Alternatively, a reproduction screen that allows the user to specify the reproduction speed in detail may be provided. When the “stop” button B5 is clicked, the operation being automatically reproduced is temporarily stopped.

  Thus, the user operation performed on the air conditioner 3 is visually reproduced on the reproduction screen by the reproduction process. In addition, the reproduction screen displays the operation state of the air conditioner 3 after performing the reproduced user operation together with the user operation. Therefore, it is possible to easily determine a malfunction that causes the air conditioner 3 to be controlled to an operating state different from the content instructed by the operation due to a failure or the like. For example, in the reproduction screen shown in FIG. 8, since the operation state of the air conditioner 3 after the click operation of the “cooling” button is displayed as “cooling”, it can be seen that the content instructed by the operation is correctly controlled. . On the other hand, in the reproduction screen shown in FIG. 9, since the operation state of the air conditioner 3 after the click operation of the “dehumidification” button is displayed as “cooling”, it can be seen that the content instructed by the operation is not controlled. Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide useful information to the user during reproduction.

  Further, according to the present invention, the operation accepted by the remote controller 4 is also recorded in the operation record file 131. The operation received by the air conditioning management device 1 and the operation received by the remote controller 4 are distinguished and reproduced on the reproduction screen. Therefore, even when an operation from the air conditioning management device 1 and an operation from the remote controller 4 are mixed, the contents of the operation can be presented to the user in an easy-to-understand manner.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Of course, the various correction in the part which does not deviate from the summary of this invention is possible.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the system is configured to include a server 5 connected to each air conditioning management device 1 via a network 6 such as the Internet. The server 5 is a general computer including a communication device, an input device, a display device, a control device, a storage device, etc. (not shown). And the operation record file 131 memorize | stored in the memory | storage part 13 of each air conditioning management apparatus 1 is memorize | stored also in the memory | storage device of the server 5, and operation of each air conditioning management apparatus 1 may be reproduced on the server 5. . Alternatively, it may be recorded as a video file of a reproduction screen in which the operation is reproduced by each air conditioning management device 1, and this video file may be reproduced on the display device of the server 5.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, the user operation (touch operation) which the touchscreens 12 and 42 of the air-conditioning management apparatus 1 or the remote control 4 received was reproduced. However, the present invention can be applied not only to the touch panel but also to the reproduction of operations such as physical buttons and switches provided in the air conditioning management device 1 or the remote controller 4. In this case, a diagram schematically showing buttons and switches to be operated may be displayed in the device screen display area E1 and the remote control screen display area E2 of the reproduction screen.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, invention was demonstrated to the air conditioning management apparatus 1 which manages (operates) the air conditioner 3 as an example. However, the present invention is also applicable to other device management apparatuses that manage (operate) devices other than the air conditioner 3. For example, the present invention can be applied to a controller of a home energy management system (HEMS) that manages home appliances in a house.

  Moreover, you may share the function of the air-conditioning management apparatus 1 in the said embodiment with a some apparatus. For example, the function of recording the operation on the air conditioner 3 and the function of reproducing the operation may be performed by separate devices.

  Further, for example, by applying an operation program that defines the operation of the air conditioning management device 1 according to the present embodiment to an existing personal computer, information terminal device, or the like, the personal computer or the like is used as the air conditioning management device 1 according to the present invention. It is also possible to function.

  Further, such a program distribution method is arbitrary, and can be read by a computer such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read-Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), an MO (Magneto Optical Disk), or a memory card. It may be distributed by being stored in a recording medium, or distributed via a communication network such as the Internet.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Air conditioning management apparatus, 2 Network, 3 Air conditioner, 4 Remote control, 11 Communication part, 12 Touch panel, 13 Storage part, 131 Operation record file, 14 Control part, 141 Operation discrimination | determination part, 142 Remote control operation reception part, 143 Equipment control part 144 operation recording unit, 145 reproduction unit, 41 communication unit, 42 touch panel, 43 storage unit, 44 control unit, 5 server, 6 network

Claims (5)

A device management device connected to a device so that data communication is possible,
Device control means for controlling the device by transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation to the device when a user operation is received;
The operation date and time when the user operation is accepted, the information indicating the operation content of the user operation, and the information indicating the operation state of the device after transmitting the control signal corresponding to the user operation are recorded in association with each other. Operation recording means;
Reproducing means for reproducing the user operation based on the history of user operations recorded in the operation recording means, and for displaying the operating state of the device corresponding to the reproduced user operation;
A device management apparatus comprising: The device is also controlled by a control signal transmitted from a remote control,
The operation recording means includes an operation date and time when the remote control accepts a user operation, information indicating the content of the user operation, information indicating a driving state of the device after transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation, Are further stored in association with each other,
The reproduction means distinguishes and reproduces a user operation accepted by the user and a user operation accepted by the remote control.
The device management apparatus according to claim 1. The reproduction means changes a speed at which the user operation is reproduced.
The device management apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. An operation reproduction method by a device management apparatus connected to a device so that data communication is possible,
When the device control means receives a user operation, the device control means controls the device by transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation to the device,
The operation recording means includes an operation date and time when the user operation is received, information indicating an operation content of the user operation, and information indicating an operation state of the device after transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation. Record in association,
The reproduction means reproduces the user operation based on the recorded user operation history, and displays the operation state of the device corresponding to the reproduced user operation.
Operation reproduction method. A computer connected to the device for data communication
Device control means for controlling the device by transmitting a control signal corresponding to the user operation to the device when a user operation is received;
The operation date and time when the user operation is accepted, the information indicating the operation content of the user operation, and the information indicating the operation state of the device after transmitting the control signal corresponding to the user operation are recorded in association with each other. Operation recording means,
Reproducing means for reproducing a user operation based on a history of user operations recorded in the operation recording means, and for displaying an operating state of the device corresponding to the reproduced user operation;
Program to function as.

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