JP7310158B2 - Service offer timing device and air conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a service proposal timing adjustment device and an air conditioning system.

There is known an air conditioner that transmits information such as filter maintenance time and replacement time to a mobile terminal (Patent Document 1). Furthermore, there is known an air conditioning system that automatically extracts information about air conditioning equipment and transmits it to a customer management center, and the customer management center automatically returns information according to the transmitted content to the air conditioning equipment (Patent Document 2). ).

JP 2016-87510 A JP 2007-218567 A

It has been proposed to automatically prompt the user to clean the air conditioner when the accumulated operation time of the air conditioner exceeds a predetermined threshold. However, even with an air conditioner whose cumulative operation time exceeds a predetermined threshold, depending on how the air conditioner is operated during the cumulative operation time, there are some air conditioners where the inside of the indoor unit is not very dirty. On the other hand, there are also air conditioners in which the inside of the indoor unit is extremely dirty. In this case, even if cleaning is recommended at the timing when the cumulative operation time of both air conditioners exceeds the same threshold value, there is a risk that cleaning will be recommended at inappropriate timing that does not match the actual situation.

The disclosed technique has been made in view of the above points, and aims to provide a service proposal timing adjustment device and an air conditioning system that notify the user of the appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner.

A service proposal timing adjustment device according to one aspect of an embodiment includes an operating state collecting unit that collects an operating state signal including information about a cleaning function unit that cleans an object to be cleaned of the air conditioner from the air conditioner; an accumulator that calculates an accumulated operating time indicating the total operating time of the air conditioner based on the operating state signal ; a cleanliness awareness calculation unit that determines a cleanliness awareness level; a threshold calculation unit that determines a threshold value corresponding to the cleanliness awareness level; A transmission unit is provided for transmitting a cleaning recommendation signal including a recommendation to the communication terminal.

The disclosed service proposal timing adjustment device can notify the user of the appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the air conditioning system of this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the adapter. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an air conditioner. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a set value table. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a server device. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cleanliness awareness table. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of determining whether or not cleaning of the air conditioner is necessary.

A service proposal timing adjustment device and an air conditioning system according to embodiments disclosed by the present application will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the technology of the present disclosure is not limited by the following description. Also, in the following description, the same reference numerals are given to the same constituent elements, and overlapping explanations are omitted.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an air conditioning system 1 of this embodiment. The air conditioning system 1 shown in FIG. have.

The air conditioner 2 is a device that cools and heats the room. A plurality of such air conditioners 2 are provided in the air conditioning system 1 . The communication terminal 7 is a terminal device such as a user's smart phone. A plurality of communication terminals 7 are provided in the air conditioning system 1 , and the plurality of communication terminals 7 correspond to a plurality of air conditioners provided in the air conditioning system 1 .

The adapter 3 has a communication function for wirelessly connecting the air conditioner 2 and the router 4 and a control function for AI (Artificial Intelligence) control of the air conditioner 2 . Adapter 3 is provided for each air conditioner 2 . The router 4 is, for example, a device that connects the adapter 3 and the communication network 8 by wireless communication using WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) or the like. The communication network 8 is, for example, a communication network such as the Internet. The server device 5 is an example of a service proposal timing adjustment device, and has a function of generating a learning model for the AI that controls the air conditioner 2, a database that stores operation history data, and the like. The server device 5 is arranged in, for example, a data center. The relay device 6 has a function of communicating with the communication network 8 and communicating with the server device 5 . The relay device 6 transmits the driving history data and the like used for generating or updating the learning model applied to the air conditioner 2 from the adapter 3 to the server device 5 via the communication network 8 . Also, the relay device 6 transmits the learning model generated or updated by the server device 5 to the adapter 3 via the communication network 8 . Incidentally, the relay device 6 is arranged, for example, in a data center or the like.

The relay device 6 has a first relay section 6A, a second relay section 6B, and a third relay section 6C. The first relay unit 6A transmits the driving history data and the like used for generating or updating the learning model received from the adapter 3 to the server device 5 via the communication network 8, and transmits the learning model generated or updated by the server device 5. is transmitted to the adapter 3 via the communication network 8. The second relay unit 6B acquires, via the communication network 8, the operating conditions of the air conditioner 2 (operation modes such as cooling/heating, set temperature, etc.) set by the user using the communication terminal 7 from outside. , is transmitted to the air conditioner 2 via the communication network 8 . The third relay unit 6</b>C acquires external data such as a weather forecast from a communication network 8 such as the Internet, and transmits the acquired external data to the server device 5 . Also, the third relay unit 6C transmits external data to the adapter 3 via the communication network 8. FIG.

The service base terminal 10 is installed at a service base that provides various services related to the air conditioner 2, such as air conditioner installation, air conditioner repair, and air conditioner cleaning. The service base terminal 10 receives the operation status of the service base, and intermittently transmits a signal indicating the operation status of the service base (hereinafter referred to as an operation status signal) to the server device 5 via the communication network 8 . . The operating status is a daily implementation schedule of various services provided by the service base, and a plurality of operating statuses are associated with a plurality of dates and times. For example, the operating status of air conditioner cleaning indicates whether or not the service center has time to undertake air conditioner cleaning on that date and time.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the adapter 3. As shown in FIG. The adapter 3 shown in FIG. 2 has a first communication section 11, a second communication section 12, a storage section 13, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) . The first communication unit 11 is a communication IF (Interface) such as a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) that communicates with the air conditioner 2 . The second communication unit 12 is a communication unit such as a communication IF such as WLAN that is connected to the router 4 for communication. The storage unit 13 has, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and stores various information such as data and programs. The CPU 14 controls the adapter 3 as a whole.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the air conditioner 2. As shown in FIG. The air conditioner 2 includes an indoor unit 15, an outdoor unit 16, a plasma clean unit 17, a motion sensor 18, a remote controller 19, and a controller 20, as shown in FIG. The indoor unit 15 is arranged indoors and further includes an indoor fan, a filter, a filter cleaning mechanism, and an indoor heat exchanger (none of which are shown). The indoor fan sucks air in the room where the indoor unit 15 is arranged, passes the air through the indoor heat exchanger, and blows out the air that has passed through the indoor heat exchanger into the room. A filter collects dust from the air passing through the indoor heat exchanger. The filter cleaning mechanism removes dust collected on the filter from the filter. The indoor heat exchanger heats or cools the indoor air by exchanging heat between the refrigerant circulating with the outdoor unit 16 and the air sucked in by the indoor fan. The indoor unit 15 heats, cools, or dehumidifies the room by heating or cooling the indoor air with the indoor heat exchanger.

The outdoor unit 16 is arranged outdoors and includes an outdoor fan, an outdoor heat exchanger, a compressor, and an expansion valve (not shown). The outdoor fan sucks the outdoor air where the outdoor unit 16 is arranged and passes it through the outdoor heat exchanger. The outdoor heat exchanger heats or cools the refrigerant by exchanging heat between the refrigerant and the outside air sucked by the outdoor fan. The compressor circulates refrigerant between the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 . The expansion valve adjusts the amount of refrigerant flowing through the indoor unit 15 by adjusting the degree of opening thereof.

The plasma clean unit 17 is, for example, an electric dust collector, is provided inside the indoor unit 15, and has an ion emitting section, a collecting section, and a voltmeter (not shown). The ion emitting part charges dust contained in the air sucked by the indoor fan of the indoor unit 15 . The collecting section has an electrode plate, and by applying a predetermined voltage to the electrode plate, the dust charged by the ion emitting section is attracted to the electrode plate. The plasma clean unit 17 cleans the air sucked into the interior of the indoor unit 15 by the indoor fan of the indoor unit 15 by attracting dust to the electrode plate of the collecting portion, thereby purifying the indoor air. A voltmeter measures the voltage between the electrode plates. The voltage of the electrode plate drops due to dust being collected on the electrode plate.

The human sensor 18 is provided in the indoor unit 15 and detects whether or not there is a person, a pet, or the like in the room where the indoor unit 15 is arranged. The remote controller 19 has an operation section and a display section (not shown). The remote controller 19 outputs information generated by operating the operation unit to the control unit 20, and outputs operation information of the operation unit, detection results of various sensors such as room temperature, and information generated by the control unit 20. is displayed on the display so that the user can recognize it. That is, the user can remotely control the air conditioner 2 by operating the remote controller 19 .

The controller 20 controls the indoor unit 15 , the outdoor unit 16 , the plasma clean unit 17 and the human sensor 18 . For example, the controller 20 controls the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 so that the indoor unit 15 heats the room when "heating" is selected by operating the remote controller 19 . The control unit 20 controls the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 so that the indoor unit 15 cools the room when "cooling" is selected by operating the remote controller 19 . The control unit 20 controls the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 so that the indoor unit 15 dehumidifies the room when "dehumidification" is selected by operating the remote controller 19 . The control unit 20 controls the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 so that the indoor unit 15 stops cooling/heating/dehumidification when "stop" is selected by operating the remote controller 19 .

The control unit 20 controls the plasma clean unit 17 so that dust contained in the indoor air is collected while the indoor unit 15 is cooling/heating, dehumidifying, and blowing air. The control unit 20 measures the voltage of the electrode plate of the plasma clean unit 17 while the plasma clean unit 17 is collecting dust, and when the voltage of the electrode plate becomes smaller than a predetermined value, the plasma clean unit The plasma clean unit 17 is controlled so that the discharge protection that stops the operation of the plasma clean unit 17 is executed.

The control unit 20 updates the set value table 25 shown in FIG. 4 when any one of the set values exemplified by the set temperature and the air volume is changed by operating the remote controller 19 . FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the set value table 25. As shown in FIG. The setting value table 25 associates multiple user settings 26 with multiple functions 27 . A plurality of user settings 26 indicate items set for the cleanliness function provided in the air conditioner 2 . Examples of items include "heat sterilization/automatic internal clean setting" and "automatic filter clean interval". A function corresponding to a certain user setting among the plurality of functions 27 indicates a value set for that user setting by operating the remote controller 19 . The function corresponding to "heat sterilization/automatic internal clean setting" indicates either "heat sterilization" or "automatic internal clean". The function corresponding to "Automatic Filter Clean Interval" indicates one of "Never", "Short", "Normal", and "Long". "Short", "standard", and "long" each indicate a predetermined interval. The interval indicated by “standard” is longer than the interval indicated by “shorter” and shorter than the interval indicated by “longer”.

For example, the control unit 20 sets "automatic internal clean" to "heat sterilization/automatic internal clean setting" by operating the remote controller 19, and when the cooling operation is stopped, "automatic internal clean" is set. The indoor unit 15 is controlled so as to be executed. When the “automatic internal cleaning” is executed, the indoor unit 15 performs air blowing operation to allow air to pass through the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit 15 for a predetermined period of time to dry the inside of the indoor unit 15 . The growth of fungi adhering to the indoor heat exchanger is suppressed by drying the indoor heat exchanger inside the indoor unit 15 . When "heat sterilization" is set in the "heat sterilization/automatic internal clean setting" by operating the remote controller 19, the control unit 20 executes "heat sterilization" after the cooling operation is stopped. Thus, the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 are controlled. When the "heat sterilization" is executed, the indoor unit 15 and the outdoor unit 16 raise the temperature of the indoor heat exchanger of the indoor unit 15 while holding condensed water in the indoor heat exchanger. Bacteria adhering to the indoor heat exchanger are sterilized by heating the indoor heat exchanger in the presence of water. The control unit 20 operates the filter cleaning mechanism so that the filter of the indoor unit 15 is not cleaned by the filter cleaning mechanism of the indoor unit 15 when the "automatic filter cleaning interval" is set to "no" by operating the remote controller 19. to control. When the "automatic filter cleaning interval" is set to any one of "short", "standard", and "long", the operation time of the air conditioner 2 exceeds each interval. , controls the filter cleaning mechanism so that the filter is cleaned periodically.

The adapter 3 intermittently (for example, every 5 minutes) extracts the operating state of the air conditioner from the air conditioner. The operating state includes a set value table 25 showing a plurality of set values such as the set temperature and air volume set in the air conditioner 2, a plurality of operating data such as the room temperature and air volume detected by the air conditioner 2, and a clean air conditioner. and information about the functional unit. Operation data corresponding to a certain date and time among the plurality of operation data indicates the state of the air conditioner 2 at that date and time. Examples of the clean function unit include an indoor fan and an indoor heat exchanger that perform "automatic internal cleaning" and "heat sterilization", a filter cleaning mechanism that cleans the filter, the plasma clean unit 17, and the like. Examples of the information about the cleaning function part include the number of internal cleaning completion times, the number of heat sterilization completion times, the plasma clean drive time, the number of discharge protection times, and the filter cleaning frequency, which will be described later. The adapter 3 periodically (for example, every 48 hours) collectively transmits the intermittently extracted driving state signals indicating the driving state to the server device 5 via the communication network 8 . The adapter 3 further stores a learning model periodically (for example, every 48 hours) transmitted from the server device 5 and instructs the control unit 20 to control the air conditioner 2 based on the learning model.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the server device 5. As shown in FIG. The server device 5 is a computer and includes a CPU 31 and a storage device 32 . The CPU 31 controls the storage device 32 by executing computer programs installed in the server device 5 . The storage device 32 stores computer programs installed in the server device 5 and stores information used by the CPU 31 .

The computer programs installed in the server device 5 are composed of a plurality of computer programs for causing the server device 5 to implement a plurality of functions. The server device 5 includes an operating state collection unit 41 , an integration unit 42 , a cleanliness consciousness calculation unit 43 , a threshold calculation unit 44 , a determination unit 45 , a transmission unit 46 and a cleaning request unit 47 .

The operating state collection unit 41 collects a plurality of operating state signals transmitted from each of the plurality of air conditioners included in the air conditioning system 1 via the communication network 8 and the relay device 6 . The operating state collecting unit 41 stores the plurality of collected operating state signals in the storage device 32 in association with the respective transmitted air conditioners. The integrating unit 42 calculates the integrated operating time corresponding to each air conditioner based on the plurality of operating state signals collected by the operating state collecting unit 41 . Each accumulated operating time indicates the sum of the time during which the air conditioner 2 operates "heating", "cooling", "dehumidifying", and "ventilating".

The cleanliness awareness calculator 43 calculates a cleanliness awareness index corresponding to each air conditioner based on the plurality of operating state signals collected by the operating state collector 41 . For example, the cleanliness consciousness index is calculated by the following equation.
(Cleanliness awareness index) = α x (Number of times internal cleaning is completed) ÷ (Number of cooling operations) + β (Number of times heat sterilization is completed) ÷ (Number of cooling operations) + γ x (Plasma clean driving time) ÷ (Integrated operating time) + δ ( Automatic filter cleaning interval setting) + θ × (presence or absence of past service experience)

Here, the weighting factor α, the weighting factor β, the weighting factor γ, the weighting factor δ, and the weighting factor θ indicate arbitrary numerical values set for each air conditioner. The number of internal clean completion times indicates the number of times the air conditioner 2 has performed "automatic internal clean" during a predetermined period. One year is exemplified as the predetermined period. The number of heat sterilization completion times indicates the number of times the air conditioner 2 has performed "heat sterilization" in a predetermined period. The number of times of cooling operation indicates the number of times the air conditioner 2 continuously operates “cooling” for 10 minutes or more in a predetermined period. The plasma clean drive time indicates the total time during which the plasma clean unit 17 is driven in the air conditioner 2 during a predetermined period. The cumulative operating time indicates the total time during which the air conditioner 2 operates "heating", "cooling", "dehumidifying" or "ventilating" during a predetermined period.

The Auto Filter Clean Interval setting indicates the value from 0 to 3 assigned to the function set to "Auto Filter Clean Interval". For example, when the automatic filter cleaning interval setting is 0, it indicates that the automatic filter cleaning is set to "do not". When the automatic filter cleaning interval setting is 3, it indicates that the interval for executing automatic filter cleaning is set to "short". When the automatic filter cleaning interval setting is 2, it indicates that the interval at which automatic filter cleaning is performed is set to "standard." When the automatic filter cleaning interval setting is 1, it indicates that the interval for executing automatic filter cleaning is set to "long". The presence or absence of past service experience indicates a value of 0 or 1 assigned to whether or not the air conditioner 2 has been cleaned by a service center in the past. When the presence/absence of past service experience is 1, it indicates that the air conditioner 2 has been cleaned by the service base in the past. When the presence or absence of past service experience is 0, it indicates that the air conditioner 2 has not been cleaned by the service center in the past. In other words, the higher the cleanliness consciousness index, the more often the clean function unit is used. The cleanliness awareness calculator 43 creates a cleanliness awareness table 51 shown in FIG. 6 based on a plurality of cleanliness awareness indices, and controls the storage device 32 so that the cleanliness awareness table 51 is stored in the storage device 32 .

The threshold calculation unit 44 determines a threshold corresponding to each air conditioner based on the cleanliness awareness table 51 created by the cleanliness awareness calculation unit 43 . For example, the threshold calculator 44 determines the threshold of the air conditioner to be either the first threshold or the second threshold. The second threshold is greater than the first threshold. For example, 2000 hours is exemplified as the first threshold. An example of the second threshold is 2300 hours. A threshold corresponding to a certain air conditioner indicates a second threshold when the cleanliness awareness level corresponding to the air conditioner is higher than a predetermined level (for example, "slightly high"), and the cleanliness awareness corresponding to the air conditioner is indicated as a second threshold. A first threshold is indicated when the level is lower than a predetermined level.

The determination unit 45 determines whether or not cleaning is required for each of the plurality of air conditioners, based on the cumulative operation time calculated by the integration unit 42 and the threshold value calculated by the threshold value calculation unit 44. . For example, the determination unit 45 determines that the air conditioner 2 needs cleaning when the cumulative operation time corresponding to the air conditioner 2 is greater than the threshold value corresponding to the air conditioner 2 . The determination unit 45 determines that the air conditioner 2 does not need cleaning when the cumulative operation time corresponding to the air conditioner 2 is not greater than the threshold value corresponding to the air conditioner 2 .

When the determination unit 45 determines that the air conditioner 2 needs cleaning, the transmission unit 46 sends the user to the service base via the communication network 8 and the relay device 6 to clean the air conditioner. A cleaning recommendation signal including a recommendation is transmitted to the communication terminal 7. - 特許庁The cleaning request unit 47 transfers the cleaning request signal to the service base terminal 10 via the communication network 8 and the relay device 6 when the cleaning request signal transmitted from the communication terminal 7 is received.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the cleanliness awareness table 51. As shown in FIG. The cleanliness awareness table 51 associates a plurality of air conditioner identification information 52 with a plurality of cleanliness awareness levels 53 . The multiple air conditioner identification information 52 indicates multiple air conditioners. The cleanliness awareness level corresponding to a certain air conditioner 2 among the plurality of cleanliness awareness levels 53 is determined based on the cleanliness awareness index corresponding to the air conditioner 2, and the user using the air conditioner 2 This shows the high level of consciousness for cleaning the machine 2. For example, the cleanliness awareness level is defined in five stages, from the highest to the highest: "high", "slightly high", "normal", "slightly low", and "low". It shows a lot of interest. The cleanliness consciousness level is determined such that the greater the cleanliness consciousness index, the higher the cleanliness consciousness level. Therefore, a user with a higher cleanliness awareness level has a higher cleanliness awareness index corresponding to the air conditioner 2 used by the user, and frequently uses the clean function unit. That is, the higher the user's cleanliness awareness level, the more the user of the air conditioner uses the indoor unit 15 so that it is less likely to get dirty. can be inferred to

[Operation of server device 5]
The operation of the server device 5 includes an operation related to AI control of air conditioners, an operation of determining necessity of cleaning of a plurality of air conditioners, and an operation of distributing a cleaning recommendation signal.

In the operation related to the AI control of the air conditioner, the adapter 3 acquires the operation history data of the air conditioner 2 from the indoor unit 15 at an acquisition timing of a 5-minute cycle, and stores the acquired operation history data in the storage unit 13. Remember. The adapter 3 transmits to the server device 5 a driving state signal including driving history data for 48 hours out of the plurality of driving history data stored in the storage unit 13 every 48 hours. The driving history data transmitted to the server device 5 is the driving history data for 48 hours before the time of transmission. The server device 5 receives the driving history data transmitted from the adapter 3 and stores the received driving history data in the storage device 32 . The server device 5 generates a learning model corresponding to the air conditioner 2 based on the driving history data stored in the storage device 32 and stores the generated learning model in the storage device 32 . The server device 5 transmits the learning model stored in the storage device 32 to the adapter 3 of the air conditioner 2 . When the adapter 3 of the air conditioner 2 receives the learning model transmitted from the server device 5 , the received learning model is stored in the storage unit 13 . The adapter 3 controls the control unit 20 of the indoor unit 15 based on the learning model stored in the storage unit 13 and indirectly controls the air conditioner 2 via the control unit 20 . Of the plurality of air conditioners provided in the air conditioning system 1, air conditioners different from the air conditioner 2 are also controlled based on the learning model generated by the server device 5 in the same manner as the air conditioner 2. .

The learning model includes, for example, a sensible temperature setting that predicts the sensible temperature for indoor users after five minutes according to the operating state of the air conditioner in each home, and controls the air conditioner according to the predicted sensible temperature. You have a predictive model. Conventionally, an air conditioner adjusts the room temperature so that the room temperature reaches a target temperature, and the user may feel uncomfortable with the temperature change. On the other hand, the sensible temperature setting prediction model, for example, is used when adjusting the air conditioner so that the user feels comfortable according to the time-series operation history data such as indoor temperature, indoor humidity, and outdoor temperature. is the program to run. For example, an air conditioner is controlled based on a sensible temperature setting prediction model, so that the set temperature of the air conditioner is changed to a temperature different from the temperature set by the user so that the user feels comfortable. be. According to such operation, the air conditioning system 1 appropriately operates the air conditioner so that the user of the air conditioner is comfortable by controlling the air conditioner based on the learning model. be able to.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of determining whether or not cleaning of the air conditioner is necessary. The server device 5 receives the operating state signal transmitted from each of the plurality of air conditioners and stores it in the storage device 32 . The server device 5 calculates the integrated operating time of the air conditioner corresponding to each operating state signal based on the plurality of operating state signals stored in the storage device 32 (step S1). The server device 5 further substitutes each of the plurality of operating state signals stored in the storage device 32 into the above-described calculation formula to calculate the cleanliness awareness index corresponding to each of the plurality of air conditioners. A cleanliness awareness table 51 is created based on the index.

The server device 5 creates the cleanliness consciousness table 51, calculates the cumulative operation time of each air conditioner, and then determines whether or not cleaning is necessary for each air conditioner. When determining whether one air conditioner 2 needs to be cleaned, the server device 5 refers to the cleanliness awareness table 51 and determines the cleanliness awareness level corresponding to that air conditioner 2 (step S2). The server device 5 determines a threshold based on the cleanliness awareness level corresponding to the air conditioner 2 (step S3). The calculated threshold is the first threshold (2000 hours) when the cleanliness awareness level is lower than "slightly high", and the second threshold is greater than the first threshold when the cleanliness awareness level is higher than "slightly high". It is the threshold (2300 hours). The server device 5 compares the accumulated operating time corresponding to the air conditioner 2 among the plurality of accumulated operating times with either the selected first threshold or second threshold (step S4). The server device 5 determines that the air conditioner 2 needs cleaning when the cumulative operation time of the air conditioner 2 is greater than either the first threshold or the second threshold (step S4, Yes). (Step S5). When the accumulated operation time of the air conditioner 2 is smaller than either the first threshold value or the second threshold value (step S4, No), the server device 5 determines that the air conditioner 2 does not need cleaning ( step S6).

The operation of distributing the cleaning recommendation signal is an operation of determining whether or not cleaning of the air conditioner is necessary, and is performed when it is determined that the air conditioner 2 needs cleaning (step S5). When it is determined that the air conditioner 2 needs cleaning, the server device 5 distributes a cleaning recommendation signal to the communication terminal 7 corresponding to the air conditioner 2 that needs cleaning among the plurality of communication terminals. . When receiving the cleaning recommendation signal, the communication terminal 7 displays the message "The operation time of the customer's air conditioner has exceeded X hours. How about a cleaning service?" , the user of the air conditioner 2 is urged to clean. The communication terminal 7 transmits a cleaning request signal including the input request date and time to the server device 5 when the request date and time is input by being operated by the user.

Upon receiving the cleaning request signal transmitted from the communication terminal 7 , the server device 5 transfers the cleaning request signal to the service base terminal 10 . This completes the request for cleaning the air conditioner 2 to the service base. When receiving the cleaning request signal, the service base terminal 10 stores the cleaning request signal in a storage device of the service base terminal 10 and displays the requested date and time indicated by the cleaning request signal on the display device of the service base terminal 10.例文帳に追加The service base recommends the service of cleaning the air conditioner 2 to the user of the air conditioner 2 at the requested date and time displayed on the service base terminal 10 .

Users of air conditioners tend to use the indoor unit 15 less likely to get dirty as their level of awareness of cleanliness is higher. For this reason, the degree of contamination with respect to the operation time of the indoor unit 15 differs depending on the cleanliness awareness level of the user of the air conditioner, and is appropriately estimated based on the user's cleanliness awareness level. According to such an operation, the air conditioning system 1 calculates the timing for proposing a cleaning service for the air conditioner based on the cleanliness awareness level of the user, thereby allowing the user of the air conditioner 2 to provide the cleaning service. The timing for requesting cleaning to the base can be induced to an appropriate timing. Therefore, the air conditioning system 1 can clean the air conditioner 2 at appropriate timing.

[Effects of the service proposal timing adjustment device of the embodiment]
The server device 5 , which is the service proposal timing adjustment device of the embodiment, includes an operating state collection unit 41 , an integration unit 42 , a cleanliness awareness calculation unit 43 , a threshold calculation unit 44 and a transmission unit 46 . The operating state collecting unit 41 collects operating state signals from the air conditioners 2 that cool and heat the room. The accumulator 42 calculates an accumulated operation time indicating the total operation time during which the air conditioner 2 is operated, based on the operation state signal. The cleanliness awareness calculator 43 determines the cleanliness awareness level of the user of the air conditioner 2 based on the operating state signal collected by the operating state collector 41 . The threshold calculation unit 44 calculates a threshold based on the cleanliness awareness level of the user of the air conditioner 2 determined by the cleanliness awareness calculation unit 43 . The transmission unit 46 transmits a cleaning recommendation signal to the communication terminal 7 when the cumulative operating time exceeds the threshold.

The air conditioner 2 is soiled differently depending on the user's cleanliness awareness level, and the degree of soiling of the air conditioner 2 is appropriately estimated based on the cleanliness awareness level of the user of the air conditioner 2. can be done. The server device 5 can notify the user of the cleaning recommendation signal at an appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner 2 by calculating different thresholds based on the cleanliness awareness level of the user of the air conditioner 2. . By notifying the user of the cleaning recommendation signal at an appropriate timing, the server device 5 can guide the user to an appropriate timing for requesting cleaning from the service base. can be cleaned in time. The server device 5 further calculates the appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner 2 using the operating state signal used for AI control of the air conditioner. Therefore, the server device 5 does not need to collect information from the air conditioner 2 on a signal separate from the AI-controlled operating state signal in order to calculate the cleaning timing of the air conditioner 2 . An increase in communication traffic with the air conditioner 2 can be suppressed.

In addition, the air conditioner 2 in the service proposal timing adjustment device of the embodiment includes a cleaning function unit that cleans the cleaning target of the air conditioner. The clean function unit includes an indoor fan and an indoor heat exchanger that perform "automatic internal cleaning" and "heat sterilization", a filter cleaning mechanism that cleans the filter of the indoor unit 15, and the air sucked into the indoor unit 15. A plasma clean unit 17 for cleaning is exemplified. The operating status signal further indicates information about the clean function, indicating the number of internal clean completions, the number of heat sterilization completions, and the automatic filter clean interval setting. At this time, the cleanliness awareness calculation unit 43 further determines the cleanliness awareness level based on the internal cleaning completion count, the heat sterilization completion count, and the automatic filter cleaning interval setting. The "automatic filter cleaning interval" of the filter cleaning mechanism often differs depending on the cleanliness awareness level of the user. I can guess. That is, a user who is highly conscious of cleanliness has a habit of frequently cleaning using the cleaning function unit, and the user's air conditioner is less soiled during the operating time. Therefore, the server device 5 determines the cleanliness awareness level further based on the information about the clean function unit, so that the degree of contamination of the air conditioner 2 can be appropriately estimated based on the cleanliness awareness level. The user can be notified of the appropriate timing for cleaning the machine 2 .

By the way, the server device 5, which is the service proposal timing adjustment device of the above-described embodiment, calculates the threshold value based on the cleanliness awareness level. may be calculated. That is, the operating state signal indicates the filter cleaning frequency, and the threshold calculation unit 44 determines the cleanliness awareness level further based on the filter cleaning frequency of the filter cleaning mechanism. It can be inferred that the air conditioner 2 is soiled differently depending on the filter cleaning frequency of the filter cleaning mechanism. The server device 5 can notify the user of the appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner 2 by calculating the threshold further based on the filter cleaning frequency of the filter cleaning mechanism.

The air conditioner also includes a plasma clean unit 17 that purifies the air sucked into the interior of the indoor unit 15 by applying a predetermined voltage to the electrode plates and collecting dust on the electrode plates. . The voltage of the electrode plate of the plasma clean unit 17 drops when a predetermined amount or more of dust is collected. Further, the plasma clean unit 17 performs discharge protection in which the operation of the plasma clean unit is stopped when the voltage of the electrode plate drops below a predetermined value. That is, the discharge protection count indicates the degree of contamination of the environment in which the air conditioner 2 is used. At this time, the operating state signal indicates the number of times the discharge protection of the plasma clean unit 17 has been performed until 1000 hours have passed since the operation of the air conditioner 2 was started. The higher the discharge protection count, the higher the dirtiness of the air in the room where the indoor unit 15 is installed. can be assumed to be different. Therefore, the server device 5 appropriately estimates the degree of contamination of the air conditioner 2 by calculating a threshold according to the number of discharge protection times, and notifies the user of the appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner 2. Therefore, the air conditioner 2 can be cleaned at an appropriate timing.

Further, the threshold calculation unit 44 in the service proposal timing adjustment device of the embodiment may calculate the threshold further based on the frequency with which the air conditioner 2 has been cleaned by the cleaning service provided by the service base. It can be inferred that the air conditioner 2 is soiled differently depending on how often it is cleaned by the service base. The server device 5 can notify the user of the appropriate timing for cleaning the air conditioner 2 by calculating a threshold according to the frequency with which the air conditioner 2 has been cleaned by the service base. 2 can be cleaned at an appropriate time.

By the way, in the air conditioning system 1, the server device 5 causes the AI to learn based on the operation history data collected from the air conditioner to generate a learning model, and the operation of the air conditioner is controlled based on the learning model. However, such control using AI may be omitted. Even if the control using AI is omitted, the server device 5 can transmit the cleaning recommendation signal to the user at appropriate timing.

Although the embodiments have been described above, the embodiments are not limited by the contents described above. In addition, the components described above include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the components described above can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, at least one of various omissions, replacements, and modifications of components can be made without departing from the gist of the embodiments.

1: Air Conditioning System 2: Air Conditioner 3: Adapter 5: Server Device 7: Communication Terminal 10: Service Base Terminal 41: Operating State Collection Unit 42: Integration Unit 43: Cleanliness Awareness Calculation Unit 44: Threshold Calculation Unit 45: Judgment Part 46: Transmission part 47: Cleaning request part

Claims (5)

an operating state collecting unit that collects, from the air conditioner, an operating state signal containing information about a cleaning function unit that cleans an object to be cleaned of the air conditioner;
an accumulator that calculates an accumulated operation time indicating the total operation time during which the air conditioner is operated, based on the operation state signal;
a cleanliness awareness calculation unit that determines a cleanliness awareness level corresponding to the air conditioner based on information about the clean function unit ;
a threshold calculation unit that determines a threshold corresponding to the cleanliness awareness level;
A service proposal time adjustment device comprising: a transmitter that transmits a cleaning recommendation signal to a communication terminal when the cumulative operating time exceeds the threshold. The cleanliness awareness calculation unit uses at least one of the frequency at which the cleaning target is cleaned by the clean function unit and the time at which the cleaning target is cleaned by the clean function unit as information regarding the cleaning function unit. 2. The service proposal timing adjustment device according to claim 1, further comprising: calculating a cleanliness awareness index of the user of said air conditioner, and determining said cleanliness awareness level based on said calculated cleanliness awareness index. The air conditioner has a plasma clean unit that collects dust on the electrode plate by applying a predetermined voltage to the electrode plate,
The operating state signal includes a discharge protection count for performing discharge protection to stop the operation of the plasma clean unit when the voltage of the electrode plate becomes smaller than a predetermined value,
The service proposal timing adjustment device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleanliness awareness calculation unit determines the cleanliness awareness level based on the number of discharge protection times. 4. The cleanliness awareness calculation unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleanliness awareness calculation unit determines the cleanliness awareness level further based on the frequency with which the air conditioner has been cleaned by a service provided by a service base. Service Proposal Timing Device. a service proposal timing adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 4;
the air conditioner;
An air conditioning system comprising the communication terminal.

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