WO2018216115A1

WO2018216115A1 - Air conditioning system

Info

Publication number: WO2018216115A1
Application number: PCT/JP2017/019257
Authority: WO
Inventors: 周平小林
Original assignee: 三菱電機株式会社
Priority date: 2017-05-23
Filing date: 2017-05-23
Publication date: 2018-11-29
Also published as: JPWO2018216115A1

Abstract

An air conditioning system (100) is provided with: a plurality of air conditioners (10); a server device (60) which is connected with the air conditioners (10) via a public line (90) and which includes a server storage unit that stores, for each of the air conditioners (10), data from the air conditioners (10); a manager investigation tool capable of extracting, for each of the air conditioners (10), the data stored in the server storage unit; and a plurality of portable terminals (40) capable of performing one-to-one communication with any one of the plurality of air conditioners (10), wherein the portable terminals (40) each have installed therein an air condition management application through which the details of data to be transmitted from the air conditioners (10) with which communication is possible, to the server device (60) can be set.

Description

Air conditioning system

The present invention relates to an air conditioning system including an air conditioner.

In recent years, as described in Patent Document 1, with the spread of smartphones, a technology for remotely operating and monitoring an air conditioner with a smartphone has been spread. Patent Document 1 describes that information on an air conditioner is periodically transmitted to a server device.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2015-105795

However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is impossible for a service person near the server device to efficiently change the contents of the data stored in the server device. When conducting the survey, it was necessary to visit the site of the air conditioner and collect information.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an air conditioning system that can efficiently collect data of an air conditioner remotely.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is connected to a plurality of air conditioners and the air conditioners via public lines, and stores data from the air conditioners for each air conditioner. A server device having a server storage unit, an administrator survey tool capable of extracting data stored in the server storage unit for each air conditioner, and one-to-one with any one of a plurality of air conditioners A plurality of portable terminals capable of communication. The portable terminal is equipped with an air conditioning management application capable of setting the content of data transmitted to a server device by a communicable air conditioner.

The air conditioning system according to the present invention has an effect that data of the air conditioner can be efficiently collected remotely.

The figure which shows the whole structure of the air conditioning system concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. The figure which shows the structure of the indoor unit of the air conditioner concerning Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the structure in the case of implement | achieving the control part of the indoor unit concerning Embodiment 1 with a computer. The figure which shows a mode that data are accumulate | stored in the memory | storage part of the server apparatus concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. The figure which shows the image of the air-conditioning management application mounted in the portable terminal concerning Embodiment 1. The figure which shows the image of the administrator investigation tool mounted in the computer concerning Embodiment 1

Hereinafter, an air conditioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an air-conditioning system 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Below, the code | symbol which attached | subjected a or b is used when identifying the several same component, and when using them generically, it uses without attaching a or b. The air conditioning system 100 includes a server device 60, a computer 70, a router 30 (30a, 30b), an adapter 20 (20a, 20b), an air conditioner 10 (10a, 10b) owned by a user, and a portable terminal 40. (40a, 40b). Each air conditioner 10 includes an indoor unit 11 (11a, 11b) installed in each room of a plurality of homes 50 (50a, 50b) and an outdoor unit 12 (12a, 12b) installed outside each home 50. It consists of and. Each air conditioner 10 (10a, 10b) is connected to each adapter 20 (20a, 20b) on a one-to-one basis. Each home 50 includes a router 30 in addition to the indoor unit 11, and further includes a portable terminal 40 owned by the user. Each portable terminal 40 can be connected to the air conditioner 10 (10a, 10b) via the router 30 (30a, 30b) and the adapter 20 (20a, 20b). Specifically, the home 50a is provided with a portable terminal 40a and an air conditioner 10a, and the home 50b is provided with a portable terminal 40b and an air conditioner 10b. And at least the portable terminal 40a and the air conditioner 10a can communicate, and the portable terminal 40b and the air conditioner 10b can communicate. That is, each of the plurality of portable terminals 40 can perform one-to-one communication with any one of the plurality of air conditioners 10. However, each portable terminal 40 can be taken out of each home 50. An office 80 used by a designer or a service person is provided with a computer 70 on which a server device 60 and an administrator investigation tool 71 described later are mounted. A specific example of the computer 70 is a personal computer. In each home 50, a communication network is constructed by a LAN (Local Area Network) 91 (91a, 91b). Each home 50 and office 80 establish a network via a public line 90. In the above description, it is assumed that there are two air conditioners 10 and two portable terminals 40, but there may be three or more each.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10 according to the first embodiment. The indoor unit 11 includes a sensor unit 13 and a control unit 14. A remote controller receiving unit 131 is mounted on the sensor unit 13, and a plurality of functions such as operation start and stop, cooling and heating, and set temperature can be set by a remote controller (not shown). The sensor unit 13 further includes a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a motor rotation number detection sensor, and a human sensor. The current wind direction and wind speed can be obtained based on the detection result of the motor rotation speed detection sensor and the like. The temperature sensor, humidity sensor, and human sensor can detect the indoor temperature, the indoor humidity, and the presence of a person in each home 50. The control unit 14 includes an actuator control unit 15 and a storage unit 16 that is an indoor unit storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration when the control unit 14 of the indoor unit 11 according to the first embodiment is realized by a computer. A specific example of the control unit 14 is a microcomputer. In this case, the control unit 14 is realized by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201 and a memory 202 provided in the indoor unit 11. Therefore, the storage unit 16 is realized by the memory 202. The function of the control unit 14 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Software or firmware is described as a program and stored in the memory 202. The CPU 201 implements the function of the control unit 14 by reading and executing a program stored in the memory 202. That is, the indoor unit 11 includes a memory 202 for storing a program in which a step of performing an operation by the control unit 14 is executed as a result when the function of the control unit 14 is executed by a computer. . These programs can also be said to cause a computer to execute the procedure or method of the control unit 14.

Here, the memory 202 is a nonvolatile or volatile memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). This corresponds to a semiconductor memory.

Actuator control section 15 controls an LED (Light Emitting Diode) of air conditioner 10 in addition to controlling an actuator such as a motor of air conditioner 10. The actuator control unit 15 includes a communication unit 151 that communicates with the outside. The storage unit 16 includes temperature data, humidity data, data about whether or not a person is present, model-specific information such as wind speed data and specifications, and failure analysis indicating analysis contents at the time of failure of the air conditioner 10. Data on the actual use of the air conditioner 10 such as data, integrated power consumption or operation time is stored. The control unit 14 reflects the setting content by the remote controller received by the remote controller receiving unit 131 on the actuator control unit 15. The control unit 14 acquires the current control state from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13, and the actuator control unit 15 controls the actuator so as to realize the setting content based on the control state.

The storage unit 16 can store data acquired by the control unit 14 and data to be used. The storage unit 16 stores information such as failure analysis data and usage record data in addition to operation information data such as the above-described setting contents for operation control. The control unit 14 stores the above information in the storage unit 16 at a timing specific to each data. In addition, since each air conditioner 10 exists in each home 50, an individual ID that is an individual identifier corresponding to each air conditioner 10 is stored in advance in the storage unit 16 at the time of shipment from the factory. So that they can be distinguished.

The designer or service person in the office 80 instructs the user to obtain necessary data for analyzing the failure analysis data and the usage record data of the air conditioner 10 in each home 50 remotely. Is requested by the portable terminal 40. Specifically, a designer or a service person gives an instruction to the user who owns the mobile terminal 40 by telephone or the like, and causes the user to operate the mobile terminal 40 to make a request to the mobile terminal 40. In addition, as an initial operation when the mobile terminal 40 is connected to the network, the mobile terminal 40 may be automatically requested. The designer or service person can directly operate the portable terminal 40. The control unit 14 of the air conditioner 10 reads data requested from the portable terminal 40 from the storage unit 16, and retrieves the requested data from the communication unit 151 of the actuator control unit 15 via the adapter 20 and the router 30. 60.

Hereinafter, details of each component of the air conditioning system 100 will be described.

The router 30 has an interface that connects to a network device on the network via the public line 90 and an interface that connects to a network device on the LAN 91 that is a line in the home 50. The router 30 has a role of allowing devices on the same or different networks to communicate with each other, and through the router 30, the adapter 20 on the LAN 91 of the home 50 and the portable terminal 40 can be connected to each other. In addition, communication connection between the mobile terminal 40 and the server device 60 on different networks becomes possible.

The server device 60 is a computer that runs on the server software provided on the network of the public line 90 in order to perform the air conditioning management service. The server device 60 includes a storage unit 61 that is a server storage unit. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which data is accumulated in the storage unit 61 of the server device 60 according to the first embodiment. The memory | storage part 61 accumulate | stores the data transmitted from the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10 of each household 50 as a database, as shown in FIG. The accumulated data is managed for each individual ID, and data such as operation information data, failure analysis data, and usage record data is recorded in the database for each reception date and time.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an image of the air conditioning management application 41 installed in the portable terminal 40 according to the first embodiment. When the portable terminal 40 can be connected to the LAN 91 in the home 50 and the operation setting is performed on the air conditioner 10, the air conditioning management application 41 of the portable terminal 40 transmits the operation setting data to the air conditioner 10 only via the LAN 91. Is reflected in the control of the air conditioner 10. When the portable terminal 40 is connectable to the LAN 91 and makes a status request to the air conditioner 10, the air conditioning management application 41 transmits a status request to the air conditioner 10 only via the LAN 91, and from the air conditioner 10. The portable terminal 40 is made to return status information such as driving information.

When the mobile terminal 40 cannot be connected to the LAN 91 such as outside the home 50, the air conditioning management application 41 of the mobile terminal 40 can set remote operation settings for the air conditioner 10 via the public line 90. A status request is transmitted to the server device 60. In the case of the operation setting, the server device 60 transmits the operation setting data to the air conditioner 10 via the public line 90, the router 30 and the adapter 20 according to the individual ID and the operation setting data transmitted from the portable terminal 40, The air conditioner 10 that has received the setting data performs control according to this. When the server device 60 receives the status request, the server device 60 transmits the latest data in the storage unit 61 to the portable terminal 40 through the public line 90 as status information.

The server device 60 is connected to a computer 70 that is used by a designer or a service person in the office 80. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image of the administrator investigation tool 71 installed in the computer 70 according to the first embodiment. The administrator investigation tool 71 is designed by extracting the data stored in the storage unit 61 of the server device 60 for each air conditioner 10 together with the date and time of the data according to the operation of the designer or serviceman on the computer 70. Can be shown and confirmed by a person or service person. The administrator investigation tool 71 may be installed in the server device 60.

The adapter 20 is a network adapter for connecting the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10 to the public line 90 via the LAN 91 and the router 30, and is shown as being externally attached to the indoor unit 11 in FIG. However, it may be built in the indoor unit 11.

The adapter 20 has a wireless communication unit (not shown) for connecting to the router 30 and is connected to the indoor unit 11 by wire. In addition, since the adapter 20 is supplied with power from the indoor unit 11, the adapter 20 is not turned on unless the main power of the indoor unit 11 is turned on.

The adapter 20 further includes a storage unit (not shown), passes the data transmitted from the air conditioner 10 through the storage unit, and periodically sends data to the server device 60 via the router 30 and the public line 90. Send. Further, when there is a state request from the portable terminal 40 to the air conditioner 10 only through the LAN 91, the adapter 20 stores the air stored in the storage unit of the adapter 20 in the portable terminal 40 through the router 30 and the LAN 91. The information transmitted from the harmony machine 10 is transmitted.

Further, since the server address of the server device 60 is stored in advance in the storage unit of the adapter 20, the adapter 20 can be connected to the server device 60. Since the storage unit of the adapter 20 stores the individual ID transmitted from the air conditioner 10, in order to transmit the data transmitted from the air conditioner 10 together with the individual ID when transmitting to the server device 60, the server device 60 can collectively manage the data transmitted from the air conditioner 10 in the storage unit 61 for each individual ID.

Specific examples of the portable terminal 40 are a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, and the like, and are not limited. However, the portable terminal 40 has a hardware configuration in which a display unit such as a display is added to the configuration similar to FIG. Below, the portable terminal 40 is demonstrated supposing a smart phone. The portable terminal 40 is owned by the user, but may be used by a designer or a service person as described above.

The portable terminal 40 is equipped with an air conditioning management application 41 that can manage the air conditioner 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the air conditioning management application 41 includes two air conditioning management modes 42 and a user survey mode 43. Has a mode. The portable terminal 40 is connected to the server device 60 or the air conditioner 10 via the router 30 or the public line 90 using the air conditioning management application 41. The air conditioning management application 41 starts communication when the original power source of the indoor unit 11 is turned on. The air conditioning management application 41 starts a communication start-up sequence via the LAN 91 when first communicating with the air conditioner 10. The air conditioner 10 transmits model-specific information data and operation information data to the portable terminal 40. The air conditioning management application 41 transmits a communication request and an initial setting of data contents that the air conditioner 10 transmits to the server device 60 to the air conditioner 10. After the communication startup sequence is completed, the mobile terminal 40, the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 10, and the server device 60 start regular communication. The indoor unit 11 periodically communicates information stored in the storage unit 16 to the mobile terminal 40 and the server device 60 via the adapter 20 and the router 30 while being connected to the mobile terminal 40 and the server device 60 in communication. Send. The user can remotely monitor the state of the air conditioner 10 by displaying the individual ID and the state of the air conditioner 10 connected in communication on the display of the portable terminal 40.

The air-conditioning management application 41 has an air-conditioning management mode 42 for performing operation settings as described above, sending a status request, and monitoring status information. The air conditioning management mode 42 for operating and monitoring the operation of the air conditioner 10 sets the start or stop of the operation of the air conditioner 10, the operation mode, the set temperature, and the like, via the public line 90 or the LAN 91. The operation setting data is transmitted to the air conditioner 10. The control unit 14 of the air conditioner 10 that has received the operation setting data reflects the received operation setting data in the control of the air conditioner 10. In addition, the air conditioning management mode 42 displays on the display of the portable terminal 40 the status of the power supply of the air conditioner 10, the operation mode, wind speed, wind direction, direct operation or remote operation. The state of the air conditioner 10 can be monitored remotely.

The air conditioning management application 41 has a user survey mode 43 separately from the air conditioning management mode 42. By using the user survey mode 43, the content of data transmitted from the air conditioner 10 to the server device 60 and the timing at which the air conditioner 10 transmits data to the server device 60 can be set. The designer or service person gives an instruction to the user in order to analyze in detail the use results or failure contents of the air conditioner 10 installed in each home 50. The user survey mode 43 is a mode for the user to operate the portable terminal 40 in accordance with an instruction from the designer or service person. Using the display on the display of the portable terminal 40 in the user investigation mode 43, the user can confirm the individual ID of the air conditioner 10 to be operated and various setting contents. The various setting contents include transmission frequency such as data transmission timing from the air conditioner 10 to the server device 60, operation information such as the operation mode and wind speed of the air conditioner 10, and usage results such as integrated power and driving time of the air conditioner 10. This includes failure analysis data such as data, failure details of the air conditioner 10 and the number of failures. Therefore, the user investigation mode 43 can set data contents such as the transmission timing of data to the server device 60 and whether or not the usage record data or failure analysis data is included in the data to the server device 60.

Specifically, when a failure occurs on the indoor unit 11 side, the user contacts a service person. A service person residing in the office 80 can access the server device 60 by using an administrator survey tool 71 installed in the computer 70. The service person listens to the failure content from the user. Further, the service person listens to the individual ID displayed on the display of the portable terminal 40 owned by the user in the user investigation mode 43 of the air conditioning management application 41. The service person accesses the server device 60 and listens to the administrator investigation tool 71 and the data stored in the storage unit 61 from the air conditioner 10 owned by the user as shown in FIG. The individual ID can be extracted as shown in FIG. Then, the service person can infer the cause of the failure from the content of the failure and the data extracted by the administrator investigation tool 71. In order to estimate the cause of failure, if it is considered that the data stored in the storage unit 61 in advance is insufficient, the service person instructs the user to perform an operation in the user investigation mode 43. The user changes the content of data transmitted from the air conditioner 10 to the server device 60 in the user survey mode 43 according to an instruction from the service person, and further transmits the transmission timing for transmitting data from the air conditioner 10 to the server device 60. Set changes. The control unit 14 of the air conditioner 10 creates data for transmission from the storage unit 16 in accordance with the setting changed by the user investigation mode 43, and stores it on the storage unit 61 of the server device 60 via the adapter 20 before the failure. It can be accumulated again from the past time.

Further, according to the air conditioning system 100 according to the first embodiment, the designer does not need to go to the home 50 during the market research based on the installation environment of the air conditioner 10, and the server device 60 in the office 80 is not connected. It can be accessed from the computer 70. Then, the designer can remotely extract and organize the data transmitted from each home 50 and stored in the storage unit 61 by using the administrator survey tool 71 as shown in FIG. it can. Therefore, the designer can infer the user's life scene from the survey contents, and can work on the development that meets the demands of the market.

When the usage record data subject to market research is reviewed, the initial setting of the air conditioning management application 41 is changed, and the user updates the air conditioning management application 41 installed in the mobile terminal 40. When the air conditioning management application 41 after the update communicates with the air conditioner 10 for the first time, the air conditioning management application 41 transmits the changed initial setting to the indoor unit 11, so that the air conditioner 10 to be investigated becomes a server. The content of data transmitted to the device 60 can be changed. Thereby, it becomes possible to extract the information of the unified content from the server device 60 irrespective of the model of the air conditioner 10.

As described above, according to the air conditioning system 100 according to the first embodiment, the data of the air conditioner 10 is accumulated on the server device 60. Data for each air conditioner 10 such as failure analysis data and usage record data can be obtained efficiently and in a timely manner without the trouble of visiting the installation location.

Further, by accumulating data for each air conditioner 10 on the server device 60, the data of the air conditioner 10 can be extracted even if the storage unit 16 of the air conditioner 10 becomes unreadable. In addition, by comparing the latest data with the past data, it is possible to easily find the failure timing or change point when investigating the cause of the failure.

Furthermore, according to the air conditioning system 100 according to the first embodiment, the transmission timing for transmitting data from the air conditioner 10 to the server device 60 can be set from the portable terminal 40, so that the cause of the failure is investigated in detail. It becomes possible to do. In addition, data from the past can be extracted at the set transmission timing, and variations of data to be investigated can be expanded.

Moreover, according to the air conditioning system 100 concerning Embodiment 1, it changes in the data content transmitted on the server apparatus 60 from the air conditioner 10, and is needed in the case of a usage record investigation or a failure investigation in a market. Data can be selected appropriately. As a result, it is possible to increase the efficiency of the investigation such that the investigation is flexible and the cause can be investigated early.

Furthermore, by installing the air conditioning management application 41 in the portable terminal 40, a dedicated remote controller as described above can be made unnecessary. Further, when the air conditioning management application 41 is updated, the use result data transmitted by the air conditioner 10 is reviewed, and the initial setting of the air conditioning management application 41 is changed, so that all the air in all the homes 50 (50a, 50b) is obtained. Since it is possible to unify and change the usage record data transmitted by the conditioner 10 (10a, 10b), the difference in information obtained from each air conditioner 10 can be eliminated.

The configuration described in the above embodiment shows an example of the contents of the present invention, and can be combined with another known technique, and can be combined with other configurations without departing from the gist of the present invention. It is also possible to omit or change the part.

10, 10a, 10b air conditioner, 11, 11a, 11b indoor unit, 12, 12a, 12b outdoor unit, 13 sensor unit, 14 control unit, 15 actuator unit, 16, 61 storage unit, 20, 20a, 20b adapter, 30, 30a, 30b router, 40, 40a, 40b mobile terminal, 41 air conditioning management application, 42 air conditioning management mode, 43 user survey mode, 50, 50a, 50b home, 60 server equipment, 70 computer, 71 administrator survey tool, 80 offices, 90 public lines, 91, 91a, 91b LAN, 100 air conditioning system, 131 remote controller receiving unit, 151 communication unit, 201 CPU, 202 memory.

Claims

Multiple air conditioners,
A server device comprising a server storage unit connected to the air conditioner via a public line and storing data from the air conditioner for each air conditioner;
An administrator survey tool that can extract the data stored in the server storage unit for each air conditioner;
A plurality of portable terminals capable of one-to-one communication with any one of the plurality of air conditioners;
With
The air conditioning system, wherein the portable terminal is equipped with an air conditioning management application capable of setting the content of the data transmitted to the server device by the communicable air conditioner.
The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein the air conditioning management application can set a timing at which the air conditioner transmits the data to the server device.
The air conditioning system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the data includes failure analysis data indicating analysis contents at the time of failure of the air conditioner.
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the data includes usage record data relating to the usage record of the air conditioner.
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the administrator investigation tool is mounted on a computer connected to the server device.
The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the administrator investigation tool is mounted on the server device.