WO2025197007A1 - 空調通信システム、ゲートウェイ装置及びプログラム - Google Patents

空調通信システム、ゲートウェイ装置及びプログラム

Info

Publication number
WO2025197007A1
WO2025197007A1 PCT/JP2024/010943 JP2024010943W WO2025197007A1 WO 2025197007 A1 WO2025197007 A1 WO 2025197007A1 JP 2024010943 W JP2024010943 W JP 2024010943W WO 2025197007 A1 WO2025197007 A1 WO 2025197007A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
communication
air conditioning
gateway device
short
range wireless
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
PCT/JP2024/010943
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
英利香 西村
利康 樋熊
満 北▲崎▼
竜成 井上
弘晃 小竹
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Original Assignee
Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Mitsubishi Electric Corp filed Critical Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority to PCT/JP2024/010943 priority Critical patent/WO2025197007A1/ja
Priority to JP2025540261A priority patent/JPWO2025197007A1/ja
Publication of WO2025197007A1 publication Critical patent/WO2025197007A1/ja
Pending legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
    • F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
    • F24F11/50—Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication
    • F24F11/56—Remote control
    • F24F11/58—Remote control using Internet communication

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to an air conditioning communication system, a gateway device, and a program.
  • Patent Document 1 discloses an air conditioner communication system that can be retrofitted to existing air conditioners to enable them to be monitored and operated remotely via the Internet.
  • an antenna unit capable of wireless communication with a base station is attached to the housing of the outdoor unit so that a server on the Internet can collect information about the air conditioner via the base station.
  • This disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an air conditioning communication system that enables the safe remote monitoring of air conditioners.
  • the air conditioning communication system includes: An air conditioning communication system including a gateway device and a server device,
  • the gateway device a short-range wireless communication means for performing communication via a short-range wireless communication network; a mobile communication means for performing communication via a mobile communication network; and a communication control means for acquiring operation information indicating the operation state of the air conditioner by the short-range wireless communication means and transmitting the acquired operation information to the server device by the mobile communication means
  • the server device a server-side communication means for communicating with the gateway device and the information terminal;
  • the server-side communication control means acquires the driving information from the gateway device by the server-side communication means, and presents the acquired driving information to the information terminal by the server-side communication means.
  • the gateway device acquires operating information indicating the operating status of the air conditioner via short-range wireless communication means and transmits the acquired operating information to the server device via mobile communication means.
  • the server device then acquires the operating information from the gateway device and presents the acquired operating information on an information terminal. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the task of remotely monitoring the air conditioner can be carried out safely.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning communication system according to a first embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an air conditioning remote control according to a first embodiment;
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a gateway device according to a first embodiment;
  • FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a server device according to a first embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an information terminal according to a first embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of connection processing according to the first embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of connection information according to the first embodiment;
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a connection destination selection screen displayed on an information terminal according to the first embodiment;
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of connection setting information according to the first embodiment; A sequence diagram showing the flow of collection processing according to the first embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an air conditioner selection screen displayed on an information terminal according to the first embodiment;
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a status display screen displayed on an information terminal according to the first embodiment;
  • FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing a flow of operation processing according to the first embodiment;
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen displayed on an information terminal according to the first embodiment;
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning communication system according to a second embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 is a first sequence diagram showing a flow of a connection process according to a second embodiment; 2 is a second sequence diagram showing the flow of connection processing according to the second embodiment; A sequence diagram showing the flow of collection processing according to the third embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a gateway device according to a fourth embodiment.
  • FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a notification screen displayed on an information terminal according to a fourth embodiment;
  • FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration of a gateway device according to a fifth embodiment.
  • FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a notification screen displayed on an information terminal according to a fifth embodiment.
  • the air conditioning communication system 1 includes a plurality of air conditioners 10, a plurality of air conditioner remote controls 20, a gateway device 30, a server device 40, and an information terminal 50.
  • the air conditioning communication system 1 is a system that is capable of remotely communicating with the air conditioners 10, and in particular is a system that allows existing air conditioners 10 to be retrofitted and remotely monitored and operated.
  • Each of the multiple air conditioners 10 is equipment that conditions the space to be air-conditioned.
  • air conditioning refers to adjusting the temperature, humidity, cleanliness, airflow, etc. of the air in the space to be air-conditioned, and specifically includes heating, cooling, dehumidification, humidification, air purification, etc.
  • Each air conditioner 10 is installed in building H, and conditions the indoor space within building H that is to be air-conditioned.
  • Building H is a building that requires air conditioning, such as an office building, facility, factory, or residence.
  • Various devices such as personal computers and printers are installed in building H. These devices are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via a local area network N3 constructed within building H.
  • local area network N3 is a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or a wired LAN.
  • Each air conditioner 10 is a heat pump type air conditioning system that uses, for example, carbon dioxide, HFC (hydrofluorocarbon), or the like as a refrigerant.
  • Each air conditioner 10 comprises an outdoor unit 11 installed outdoors, and an indoor unit 12 installed indoors.
  • the outdoor unit 11 comprises an outdoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the outdoor air and the refrigerant.
  • the indoor unit 12 comprises an indoor heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the air in the indoor space and the refrigerant.
  • the outdoor unit 11 and indoor unit 12 are connected by refrigerant piping, forming a refrigeration cycle.
  • Each air conditioner 10 may have only one indoor unit 12 for one outdoor unit 11, or it may be a so-called multi-air conditioner, with one outdoor unit 11 and multiple indoor units 12 that condition different spaces.
  • Each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 is a remote controller for a corresponding air conditioner 10 among the multiple air conditioners 10, and functions as a user interface for the air conditioner 10.
  • a user can operate the air conditioning remote control 20 to input operation instructions for the corresponding air conditioner 10.
  • operation instructions include instructions to switch between operation and stop, instructions to switch operation modes, and instructions to change the set temperature, set humidity, air volume or air direction.
  • Each air conditioning remote control 20 is installed in a location that is easy for the user to operate, such as on a wall, pillar, or desk within building H.
  • Each air conditioning remote control 20 is connected to its corresponding air conditioner 10 via a dedicated line N0 so that they can communicate with each other.
  • each air conditioning remote control 20 includes a control unit 21, a memory unit 22, an operation unit 23, a display unit 24, and a communication unit 25.
  • the control unit 21 is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory).
  • the CPU functions as a central processing unit that executes processing and calculations related to the control of the air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the CPU is also called a central processing unit, central processing unit, processor, microprocessor, microcomputer, etc.
  • the CPU reads out programs and data stored in the ROM and uses the RAM as a work area to perform overall control of the air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the storage unit 22 is equipped with non-volatile semiconductor memory such as flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), and serves as a so-called secondary storage device or auxiliary storage device.
  • the storage unit 22 stores programs and data used by the control unit 21 to perform various processes. It also stores data generated or acquired by the control unit 21 as a result of performing various processes.
  • the operation unit 23 is equipped with input devices such as a touch panel and physical buttons, and accepts operations from the user.
  • the display unit 24 is equipped with display devices such as a liquid crystal display and an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, and displays various images.
  • the communication unit 25 has a communication interface that enables the air conditioning remote control 20 to communicate with external devices.
  • the communication unit 25 has an air conditioning communication unit 251, which is an example of air conditioning communication means, and a short-range wireless communication unit 252, which is an example of remote control-side short-range wireless communication means.
  • the air conditioning communication unit 251 communicates with the air conditioner 10 corresponding to the air conditioning remote control 20 among the multiple air conditioners 10 via the dedicated line N0.
  • the dedicated line N0 is a wired or wireless line that connects the air conditioning remote control 20 and the air conditioner 10 corresponding to that air conditioning remote control 20 so that they can communicate with each other.
  • the short-range wireless communication unit 252 communicates with the gateway device 30 via a short-range wireless communication network N1, which is an example of a first wireless communication network.
  • the short-range wireless communication network N1 is a wireless communication network in which the communication distance is limited to a short distance, and is a communication network in which communication is possible within a range approximately equal to the distance within the building H.
  • the short-range wireless communication unit 252 is an example of a remote control-side short-range wireless communication means.
  • the short-range wireless communication network N1 is a wireless communication network independent of the local communication network N3 established in building H, and is, for example, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) (registered trademark) or ZigBee (registered trademark).
  • BLE Bluetooth Low Energy
  • ZigBee registered trademark
  • the control unit 21 functionally includes a communication control unit 210, which is an example of a remote control-side communication control means.
  • the communication control unit 210 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.
  • the software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the ROM or memory unit 22.
  • the CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or memory unit 22, thereby realizing the functions of the communication control unit 210.
  • the communication control unit 210 controls communication via the air conditioning communication unit 251 and the short-range wireless communication unit 252. Specifically, the communication control unit 210 communicates via the air conditioning communication unit 251 with the air conditioner 10 corresponding to the air conditioning remote control 20 out of the multiple air conditioners 10 installed in building H, and acquires operating information indicating the operating state of the air conditioner 10 from the air conditioner 10. When the communication control unit 210 acquires operating information from the air conditioner 10 via the air conditioning communication unit 251, it converts the acquired operating information into a short-range wireless communication signal and transmits it to the gateway device 30 via the short-range wireless communication unit 252.
  • the operating state of the air conditioner 10 refers to the various states of the air conditioner 10 when the air conditioner 10 is performing air conditioning operation.
  • the operating information of the air conditioner 10 includes setting information such as the operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, etc. when the air conditioner 10 is operating, as well as determination information for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the air conditioner 10, such as the refrigerant temperature in the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant flow rate, the fan air volume, etc.
  • the communication control unit 210 sends a control signal based on the control instruction to the air conditioner 10 via the air conditioning communication unit 251. Specifically, the communication control unit 210 sends a control signal based on the control instruction for the air conditioner 10 sent from the gateway device 30 to the corresponding air conditioner 10 out of the multiple air conditioners 10 via the air conditioning communication unit 251.
  • the air conditioner 10 operates in accordance with the control signal sent from the air conditioning remote control 20.
  • control instructions can also be input by the user operating the air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the communication control unit 210 transmits a control signal based on the operation instruction input by the user to the corresponding air conditioner 10 via the air conditioning communication unit 251.
  • the gateway device 30 is a device that relays communications between devices inside building H and devices outside building H. Specifically, the gateway device 30 relays communications between each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 installed in building H and a server device 40 installed outside building H.
  • the gateway device 30 is installed in a location within building H, such as on a wall, pillar, or desk, where short-range wireless communication with multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 is possible, and is connected to the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 via short-range wireless communication network N1.
  • the gateway device 30 includes a control unit 31, a memory unit 32, an operation unit 33, and a communication unit 35.
  • the control unit 31 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM.
  • the CPU functions as a central processing unit that executes processing and calculations related to the control of the gateway device 30.
  • the CPU reads programs and data stored in the ROM and uses the RAM as a work area to perform overall control of the gateway device 30.
  • the memory unit 32 includes non-volatile semiconductor memory such as flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM. Details of the control unit 31 and memory unit 32 are the same as those of the control unit 21 and memory unit 22 in the air conditioning remote control 20 described above.
  • the operation unit 33 is equipped with input devices such as a touch panel and physical buttons, and accepts operations from the user.
  • the communication unit 35 includes a communication interface that enables the gateway device 30 to communicate with external devices.
  • the communication unit 35 includes a short-range wireless communication unit 351, which is an example of short-range wireless communication means, and a mobile communication unit 352, which is an example of mobile communication means.
  • the short-range wireless communication unit 351 and the mobile communication unit 352 are also referred to as the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit, respectively.
  • the short-range wireless communication unit 351 communicates with the air conditioning remote control 20 via the short-range wireless communication network N1.
  • the short-range wireless communication network N1 is a wireless communication network in which the communication distance is limited to a short distance, such as BLE or ZigBee. The following explanation will be given taking as an example a case in which the short-range wireless communication unit 351 uses a communication network based on BLE as the short-range wireless communication network N1.
  • the mobile communication unit 352 communicates with the server device 40 via a mobile communication network N2, which is an example of a second wireless communication network.
  • the mobile communication network N2 is a communication network designed for devices used while moving, such as smartphones and mobile phones.
  • the mobile communication network N2 is a communication network that can connect to a wide area communication network via the base station 60 closest to the device's current location, out of multiple base stations 60 installed in various locations.
  • communication via the mobile communication network N2 will be referred to as "mobile communication.”
  • Communication standards that provide the mobile communication network N2 include, for example, LTE (Long Term Evolution) (registered trademark), 4G, 5G, LTE-M (LTE for Machine-type communication), NB-IoT (Narrow Band Internet of Things), Sigfox (registered trademark), LoRaWAN (registered trademark), and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) (registered trademark).
  • LTE Long Term Evolution
  • 4G Long Term Evolution
  • 5G Long Term Evolution-M
  • LTE-M Long Term Evolution for Machine-type communication
  • NB-IoT Narrow Band Internet of Things
  • Sigfox registered trademark
  • LoRaWAN registered trademark
  • WiMAX Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
  • LTE-M, NB-IoT, etc. are classified as LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) standards, and are communication standards characterized by low power consumption and long-distance communication.
  • the mobile communication unit 352 can connect to a wide-area communication network with low power consumption.
  • the following explanation takes as an example a case where a communication network based on the LPWA standard, more specifically an LTE-M communication network, is used as the mobile communication network N2.
  • LTE-M is one of the LPWA standards that utilizes existing LTE lines, and is a communication standard that aims to save power and improve communication stability while ensuring moderate communication speeds.
  • mobile communication unit 352 can communicate with devices located outside building H. Specifically, mobile communication unit 352 wirelessly communicates with a base station 60 accessible from gateway device 30, out of multiple base stations 60 installed in various locations, and communicates with server device 40 from the accessed base station 60 via a public line network.
  • WAN Wide Area Network
  • the control unit 31 functionally includes a communication control unit 310, which is an example of a communication control means.
  • the communication control unit 310 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.
  • the software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the ROM or memory unit 32.
  • the CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or memory unit 32, thereby realizing the functions of the communication control unit 310.
  • the communication control unit 310 controls communication via the short-range wireless communication unit 351 and mobile communication unit 352. Specifically, the communication control unit 310 communicates with each air conditioning remote control 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351, and acquires operating information indicating the operating status of each air conditioner 10 from each air conditioning remote control 20. When the communication control unit 310 acquires the operating information, it transmits the acquired operating information to the server device 40 via the mobile communication unit 352.
  • the communication control unit 310 also communicates with the server device 40 via the mobile communication unit 352, and acquires from the server device 40 operation information for the air conditioner 10 entered by the administrator U on the information terminal 50.
  • the communication control unit 310 acquires operation information from the server device 40, it transmits a control instruction for controlling the air conditioner 10 to be operated based on the acquired operation information to the air conditioning remote control 20 corresponding to that air conditioner 10 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351.
  • the communication control unit 310 controls the air conditioner 10 to be operated based on the acquired operation information.
  • server device 40 is a device that manages the air conditioning communication system 1.
  • server device 40 is a server that provides resources in cloud computing.
  • Server device 40 is installed outside building H and under the management of the operator that manages the air conditioning communication system 1.
  • Server device 40 is connected to gateway device 30 and information terminal 50 so that they can communicate with each other via mobile communication network N2.
  • server device 40 includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, and a communication unit 45.
  • the control unit 41 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM.
  • the CPU functions as a central processing unit that executes processing and calculations related to the control of the server device 40.
  • the CPU reads programs and data stored in the ROM and uses the RAM as a work area to perform overall control of the server device 40.
  • the memory unit 42 includes non-volatile semiconductor memory such as flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM. Details of the control unit 41 and memory unit 42 are the same as those of the control units 21, 31 and memory units 22, 32 described above.
  • the communication unit 45 includes a communication interface that enables the server device 40 to communicate with external devices. Specifically, under the control of the control unit 51, the communication unit 45 communicates with the gateway device 30 and the information terminal 50 via the mobile communication network N2.
  • the communication unit 45 is an example of server-side communication means.
  • the control unit 41 functionally includes a communication control unit 410, which is an example of server-side communication control means.
  • the communication control unit 410 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.
  • the software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the ROM or memory unit 42.
  • the CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or memory unit 42, thereby realizing the functions of the communication control unit 410.
  • the communication control unit 410 controls communication by the communication unit 45. Specifically, the communication control unit 410 communicates with the gateway device 30 via the communication unit 45 and acquires operating information for the air conditioner 10 transmitted from the gateway device 30. The communication control unit 410 then communicates with the information terminal 50 via the communication unit 45 and transmits the acquired operating information to the information terminal 50, thereby presenting the information terminal 50.
  • the communication unit 45 also communicates with the information terminal 50 via the communication unit 45, and acquires operation information for the air conditioner 10 input by the administrator U at the information terminal 50.
  • the communication unit 45 then communicates with the gateway device 30 via the communication unit 45, and transmits the acquired operation information to the gateway device 30.
  • the server device 40 is not limited to managing the air conditioners 10 in the single building H shown in FIG. 1, but rather manages the air conditioners 10 in various buildings H. Therefore, the server device 40 communicates not only with one gateway device 30 and one information terminal 50, but also with multiple gateway devices 30 installed in different buildings H and multiple corresponding information terminals 50 via the mobile communications network N2.
  • the correspondence between multiple gateway devices 30 and multiple information terminals 50 is stored in advance in the storage unit 42.
  • the correspondence between gateway devices 30 and information terminals 50 is not limited to one-to-one.
  • One information terminal 50 may be linked to multiple gateway devices 30, such as when one administrator U manages air conditioners 10 in multiple buildings H.
  • the information terminal 50 is a smartphone, tablet terminal, etc. operated by the administrator U.
  • the administrator U may be a business operator that manages the air conditioning communication system 1, or may be a general user that uses the air conditioners 10 installed in the building H.
  • the information terminal 50 is connected to the server device 40 via the mobile communication network N2 so that it can communicate with them.
  • the information terminal 50 includes a control unit 51, a memory unit 52, an operation unit 53, a display unit 54, and a communication unit 55.
  • the control unit 51 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM.
  • the CPU functions as a central processing unit that executes processing and calculations related to the control of the information terminal 50.
  • the CPU reads programs and data stored in the ROM and uses the RAM as a work area to perform overall control of the information terminal 50.
  • the memory unit 52 includes non-volatile semiconductor memory such as flash memory, EPROM, and EEPROM. Details of the control unit 51 and memory unit 52 are the same as those of the control units 21, 31, and 41 and memory units 22, 32, and 42 described above.
  • the operation unit 53 is equipped with input devices such as a touch panel and physical buttons, and accepts operations from the administrator U.
  • the display unit 54 is equipped with a display device such as an LCD display or an organic EL display, and displays various images.
  • the communication unit 55 includes a communication interface that enables the information terminal 50 to communicate with external devices. Specifically, the communication unit 55 communicates with the server device 40 via the mobile communication network N2 under the control of the control unit 51.
  • the communication unit 55 is an example of terminal-side communication means.
  • the control unit 51 functionally includes a communication control unit 510, which is an example of terminal-side communication control means.
  • the communication control unit 510 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.
  • the software and firmware are written as programs and stored in the ROM or memory unit 52.
  • the CPU executes the programs stored in the ROM or memory unit 52, thereby realizing the functions of the communication control unit 510.
  • the communication control unit 510 controls communication by the communication unit 55. Specifically, when operation information for the air conditioner 10 is transmitted from the server device 40, the communication control unit 510 acquires the transmitted operation information via the communication unit 55. The communication control unit 510 then presents the acquired operation information to the administrator U by displaying it on the display unit 54. Furthermore, when operation information for the air conditioner 10 is input by the administrator U, the communication unit 55 transmits the input operation information to the server device 40 via the communication unit 55.
  • the communication control units 210, 310, 410, and 510 perform (1) connection processing, (2) collection processing, and (3) operation processing. Each processing is explained below.
  • the communication control unit 310 performs connection processing between the air conditioning remote control 20 and the gateway device 30.
  • the connection processing is processing for establishing a communication path in the air conditioning communication system 1 so that the air conditioner 10 can be remotely monitored and operated from the information terminal 50.
  • the communication control unit 310 performs connection processing for short-range wireless communication between the air conditioning remote control 20 installed in the building H and the newly installed gateway device 30.
  • connection process will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 6.
  • the connection process shown in Figure 6 begins when the power to the gateway device 30 newly installed in building H is turned on.
  • the communication control unit 210 in each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 transmits an advertising signal based on BLE to the surrounding area using the short-range wireless communication unit 252 (step S101).
  • the advertising signal is a signal transmitted in short-range wireless communication to convey information about the device to the surrounding area so that a peripheral mode device can accept a connection from a central mode device.
  • the gateway device 30 operates in BLE central mode, and each air conditioning remote control 20 operates in BLE peripheral mode.
  • the communication control unit 210 repeatedly transmits the advertising signal at a predetermined interval.
  • the advertising signal contains the identification information of the air conditioning remote control 20 that is the sender.
  • the identification information of the air conditioning remote control 20 is information for uniquely identifying the air conditioning remote control 20 among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 installed in building H.
  • the identification information of the air conditioning remote control 20 can also be used as the identification information of the air conditioner 10 to which the air conditioning remote control 20 is connected via the dedicated line N0. Therefore, in the following description, it will be assumed that the identification information of the air conditioning remote control 20 and the identification information of the air conditioner 10 are the same.
  • the communication control unit 310 receives the advertising signals transmitted from each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351. Upon receiving the advertising signals, the communication control unit 310 transmits connection information indicating the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 that transmitted the advertising signals to the server device 40 via the mobile communication unit 352 (step S102).
  • the connection information is information that links the identification information of the gateway device 30 with the identification information of multiple air conditioning remote controls 20.
  • the communication control unit 310 receives an advertising signal, it reads the identification information of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 included in the received advertising signal and generates connection information by linking the read identification information of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 with the identification information of the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 310 then transmits the generated connection information to the server device 40 via LTE-M. This allows the server device 40 to view information on the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 that can be connected to the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 410 receives the connection information transmitted from the gateway device 30. Upon receiving the connection information, the communication control unit 410 transmits the received connection information to the information terminal 50 via LTE-M (step S103). As a result, the communication control unit 410 presents the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 indicated in the received connection information to the information terminal 50 as connection destination candidates.
  • the communication control unit 510 receives the connection information sent from the server device 40. Upon receiving the connection information, the communication control unit 510 displays a list of the identification information of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 indicated in the received connection information on the display unit 54. The communication control unit 510 then accepts from the administrator U the selection of at least one air conditioning remote control 20 to connect to from among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 whose identification information is displayed (step S104).
  • the communication control unit 510 displays the remote control selection screen shown in FIG. 8 on the display unit 54.
  • the manager U can operate the operation unit 53 to select at least one air conditioning remote control 20 from among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 whose identification information is displayed on the remote control selection screen. This allows the manager U to select at least one air conditioner 10 to be monitored from among the multiple air conditioners 10 installed in the building H.
  • connection setting information indicating the selected at least one air conditioning remote control 20 to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S105).
  • the connection setting information is information that links the identification information of the selected at least one air conditioning remote control 20 with the identification information of the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 410 receives the connection setting information transmitted from the information terminal 50. Upon receiving the connection setting information, the communication control unit 410 transmits the received connection setting information to the gateway device 30 (step S106).
  • the communication control unit 310 receives the connection setting information transmitted from the server device 40 via LTE-M. Upon receiving the connection setting information, the communication control unit 310 performs connection processing with at least one air conditioning remote control 20 indicated in the received connection setting information (step S107). Specifically, the communication control unit 310 enables communication via BLE with at least one air conditioning remote control 20 selected as the connection destination.
  • the communication control unit 210 in each of the at least one air conditioning remote control 20 sends a connection completion notification to the gateway device 30.
  • the gateway device 30 when the communication control unit 310 receives a connection completion notification from each of the at least one air conditioning remote control 20, it sends the received notification to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S108).
  • step S109 communication control unit 410 transmits the received notification to information terminal 50 via LTE-M (step S109).
  • communication control unit 510 displays the received notification on display unit 54 (step S110). This allows administrator U to confirm that the connection process was successful and that a communication path has been established. This completes the connection process shown in FIG. 6.
  • the administrator U can select at least one air conditioning remote control 20 to connect to from among multiple air conditioning remote controls 20, and perform connection processing using BLE between the selected at least one air conditioning remote control 20 and the gateway device 30. This allows the administrator U to establish a communication path in the air conditioning communication system 1 from a remote location in the building H.
  • the communication control unit 310 performs a collection process to collect operation information indicating the operation status of the air conditioner 10.
  • the operation information of the air conditioner 10 includes setting information such as the operation mode, set temperature, set humidity, etc. when the air conditioner 10 is operating, as well as determination information for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the air conditioner 10, such as the refrigerant temperature in the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant flow rate, the fan air volume, etc. Collecting the operation information of the air conditioner 10 makes it possible to detect abnormalities that may occur in the air conditioner 10, such as refrigerant leaks, temperature abnormalities, component failures, etc.
  • the collection process will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 10.
  • the collection process shown in Figure 10 is executed periodically, for example, every 1 minute, 5 minutes, etc., after a communication path in the air conditioning communication system 1 has been established by the connection process described above.
  • the communication control unit 310 in the gateway device 30 sends a collection request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351 (step S201).
  • the acquisition request is a request to collect operating information from the air conditioner 10 to the air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the communication control unit 210 in each air conditioning remote control 20 receives the collection request sent from the gateway device 30, it sends a response to the received collection request to the gateway device 30 via the short-range wireless communication unit 252 (step S202).
  • the communication control unit 310 when sending a collection request to multiple air conditioning remote controls 20, the communication control unit 310 receives a response from a first air conditioning remote control 20 among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20, and then sends the collection request to a second air conditioning remote control 20 among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20. In other words, after sending a collection request to one air conditioning remote control 20, the communication control unit 310 does not send a collection request to the next air conditioning remote control 20 until it receives a response to the collection request from that air conditioning remote control 20, and then sends a collection request to the next air conditioning remote control 20 after receiving the response. In this way, the communication control unit 310 sends collection requests to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while connecting to each one in rotation.
  • the communication control unit 210 collects operating information from the corresponding air conditioner 10 in response to the collection request sent from the gateway device 30 (step S203). Specifically, the communication control unit 210 communicates with the outdoor unit 11 and indoor unit 12 via the air conditioning communication unit 251 to collect operating information such as the air conditioner 10's operating mode, set temperature, set humidity, refrigerant temperature, refrigerant flow rate, and fan airflow rate. The communication control unit 210 continues the process of repeatedly collecting operating information from the air conditioner 10 at predetermined intervals from the time it sends a response to the gateway device 30 to the time it receives an output request from the gateway device 30, and stores the collected operating information in the memory unit 22.
  • the communication control unit 310 sends an output request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351 (step S204).
  • the output request is a request to output the operating information collected from the air conditioners 10 to the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 310 sends the output request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 a predetermined time after sending the collection request.
  • the communication control unit 210 transmits the collected operating information to the gateway device 30 in response to the output request transmitted from the gateway device 30 (step S205). Specifically, upon receiving the output request, the communication control unit 210 stops the process of collecting operating information from the air conditioners 10. Then, in response to the received output request, the communication control unit 210 transmits the operating information stored in the memory unit 22 to the gateway device 30 via the short-range wireless communication unit 252.
  • the communication control unit 310 acquires the operating information transmitted from each air conditioning remote control 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351. As when transmitting a collection request, the communication control unit 310 transmits an output request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while connecting to each one in rotation, and acquires the operating information in response. The communication control unit 310 stores the operating information acquired from each air conditioning remote control 20 in the memory unit 32.
  • the communication control unit 510 receives from the administrator U a selection of the air conditioner 10 to be monitored (step S206). Specifically, the communication control unit 510 displays the air conditioner selection screen shown in FIG. 11 on the display unit 54 in response to an operation by the administrator U. The administrator U can operate the operation unit 53 to select at least one air conditioner 10 from the multiple air conditioners 10 displayed on the air conditioner selection screen.
  • the communication control unit 510 upon receiving the selection of the air conditioner 10, transmits selection information indicating the selected air conditioner 10 to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S207).
  • the communication control unit 410 upon receiving the selection information transmitted from the information terminal 50, transmits the received selection information to the gateway device 30 via LTE-M (step S208).
  • the communication control unit 310 when the communication control unit 310 receives the selection information transmitted from the server device 40, it reads out the operation information of the air conditioner 10 indicated in the received selection information from the operation information of the multiple air conditioners 10 stored in the memory unit 32. The communication control unit 310 then transmits the read operation information to the server device 40 via the mobile communication unit 352 (step S209).
  • the communication control unit 410 when the communication control unit 410 receives the operation information transmitted from the gateway device 30, it transmits the received operation information to the information terminal 50 (step S210). As a result, the communication control unit 410 presents the operation information of the air conditioner 10 to the information terminal 50. In the information terminal 50, when the communication control unit 510 receives the operation information transmitted from the server device 40, it displays the received operation information on the display unit 54 (step S211).
  • the communication control unit 510 displays the status display screen shown in FIG. 12 on the display unit 54.
  • the communication control unit 510 displays setting information such as the current operating mode and set temperature as the operating status of the air conditioner 10 selected in step S206, as well as judgment information for determining whether an abnormality has occurred in the air conditioner 10, such as the refrigerant temperature and refrigerant flow rate.
  • the administrator U can check the status of the selected air conditioner 10. In particular, he can check whether any abnormality has occurred in the air conditioner 10.
  • the gateway device 30 separately sends a collection request and an output request to each air conditioning remote control 20, and each air conditioning remote control 20 collects operating information from the air conditioners 10 in response to the collection request and outputs the operating information to the gateway device 30 in response to the output request.
  • each air conditioning remote control 20 starts collecting operating information in response to a collection request and ends collecting operating information in response to an output request, so there is no need to collect operating information constantly. This reduces the processing load.
  • each air conditioning remote control 20 can separately execute the process of collecting operating information and the process of outputting operating information, the waiting time for each process can be managed appropriately. For example, if the gateway device 30 simultaneously sends a collection request and an output request to each air conditioning remote control 20, each air conditioning remote control 20 will execute the process of collecting operating information and the process of outputting operating information in parallel. This reduces the time required for each process. In this case, the time required for each process will increase, making it particularly difficult to concisely execute the process of outputting operating information to the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 310 performs operation processing to operate one of the multiple air conditioners 10.
  • the operation processing is processing in which the manager U remotely operates the air conditioner 10 installed in the building H using the information terminal 50.
  • the operation process will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 13.
  • the operation process shown in Figure 13 begins when the administrator U operates the information terminal 50 to launch the application software for operating the air conditioning.
  • the communications control unit 510 of the information terminal 50 receives from the administrator U a selection of the air conditioner 10 to be operated and an operation for the selected air conditioner 10 (step S301). Specifically, the communications control unit 510 displays the operation screen shown in FIG. 14 on the display unit 54 in response to the operation by the administrator U.
  • the administrator U can operate the operation unit 53 to select the air conditioner 10 to be operated from among the multiple air conditioners 10 present in the building H, and input operations for the selected air conditioner 10.
  • Operations for the air conditioner 10 include, for example, switching operation ON/OFF, changing the operation mode, setting the timer, etc.
  • the communication control unit 510 transmits operation information indicating the accepted selection and operation to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S302).
  • the communication control unit 410 receives the operation information from the information terminal 50, it transmits the received operation information to the gateway device 30 via LTE-M (step S303).
  • the communication control unit 310 acquires the operation information transmitted from the server device 40. Upon acquiring the operation information, the communication control unit 310 controls the air conditioner 10 to be operated using the short-range wireless communication unit 351 based on the acquired operation information (step S304). Specifically, the communication control unit 310 transmits a control instruction to the air conditioner remote control 20 corresponding to the air conditioner 10 indicated in the acquired operation information, among the multiple air conditioners 10, to cause the air conditioner 10 to perform the operation indicated in the acquired operation information.
  • the communication control unit 210 when the communication control unit 210 receives a control instruction from the gateway device 30, it communicates with the air conditioner 10 via the air conditioning communication unit 251 and controls the air conditioner 10 in accordance with the received control instruction (step S305). Specifically, the communication control unit 210 controls the air conditioner 10 by switching operation ON/OFF, changing the operation mode, setting the timer, etc. in accordance with the received control instruction.
  • the communication control unit 210 transmits the control result to the gateway device 30 (step S306).
  • the communication control unit 310 receives the control result from the air conditioner remote control 20 and transmits the received control result to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S307).
  • the communication control unit 410 receives the control result from the gateway device 30 and transmits the received control result to the information terminal 50 via LTE-M (step S308).
  • the communication control unit 510 when the communication control unit 510 receives the control result from the server device 40, it displays the received control result on the display unit 54 (step S309). This allows the administrator U to confirm that the operation of the air conditioner 10 was performed correctly. Through this operation process, even if the administrator U is outside the building H, he or she can select the air conditioner 10 to be operated from among multiple air conditioners 10 and operate the selected air conditioner 10.
  • the gateway device 30 includes a short-range wireless communication unit 351 that communicates via the short-range wireless communication network N1 and a mobile communication unit 352 that communicates via the mobile communication network N2.
  • the gateway device 30 acquires operating information indicating the operating state of the air conditioner 10 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351 and transmits the acquired operating information to the server device 40 via the mobile communication unit 352.
  • the server device 40 then acquires the operating information from the gateway device 30 and presents the acquired operating information on the information terminal 50.
  • the gateway device 30 obtains the operating information of the air conditioner 10 by communication via the short-range wireless communication network N1, there is no need to attach an antenna unit to the housing of the outdoor unit 11 or to pull out a cable from inside the housing of the outdoor unit 11.
  • the air conditioner 10 to communicate wirelessly with the base station 60, there is no need to perform work on the rooftop, roof, wall, or other location where the outdoor unit 11 is installed. Therefore, with the air conditioning communication system 1 according to embodiment 1, work to enable the air conditioner 10 to be monitored remotely can be performed while ensuring safety.
  • the air conditioning communication system 1 can safely and easily retrofit a function that enables remote monitoring and operation, even for existing air conditioners 10.
  • the gateway device 30 transmits operation information of the air conditioners 10 to the server device 40 by communication via the mobile communication network N2.
  • the gateway device 30 can connect directly to the wide area communication network, independently of the local communication network N3 established in the building H. This makes it easy to perform the work of enabling the air conditioners 10 to be monitored remotely.
  • the local communication network N3 established in building H may have security measures in place that limit connected devices to pre-registered commercial computers in order to handle confidential information.
  • the gateway device 30 communicates directly with the server device 40, making it possible to separate it from the local communication network N3 established in building H. Therefore, the air conditioning communication system 1 of embodiment 1 can be introduced without being restricted by the security measures of the local communication network N3.
  • the communication control unit 310 in the gateway device 30 sent connection information to the information terminal 50 via the server device 40, and performed connection processing on the information terminal 50 for at least one air conditioning remote control 20 selected by the administrator U.
  • the communication control unit 310 sends connection information to the connection terminal 50a without going through the server device 40, and performs connection processing on at least one air conditioning remote control 20 selected on the connection terminal 50a.
  • the air conditioning communication system 1a includes a plurality of air conditioners 10, a plurality of air conditioning remote controls 20, a gateway device 30, a server device 40, an information terminal 50, and a connection terminal 50a.
  • the configuration other than the connection terminal 50a is the same as that of the first embodiment.
  • the connection terminal 50a is a smartphone, tablet terminal, etc. operated by the administrator U, and is a terminal for performing connection processing. Like the information terminal 50, the connection terminal 50a has a control unit 51, a memory unit 52, an operation unit 53, a display unit 54, and a communication unit 55, and is equipped with a communication control unit 510 as a function of the control unit 51. However, the communication unit 55 in the connection terminal 50a has the function of communicating with the gateway device 30 via the short-range wireless communication network N1.
  • the connection terminal 50a is used within a distance that allows short-range wireless communication with the gateway device 30 when the administrator U installs a new gateway device 30 in the building H.
  • connection process is performed when the communication path between the gateway device 30 and the server device 40 is not yet connected.
  • the connection process begins when the power to the gateway device 30 newly installed in building H is turned on and the administrator U presses the changeover switch 39 provided on the gateway device 30.
  • the changeover switch 39 is a switch for switching between the connection process via the server device 40 in the first embodiment and the connection process not via the server device 40 in the second embodiment.
  • the communication control unit 210 in each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 transmits an advertising signal based on BLE to the surrounding area using the short-range wireless communication unit 252 (step S401).
  • the communication control unit 310 operates in BLE central mode and receives the advertising signals transmitted from each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20.
  • the communication control unit 310 operates in BLE peripheral mode and transmits an advertising signal based on short-range wireless communication to the surrounding area (step S402).
  • the communication control unit 510 operates in BLE central mode and receives an advertising signal transmitted from the gateway device 30.
  • the advertising signal includes identification information for the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 510 displays the identification information for the gateway device 30 included in the received advertising signal on the display unit 54 and accepts selection of the gateway device 30 from the administrator U.
  • the communication control unit 510 then performs connection processing using BLE with the gateway device 30 (step S403).
  • the communication control unit 310 transmits connection information indicating the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 that are the senders of the advertising signal to the connection terminal 50a via BLE (step S404).
  • the connection information is information that links the identification information of the gateway device 30 with the identification information of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20.
  • connection terminal 50a when the communication control unit 510 receives the connection information sent from the gateway device 30, it displays a list of the identification information of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 indicated in the received connection information on the display unit 54. The communication control unit 510 then accepts from the administrator U a selection of at least one air conditioning remote control 20 to be connected to from among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 whose identification information is displayed (step S405).
  • the communication control unit 510 displays the remote control selection screen shown in Figure 8 on the display unit 54.
  • the administrator U can operate the operation unit 53 to select at least one air conditioning remote control 20 from among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 whose identification information is displayed on the remote control selection screen.
  • connection setting information is information that links the identification information of the selected at least one air conditioning remote control 20 with the identification information of the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 310 receives the connection setting information sent from the connection terminal 50a. Upon receiving the connection setting information, the communication control unit 310 operates in BLE central mode and performs connection processing with at least one air conditioning remote control 20 indicated in the received connection setting information (step S407). Specifically, the communication control unit 310 enables communication via BLE with at least one air conditioning remote control 20 selected as the connection destination.
  • the communication control unit 210 in each of the at least one air conditioning remote control 20 notifies the gateway device 30 of the connection completion.
  • the communication control unit 310 receives a connection completion notification from each of the at least one air conditioning remote control 20, it operates in BLE peripheral mode and transmits the received notification to the connection terminal 50a via BLE (step S408).
  • connection terminal 50a when the communication control unit 510 receives a notification that the connection is complete from the gateway device 30, it displays the received notification on the display unit 54 (step S409). This allows the administrator U to confirm that the connection process was successful and that a communication path has been established between at least one air conditioning remote control 20 and the gateway device 30.
  • connection process shown in FIG. 17 is performed after the connection process shown in FIG. 16, when the connection terminal 50a and the information terminal 50 are able to communicate with the server device 40.
  • the communication control unit 510 in the connection terminal 50a transmits connection setting information, which links the identification information of at least one air conditioning remote control 20 selected as the connection destination with the identification information of the gateway device 30, to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S410).
  • the communication control unit 410 when the communication control unit 410 receives the connection setting information, it stores the received connection setting information in the storage unit 42 (step S411). This allows the server device 40 to identify the correspondence between the gateway device 30 and at least one air conditioning remote control 20 to which it is connected.
  • the communication control unit 510 when the communication control unit 510 receives an initial operation from the administrator U, it sends a request for connection setting information to the server device 40 via LTE-M (step S412).
  • the server device 40 when the communication control unit 410 receives the request for connection setting information from the information terminal 50, it sends the connection setting information to the information terminal 50 (step S413).
  • the communication control unit 510 when the communication control unit 510 receives the connection setting information from the server device 40, it stores the received connection setting information in the memory unit 52 (step S414). This allows the information terminal 50 to identify the correspondence between the gateway device 30 and at least one air conditioning remote control 20 to which it is connected.
  • the connection settings can be completed on the connection terminal 50a of the administrator U. This makes it easier to introduce the air conditioning communication system 1a into the building H.
  • connection terminal 50a was a terminal different from the information terminal 50.
  • the connection terminal 50a may be the same terminal as the information terminal 50, and may be a terminal on which the connection processing function of the second embodiment is installed.
  • the connection terminal 50a sent connection setting information to the server device 40.
  • the gateway device 30 may send connection setting information to the server device 40 via LTE-M after it becomes able to communicate with the server device 40.
  • the communications control unit 310 transmitted collection requests and output requests to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while connecting to each of them in rotation.
  • the communications control unit 310 transmits collection requests and output requests to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while simultaneously connecting via BLE. Details of the collection process according to the third embodiment will be explained below with reference to Figure 18.
  • the communication control unit 310 in the gateway device 30 sends a collection request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351 (step S501).
  • the communication control unit 210 receives the collection request sent from the gateway device 30 and then sends a response to the received collection request to the gateway device 30 via the short-range wireless communication unit 252 (step S502).
  • the communication control unit 310 when sending a collection request to multiple air conditioning remote controls 20, the communication control unit 310 sends the collection request to a second air conditioning remote control 20 among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 before receiving a response from a first air conditioning remote control 20 among the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20.
  • the communication control unit 310 after sending a collection request to one air conditioning remote control 20, the communication control unit 310 sends the collection request to the next air conditioning remote control 20 without waiting to receive a response to the collection request from that air conditioning remote control 20. In this way, the communication control unit 310 sends collection requests to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while simultaneously connected via BLE.
  • the communication control unit 210 collects operating information from the corresponding air conditioner 10 in response to the collection request sent from the gateway device 30 (step S503).
  • the communication control unit 210 continues the process of repeatedly collecting operating information from the air conditioner 10 at predetermined intervals from the time when it sends a response to the gateway device 30 to the time when it receives an output request from the gateway device 30, and stores the collected operating information in the memory unit 22.
  • the communication control unit 310 sends an output request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351 (step S504).
  • the communication control unit 310 sends the output request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 a predetermined time after sending the collection request.
  • the communication control unit 210 transmits the collected operating information to the gateway device 30 in response to the output request transmitted from the gateway device 30 (step S505). Specifically, upon receiving the output request, the communication control unit 210 stops the process of collecting operating information from the air conditioners 10. Then, in response to the received output request, the communication control unit 210 transmits the operating information stored in the memory unit 22 to the gateway device 30 via the short-range wireless communication unit 252.
  • the communication control unit 310 acquires the operating information transmitted from each air conditioning remote control 20 via the short-range wireless communication unit 351. As when transmitting a collection request, the communication control unit 310 transmits an output request to each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while simultaneously connected via short-range wireless communication, and acquires the operating information in response. The communication control unit 310 stores the operating information acquired from each air conditioning remote control 20 in the memory unit 32.
  • the communications control unit 310 transmits the operating information of the selected air conditioner 10 to the information terminal 50 via the server device 40 in steps S506 to S511.
  • the processing in steps S506 to S511 is the same as steps S206 to S211 described in embodiment 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.
  • the communication control unit 310 sends collection requests and output requests to each of multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 while simultaneously connected via BLE. This eliminates the need to wait for a response to be sent from the air conditioning remote control 20, and therefore, compared to embodiment 1, the total waiting time required for the gateway device 30 to acquire operation information from multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 can be reduced. As a result, the interval between sending operation information to the server device 40 can be shortened, improving the monitoring accuracy of the air conditioners 10.
  • the gateway device 30a includes, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a notification unit 34, which is an example of a notification means, and a communication quality measurement unit 311, which is an example of a communication quality measurement means, as a function of the control unit 31.
  • the notification unit 34 includes an LED (Light Emitting Diode), and lights up the LED in a manner according to the state of the gateway device 30a.
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 measures the communication quality in the short-range wireless communication unit 351 and the communication quality in the mobile communication unit 352.
  • communication quality refers to the degree to which stable, high-speed communication is possible without packet loss, delays, communication interruptions, etc.
  • Communication quality changes in various ways depending on factors such as changing the position of the gateway device 30 or placing a metal object around the gateway device 30.
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 measures the communication quality in the short-range wireless communication unit 351 by measuring whether packet loss, delay, communication interruption, etc. is occurring in BLE with each of the multiple air conditioning remote controls 20.
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 also measures the communication quality in the mobile communication unit 352 by measuring whether packet loss, delay, communication interruption, etc. is occurring in LTE-M with the server device 40.
  • LTE-M communication quality may be measured using, for example, RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power).
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 notifies the notification unit 34 of the measured communication quality for each of the short-range wireless communication and mobile communication. Specifically, the communication quality measurement unit 311 lights up the LED of the notification unit 34 in a manner corresponding to the measured communication quality.
  • the notification unit 34 includes an LED for short-range wireless communication and an LED for mobile communication.
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 measures the communication quality for each of short-range wireless communication and mobile communication at multiple levels, and lights up the corresponding LED with a color, brightness, blinking state, etc. that corresponds to the measured level. This notification allows people around the gateway device 30 to easily check the current communication quality of the gateway device 30.
  • the communication control unit 310 notifies the server device 40 of the communication quality measured by the communication quality measurement unit 311 via the mobile communication unit 352.
  • the communication control unit 410 receives a communication quality notification from the gateway device 30, it stores log data of the gateway device 30's communication quality in the memory unit 42.
  • the communication control unit 410 determines whether the communication quality of at least one of the short-range wireless communication and the mobile communication satisfies a predetermined degradation condition based on the log data stored in the memory unit 42.
  • the degradation condition is a condition that is met when the communication quality has deteriorated to the point where normal communication is not possible.
  • the degradation condition is met when the measured communication quality is lower than a predetermined threshold.
  • the degradation condition may not be met by a single degradation in communication quality, but may be met when the number of times the communication quality drops below the threshold reaches a predetermined frequency.
  • the degradation condition may be met when the degree of change in communication quality reaches a threshold.
  • the change in communication quality may be, for example, a change from the previous day to the current day, or a change over a period shorter than one day.
  • the communication control unit 410 sends a notification indicating a degradation in communication quality to the information terminal 50 via the communication unit 45. As a result, the communication control unit 410 notifies the information terminal 50 that the communication quality of the gateway device 30 has degraded.
  • the communication control unit 510 receives a notification from the server device 40, it displays a warning based on the received notification on the display unit 54.
  • the communication control unit 510 displays a message on the display unit 54 instructing the user to improve communication quality because the communication quality of the gateway device 30 has deteriorated.
  • the administrator U can improve communication quality by changing the position of the gateway device 30 within the building H or removing obstacles around the gateway device 30.
  • the gateway device 30a according to the fourth embodiment measures the communication quality of short-range wireless communication and the communication quality of mobile communication, and reports the measured communication quality. Furthermore, the gateway device 30a according to the fourth embodiment notifies the server device 40 of the communication quality, and if the communication quality has deteriorated, the server device 40 notifies the information terminal 50 of this deterioration. As a result, if the communication quality of the gateway device 30a has deteriorated, the administrator U can address the communication quality problem by adjusting the position of the gateway device 30a within the building H. As a result, remote monitoring of the air conditioners 10 installed in the building H can be continued in a stable manner.
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 measured both the communication quality of short-range wireless communication by the short-range wireless communication unit 351 and the communication quality of mobile communication by the mobile communication unit 352.
  • the communication quality measurement unit 311 is not limited to this, and may measure the communication quality of only one of the short-range wireless communication by the short-range wireless communication unit 351 and the mobile communication by the mobile communication unit 352.
  • the method of presenting communication quality from the server device 40 to the information terminal 50 is not limited to the above, and may be a push notification or an email notification to a registered email address.
  • the content of the message displayed on the information terminal 50 may change depending on the degree of deterioration in communication quality, how the communication quality changes, etc.
  • gateway device 30b includes, in addition to the configuration of embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 3, a notification unit 34, which is an example of notification means, a backup power supply unit 36, which is an example of backup power supply means, and a power supply control unit 312, which is an example of power supply control means, as a function of control unit 31.
  • notification unit 34 includes an LED, and lights up the LED in a manner according to the state of gateway device 30b.
  • the backup power supply unit 36 is, for example, a primary battery, secondary battery, or supercapacitor, and supplies power to the gateway device 30b when the external power supply to the gateway device 30b is cut off.
  • the external power supply to the gateway device 30b when the external power supply to the gateway device 30b is cut off, it means, for example, that the power source of the gateway device 30b is unplugged or a power outage occurs.
  • the gateway device 30b can continue to operate even if the power source of the gateway device 30b is unintentionally shut off.
  • the power supply control unit 312 determines whether the external power supply to the gateway device 30b has been cut off. If it determines that the power supply has been cut off, the power supply control unit 312 switches the power supply to the gateway device 30b to the power supply from the backup power supply unit 36. As a result, the power supply control unit 312 allows the gateway device 30b to continue operating using the backup power supply unit 36 even if the power supply has been cut off.
  • the power supply control unit 312 determines that the external power supply to gateway device 30b has been cut off, it notifies the notification unit 34 that an error has occurred. Specifically, the power supply control unit 312 lights up the LED of the notification unit 34 in a manner corresponding to the power supply being cut off. This notification allows people around the gateway device 30 to easily confirm that no external power is being supplied to gateway device 30b.
  • the communication control unit 310 sends a notification indicating that the power supply has been cut off to the server device 40 via the mobile communication unit 352.
  • the communication control unit 410 receives the notification from the gateway device 30, it sends the received notification to the information terminal 50 via the communication unit 45.
  • the communication control unit 410 notifies the information terminal 50 that the external power supply to gateway device 30b has been cut off.
  • the communication control unit 510 when the communication control unit 510 receives a notification from the server device 40, it displays a warning based on the received notification on the display unit 54. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, the communication control unit 510 displays a message on the display unit 54 prompting the user to check the power supply to the gateway device 30b. By checking this message, the administrator U can attempt to restore power to the gateway device 30b.
  • the gateway device 30b according to embodiment 5 when the gateway device 30b according to embodiment 5 has its external power supply to the gateway device 30b cut off, it notifies the information terminal 50 via the server device 40 that the power supply has been cut off. This allows the administrator U to handle the situation when the power supply to the gateway device 30 is unintentionally shut off. As a result, remote monitoring of the air conditioners 10 installed in the building H can be continued in a stable manner.
  • the short-range wireless communication network N1 and the mobile communication network N2 were described using BLE and LTE-M as examples, respectively, but the short-range wireless communication network N1 and the mobile communication network N2 may be communication networks based on other communication standards.
  • the air conditioning communication system 1 was equipped with multiple air conditioners 10 and multiple air conditioning remote controls 20, but there may be only one air conditioner 10 and one air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the communication control unit 310 of the gateway device 30 performs short-range wireless communication with multiple air conditioning remote controls 20 and acquires operation information for the air conditioner 10 from each air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the communication control unit 310 may also acquire operation information for the air conditioner 10 from a source other than the air conditioning remote control 20.
  • the indoor unit 12 has a function for performing short-range wireless communication
  • the communication control unit 310 may perform short-range wireless communication with the indoor unit 12 and acquire operation information for the air conditioner 10 from the indoor unit 12.
  • the communication control unit 310 performs connection processing via short-range wireless communication with the indoor unit 12 as the connection destination, acquires operation information for the air conditioning remote control 20 from the indoor unit 12, and transmits operation information for the air conditioner 10 to the indoor unit 12.
  • the above embodiment can be similarly explained by replacing the processing performed for the air conditioning remote control 20 with processing performed for the indoor unit 12.
  • the information terminal 50 is a smartphone, tablet terminal, etc.
  • the server device 40 communicates with the information terminal 50 via the mobile communication network N2.
  • communication between the server device 40 and the information terminal 50 is not limited to the mobile communication network N2, and any method may be used.
  • the information terminal 50 is not limited to being a terminal used while moving, and may also be a stationary computer.
  • the server device 40 may communicate with the information terminal 50 via, for example, a wireless LAN.
  • the CPU in the control units 21, 31, 41, 51 executes programs stored in the ROM or memory units 22, 32, 42, 52, thereby functioning as the communication control units 210, 310, 410, 510 or the communication quality measurement unit 320.
  • the control units 21, 31, 41, 51 may also be dedicated hardware. Dedicated hardware is, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination of these.
  • the control units 21, 31, 41, 51 are dedicated hardware, the functions of each unit may be realized by individual hardware, or the functions of each unit may be realized together by a single piece of hardware.
  • each unit may be realized by dedicated hardware, and other functions may be realized by software or firmware.
  • the control units 21, 31, 41, and 51 can realize the above-mentioned functions by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these.
  • control units 21, 31, 41, and 51 By applying the program that defines the operation of the control units 21, 31, 41, and 51 to an existing computer such as a personal computer or information terminal device, it is possible to cause the computer to function as an air conditioning control device.
  • the method of distribution of such programs is arbitrary; for example, they may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk ROM), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), MO (Magneto Optical Disk), or memory card and distributed, or they may be distributed via a communications network such as the Internet.
  • a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disk ROM), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), MO (Magneto Optical Disk), or memory card and distributed, or they may be distributed via a communications network such as the Internet.
  • This disclosure is applicable to air conditioning systems.
  • Air conditioning communication system 10 Air conditioner, 11 Outdoor unit, 12 Indoor unit, 20 Air conditioning remote control, 21, 31, 41, 51 Control unit, 22, 32, 42, 52 Memory unit, 23, 33, 53 Operation unit, 24, 54 Display unit, 25, 35, 45, 55 Communication unit, 30, 30a, 30b Gateway device, 34 Notification unit, 36 Backup power unit, 39 Switching Switch, 40 Server device, 50 Information terminal, 50a Connection terminal, 60 Base station, 210, 310, 410, 510 Communication control unit, 251 Air conditioning communication unit, 252, 351 Short-range wireless communication unit, 311 Communication quality measurement unit, 312 Power supply control unit, 352 Mobile communication unit, N0 Dedicated line, N1 Short-range wireless communication network, N2 Mobile communication network, N3 Local communication network

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Selective Calling Equipment (AREA)
  • Air Conditioning Control Device (AREA)
PCT/JP2024/010943 2024-03-21 2024-03-21 空調通信システム、ゲートウェイ装置及びプログラム Pending WO2025197007A1 (ja)

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