Facility device management system, facility device output device, remote management device, and facility device management method

Abstract

To provide a facility device management system which can provide information about a facility device to a remote device with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: The facility device management system comprises a facility device output device connected to a facility device, a worker terminal which is carried by a worker who performs maintenance management of the facility device, and a remote management device connected to the worker terminal so as to be able to communicate with the worker terminal. The facility device output device includes an output information generation unit for generating output information including device information acquired from the facility device and an output control unit for causing an output unit to repeatedly output the output information. The worker terminal includes an information reading unit which reads the outputted output information. The remote management device includes an analysis unit which acquires the device information as analysis information by acquiring and analyzing read information read by the worker terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an equipment management system, an equipment output device, a remote management device, and an equipment management method. [Background technology]

[0002] A remote controller is installed in equipment installed in a building, for example, an air conditioning system, to control and monitor the air conditioning system. The remote controller of such an air conditioning system is equipped with an information output device such as a display device or a speaker device, and a user or a maintenance and inspection worker can recognize the operating status, including the occurrence of an abnormality in the air conditioning system, based on the information output from the information output device and take appropriate action. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Application No. 2012-113365 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] On the other hand, when an abnormality occurs in an air conditioning system installed in a building, it may be necessary to analyze the details of the abnormality at a remote maintenance management center, etc. However, there is a problem in that equipment such as air conditioning systems is not connected to a wide area communication network, etc., and information indicating the internal status of the equipment cannot be directly transmitted to a device in the maintenance management center.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an equipment management system, an equipment output device, a remote management device, and an equipment management method that are simply configured and capable of providing information about equipment to a remote device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the facility equipment management system includes a facility equipment output device connected to the facility equipment, a worker terminal carried by a worker who performs maintenance management of the facility equipment, and a remote management device communicatively connected to the worker terminal. The facility equipment output device has an output information generation unit that generates output information including equipment information acquired from the facility equipment, and an output control unit that causes the output information to be repeatedly output from the output unit. The worker terminal has an information reading unit that reads the output information. The remote management device has an analysis unit that acquires and analyzes the read information read by the worker terminal to acquire equipment information as analysis information. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an air conditioning equipment management system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of an air conditioning equipment management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] As an embodiment of the facility equipment management system of the present invention, an air conditioning equipment management system that manages air conditioning equipment, which is an example of facility equipment installed in a building, will be described below.

[0009] Configuration of an Air Conditioning Equipment Management System According to an Embodiment 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioning equipment management system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The air conditioning equipment management system 1 includes an air conditioning equipment 10, a remote controller 20 having a function as an equipment equipment output device that outputs information about the air conditioning equipment 10, a worker terminal 30 carried by a worker who performs maintenance management work for the air conditioning equipment management system 1, and a management server 50 as a remote management device that is communicatively connected to the worker terminal 30 via a wide area communication network 40 and collects information about the air conditioning equipment 10.

[0010] The remote controller 20 has a first communication unit 21, an input unit 22, an output unit 23, and a first CPU. The first communication unit 21 communicates information with the air conditioning equipment 10. The input unit 22 inputs information of operations performed by an operator. In this embodiment, the output unit 23 is configured with a display device, and outputs predetermined display information based on instructions from the first CPU 24, as described later.

[0011] The first CPU 24 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and configures one or more information processing units described below by installing and executing a predetermined air conditioning equipment management program.

[0012] The first CPU 24 has two or more information processing units, namely, an equipment information acquisition unit 241, an output information generation unit 242, and an output control unit 243. Based on an instruction input from the input unit 22, the equipment information acquisition unit 241 acquires information about the air conditioning equipment 10, such as at least one of operating status information, abnormality occurrence status, and specification information of the air conditioning equipment 10, as equipment information from the air conditioning equipment 10 via the first communication unit 21.

[0013] The output information generating unit 242 generates an information file including the device information acquired by the device information acquiring unit 241. This information file is composed of display information such as text information, image information of encrypted one-dimensional or two-dimensional code information, or video information for scrolling and displaying the information.

[0014] The output control unit 243 repeatedly displays the display information in the information file generated by the output information generation unit 242 as output information from the output unit 23. As will be described later, the output control unit 243 displays the output information in the information file in a state in which the management server 50 can acquire information about the air conditioning equipment 10 from imaging information obtained by capturing the displayed output information.

[0015] The worker terminal 30 is formed of, for example, a smart device, and has an imaging unit 31, a second communication unit 32, a touch panel 33, and a second CPU 34. The imaging unit 31 captures images in a predetermined direction. The second communication unit 32 communicates information with the management server 50 via the wide area communication network 40. The touch panel 33 inputs operation information of the worker, and displays predetermined information based on instructions from the second CPU 34, as described below.

[0016] The second CPU 34 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and configures one or more information processing units described below by installing and executing a predetermined information processing program.

[0017] The second CPU 34 has two or more information processing units, namely, an information reading unit 341, a read information transmission control unit 342, and a display control unit 343. The information reading unit 341 acquires, as read information, imaging information obtained by the imaging unit 31 capturing the output information output from the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20. That is, the second information acquisition unit reads the output information output from the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20 in a non-contact state with the remote controller 20.

[0018] The read information transmission control unit 342 transmits the imaging information acquired by the information reading unit 341 to the management server 50 via the second communication unit 32 and the wide area communication network 40. The display control unit 343 acquires the maintenance management information generated by the management server 50 as a result of the read information transmission control unit 342 transmitting the imaging information, and causes the touch panel 33 to display the maintenance management information.

[0019] The management server 50 includes a third communication unit 51 and a third CPU 52. The third communication unit 51 communicates information with the worker terminal 30 via the wide area communication network 40.

[0020] The third CPU 52 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and configures one or more information processing units described below by installing and executing a predetermined remote monitoring program for air conditioning equipment.

[0021] The third CPU 52 has, as two or more information processing units, a read information acquisition unit 521, an analysis unit 522, a maintenance information generation unit 523, and a management information transmission control unit 524. The read information acquisition unit 521 acquires, via the third communication unit 51, imaging information that is read information transmitted from the worker terminal 30.

[0022] The analysis unit 522 analyzes the imaging information acquired by the read information acquisition unit 521 and acquires information about the air conditioning equipment 10 included in the imaging information as analysis information. The maintenance information generation unit 523 generates maintenance management information for the air conditioning equipment 10 based on the analysis information acquired by the analysis unit 522. The management information transmission control unit 524 transmits the maintenance management information generated by the maintenance information generation unit 523 to the worker terminal 30 via the third communication unit 51 and the wide area communication network 40.

[0023] <Operation of the Air Conditioning Equipment Management System According to an Embodiment> 2 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the air conditioning equipment management system 1 according to this embodiment. When a maintenance and inspection worker performs an information acquisition instruction operation for maintenance of the air conditioning equipment 10 on the input unit 22 of the remote controller 20, the equipment information acquisition unit 241 acquires this operation information (S1).

[0024] When the device information acquisition unit 241 acquires the operation information of the information acquisition instruction, it acquires, for example, operating status information as device information from the air conditioning equipment 10 (S2). Next, the output information generation unit 242 generates an information file including the device information acquired by the device information acquisition unit 241.

[0025] In this embodiment, the output information generating unit 242 generates an information file of moving image information including the device information acquired by the device information acquiring unit 241. This moving image information is information that scrolls and displays device information in a form that can be analyzed by the management server 50, such as text information or encrypted one-dimensional or two-dimensional code.

[0026] The output information generating unit 242 adds a start marker to the beginning of the generated video information, and an end marker to the end of the video information.

[0027] The output control unit 243 repeatedly displays the video information constituting the generated information file as output information from the output unit 23 (S3). The output control unit 243 repeatedly displays this video information on the output unit 23 under display conditions that enable the management server 50 to acquire device information from the imaging information obtained by capturing this video information. For example, the output control unit 243 displays this video information such that the playback speed of the information displayed in the video information is within a predetermined speed range.

[0028] The information generated by the output information generating unit 242 does not have to be a video file, but may be information for scrolling information including device information, such as a start marker, text information or multiple two-dimensional codes including device information, and an end marker. In this case, the output control unit 243 causes the output unit 23 to continuously scroll the start marker, multiple two-dimensional codes composed of device information, and an end marker.

[0029] When the display of the video information on the output unit 23 starts, the worker uses the imaging unit 31 of the worker terminal 30 to continuously capture the video information output to the output unit 23 for a preset time period, for example, 10 seconds. The capture time of this video information is set in advance by an air conditioning equipment information acquisition program pre-installed in the worker terminal 30 so that information from the start marker to the end marker of the video information output from the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20 can be continuously acquired. The imaging unit 31 may automatically capture the video information for the time period set under the control of the second CPU 34 when the worker performs a predetermined capture start operation on the touch panel 33.

[0030] The information reading unit 341 acquires, as read information, image information obtained by the imaging unit 31 capturing the video information displayed on the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20 (S4). The read information transmission control unit 342 transmits the read information acquired by the information reading unit 341 to the management server 50 (S5).

[0031] Here, by making the video information generated by the output information generating unit 242 to be video information that continuously and sequentially scrolls and displays a plurality of two-dimensional codes, the worker can perform the shooting work while recognizing the movement of the output video information. In this case, it is not necessary to complicate the operation, display, and detection functions in the application of the worker terminal 30, and it is possible to obtain the necessary information by a simple shooting application. Therefore, the worker may create a video file by shooting for a certain period of time using a general-purpose video shooting application, without performing an operation to launch a dedicated maintenance application, and upload the video file to the management server 50.

[0032] If the second communication unit 32 is unable to communicate with the management server 50 when the information reading unit 341 reads the information, the read information transmission control unit 342 may temporarily retain the read information acquired by the information reading unit 341 and transmit it after communication with the management server 50 becomes possible.

[0033] In the management server 50, the read information acquisition unit 521 acquires the imaging information, which is the read information transmitted from the worker terminal 30. The analysis unit 522 analyzes the imaging information acquired by the read information acquisition unit 521 to acquire partial imaging information from any start marker to the next end marker in the shooting information, and acquires equipment information related to the air conditioning equipment 10 included in the acquired partial imaging information as analysis information (S6).

[0034] The maintenance information generating unit 523 generates maintenance management information for the air conditioning equipment 10 based on the analysis information acquired by the analysis unit 522. The maintenance information generating unit 523 generates the maintenance management information including, for example, failure prediction information generated based on the history of the operating status for a predetermined period in the past, a guide for updating equipment, and guidance for inspection processing.

[0035] The management information transmission control unit 524 transmits the maintenance management information generated by the maintenance information generation unit 523 to the worker terminal 30 (S7). In the worker terminal 30, the display control unit 343 acquires the maintenance management information transmitted from the management server 50 and displays it on the touch panel 33. The worker visually checks the maintenance management information displayed on the touch panel 33 and performs maintenance management work.

[0036] According to the above embodiment, even if the air conditioning equipment is not communicatively connected to a remote management server, the management server can appropriately acquire information about the air conditioning equipment, generate maintenance management information, and provide it to the worker terminal.

[0037] In this air conditioning equipment management system 1, the worker terminal 30 only needs to have the function of reading output information from the remote controller 20 and transmitting it to the management server 50, so it can be configured using a general-purpose smart device, etc., and maintenance management information can be provided to the worker through processing that places a low load on the worker terminal.

[0038] In the above-described embodiment, the remote controller 20 generates video information with a start marker added to the beginning and an end marker added to the end as an information file including device information acquired from the air conditioning equipment 10, and outputs the generated video information by repeatedly displaying it. The worker terminal 30 captures the video information output from the output unit 23 for a period of time that allows continuous acquisition of information from any start marker to any end marker in the video information. The management server 50 acquires partial video information from any start marker to the next end marker in the captured information, and acquires information about the air conditioning equipment 10 included in the acquired partial video information.

[0039] By having each device execute processing in this manner, the management server 50 can efficiently and reliably acquire information regarding the air conditioning equipment 10, and generate accurate maintenance information based on the acquired information and provide it to the worker terminal.

[0040] In the above-described embodiment, the imaging unit 31 of the worker terminal 30 captures the video information output to the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20 for a preset period of time. However, the imaging unit 31 may have a function for detecting a start marker and an end marker in the video information, and may capture partial video information from the position of the start marker to the position of the end marker in the video information.

[0041] By having the imaging unit 31 perform the photographing process in this manner, the analysis unit 522 of the management server 50 does not need to perform the process of acquiring partial imaging information from the imaging information, and the processing load of the analysis unit 522 can be reduced.

[0042] In the above embodiment, the information file generated by the output information generating unit 242 of the remote controller 20 is configured with image information or video information including device information, but is not limited to this. The information file generated by the output information generating unit 242 may be configured with information that can be read by the worker terminal 30 and analyzed by the management server 50, such as an optical signal for outputting information using light as a medium, or an audio signal for outputting information using sound as a medium.

[0043] When the information file is composed of an optical signal, for example, a blinking LED signal, the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20 is composed of an LED lamp, and the worker terminal 30 captures the blinking optical signal output from this LED lamp and transmits the captured image information to the management server 50. In this case, the management server 50 analyzes the captured image information and acquires information related to the air conditioning equipment 10 from the blinking optical signal.

[0044] Furthermore, when the information file is composed of a sound signal, for example an intermittent buzzer sound, the output unit 23 of the remote controller 20 is composed of a speaker device, and the worker terminal 30 records the buzzer sound signal output from this speaker device and transmits the recorded audio information to the management server 50. In this case, the management server 50 analyzes the acquired audio information to acquire information related to the air conditioning equipment 10. When the information file is composed of a sound signal, the communication load when transmitting read information from the worker terminal 30 to the management server 50 can be reduced compared to when the information file is composed of image information or video information.

[0045] Also, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which one air conditioning equipment 10 is connected to the remote controller 20, and the remote controller 20 generates and outputs output information including equipment information of this one air conditioning equipment 10. However, this is not limited to this, and the remote controller 20 may be configured as a centralized remote controller to which multiple air conditioning equipment are connected, an equipment information acquisition unit of this centralized remote controller acquires equipment information from these multiple air conditioning equipment, and an output information generation unit may generate and output output information including equipment information related to one equipment item, a portion of multiple equipment items, or all of the equipment items among the multiple equipment items.

[0046] In this case, the worker terminal 30 may obtain information on the number of air conditioning devices corresponding to the output information through the worker's operation, etc., and the information reading unit 341 of the worker terminal 30 may change the setting of the shooting time of the video information according to the obtained information. By changing the setting of the shooting time of the video information in this way, the information reading unit 341 can reliably read the equipment information of all air conditioning devices even when the number of air conditioning devices increases, the amount of equipment information output from the centralized remote controller increases, and the playback time of the generated video information becomes longer.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the managed object of the facility equipment management system is air conditioning equipment has been described, but this is not limited thereto, and similar processing may be executed with other facility equipment as the managed object.

[0048] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, this embodiment is presented as an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. This new embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. This embodiment and its modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1...air conditioning equipment management system, 10...air conditioning equipment, 20...remote controller (facility equipment output device), 21...first communication unit, 22...input unit, 23...output unit, 24...first CPU, 30...operator terminal, 31...imaging unit, 32...second communication unit, 33...touch panel, 34...second CPU, 40...wide area communication network, 50...management server (remote management device), 51...third communication unit, 52...third CPU, 241...equipment information acquisition unit, 242...output information generation unit, 243...output control unit, 341...information reading unit, 342...read information transmission control unit, 343...display control unit, 521...read information acquisition unit, 522...analysis unit, 523...maintenance information generation unit, 524...management information transmission control unit

Claims

1. A facility equipment output device connected to the facility equipment, a worker terminal carried by a worker who performs maintenance management of the facility equipment, and a remote management device communicably connected to the worker terminal, The facility equipment output device includes: an output unit that outputs information; a device information acquisition unit that acquires device information related to the facility equipment from the facility equipment; an output information generating unit that generates output information including the device information acquired by the device information acquiring unit; an output control unit that repeatedly outputs the output information from the output unit; The worker terminal includes: An information reading unit that reads output information output from the output unit of the facility equipment output device, The remote management device includes: The facility equipment management system has an analysis unit that acquires and analyzes the read information read by the information reading unit of the worker terminal, thereby acquiring the equipment information as analysis information.

2. the output information generating unit of the facility equipment output device adds a start marker to a beginning position of the output information and adds an end marker to an end position of the output information; 2. The facility equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein the analysis unit of the remote management device acquires information from any start marker to the next end marker in the read information read by the information reading unit of the worker terminal, and analyzes the acquired information to acquire the analysis information.

3. 3. The facility equipment management system according to claim 2, wherein the information reading unit of the worker terminal continuously executes a process of acquiring the output information for a preset period of time so as to be able to continuously read information from any start marker to the next end marker in the information output from the output unit of the facility equipment output device.

4. the output information generating unit of the facility equipment output device adds a start marker to a beginning position of the output information and adds an end marker to an end position of the output information; The facility equipment management system according to claim 1 , wherein the information reading unit of the operator terminal continuously reads information from any start marker to a next end marker in the information output from the output unit of the facility equipment output device.

5. The output information generation unit of the facility equipment output device generates text information or a plurality of two-dimensional codes including the equipment information as the output information, the output control unit continuously scrolls and displays the start marker, the output information, and the end marker; The facility equipment management system according to claim 4 , wherein the information reading unit of the operator terminal reads the output information output from the output unit of the facility equipment output device by photographing the output information as video information.

6. The facility equipment output device is connected to a plurality of facility equipment, the device information acquisition unit acquires the device information from each of the plurality of facility devices; The facility equipment management system according to claim 1 , wherein the output information generation unit generates output information including equipment information relating to one facility equipment, a part of a plurality of facility equipment, or all of the facility equipment among the plurality of facility equipment.

7. 2. The facility equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein the information acquisition unit of the worker terminal continuously executes a process of acquiring the output information for a period of time set according to the number of facility equipment corresponding to the output information generated by the output information generation unit.

8. The remote management device includes: a maintenance information generation unit that generates maintenance management information for the facility equipment based on the analysis information acquired by the analysis unit; The facility equipment management system according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmission control unit that transmits the maintenance management information generated by the maintenance information generation unit to the operator terminal.

9. The facility equipment management system according to claim 1 , wherein the output information is constituted by display information, an optical signal, or an audio signal.

10. The facility equipment management system according to claim 1 , wherein the output information includes, as information related to the facility equipment, at least one of specification information, an abnormality occurrence status, and operating status information of the facility equipment.

11. a communication device connected to the facility equipment and connected to a remote management device via a worker terminal carried by a worker who performs maintenance management of the facility equipment; an output unit that outputs information; a device information acquisition unit that acquires device information related to the facility equipment from the facility equipment; an output information generating unit that generates output information including the device information acquired by the device information acquiring unit; an output control unit that repeatedly outputs the output information from the output unit so that the output information can be read by the worker terminal, in order to cause the worker terminal to provide the equipment information to the remote management device.

12. a facility equipment output device that is communicatively connected to a facility equipment output device carried by a worker who performs maintenance management of the facility equipment and that reads equipment information related to the facility equipment that is repeatedly output from the facility equipment output device that is communicatively connected to the facility equipment; The remote management device includes an analysis unit that acquires and analyzes the read information read by the operator terminal, thereby acquiring the equipment information as analysis information.

13. an equipment output device that is communicatively connected to the equipment and to a remote management device via an operator terminal carried by an operator who performs maintenance management of the equipment, and has an output unit that outputs information; Acquire device information relating to the facility equipment from the facility equipment; Generate output information including the acquired device information; a facility equipment management method for causing the output information to be repeatedly output from the output unit so as to be read by the worker terminal, in order to cause the worker terminal to provide the equipment information to the remote management device;

Images