Home appliance management system and home appliance management program

Abstract

The challenge is to provide appropriate information when malfunctions occur with home appliances, thereby enabling appropriate responses to these problems. [Solution] A home appliance management system for assisting in dealing with malfunctions detected in home appliances includes: an error information identification unit that identifies malfunction information including the type of malfunction; a service subscription status determination unit that determines the subscription status of a predetermined maintenance service for the home appliance to deal with the malfunction; a guidance information creation unit that, if it is determined that the home appliance is subscribed to the maintenance service, creates guidance information including the malfunction information and subscription status information indicating the subscription status of the maintenance service; and a display unit that displays the malfunction information and the subscription status information on the same screen.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for managing household appliances. In particular, it relates to a technology for notifying the provision of information related to household appliances.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, various household appliances are used in households and the like. In addition, there is a demand for providing users with information related to household appliances. For example, there is a demand for providing information about problems such as deterioration, failure, and abnormality.

[0003] Regarding the provision of such information related to household appliances, Patent Document 1 that presents advice on operation information has been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses that "a network system includes a household appliance, a server, and a communication terminal. The household appliance has a control unit for controlling an operation state, an information setting unit for setting information according to the current state of the control unit, and a transmission unit for transmitting the setting result of the information to the outside via a communication line. The communication terminal displays specific advice according to the one corresponding to the transmission result of the information from the household appliance among a plurality of data of the server."

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Here, malfunctions in home appliances range from those that are easy for the average user to deal with to those that are extremely difficult. For example, if more laundry is put into a washing machine than its capacity allows, the user can fix it, but a sensor malfunction requires the expertise of a specialist, such as replacing the sensor. However, Patent Document 1 does not adequately address such cases. In particular, it did not consider how to deal with malfunctions that are difficult for the average user to resolve.

[0006] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to provide appropriate information when a malfunction occurs in a home appliance, thereby enabling appropriate action against the malfunction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention displays information about the malfunction, including the type of malfunction, and information about the status of the warranty service subscription for the malfunction, on the same screen when a malfunction occurs in a home appliance. Note that "same screen" means that this information is physically contained within a single screen, as well as that it can be displayed by scrolling. Furthermore, the malfunction includes errors, and the malfunction information includes error codes.

[0008] More specifically, In a home appliance management system designed to assist in addressing malfunctions detected in home appliances, An error information identification unit that identifies defect information including the type of defect, A service subscription status determination unit for determining the status of a user of the home appliance's subscription to a predetermined warranty service for the home appliance in order to address the aforementioned malfunction, The home appliance management system has a display unit that, when it is determined that the user is subscribed to the warranty service, displays guidance information including the defect information and subscription status information indicating the status of subscription to the warranty service on the same screen.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention also includes programs for enabling user terminals and home appliance management devices to function as computers, as well as storage media for storing these programs. Moreover, a method for managing home appliances using these is also an embodiment of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, even if a malfunction occurs in a home appliance, it becomes possible to appropriately address the malfunction by providing appropriate information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a system configuration diagram of a home appliance management system in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a hardware configuration diagram of a user terminal 1 in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a functional block diagram of home appliance 2 in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a hardware configuration diagram of a home appliance management device 3 in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a hardware configuration diagram of the warranty service management device 6 in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This figure shows user management information 341 and 631 used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This figure shows home appliance management information 342 used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This figure shows contract information 632 used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows support information 71 used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10A] This is a flowchart (part 1) showing the processing flow in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10B] This is a flowchart (part 2) showing the processing flow in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11A]It is a diagram showing a display screen 180 performing alert display in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11B] It is a diagram showing a display screen 180 displaying guidance information in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11C] It is a diagram showing a display screen 180 displaying guidance information when the long-term maintenance service in one embodiment of the present invention expires. [Figure 11D] It is a diagram showing a display screen 180 displaying guidance information when not subscribing to the extended long-term maintenance service in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11E] It is a diagram showing a display screen 180 which is another example performing alert display in one embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, it realizes measures and responses (hereinafter simply referred to as measures) for problems occurring in one or more household appliances in the home. Note that the measures in this embodiment include inspections, maintenance (maintenance) accompanying inspections, cleaning, repairs, replacements, etc. More preferably, a measure means that the problem is resolved by that measure.

[0013] <Configuration> First, the configuration of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a household appliance management system in this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the household appliance management system includes a user terminal 1 that can be realized by a computer, a household appliance management device 3, and a warranty service management device 6, and these are connected to household appliances 2 such as a microwave oven 21, a washing machine 22, and a refrigerator 23 via a router 4 and a network 5. Further, the network 5 is further connected to a service support system 7 for providing measures (services) such as repairs for the household appliances 2 via the network 5 Also, the user terminal

[0014] First, the user terminal 1 is used to manage home appliances 2 such as microwave ovens 21, washing machines 22, and refrigerators 23, and can be implemented using a computer such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, or PC. For this purpose, the user terminal 1 has a communication unit 10, an operational data collection unit 11, an error information identification unit 12, a service subscription status determination unit 13, a guidance information creation unit 14, a linkage unit 15, a repair request unit 16, an input unit 17, a display unit 18, and a storage unit 19.

[0015] First, the communication unit 10 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the router 4 and network 5. The operation data collection unit 11 collects operation data notified by the home appliance 2. This operation data includes an error code that identifies a malfunction detected by the home appliance 2. Here, the error code in this embodiment is identification information that identifies an error, which is an example of a malfunction, and is an example of malfunction information that indicates the type of malfunction. The operation data collection unit 11 can also collect operation data periodically, especially at regular intervals (for example, periodically) or when a malfunction is detected. Note that the operation data collection unit 11 may be omitted, and home appliances 2 such as the microwave oven 21, washing machine 22, and refrigerator 23 may actively collect operation data.

[0016] Furthermore, the error information identification unit 12 identifies error information corresponding to the error code collected from the home appliance 2. Here, error information refers to information about a malfunction detected by the home appliance 2, and can include, for example, the error content indicating the nature of the malfunction, the impact of the malfunction, and the method of dealing with the malfunction. The error information identification unit 12 then determines whether the error code is a "minor error code" that can be addressed, i.e., improved, through user maintenance, or a "major error code" that is impossible or difficult to improve.

[0017] Furthermore, the service subscription status determination unit 13 determines the user's subscription status to a predetermined warranty service for the home appliance 2 to address malfunctions. Warranty services refer to various services that include addressing malfunctions of the home appliance, and include so-called long-term maintenance services and manufacturer warranty services (standard warranties) that are normally provided for a predetermined period, such as one year. It is desirable that these warranty services be provided by the manufacturer that manages error information, but they may also be provided by mass retailers in cooperation with the manufacturer, or the user may enter into a contract with a manufacturer's affiliate or an independent warranty company to obtain a warranty. The warranty company and the manufacturer should share information about the home appliance. In addition, long-term maintenance services also include services referred to by other names, such as extended services.

[0018] Furthermore, the guidance information creation unit 14 creates guidance information about the malfunction for the user according to the determination result of the service subscription status determination unit 13. Preferably, if the guidance information creation unit 14 determines that the user is subscribed to a predetermined warranty service, it creates guidance information containing error information and information about the warranty service subscription status. Preferably, the predetermined service is an optional service such as a long-term maintenance service. In addition, the guidance information may include a request area for requesting action regarding the malfunction, such as a request button.

[0019] The collaboration unit 15 coordinates with service providers to address the malfunction according to the acquired error code. This coordination includes making malfunction-related information, such as guidance information and support information, available to service providers. Making malfunction-related information available includes notifying or making this information accessible to the service support system 7 used by the service provider.

[0020] Furthermore, the repair request unit 16 requests action regarding the malfunction detected in the home appliance 2. To this end, the repair request unit 16 creates request information and notifies it via the communication unit 10.

[0021] The input unit 17 accepts various operations, such as repair request instructions. The display unit 18 displays various information, such as guidance information. The input unit 17 and the display unit 18 can be configured as a single unit. Furthermore, the storage unit 19 stores various information used in processing by the error information identification unit 12, the service subscription status determination unit 13, and the like.

[0022] Note that the error information identification unit 12 to the linkage unit 15 can be omitted as they are installed in the home appliance management device 3 and the warranty service management device 6. Conversely, if the error information identification unit 12 to the linkage unit 15 are installed in the user terminal 1, they can be omitted in the home appliance management device 3 and the warranty service management device 6.

[0023] Here, we will describe one implementation example of the user terminal 1. Figure 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the user terminal 1 in this embodiment. In Figure 2, the user terminal 1 has a touch panel 101, a processing unit 102, a communication device 103, and a storage device 104, which are connected to each other via a communication path.

[0024] First, the touch panel 101 serves as both the input unit 17 and the display unit 18 in Figure 1, accepting user instructions and operations, and displaying various information. The touch panel 101 may also be configured as separate input and output devices. Furthermore, the processing unit 102 can be implemented using a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and performs calculations according to the home appliance management program 105 (integrated application) stored in the storage device 104, which will be described later.

[0025] The home appliance management program 105 is composed of, according to its function, an operational data collection module 106, an error information identification module 107, a service subscription status determination module 108, a guidance information creation module 109, a linkage module 110, and a repair request module 111. Note that each of these modules may be implemented as an individual program or a combination of some of them.

[0026] Here, the configuration shown in Figure 1, which performs the same function as each module, is as follows: Operation data collection module 106: Operation data collection unit 11 Error information identification module 107: Error information identification unit 12 Service subscription status determination module 108: Service subscription status determination unit 13 Guide information creation module 109: Guide information creation unit 14 Linkage module 110: Linkage unit 15 Repair request module 111: Repair request section 16 Therefore, the processing unit 102 will execute the operations of the operation data collection unit 11, the error information identification unit 12, the service subscription status determination unit 13, the guidance information creation unit 14, the coordination unit 15, and the repair request unit 16 in accordance with the home appliance management program 105.

[0027] Furthermore, the storage device 104 stores the home appliance management program 105, user management information 191, home appliance management information 192, contract information 193, and support information 194. Here, the home appliance management program 105 may be a program for managing home appliances 2, or it may consist of multiple programs for each home appliance. In the latter case, management programs for the microwave oven 21, washing machine 22, and refrigerator 23 will be used.

[0028] The home appliance management information 192, contract information 193, and support information 194 will be described later in the <Information> section. The storage device 104 may be implemented as a main memory such as memory and a secondary memory (storage medium) which is a so-called storage device. The secondary memory may be implemented as an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), memory card, etc. Furthermore, at least a portion of the home appliance management program 105, user management information 191, home appliance management information 192, contract information 193, and support information 194 can be omitted. This can be maintained by the home appliance management device 3 described later. In addition, at least a portion of the modules (functions) of the home appliance management program 105 may be provided in the home appliance management device 3.

[0029] Next, we will describe one or more home appliances 2 that are managed in this embodiment. Home appliances 2 are assumed to be used in one area (for example, within a home). In this embodiment, home appliances 2 include a microwave oven 21, a washing machine 22, and a refrigerator 23. However, these are examples, some of them can be omitted, and additional home appliances may be added. Each of these home appliances is preferably equipped with various functions such as cooking, washing, and freezing, as well as communication functions such as short-range wireless communication, but these are not necessarily required. In Figure 1, they are shown as home appliances 2, but any one of the home appliances 2 or home appliances 2 other than those exemplified here may be managed.

[0030] Here, we will describe the configuration of home appliance 2. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of home appliance 2 in this embodiment. This block diagram is representative of each home appliance 2. As shown in Figure 2, home appliance 2 has a control unit 201, a communication unit 208, a display and operation unit 209, an operating unit 210, and a sensor 211. These are connected to each other via a communication path. The following describes each component.

[0031] First, the control unit 201 includes a control signal creation unit 202, an operation data acquisition unit 203, an error information identification unit 204, a guidance information creation unit 205, a linkage unit 206, and a repair request unit 207. First, the control signal creation unit 202 creates and outputs control signals to realize the functions of the home appliance 2, such as washing, and controls the operation of the home appliance 2. The operation data acquisition unit 203 acquires operation data related to the operation of the home appliance 2, including error codes indicating malfunctions of the home appliance 2. Here, the operation data acquisition unit 203 acquires operation data from the operation unit 210, the sensor 211, or the control signal creation unit 202. The operation data may include error codes, operation data of the home appliance 2 (operating time, operating details), environment (temperature, etc.), events related to the start of use, etc. However, the operation data acquisition unit 203 may be configured to acquire error codes only.

[0032] Furthermore, the error information identification unit 204 to the repair request unit 207 can perform the same functions as the error information identification unit 12 to the repair request unit 16. Therefore, either one of these can be omitted. The control unit 201 can be implemented with an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), and each part of the control signal creation unit 202 to the repair request unit 207 can be implemented with dedicated hardware or software such as programs. Furthermore, the communication unit 208 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the router 4 and network 5. The communication unit 208 also outputs operational data such as acquired error codes and receives control commands and instructions to collect operational data including error codes from user terminals such as 1. The display and operation unit 209 receives operations on the home appliance from the user and outputs information related to malfunctions such as error codes, operational status, and guidance information for the home appliance 2.

[0033] Furthermore, the operating unit 210 performs various functions according to the control from the control unit 201. For this purpose, control signals created by the control signal creation unit 202 are used. The functions to be performed include heating, washing, and freezing, and can be implemented using heaters, motors, actuators, compressors, etc. In addition, the sensor 211 measures the usage status and / or operating status of the home appliance 2, including any malfunctions that occur. The operating data acquisition unit 203 then acquires the measured results and can detect malfunctions, etc. The sensor 211 can be implemented using, for example, a temperature sensor, an illuminance sensor, or a camera.

[0034] In this embodiment, since the identification of error information, creation of guidance information, and display thereof are performed by the home appliance management system (user terminal 1 or home appliance management device 3), at least one of the above-mentioned error information identification unit 204 to repair request unit 207 can be omitted. However, at least some of these processes performed by the home appliance management system may be performed by the home appliance 2. In this case, the corresponding component (unit) of the control unit 201 will perform the identification of error information, etc. Furthermore, the guidance information created by the home appliance management system may be displayed by the display operation unit 209.

[0035] This concludes the explanation of Figure 3, and we will now return to the explanation of Figure 1. The home appliance management device 3 is used to manage the home appliance 2 and can be implemented using a computer such as a server or cloud. For this purpose, the home appliance management device 3 has a communication unit 30, an operation data collection unit 31, an error information identification unit 32, a cooperation unit 33, and a storage unit 34.

[0036] First, the communication unit 30 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the network 5. As a result, the home appliance management device 3 can communicate with the user terminal 1 and the home appliance 2. In addition, the operation data collection unit 31 implements the same functions as the operation data collection unit 11, and it is sufficient for at least one of the operation data collection unit 31 or the operation data collection unit 11 to be present. Similarly, the error information identification unit 32 and the linking unit 33 implement the same functions as the error information identification unit 12 and the linking unit 15, respectively, and it is sufficient for at least one of them to be present.

[0037] Furthermore, the storage unit 34 stores user management information 341 and home appliance management information 342. Note that the user management information 341 and home appliance management information 342 are essentially the same in content as the user management information 191 and home appliance management information 342 stored in the user terminal 1, and one of them may be omitted. Also, considering the resources of the user terminal 1, the information may be compressed or simplified. These pieces of information will be described later in the <Information> section.

[0038] Here, we will describe one implementation example of the home appliance management device 3. Figure 4 is a hardware configuration diagram of the home appliance management device 3 in this embodiment. In Figure 4, the home appliance management device 3 has a processing unit 301, a communication device 302, a memory 303, and a sub-storage device 304, which are connected to each other via a communication path.

[0039] First, the processing unit 301 can be implemented using a processor such as a CPU, and it performs calculations according to the home appliance management program 305 stored in the sub-memory 304, which will be described later. The home appliance management program 305 will be described later.

[0040] Furthermore, the communication device 302 corresponds to the communication unit 30 in Figure 1, connects to the network 5, and communicates with other devices.

[0041] Furthermore, the memory 303 and the sub-storage device 304 correspond to the storage unit 34 in Figure 1. The memory 303 stores the home appliance management program 305 and information used for processing by the processing unit 301, which are stored in the sub-storage device 304. The sub-storage device 304 can be implemented as a so-called storage device and stores the home appliance management program 305, user management information 341, and home appliance management information 342. The sub-storage device 304 may also be implemented as an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), memory card, or other storage medium, or it may be implemented as a separate device from the home appliance management device 3, such as a file server.

[0042] Here, the home appliance management program 305 consists of an operational data collection module 306, an error information identification module 307, and a linkage module 308. Note that each of these modules may be implemented as an individual program or in some combinations thereof.

[0043] Here, the configuration shown in Figure 1, which performs the same function as each module, is as follows: Operation data collection module 306: Operation data collection unit 31 Error information identification module 307: Error information identification unit 32 Linkage module 308: Linkage unit 33 Therefore, the processing unit 301 will execute the operations of the operation data collection unit 31, the error information identification unit 32, and the cooperation unit 33 in accordance with the home appliance management program 305.

[0044] Furthermore, since the home appliance management program 305 and the home appliance management program 105 perform some of the same calculations, it is sufficient that at least one of the overlapping configurations exists. In other words, even if there are overlapping modules that make up these programs, it is sufficient that at least one of them exists. In addition, each module that makes up the home appliance management program 305 may be implemented as a program composed of independent modules or combinations thereof.

[0045] This concludes the explanation of Figure 4, and we will now return to the explanation of Figure 1. Router 4 has the function of connecting each device, and it is desirable that it be installed on the same premises as the home appliance 2. Note that Router 4 can be omitted or replaced with other communication devices. Network 5 is a communication network such as the Internet or a public telephone network.

[0046] Furthermore, the warranty service management device 6 connects to other devices B, such as the user terminal 1, via the network 5. The warranty service management device 6 also manages the subscription status of long-term maintenance services as an example of selective warranty services. For this purpose, the warranty service management device 6 has a communication unit 60, a service subscription status determination unit 61, a subscription status information creation unit 62, and a storage unit 63. The communication unit 60 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the network 5.

[0047] Furthermore, the service subscription status determination unit 61 uses the user management information 631 and contract information 632 in the storage unit 63 to determine whether the user in question is subscribed to the long-term maintenance service, using the same processing as the service subscription status determination unit 13.

[0048] Furthermore, the subscription status information creation unit 62 creates subscription status information including the identified warranty service and its warranty details. The storage unit 63 stores user management information 631, which is information about the user of the home appliance 2, and contract information 632, which is information indicating the warranty details of the warranty service that the user can enjoy. User management information 631 and contract information 632 will be described later in the <Information> section.

[0049] Here, we will describe one implementation example of the warranty service management device 6. Figure 5 is a hardware configuration diagram of the warranty service management device 6 in this embodiment. In Figure 5, the warranty service management device 6 has a processing unit 601, a communication device 602, a memory 603, and a sub-storage device 604, which are connected to each other via a communication path.

[0050] First, the processing unit 601 can be implemented using a processor such as a CPU, and it performs calculations according to the warranty service management program 605 stored in the secondary memory device 604, which will be described later. The warranty service management program 605 will be described later.

[0051] Furthermore, the communication device 602 corresponds to the communication unit 60 in Figure 1, connects to the network 5, and communicates with other devices.

[0052] Furthermore, the memory 603 and the secondary storage device 604 correspond to the storage unit 63 in Figure 1. The memory 603 stores the warranty service management program 605 and information used for processing by the processing unit 601, which are stored in the secondary storage device 604. The secondary storage device 604 can be implemented as a so-called storage device and stores the warranty service management program 605, user management information 631, and contract information 632. The secondary storage device 604 may also be implemented as an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), memory card, or other storage medium, or it may be implemented as a separate device from the warranty service management device 6, such as a file server.

[0053] Here, the warranty service management program 605 consists of a service subscription status determination module 606 and a subscription status information creation module 607. Note that each of these modules may be implemented as an individual program or a combination of some of them.

[0054] Here, the configuration shown in Figure 1, which performs the same function as each module, is as follows: Service subscription status determination module 606: Service subscription status determination unit 61 Membership status information creation module 607: Membership status information creation unit 62 Therefore, the processing unit 601 will execute the processing of the service subscription status determination unit 61 and the subscription status information creation unit 62 in accordance with the warranty service management program 605.

[0055] Furthermore, the warranty service management program 605 performs some of the same calculations as the home appliance management program 105, and for any overlapping configurations, it is sufficient for at least one of them to exist. In other words, for any overlapping modules that make up these programs, it is sufficient for at least one of them to exist. In addition, each module that makes up the home appliance management program 305 may be implemented as a program composed of independent modules or combinations of some modules.

[0056] This concludes the explanation of Figure 5, and we will now return to the explanation of Figure 1. The service support system 7 is a computer system for supporting services such as maintenance, and can be implemented as a business system for a service provider. The service support system 7 also connects to other devices such as the home appliance management device 3 via the network 5. The service provider may be a service center or maintenance department of a manufacturer that uses the home appliance management device 3, or it may be an independent company or other legal entity. The service support system 7 includes multiple PCs or other terminals used by workers, managers, etc., and has a database 70 that can be shared among them.

[0057] This database 70 stores information about malfunctions, such as support information 71. This information can be obtained through cooperation with the user terminal 1 and the home appliance management device 3. Note that the information about malfunctions, such as support information 71, in the database 70 may be omitted, and information from the home appliance management device 3 may be used instead. Furthermore, the service support system 7 may be implemented as a standalone computer (service support device), such as a PC. Alternatively, the functions of the service support system 7 may be provided to the home appliance management device 3, or the home appliance management device 3 may be connected via an intranet or the like, without using the network 5. This concludes the explanation of the configuration of this embodiment.

[0058] <Information> Next, the various types of information used in this embodiment will be described. Figure 6 shows the user management information 341 and 631 used in this embodiment. Since user management information 341 and user management information 631 can be implemented with the same content, the content of user management information 631 will also be described below. User management information 341 is information about the user of home appliance 2. As shown in Figure 5, user management information 341 has the following items for each user: address, contact information, owned home appliances, operation data, and warranty service subscription status. Here, the user can be any information that identifies the user in question. The address and contact information are those of the user in question and can be omitted. Furthermore, owned home appliances are information that identifies the home appliance owned or used by the user in question, that is, home appliance 2. More preferably, the device ID that identifies the individual owned home appliance and / or the model number, which is an example of model information that identifies the type, are recorded.

[0059] Here, the user field can use a user ID that identifies the user or service, such as the membership number of the user of appliance 2. The supported appliance field includes the device ID and / or model number of appliance 2 where the malfunction was detected. Alternatively, the model number of the owned appliance may be used, and together with the user ID, appliance 2 may be identified.

[0060] Furthermore, the operational data is the operational data of the relevant home appliance 2 collected by the operational data collection unit 31, and includes error codes. In addition, the service subscription status indicates the user's warranty service for the relevant home appliance 2. It is desirable to use the identification information and validity period (for example, at least one of the start date and end date) of the subscribed warranty service for this warranty service. Note that the operational data may be managed as separate information from the user management information 341.

[0061] Note that the user management information 191 of user terminal 1 is the same type of information as user management information 341 and has similar items, but is limited to the relevant user. In addition, the user, address, and contact information in user management information 191 can be omitted.

[0062] Next, Figure 7 shows the home appliance management information 342 used in this embodiment. The home appliance management information 342 is information about errors for each type of home appliance. For this reason, the home appliance management information 342 has error code and error information items for each home appliance. Here, the home appliance item indicates the type of home appliance, i.e., the model number. The error code identifies a malfunction that may occur in the home appliance in question. In addition, error codes may be managed separately as critical error codes (Fxx in the figure) that indicate serious errors that are difficult for the user to deal with (requiring action by a maintenance company, etc.) and minor error codes (Cxx in the figure) that indicate minor errors that can be dealt with by the user.

[0063] Furthermore, the error information is information about malfunctions that may occur in the relevant home appliance. In this embodiment, the error information includes the error content, impact, and countermeasures, but any of these may be omitted. The error content indicates the nature of the malfunction indicated by the error code. The impact indicates the effect on the operation of home appliance 2 due to the malfunction indicated by the error code. Furthermore, the countermeasures indicate countermeasures to resolve the malfunction indicated by the error code. Note that these countermeasures indicate possible countermeasures and do not necessarily have to resolve the malfunction. Moreover, it is desirable that the countermeasures are countermeasures that the user can take. The home appliance management information 192 stored in the user terminal 1 has the same structure as the home appliance management information 342, but it may be information limited to home appliances 2 owned or used by the user.

[0064] Next, Figure 8 shows the contract information 632 used in this embodiment. The contract information 632 is information that indicates the warranty details of the warranty service that the user can enjoy. For this reason, in this embodiment, the contract information 632 has contract and warranty details items for each home appliance. Here, the home appliance items may be by model, or by type such as refrigerator. Furthermore, the contract information 632 may be items for each user, or it may be information that applies to all home appliances or is common to multiple home appliances.

[0065] Furthermore, the contract identifies the warranty service. The warranty details indicate the services that can be covered, i.e., the services that can be enjoyed, under the relevant warranty service. The contract information 193 stored in the user terminal 1 has a similar structure, but this may be omitted. In this embodiment, the user management information 631 and the contract information 632 are managed as separate pieces of information, but they may be managed as a single piece of information as contract management information. In this case, the address, contact information, and operational data of the user management information 631 are omitted, and the warranty service subscription status records the warranty details of the subscribed warranty service (including the warranty start date and end date).

[0066] Next, Figure 9 shows the support information 71 used in this embodiment. Support information 71 is information indicating how to deal with a malfunction detected in the home appliance 2. For this reason, support information 71 has the following items for each user: the supported home appliance, the error code, the status of the response, and the error content / solution method. Here, the user item can be a user ID that identifies the user or service, such as the membership number of the user of the home appliance 2 in which the malfunction was detected. In addition, the supported home appliance includes the equipment ID and / or model number of the home appliance 2 in which the malfunction was detected. Note that the model number may be used for the supported home appliance and used in conjunction with the user ID to identify home appliance 2.

[0067] The error code indicates a malfunction detected by appliance 2. The response status shows the status and details of the action taken to address the malfunction indicated by the error code. The error details / solution show the content of the error and the necessary action taken to address it.

[0068] Furthermore, the support information 194 for user terminal 1 has the same items as support information 71, but the user information is limited to the relevant user. Therefore, the user item can be omitted. In addition, the home appliance management device 3 may store the support information 71. Furthermore, the guidance information created from this support information 71 may also be included. This concludes the explanation of the various types of information used in this embodiment.

[0069] <Processing Flow> Next, the processing flow of this embodiment will be explained using Figures 10A, 10B, and 11A to 11E. Figures 10A and 10B are flowcharts of the processing flow in this embodiment. Figures 11A to 11E are diagrams showing the display screen in this embodiment. In the following explanation, the processing of the user terminal 1, the home appliance management device 3, and the warranty service management device 6 will be described using the configuration shown in Figure 1.

[0070] First, in step S1 of Figure 10A, the operating unit 210 of the home appliance 2 is operating. Note that operation of home appliance 2 is not mandatory, and the following steps may be performed when it is not operating. In step S2, the operation data acquisition unit 203 acquires operation data and detects a malfunction (error) that has occurred in any part of home appliance 2, such as the operating unit 210. The operation data acquisition unit 203 then identifies an error code indicating the detected malfunction. At this time, the display operation unit 209 may display the identified error code.

[0071] Furthermore, in step S3, the operational data acquisition unit 203 uses the communication unit 208 to notify the home appliance management device 3 of the error code, the device ID of home appliance 2, and the date and time the error occurred. In this case, the device ID is information that identifies the individual home appliance 2. Alternatively, the model number of home appliance 2 and a user ID that identifies the user may be used instead of the device ID. It is desirable that this notification be performed when an error is detected. However, when performing the notification of operational data, it may be performed in response to a communication request from the operational data collection unit 31, or it may be performed periodically.

[0072] Furthermore, in step S4, the communication unit 30 of the home appliance management device 3 receives the notified error code, device ID, and date and time of occurrence. If the home appliance 2 does not have a communication function, steps S2 to S4 are performed as follows. In step S2, the display operation unit 209 displays the identified error code. In response, the following process (1) or (2) is executed.

[0073] (1) The input unit 17 of the user terminal 1 receives an error code from the user. The communication unit 10 of the user terminal 1 then notifies the home appliance management device 3 of the received error code, which is then received by the home appliance management device 3.

[0074] (2) The camera on the user terminal 1 is used to capture the error code. The communication unit 10 also transmits this image data or the image recognition result (in code format) to the home appliance management device 3. Upon receiving this, the home appliance management device 3 performs image recognition on the image data to identify the error code.

[0075] For example, in cases where an error code is identified by the number of times an LED on the refrigerator door blinks, the user terminal 1's camera records a video, and the communication unit 10 transmits this video to the home appliance management device 3. Upon receiving this video, the home appliance management device 3 performs video recognition on the video data and identifies the error code.

[0076] Furthermore, in step S5, the error information identification unit 32 identifies the error information corresponding to the received error code from the home appliance management information 342. Also, in step S6, the error information identification unit 32 determines whether the error code is a "minor error code" that can be corrected by the user or a "serious error code" that is difficult to correct. This determination can be performed based on the content of the error code (for example, whether the error code contains C or F). The error information identification unit 32 then temporarily stores this result in a storage unit 34 such as memory 303.

[0077] Furthermore, in step S7, the error information identification unit 32 identifies the error information corresponding to the received error code using the home appliance management information 342. Then, in step S8, the error information identification unit 32 notifies the user terminal 1 of the identified error information via the communication unit 30.

[0078] In response, in step S9, the communication unit 10 of the user terminal 1 receives the notified error information. Then, in step S10, the guidance information creation unit 14 causes the display unit 18 to display an alert based on the error information. This alert informs the user that an error has occurred in the home appliance 2, and it is displayed as a pop-up on the display screen 180 of the display unit via push notification. The display screen 180 when it pops up can be any type, such as the lock screen or the home screen of the app (home appliance management program 105). In this embodiment, the expression "the ~ unit causes the display unit 18 to display" is used when referring to the display on the display unit 18 (including the display screen 180), but this also includes the display unit 18 displaying the content itself.

[0079] Here, an example of this alert display is shown in Figure 11A. Figure 11A is a diagram showing the display screen 180 that displays the alert in this embodiment. In Figure 11A, the display screen 180 shows an example where the alert is displayed on the home screen of the application.

[0080] In Figure 11A, the display screen 180 is the so-called home screen, and has a header area 181-1, an add button 181-2, a home appliance display area 181-3, a home appliance display area 181-4, a service information area 181-5, and a menu selection area 181-6, and also displays an alert display area 181-7.

[0081] First, the header area 181-1 displays the user's nickname, date and time, current location, weather, and other location information. The add button 181-2 is used to add appliances (icons) to the appliance display areas 181-3 and 181-4, which will be described later. When a user purchases a new appliance, they press the add button 181-2. In response to this operation, a registration screen is displayed. When the user performs the registration operation on the registration screen, this appliance is registered in the owned appliances section of the user management information 191 or user management information 341. As a result, for example, the appliance display area 181-4 (washing machine) is added to the appliance display area 181-3.

[0082] Furthermore, the appliance display areas 181-3 and 181-4 each display icons indicating the appliances owned by the user. It is also desirable to display the model numbers of the owned appliances in the appliance display areas 181-3 and 181-4, as shown in Figure 11A. Additionally, the service information area 181-5 displays service information related to household chores involving appliances, such as laundry, shopping, and recipes.

[0083] Furthermore, the menu selection area 181-6 is a display area for selecting the menu (screen) of the home appliance management program 105. In Figure 11A, icons for Home, Notifications, My Home Appliances List, Manufacturer Home Appliances Fan, and Support are shown as menus.

[0084] The Home icon is used to transition to the home screen, which is display screen 180 in Figure 11A. The Notification icon is used to transition to the Notification screen, which displays information about home appliances for the user. The My Home Appliances List icon is used to transition to the screen (management screen) for managing the user's home appliances 2 (owned home appliances).

[0085] Furthermore, the "Manufacturer Home Appliance Fan" icon is a display area that transitions to a screen providing users with various value-added information, such as lifestyle tips related to home appliances. In addition, the "Support" icon transitions to a support screen for services and support related to home appliances, including maintenance.

[0086] Furthermore, the alert display area 181-7 may display multiple types of banners, such as notifications from appliance operation data, notifications from the main unit software, and notifications of malfunctions detected in the appliance (washing machine). If a malfunction is detected in the appliance (washing machine), the error code will be included. The display priority for this alert display area 181-7 is set in advance. For example, important information for the user (e.g., appliance malfunction) can be set as display priority 1, and information on how to continue using the appliance comfortably by updating the main unit software can be set as display priority 2, and can be displayed until the update is completed. In addition, maintenance and general notifications can be set as display priority 3. In this example, the alert display area 181-7 shows that an error code is displayed for the washing machine in question, but it could also be expressed as "an error has occurred." The display of this alert display area 181-7 can be closed by selecting the "close button" in the upper right corner. However, if the error code is a "critical error code" that is difficult to correct, the display in the alert display area 181-7 may be maintained until the process to check the warranty service (from step S13 onwards, described below) is performed.

[0087] Furthermore, in step S11, if the result determined in step S6 is a "minor error code," the process proceeds to step S12. If it is a "major error code," the process proceeds to step S13. Note that step S6 may be omitted, and the error information identification unit 32 may determine the error code in step S12.

[0088] Furthermore, in step S12, the guidance information creation unit 14 displays the method for dealing with the problem that occurred with the "minor error code" on the display unit 18. For example, similar to Figure 11E, the method for dealing with the problem is displayed in the method explanation area 184-13 on the same screen as the alert display area 184-12.

[0089] Next, we will explain the steps from S13 onwards, which are executed when a "critical error code" is determined in step S11, using Figure 10B. First, in step S13, the guidance information creation unit 14 notifies the warranty service management device 6 of a warranty service inquiry via the communication unit 10. This warranty service inquiry is to confirm whether a warranty service exists for the malfunctioning home appliance and what its contents are, and includes the equipment ID. Alternatively, the user ID and the model number of the home appliance 2 may be used instead of, or in addition to, the equipment ID. It is preferable to use an extended warranty inquiry to confirm optional services, such as long-term maintenance services, as the warranty service inquiry. This is because while it is easy to determine the subscription status for a somewhat standardized manufacturer's warranty, such as one year from the date of purchase, optional services vary in subscription status and contents, making it difficult to make a uniform determination.

[0090] In step S14, the communication unit 60 of the warranty service management device 6 receives a warranty service inquiry. In step S15, the service subscription status determination unit 61 uses the received warranty service inquiry to confirm the warranty service for the malfunctioning home appliance 2.

[0091] In this case, the service subscription status determination unit 61 searches the user management information 631 using the equipment ID included in the warranty service inquiry as a key to identify the relevant warranty service from the service subscription status. Then, the service subscription status determination unit 61 identifies the content of the identified warranty service from the contract information 632. As a result, the warranty service and its content are identified. More preferably, in step S15, it is desirable to determine whether the user is subscribed to a predetermined warranty service, i.e., an optional warranty service such as Long-Term Maintenance Service A or Long-Term Maintenance Service B.

[0092] Then, in step S16, the subscription status information creation unit 62 creates subscription status information including the warranty service and its contents identified in step S15. This subscription status information includes the identification information and expiration date (preferably the end date) of the subscribed warranty service. Upon receiving this, in step S17, the subscription status information creation unit 62 notifies the user terminal 1 of the created subscription status information via the communication unit 60. The start date may also be included as the expiration date.

[0093] Furthermore, in step S18, the communication unit 10 of the user terminal 1 receives subscription status information. In step S19, the guidance information creation unit 14 creates guidance information using the error information received in step S9 and the subscription status information received in step S7. This guidance information includes the error information and subscription status information, but these may be reused as they are, or they may be customized by the guidance information creation unit 14. Also, the error information and subscription status information may be created by the user terminal 1, the home appliance management device 3, or the warranty service management device 6. For example, the error information may be created by the user terminal 1 and the subscription status information may be created by the warranty service management device 6.

[0094] In the following explanation, whether the information is reused or customized, the guidance information will be described as including error information and subscription status information. Here, the error information includes the type of malfunction, and the subscription status information indicates warranty services, including long-term maintenance services.

[0095] Then, in step S20, the guidance information creation unit 14 displays the guidance information created on the display unit 18. In other words, guidance information including error information including the type of malfunction and information on the subscription status of warranty services including long-term maintenance services is displayed.

[0096] Here, we will describe the display screen on which guidance information is displayed. Figure 11B is a diagram showing the display screen 180 that displays guidance information in this embodiment. In Figure 11B, the display screen 180 has an error information display area 182-1, a subscription status information display area 182-2, a supplementary explanation display area 182-3, a repair request area 182-4, and a consultation desk area 182-5.

[0097] First, the error information display area 182-1 is an area that displays error information, including an error code indicating the type of malfunction, which constitutes the guidance information. For this purpose, in the example in Figure 11B, the error information display area 182-1 has a reporting area 182-11, an alert display area 182-12, and a countermeasure explanation area 182-13. The reporting area 182-11 shows the appliance (model number) in which the malfunction (abnormality) was detected and the date and time it occurred. In this example, the model number of the appliance is shown, but the type of appliance, such as a washing machine, may also be shown.

[0098] Furthermore, the alert display area 182-12 shows the type of malfunction that occurred. In this example, the malfunction type is described as "abnormal vibration" and the error code is "F00". However, the malfunction type is not limited to these, and either the malfunction description or the error code may be used. In addition, the display content and format in the alert display area 182-12 may be changed for "minor error codes" and "major error codes". For example, in the case of a "major error code", a "!" mark may be added or a more conspicuous format such as a red background may be used. Furthermore, the response method explanation area 182-13 displays advice on how to respond to the malfunction that occurred.

[0099] Furthermore, the subscription status information display area 182-2 displays information about the subscription status of the warranty service for defects. In this example, the customer is subscribed to the long-term maintenance service, and the "warranty expiration date," which indicates the end date of the warranty period, is also displayed. The long-term maintenance service, also called the extended maintenance service, has a period of one year or more and is a service that can be applied even after the expiration of the so-called manufacturer's warranty service, which is effective immediately after purchase.

[0100] Furthermore, supplementary explanations regarding how to address malfunctions are displayed in the supplementary explanation display area 182-3. In addition, links for requesting repairs and contacting the consultation desk are displayed in the repair request area 182-4 and the consultation desk area 182-5, respectively. It is desirable that the consultation desk area 182-5 be a consultation desk area exclusively for subscribers of the long-term maintenance service.

[0101] In this example, the display screen 180 shows the error information display area 182-1, the subscription status information display area 182-2, the supplementary explanation display area 182-3, the repair request area 182-4, and the consultation desk area 182-5. However, the error information display area 182-1 and the subscription status information display area 182-2 may be displayed only to a limited extent.

[0102] The above example of a case where the long-term maintenance service is subscribed to has been explained using Figure 11B. Next, we will explain the case where the long-term maintenance service is not subscribed to or has expired. Figure 11C is a diagram showing a display screen 180 that displays guidance information when the long-term maintenance service has expired in this embodiment. In Figure 11C, the display screen 180 has an error information display area 183-1, a subscription status information display area 183-2, a supplementary explanation display area 183-3, a repair request area 183-4, and a consultation desk area 183-5. These are the same display areas as the error information display area 182-1, subscription status information display area 182-2, supplementary explanation display area 182-3, repair request area 182-4, and consultation desk area 182-5 in Figure 11A, respectively.

[0103] However, the subscription status information display area 183-2 also displays the "warranty expiration date," which indicates that the warranty period (service period) for the long-term maintenance service has ended. Furthermore, the contents of the subscription status information display area 183-2 are displayed in a less conspicuous manner (using lighter colors or shading) compared to the subscription status information display area 182-2.

[0104] Furthermore, when the subscription status information display area 183-2 is pressed by the user, the guidance information creation unit 14 may display details such as the guarantee information at the time of past long-term maintenance service subscriptions and the usage status of past long-term maintenance services on the display unit 18. To this end, the guidance information creation unit 14 may access the guarantee service management device 6 via the communication unit 10 and obtain detailed information from user management information 631 and contract information 632. Alternatively, the guidance information creation unit 14 may obtain the details from the subscription status information received in step S18. In such a case, the subscription status information display area 182-2 may be set to active display, and the subscription status information display area 183-2 may be set to inactive display to prevent the acquisition of detailed information. As described above, the subscription status information display area 183-2 is located in the same position on the display screen 180 as the subscription status information display area 182-2.

[0105] Furthermore, unlike the supplementary explanation display area 182-3, the supplementary explanation display area 183-3 indicates that repairs will be charged. In addition, the repair request area 183-4 also differs from the repair request area 182-4 in that it records a link for performing paid repairs (paid repairs).

[0106] Furthermore, the display screens 180 in Figures 11B and 11C may be displayed according to the user's specifications. In this case, the information creation unit 14 transitions the display to the display screens 180 in Figures 11B and 11C, provided that the "Notification" icon in the menu selection area 181-6 in Figure 11A is selected. In this case, it is desirable for the information creation unit 14 to display a notification mark (black circle) on the "Notification" icon, as shown in Figure 11A. With this display, the user can transition to the display screen 180 by selecting the "Notification" icon.

[0107] Next, we will describe the display screen 180 for cases where the user is not subscribed to the long-term maintenance service. Figure 11D is a diagram showing the display screen 180 that displays guidance information for cases where the user is not subscribed to the long-term maintenance service in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 11D, the display screen 180 has an error information display area 184-1, a supplementary explanation display area 184-2, a repair request area 184-3, and a consultation contact area 184-4. These are the same display areas as the error information display area 183-1, the supplementary explanation display area 183-3, the repair request area 183-4, and the consultation contact area 183-5. In other words, since the user is not subscribed to the long-term maintenance service, the subscription status information display area 183-2 is omitted. Furthermore, in Figure 11D, the supplementary explanation related to the long-term maintenance service is omitted.

[0108] This concludes the explanation of the display screen, and we will now return to the explanation of Figure 10B. In step S21, in response to instructions from the user, the system executes service request processing such as warranty linkage, repair, and maintenance. Specifically, the linkage unit 15 notifies the service support system 7 of information regarding malfunctions, such as guidance information and support information, via the communication unit 10. Furthermore, if the repair request area 184-3 is specified, the repair request unit 16 requests the service support system 7, via the communication unit 10, to take action regarding the malfunction detected in the home appliance 2. On the repair request screen accessed from the repair request area 184-3, the user can specify the details of an error, which is an example of a malfunction in the home appliance 2, and the date and time of its occurrence. Here, "specifiable" includes the fact that the user can input the information, that the information notified in step S3 and transferred from the home appliance management device 3 to the user terminal 1 is displayed and available for use, and that the user can edit the displayed date and time of occurrence.

[0109] Then, in step S22, the service support system 7 accepts warranty requests and service requests. In step S23, the support information 71 is updated. Then, in step S24, the service support system 7 executes service support processing to perform repairs for the malfunction. For example, the service support system 7 uses information identifying the user and / or home appliance, or malfunction identification information, included in the service request to identify and display information related to the malfunction. Based on this, maintenance personnel can then perform on-site repairs for the malfunction.

[0110] This concludes the explanation of the processing in this embodiment, but this processing may also be performed as follows. For example, if the consultation area 183-5 is specified in step S21, and the user is subscribed to the long-term maintenance service, a call may be made to the consultation center, or a screen for entering an email or message to the consultation center may be displayed. In addition, the display of the consultation area 183-5 in Figure 11C and the consultation area 184-4 in Figure 11D, which are used when the user is not subscribed to the long-term maintenance service or when the service has expired, may be omitted.

[0111] In addition, a different alert display may be shown than that in Figure 11B. Figure 11E shows a display screen 180, which is another example of an alert display in this embodiment. In Figure 11E, the display screen 180 has a home appliance selection area 185-1, a home appliance display area 185-2, and a menu selection area 185-3. First, the home appliance selection area 185-1 is an area that displays the selected home appliance, which is selected for display in the home appliance display area 185-2. In the example in Figure 11E, tabs for "All," "Refrigerator," "Washing Machine," "Microwave," and "Emergency Alert" are displayed. These indicate that the user can selectively display all home appliances, refrigerators, washing machines, microwaves, and alerts (emergency alerts) related to malfunctions of home appliances, respectively. In Figure 11E, "Washing Machine" is selected, so information about the washing machine and alerts related to the washing machine are displayed in the home appliance display area 185-2. If the user selects "All," all notifications for home appliances that have been notified so far are arranged in chronological order, and notifications related to home appliance alerts are also displayed among them. If a user has never received a malfunction notification for any of their home appliances, they may choose not to display the Emergency Alerts (Home Appliance Malfunction Notifications) tab.

[0112] The appliance display area 185-2 displays information about the selected washing machine. The upper left area of ​​the screen displays an alert, which is the most important information. This indicates that a washing machine error code is displayed. This is the same as the alert display area 181-7 in Figure 11A. For this reason, it may also display the occurrence of a malfunction itself. Other areas display reference information such as how to use the washing machine. In addition, the display "Connected" indicates that the washing machine is connected to the user terminal 1. In this case, the user terminal 1 can operate the washing machine. By displaying the alert in the position shown in Figure 11E and Figure 11A above, that is, at the top of the display screen 180, the user can intuitively and easily check for malfunctions. Furthermore, each display screen 180 in this embodiment may have a display area or button to encourage subscription to a long-term maintenance service. Also, if the user is subscribed to a long-term maintenance service and the manufacturer's warranty service is still valid, the subscription status information display area 182-2 may display the subscription status information for the long-term maintenance service and / or the manufacturer's warranty service.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the alert is displayed on the home screen of the home appliance management program 105. However, the alert may also be displayed on the lock screen or main screen (corresponding to the desktop screen when the user terminal 1 is started) of the user terminal 1. In this case as well, it is desirable that it be displayed at the top of the display screen 180. Note that the top of the display screen 180 means the part above the center of the display screen 180.

[0114] This concludes the description of this embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the above processing may be performed by the home appliance 2 alone or in cooperation with the user terminal 1, home appliance management device 3, or warranty service management device 6, or it may be performed by the user terminal 1, home appliance management device 3 or warranty service management device 6 alone. In particular, when performed by the home appliance management device 3 or warranty service management device 6, it is desirable to provide or connect input devices and output devices to them. Furthermore, the home appliance management device 3 and the warranty service management device 6 may be implemented as the same device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0115] 1...User terminal, 10...Communication unit, 11...Operation data collection unit, 12...Error information identification unit, 13...Service subscription status determination unit, 14...Guidance information creation unit, 15...Coordination unit, 16...Repair request unit, 17...Input unit, 18...Display unit, 19...Storage unit, 191...User management information, 192...Home appliance management information, 193...Contract information, 194...Support information, 2...Home appliances, 21...Microwave oven, 22...Washing machine, 23...Refrigerator, 201...Control unit, 202...Control signal creation unit, 203...Operation data acquisition unit, 204...Error information identification unit, 205...Guidance information Creation Unit, 206… Coordination Unit, 207… Repair Request Unit, 208… Communication Unit, 209… Display Operation Unit, 210… Operation Unit, 211… Sensor, 3… Home Appliance Management Device, 30… Communication Unit, 31… Operation Data Collection Unit, 32… Error Information Identification Unit, 33… Coordination Unit, 34… Storage Unit, 341… User Management Information, 342… Home Appliance Management Information, 4… Router, 5… Network, 6… Warranty Service Management Device, 60… Communication Unit, 61… Service Subscription Status Determination Unit, 62… Subscription Status Information Creation Unit, 7… Service Support System, 70… Database, 71… Support Information

Claims

1. In a home appliance management system designed to assist in addressing malfunctions detected in home appliances, An error information identification unit that identifies defect information including the type of defect, A service subscription status determination unit that determines the subscription status to a predetermined maintenance service for the home appliance in order to address the aforementioned malfunction, If it is determined that the home appliance is subscribed to the maintenance service, a guidance information creation unit creates guidance information including the malfunction information and subscription status information indicating the status of subscription to the maintenance service, A home appliance management system having a display unit that displays the aforementioned malfunction information and the aforementioned subscription status information on the same screen.

2. In the home appliance management system according to claim 1, The display unit is a home appliance management system that displays subscription status information created by the maintenance service management device and the guidance information on the same screen.

3. In the home appliance management system according to either claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned malfunction is an error in the aforementioned home appliance, and the aforementioned malfunction information is an error code that identifies the said error, in a home appliance management system.

4. In the home appliance management system described in claim 3, The display unit is a home appliance management system that displays the malfunction information and the subscription status information on the same screen when the error code is a critical error code.

5. A user terminal is a computer used to assist in dealing with malfunctions detected in home appliances. A guidance information creation unit creates guidance information including the type of malfunction and the subscription status information indicating the subscription status to a predetermined maintenance service for the home appliance to address the malfunction. A home appliance management program that functions as a display unit for displaying the aforementioned malfunction information and the aforementioned subscription status information on the same screen.

6. In the home appliance management program described in claim 5, The display unit is a home appliance management program that displays subscription status information for the maintenance service, which is a one-year manufacturer's warranty service and / or long-term maintenance service.

7. In the home appliance management program described in claim 5, The display unit is a home appliance management program that displays a repair request area for transitioning to a repair request screen for the malfunction.

8. In the home appliance management program described in claim 6, The aforementioned warranty service is a long-term maintenance service. The display unit is a home appliance management program that, when the home appliance is subscribed to the long-term maintenance service, displays a consultation area exclusively for subscribers of the said long-term maintenance service.

9. In the home appliance management program described in claim 5, The display unit is a home appliance management program that, when the malfunction is detected, displays an alert indicating that the malfunction has occurred at the top of the display screen on the home screen of the home appliance management program.

10. In the home appliance management program described in claim 9, The display unit is a home appliance management program that, when the malfunction is detected, displays an alert indicating that the malfunction has occurred at the top of the main screen of the user terminal.

11. In the home appliance management program described in claim 7, A home appliance management program that allows the user to specify the nature of the malfunction and the date and time of its occurrence on the repair request screen.

12. In the home appliance management program described in claim 5, The aforementioned warranty service is a long-term maintenance service. The display unit is a home appliance management program that, if the expiration date of the long-term maintenance service has passed, displays as subscription status information that the warranty period for the said long-term maintenance service has ended.

13. In the home appliance management program described in claim 12, The aforementioned display unit is a home appliance management program that, if the validity period of the long-term maintenance service has expired, further displays a repair application area for paid repairs.

14. In the home appliance management program according to any one of claims 5 to 13, The aforementioned malfunction is an error in the aforementioned home appliance, and the aforementioned malfunction information is an error code that identifies the error in the home appliance management program.

15. In the home appliance management program described in claim 14, The display unit is a home appliance management program that displays the malfunction information and the subscription status information on the same screen when the error code is a critical error code.

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