Refrigerator operating status notification system

Abstract

This disclosure provides a system and method for notifying a user of whether or not there is a malfunction in a home appliance at a predetermined time, regardless of whether or not the user has made an inquiry. [Solution] The home appliance operating status notification system in this disclosure comprises a server that receives operating information of multiple home appliances via a network, a notification unit that notifies users of multiple home appliances, and a determination unit that determines whether the operation of each of the multiple home appliances is normal or abnormal based on the operating information of each home appliance. The notification unit notifies the user of the operating status of the home appliance used by the user at a predetermined timing, and the operating status includes the determination result by the determination unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an operating status notification system for a refrigerator.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses acquiring an inquiry from a user regarding a home appliance via a network, and determining a failure, a pseudo-failure, and normal operation of the home appliance based on an operation history based on sensor data used for autonomous control of the home appliance acquired via the network.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 aims to prevent a situation where, when there is an inquiry from a user, a failure diagnosis of a home appliance is performed and a service person is erroneously dispatched for a pseudo-failure.

[0005] However, in the method of performing a failure diagnosis when there is an inquiry from a user as in Patent Document 1, the home appliance is dealt with after the user feels some discomfort, In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a system and method for notifying a user of the presence or absence of an abnormality in a home appliance at a predetermined timing regardless of the presence or absence of an inquiry from the user.

[0006] By notifying users of any abnormalities in their home appliances at predetermined times, without requiring user inquiries, users can confirm that there are no problems with their appliances, providing them with peace of mind. Furthermore, even if no abnormality is detected, early intervention is possible when an unusual condition occurs in the operation of the appliance, reducing the possibility of the malfunction worsening or causing inconvenience to the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The home appliance operating status notification system in this disclosure comprises a server that receives operating information of multiple home appliances via a network, a notification unit that notifies users of multiple home appliances, and a determination unit that determines whether the operation of each of the multiple home appliances is normal or abnormal based on the operating information of each home appliance, wherein the notification unit notifies the user of the operating status of the home appliance used by the user at a predetermined timing, and the operating status includes the determination result by the determination unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, notifications sent from the server at predetermined intervals allow users to know if there are any abnormalities in the operation of their home appliances, thereby reducing their anxiety about the operating status of their appliances.

[0009] Furthermore, it becomes possible to respond early when an unusual condition occurs in the operation of home appliances, reducing the possibility of the malfunction worsening or causing inconvenience to the user. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Block diagram of the refrigerator operating status notification system in Embodiment 1 [Figure 2] Flowchart illustrating the operation of the refrigerator operating status notification system in Embodiment 1 [Figure 3] Table showing an example of threshold data in Embodiment 1 [Figure 4]Flowchart illustrating the abnormality detection process in Embodiment 1 [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of an abnormality notification screen in Embodiment 1. [Figure 6A] A diagram showing an example of a regular notification screen in Embodiment 1. [Figure 6B] A diagram showing an example of a regular notification screen in Embodiment 1. [Figure 7] Flowchart illustrating the operation of the refrigerator replacement information notification system in Embodiment 2 [Figure 8] Flowchart illustrating the operation of the refrigerator reuse support system in Embodiment 3 [Figure 9] Block diagram of the refrigerator management system in Embodiment 4 [Figure 10] Flowchart illustrating the operation of the refrigerator management system in Embodiment 4 [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] (Embodiment 1) The first embodiment in this application is a home appliance operating status notification system. The home appliance operating status notification system acquires operating information of home appliances used by each user and, based on the acquired operating information, notifies each user of the operating status of the home appliances used by that user.

[0012] In the following, we will use the example of a refrigerator as the home appliance to explain the home appliance operating status notification system in this embodiment.

[0013] [1-1. Structure] Figure 1 is a block diagram of the refrigerator operating status notification system 1 in Embodiment 1.

[0014] The refrigerator operating status notification system 1 in the first embodiment comprises a refrigerator 2, an information terminal 3, and a server 4, and the refrigerator 2, the information terminal 3, and the server 4 are able to communicate with each other via a network such as the Internet.

[0015] The refrigerator 2 includes a control unit 21 that controls the operation of the refrigerator 2, an operation unit 22 for a user to perform operations, a storage unit 23 that stores information, a detection unit 24 that detects the operation status of the refrigerator 2, and a communication unit 25 for the refrigerator 2 to communicate with a server.

[0016] The control unit 21 controls the operation of the refrigerator 2, obtains the information on the operation status of the refrigerator 2 detected by the detection unit 24 at a predetermined timing, and stores it in the storage unit 23.

[0017] Also, the control unit 21 transmits the information on the operation status stored in the storage unit 23 to the server 4 via the communication unit 25 at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be the timing when a request is made from the server 4 to the refrigerator 2.

[0018] The detection unit 24 may be an in - chamber temperature sensor, an out - chamber temperature sensor, a door open / close sensor, a storage capacity detection sensor, an in - chamber camera, a weight detection plate (none of which are shown in the figure), etc. Also, these devices may be devices configured separately from the refrigerator 2.

[0019] The communication unit 25 uses a WAN (Wide Area Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), short - range wireless communication (e.g., Wi - Fi (Wireless Fidelity) (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication) to enable the refrigerator 2 to communicate with the information terminal 3 or to enable the refrigerator 2 to communicate with the information terminal 3 and the server 4 via a network such as the Internet.

[0020] The refrigerator 2 further includes a plurality of storage chambers (none of which are shown in the figure) such as a refrigerating chamber, a freezing chamber, a vegetable chamber, an ice - making chamber, a partial chamber, a chilled chamber, etc. The detection unit 24 may be able to independently detect the operation status of each of the plurality of storage chambers.

[0021] Furthermore, the refrigerator 2 may be equipped with a special cooling function that can be performed by the user operating the control unit 22. The special cooling function may be, for example, a rapid cooling function.

[0022] Furthermore, the refrigerator 2 may be equipped with a power-saving operation mode. The power-saving operation mode may be activated by the user operating the control unit 22. Alternatively, the refrigerator 2 may be configured to operate automatically in power-saving mode when it is in a predetermined state.

[0023] The information terminal 3 comprises a terminal control unit 31 that controls the operation of the information terminal 3, a terminal display unit 32 that displays information, and a terminal communication unit 33 that enables communication with the refrigerator 2 and the server 4.

[0024] Information terminal 3 may be a smartphone, tablet, or other type of device.

[0025] Server 4 comprises a server control unit 41 that controls the operation of Server 4, a server communication unit 42 that communicates with external devices via a network such as the Internet, and a server storage unit 43 that stores information.

[0026] The server control unit 41 may function as a determination unit that performs various determinations, such as determining whether there is an abnormality or the timing of notification.

[0027] The server communication unit 42 communicates with refrigerators 2 installed in each home and information terminals 3 owned by users via a network such as the Internet. It may also function as a notification unit that sends notifications based on instructions from the server control unit 41.

[0028] In this embodiment, the notification may be sent to the information terminal 3 as a push notification from a predetermined application. Alternatively, it may be sent as a message to a contact, such as an email address registered by the user.

[0029] [1-2. Operation] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server 4 of the refrigerator operating status notification system 1 in Embodiment 1.

[0030] First, in step S201, the server 4 obtains information regarding the operating status from the refrigerator 2 via the network. The obtained information may be stored in the server storage unit 43.

[0031] Information regarding the operating status may include, for example, the internal temperature and capacity of the refrigerator, power consumption, operating status of devices such as the compressor and damper, the number of times the door is opened and closed, the duration of door opening and closing, the number of ice-making cycles, and the time required for ice-making.

[0032] Next, in step S202, the server control unit 41 determines whether it is time to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the refrigerator 2.

[0033] The timing for determining whether or not there is an abnormality may be set at predetermined intervals, such as once a day or once a month. Furthermore, the interval for determining whether or not there is an abnormality may differ depending on the type of abnormality being assessed. In other words, abnormalities that can be determined from short-term operating history of about one day may be assessed once a day, while abnormalities that require long-term operating history of about one month to be assessed may be assessed once a month.

[0034] If, in step S202, it is determined that it is time to determine if there is an abnormality in refrigerator 2, then in step S203, the server control unit 41 determines whether there is an abnormality that should be notified to refrigerator 2, based on the operating status information obtained from refrigerator 2. The method for determining abnormalities will be described later.

[0035] If the determination results in a finding that there is an abnormality in refrigerator 2 that should be notified, in step S204, the server communication unit 42 notifies the user using refrigerator 2 that an abnormality has occurred in refrigerator 2.

[0036] If the assessment determines that there are no abnormalities in refrigerator 2 that require notification, step S205 determines whether it is time to notify the user of the operating status. The timing for notifying the user of the operating status may be set at predetermined intervals, such as once a month.

[0037] If it is determined in step S205 that it is time to send a notification, in step S206 the server communication unit 42 notifies the user of the refrigerator 2 of the operating status of the refrigerator 2.

[0038] [1-2-1. Abnormality determination] Next, we will explain the method for determining refrigerator abnormalities performed by the server control unit 41, using the determination of cooling function abnormalities based on internal temperature data as an example.

[0039] The abnormality detection of refrigerator 2 is performed by comparing threshold data stored in the server storage unit 43 with information on the operating status obtained from refrigerator 2.

[0040] Figure 3 shows an example of threshold data stored in the server storage unit 43, which is used to determine whether or not there is an abnormality based on the internal temperature of the refrigerator 2.

[0041] In this embodiment, the server storage unit stores two threshold values, a first threshold data and a second threshold data, which are determined for each model, each storage compartment, and each ambient temperature of the refrigerator 2.

[0042] Furthermore, the first and second thresholds may be set in more detail depending on the operating mode of the refrigerator 2, the temperature settings of each storage compartment, whether or not the power-saving operation function is used, etc.

[0043] Of the first and second thresholds, the first threshold is the threshold used as a criterion for determining whether a malfunction in refrigerator 2 is suspected, and the second threshold is the threshold used as a criterion for determining whether a malfunction in refrigerator 2 has occurred.

[0044] In this embodiment, the method for determining abnormalities is described for the case where two thresholds, a first threshold and a second threshold, are defined. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and there may be only one threshold, or three or more thresholds. Furthermore, the threshold may be determined for each user based on the operating status of each user's refrigerator 2.

[0045] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the process by which the server control unit 41 determines whether there is an abnormality in the operating status of the refrigerator 2.

[0046] In step S401, the server control unit 41 obtains data regarding the operating status for a predetermined period from the refrigerator 2, and in step S402, it identifies the time when the abnormality occurred.

[0047] The point at which the abnormality occurs may be, for example, when the internal temperature of refrigerator 2 exceeds the second threshold.

[0048] If the time of the abnormality is not identified in step S402, it may be determined that there is no abnormality in the acquired operating conditions.

[0049] Next, the server control unit 41 identifies the point in time when the abnormality was resolved in step S403, based on data regarding the operating status for a predetermined period obtained from the refrigerator 2.

[0050] The point at which the abnormality is resolved may be, for example, when the internal temperature of refrigerator 2 falls below the first threshold.

[0051] Next, in step S404, the server control unit 41 calculates the duration of the abnormality as the interval from the time the abnormality occurred to the time it was resolved. In step S405, it determines the severity of the abnormality by determining whether the calculated duration of the abnormality exceeds a predetermined time. If the duration of the abnormality exceeds a predetermined time (for example, 10 hours), the server control unit determines that an abnormality has occurred that requires notification to the operation of the refrigerator 2.

[0052] Furthermore, based on the duration of the anomaly, multiple levels of severity may be set for anomalies that require notification. That is, if the anomaly lasts for a relatively long time (e.g., 24 hours or more), a notification may be issued indicating a severe anomaly, while if the anomaly lasts for a relatively short time (e.g., 10 to 24 hours), a notification may be issued indicating a minor anomaly.

[0053] Furthermore, for events that are suspected of being abnormal and require notification according to the above criteria, such as when the duration of the abnormality is less than 10 hours, or when a temperature state remains above the first threshold but below the second threshold, the number of occurrences may be stored in the server storage unit 43, and a notification may be issued as an abnormality when the number of occurrences of the event exceeds a predetermined number. Alternatively, an "undetermined" result, which is different from the determination of normal or abnormal, may be output.

[0054] The above describes a method for determining abnormalities by comparing with a predetermined threshold. However, the method for determining abnormalities is not limited to this. For example, the operating status of refrigerator 2 may be continuously acquired to learn the trends in its operating status, and an abnormality may be determined based on the learned trends. In this case, machine learning techniques such as deep learning may be used to determine the abnormality. [1-3.Notification] Next, we will explain the notifications sent from the server communication unit 42 to the user of the refrigerator 2.

[0055] In this embodiment, the notifications transmitted by the server communication unit 42 include an abnormality notification transmitted when an abnormality is determined in step S204 described above, and a regular notification transmitted at a predetermined timing in step S206.

[0056] These notifications are sent from the server communication unit 42 to the information terminal 3 used by each user, and the information terminal 3 displays the content of the received notification on the terminal display unit 32. [1-3-1.Abnormal notification] An abnormality notification is sent when the server control unit 41 determines, as a result of its abnormality detection, that an abnormality has occurred in the refrigerator 2.

[0057] Figure 5 shows an example of an error notification screen.

[0058] The abnormality display area 51 displays the details of the abnormality determined by the server control unit 41. The abnormality may be of a type, such as an abnormal internal temperature, an abnormal ice-making time, or an abnormal power consumption. Information indicating the degree of the abnormality (for example, a severe temperature abnormality that corresponds to a malfunction, or a temporary minor temperature abnormality) may also be displayed.

[0059] Area 52 displays the response method for the notified anomaly. The response method may be the response method for the detected anomaly itself, or it may be a link to the relevant page in the instruction manual or FAQ page related to the detected anomaly. Alternatively, it may be a link to contact information for the repair service center.

[0060] Furthermore, the content displayed in the troubleshooting area 52 may be changed depending on the degree of the detected abnormality. For example, if the abnormality is temporary, a link to the relevant page in the instruction manual or the FAQ page may be displayed, and if the abnormality is considered a malfunction, a link to contact information for the support desk may be displayed.

[0061] In this embodiment, the case in which the abnormality content display area 51 and the response method display area 52 are displayed on the same screen has been described. However, the abnormality content display area 51 and the response method display area 52 may be displayed on separate screens that can be switched via screen transitions. [1-3-2. Regular Notices] On the other hand, regular notifications are sent to the user at predetermined times, regardless of the result of the abnormality detection. These predetermined times may be regular, such as every week or every month. Alternatively, they may be determined based on a specific event, such as the New Year holidays, or at the same time as when a predetermined notification is sent, such as a monitoring notification informing the user of the usage status of refrigerator 2.

[0062] Figures 6A and 6B show examples of regular notification screens.

[0063] The operating status notification area 61 displays an overview of the operating status of refrigerator 2.

[0064] If no abnormality is detected in the abnormality check of refrigerator 2 performed by the server during a predetermined period, a display indicating normal operation will be shown in the operating status notification area 61, as shown in Figure 6A.

[0065] If an abnormality is detected in the abnormality detection of refrigerator 2 performed by the server during a predetermined period, an indication of the abnormality will be displayed as shown in Figure 6B. If an abnormality notification has already been sent for the detected abnormality, in addition to the indication of the abnormality, an indication may also be displayed showing whether the symptoms have improved since the abnormality notification.

[0066] Furthermore, if the server detects an event that is suspected to be an anomaly requiring immediate notification during the abnormality detection of refrigerator 2, information such as the number of occurrences, date and time of occurrence, and duration of the event may be displayed.

[0067] Detailed display area 62 displays detailed information about the operating status of refrigerator 2.

[0068] For example, the details of the operating status may include information about the overall operating status of refrigerator 2, such as the internal temperature and power consumption of refrigerator 2. Alternatively, the details of the operating status may display whether there are any abnormalities in each storage compartment of refrigerator 2, or whether there are any abnormalities in each function, and the nature of those abnormalities. Furthermore, information such as codes indicating any errors that occurred may be included.

[0069] In addition to the above, the operating conditions may also include information such as the refrigerator's capacity, the number of times the door is opened and closed, the duration of door opening and closing, the number of ice-making cycles, and the time required for ice making.

[0070] This information can be displayed in text format, or it can be shown as time-series data such as temperature, power consumption, and event occurrences in graph form. Additionally, information such as the average, median, and total values ​​of data within a specified period may be displayed.

[0071] The evaluation display area 63 displays the user's evaluation of how they use the refrigerator 2.

[0072] The displayed evaluation items may include energy-saving items such as the capacity of refrigerator 2, door opening time, utilization rate and frequency of use of power-saving functions, and number of uses, as well as items related to food ingredients such as the utilization rate, frequency of use, and number of uses of the partial compartment and special cooling functions of refrigerator 2.

[0073] Furthermore, for each item, in addition to the evaluation results in this notification, the trend of evaluation results from a predetermined number of past periodic notifications and a comparison with their average value may be displayed, and a comparison with the evaluation results of other users may also be displayed.

[0074] In addition, advice on how to use refrigerator 2 may be displayed based on the acquired operating conditions and the results of the evaluation of those conditions.

[0075] For example, for users who keep their doors open and closed for longer than other users, it may be possible to display a message indicating that they can save energy by shortening the time they keep their doors open and closed.

[0076] In addition to the above, the regular notification may also include information regarding the timing for replacing Refrigerator 2 and recommended replacement models. Details regarding notifications about replacement timing will be explained in the second embodiment described below. [1-4. Effects] As described above, in this embodiment, the home appliance operating status notification system comprises a server that receives operating information of multiple home appliances via a network, a notification unit that notifies users of multiple home appliances, and a determination unit that determines whether the operation of each of the multiple home appliances is normal or abnormal based on the operating information of each home appliance, wherein the notification unit notifies the user of the operating status of the home appliance used by the user at a predetermined timing, and the operating status includes the determination result by the determination unit.

[0077] This allows users to know the operating status of their home appliances, reducing their anxiety about their performance. Furthermore, it enables early response when an abnormality occurs, reducing the possibility of the malfunction worsening or causing inconvenience to the user.

[0078] Furthermore, the determination unit may be configured to output one of the following as the determination result: normal, abnormal, or unknown.

[0079] This allows us to identify minor anomalies that do not meet the criteria for immediate notification, as well as events that are questionable in terms of whether they are anomalies, enabling us to respond early when an anomaly occurs.

[0080] Furthermore, the notification unit may be configured to send notifications periodically.

[0081] This allows users to regularly check for any abnormalities in the operation of their home appliances, reducing their anxiety about the status of their appliances.

[0082] Furthermore, the notification unit may be configured to also send a notification if the determination unit determines that there is an abnormality.

[0083] This allows users to respond immediately to any abnormalities detected, reducing the likelihood of the malfunction worsening or causing inconvenience to the user.

[0084] Furthermore, if the determination unit does not determine that there is an abnormality in its determination within a predetermined period, the notification unit may notify the user of the home appliance that the home appliance is operating normally.

[0085] This allows users to regularly check that their home appliances are functioning correctly and without abnormalities, reducing their anxiety about the operation of their appliances.

[0086] Furthermore, the home appliance is a refrigerator, and the operating status may also include information regarding the internal temperature or information regarding power consumption.

[0087] This allows the user to understand the overall operating status of the refrigerator.

[0088] Furthermore, the home appliance is a refrigerator, and the operating status may also include information regarding the cooling function or information regarding the ice-making time.

[0089] This allows users to monitor the operating status of some of the refrigerator's functions.

[0090] Furthermore, the home appliance is a refrigerator, and the operating conditions may further include at least one of the following: storage capacity, door opening time, and power saving operation rate.

[0091] This allows users to understand the energy-saving operating conditions of their refrigerator.

[0092] Furthermore, the operating conditions may include an evaluation of how the user uses the home appliance in question.

[0093] This allows users to learn about problems and ways to improve the use of home appliances, preventing malfunctions and extending the lifespan of those appliances.

[0094] Furthermore, the determination unit may be configured to determine whether or not there is an abnormality in each part or function of the home appliance.

[0095] This allows users to understand which part or function of their home appliance is malfunctioning, making it easier to address the problem.

[0096] Furthermore, notifications from the notification unit may be configured to be sent to the user's information terminal.

[0097] This allows users to check the operating status of their home appliances even when they are away from home. Furthermore, the amount of information that can be included in notifications is greater than when notifications are displayed on the appliances themselves.

[0098] Furthermore, notifications from the notification unit may include information regarding the timing or models for which replacement of home appliances is recommended.

[0099] This allows users to know when it's time to replace their home appliances and which models are recommended, improving the convenience of replacing home appliances.

[0100] In Embodiment 1, a refrigerator was used as an example, but the home appliances in this embodiment are not limited to refrigerators and can also be applied to home appliances such as air conditioners and washing machines. (Embodiment 2) The second embodiment in this application is a home appliance replacement information notification system.

[0101] According to this embodiment, it is possible to notify the user of the timing to replace their home appliances.

[0102] Furthermore, based on user usage data, it is possible to recommend a model that is suitable for the user's usage, improving convenience when replacing an appliance.

[0103] In the following, we will use the example of a refrigerator as the home appliance to explain the home appliance replacement information notification system in this embodiment.

[0104] [2-1. Structure] The system configuration in this embodiment may be the same as in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0105] [2-2. Operation] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the server 4 of the refrigerator replacement information notification system in Embodiment 2.

[0106] First, in step S701, the server 4 obtains information regarding the operating status from the refrigerator 2 via the network. The obtained information may be stored in the server storage unit 43.

[0107] Information regarding the operating status may include, for example, the internal temperature and capacity of the refrigerator, power consumption, number of times the door is opened, duration of door opening, number of ice-making cycles, time required for ice making, usage rate of special cooling functions, and usage rate of power-saving functions.

[0108] Next, in step S702, the server control unit 41 determines whether it is time to recommend replacing the refrigerator 2.

[0109] The timing for recommending replacement may be determined by a specific period of time, such as the time elapsed since the user started using Refrigerator 2 or the time elapsed since Refrigerator 2 went on sale. Alternatively, it may be determined by the type and degree of abnormality determined by the abnormality detection in the first embodiment, the number of times the abnormality has been detected, etc.

[0110] Furthermore, the timing for recommending replacement may be determined based on usage conditions such as the number of times the door of refrigerator 2 is opened and closed, and the capacity and utilization rate of each storage compartment. For example, if the actual capacity of refrigerator 2 is extremely high or low compared to its capacity, it may be recommended to replace it with a model that matches the actual capacity. Alternatively, if changes in lifestyle, such as family composition, can be estimated from the changes in usage, it may be recommended to replace it with a model that matches the estimated lifestyle.

[0111] If it is determined in step S702 that it is time to replace refrigerator 2, in step S703 the server control unit 41 determines a recommended replacement model for refrigerator 2 based on the operating status information obtained from refrigerator 2.

[0112] For example, based on the information regarding the storage capacity of refrigerator 2, if the storage capacity is large, a larger model may be recommended as a replacement; conversely, if the storage capacity is small, a smaller model may be recommended as a replacement. Alternatively, based on the information regarding the storage capacity of each storage compartment, a model designed with a larger storage capacity in the storage compartment most frequently used by the user may be recommended as a replacement.

[0113] In this embodiment, the server storage unit 43 may store product information for multiple models of refrigerators on the market, including model information such as the capacity, size, number of storage compartments, and installed functions for each model. The server control unit 41 may then determine a recommended replacement model by comparing the operating status information with the model information.

[0114] Next, in step 704, the user is notified of the recommended replacement model determined in step 703.

[0115] The notification sent to the user may include information indicating whether the refrigerator 2 that the user has been using can be reused. The method for determining whether refrigerator 2 can be reused will be described later.

[0116] [2-3. Effects] As described above, in this embodiment, the home appliance replacement information notification system comprises a server that receives operating information of home appliances via a network, a notification unit that notifies the user of the home appliance, and a determination unit that determines whether it is time to replace the home appliance based on the operating information of the home appliance, and the notification unit notifies the user that it is time to replace the home appliance if the determination unit determines that it is time to replace the home appliance.

[0117] This allows users to know when it's time to replace their home appliances, improving convenience.

[0118] Furthermore, the determination unit may determine which models are recommended for replacement based on the operating information of the home appliances, and the notification unit may notify the user of the models recommended for replacement determined by the determination unit.

[0119] This will improve convenience for users when replacing home appliances, as they will be able to find models that suit their usage.

[0120] In Embodiment 2, a refrigerator was used as an example, but the home appliances in this embodiment are not limited to refrigerators and can also be applied to home appliances such as air conditioners and washing machines. (Embodiment 3) The third embodiment in this application is a system for supporting the reuse of home appliances.

[0121] According to this embodiment, when a user disposes of an appliance they have been using due to replacement or other reasons, it becomes possible to appropriately determine whether the appliance is still usable.

[0122] In the following, we will use the example of a refrigerator as the home appliance to explain the home appliance reuse support system in this embodiment.

[0123] [3-1. Structure] Since the system configuration in this embodiment may be the same as in the first embodiment, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0124] [3-2. Operation] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the refrigerator reuse support system in Embodiment 3.

[0125] First, in step S801, a request is sent from the information terminal 3 to the server 4 to determine whether the refrigerator 2 can be reused. In this embodiment, the user may use the information terminal 3 to determine whether the refrigerator 2 can be reused, or the collection company may use the information terminal 3 to determine whether the refrigerator 2 can be reused.

[0126] When server 4 receives a decision request from information terminal 3, in step S802, it acquires information regarding the operating status of refrigerator 2. Information regarding the operating status may be acquired by communicating with refrigerator 2 at this time, or it may be configured to periodically acquire operating information and store it in server storage unit 43, and then acquire the information stored in server storage unit 43 at this time.

[0127] Information regarding the operating status may include, for example, the internal temperature and capacity of the refrigerator 2, power consumption, number of times the door is opened and closed, door opening time, number of ice-making cycles, time required for ice-making, usage rate of special cooling functions, usage rate of power-saving functions, and information on whether or not there is an abnormality determined based on the operating status. The abnormality determination may be configured in the same way as in Embodiment 1.

[0128] Furthermore, whether or not refrigerator 2 can be reused may be determined based on information regarding the operating status of refrigerator 2, or the condition of each part, such as the compressor and damper, may be determined to determine whether replacement is necessary if refrigerator 2 is to be reused. In addition, if refrigerator 2 is determined to be reusable, its condition and estimated purchase price may be classified into multiple stages for further determination.

[0129] Next, when the server 4 receives a request from the information terminal 3 to determine whether or not the refrigerator 2 can be reused, in step S803, the server control unit 41 determines whether or not the refrigerator 2 can be reused based on the operating status information stored in the server storage unit 43.

[0130] Once the determination of whether or not the device can be reused in step S803 is complete, in step S804 the server 4 sends the determination result to the information terminal 3.

[0131] Upon receiving the judgment result from the server 4, the information terminal 3 displays the judgment result on the terminal display unit 32 in step S805.

[0132] In the above explanation, we described a case where the operating status of the refrigerator 2 is stored in the server 4, but the operating status may also be stored in the storage unit 23 of the refrigerator 2. In this case, the configuration may be such that the user or the collection company can read the operating status of the refrigerator 2, information on whether it can be reused, etc., by performing a predetermined operation on the refrigerator 2.

[0133] [3-3. Effects] As described above, in this embodiment, the home appliance reuse support system is characterized by comprising a storage unit that stores information regarding the operating status of the home appliance, and a determination unit that determines whether or not the home appliance can be reused based on the information regarding the operating status of the home appliance.

[0134] This allows users and recycling companies to know if their unwanted home appliances are reusable, eliminating uncertainty in deciding how to dispose of them and improving convenience.

[0135] Furthermore, the determination of whether or not a home appliance can be reused by the determination unit may be performed by determining the condition of each part of the home appliance.

[0136] This allows users and recycling companies to know the detailed condition of unwanted home appliances.

[0137] Furthermore, the determination of whether or not the appliance can be reused by the judgment unit may include an assessment of the condition of the appliance or its purchase price.

[0138] This will improve convenience for users and recycling companies, as they will be able to find out the estimated purchase price for unwanted home appliances when disposing of them.

[0139] In Embodiment 3, a refrigerator was used as an example, but the home appliances in this embodiment are not limited to refrigerators and can also be applied to home appliances such as air conditioners and washing machines.

[0140] (Embodiment 4) The fourth embodiment in this application is a management system for home appliances.

[0141] According to this embodiment, an operator can change the settings of the home appliances used by each user via a server, according to the user's request.

[0142] This eliminates the hassle for users who don't know how to properly configure settings. Furthermore, because settings can be changed by an operator, more detailed settings can be modified than previously possible for users, allowing each user to achieve their desired operating settings.

[0143] In the following explanation of home appliance management systems, we will use a refrigerator as an example.

[0144] [4-1. Structure] Figure 9 is a block diagram of the refrigerator management system 901 in Embodiment 4. The refrigerator management system 901 in the fourth embodiment comprises a refrigerator 902, an information terminal 903, a server 904, and a management unit 905, and the refrigerator 902, information terminal 903, server 904, and management unit 905 are able to communicate with each other via a network such as the Internet.

[0145] Note that the refrigerator 902, information terminal 903, and server 904 can have the same configuration as the refrigerator 2, information terminal 3, and server 4 in Embodiment 1, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0146] The control unit 905 can communicate with the refrigerator 902 by connecting to the server 904, thereby enabling it to obtain information about the operating status and send information about changes to the operating settings to the refrigerator 902.

[0147] Furthermore, the management unit 905 can communicate with the communication terminal 903 owned by each user, and it is possible for the operator operating the management unit 905 and the user to communicate via chat, voice calls, or other methods.

[0148] The management unit 905 may be a computer installed, for example, in a support center of a home appliance manufacturer, and may be capable of communicating with multiple refrigerators 902 via a network.

[0149] [4-2. Operation] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electronic device management system 901 in Embodiment 4.

[0150] In step S1001, the user sends a request to the management unit 905 from the information terminal 903 to change the settings of the refrigerator 902. The setting change request may be sent, for example, from an application executable on the communication terminal 903 owned by the user. In step S1002, the management unit 905 determines whether the received setting change request requires interaction between an operator and the user. This determination may be made based on the content of the requested setting change. Alternatively, the user may be able to select whether they wish to interact with an operator when sending the setting change request. Alternatively, automated dialogue software such as a chatbot may be used to determine whether the user requires interaction with an operator.

[0151] If it is determined in step S1002 that interaction between the operator and the user is necessary, then in step S1003, interaction such as a phone call or chat takes place between the operator and the user. The interaction between the operator and the user may be stored in the server 904 or the management unit 905 as, for example, voice data or text data. When storing the content of the interaction, it may be associated with identification information that can identify the user or the refrigerator (such as the user's phone number or the refrigerator's serial number).

[0152] In step S1004, the operator performs a setting change operation on the refrigerator 902, and the changed information is sent to the refrigerator 902 via the server 4 in step S1005.

[0153] The configuration changes made to refrigerator 902 by the operator may be stored in server 904 or management unit 905. At this time, the information may also be stored in association with the communication between the user and the operator as described above, as well as identification information that can identify the user and the refrigerator.

[0154] In step S1006, the refrigerator 902 changes its settings based on the received setting change information.

[0155] The settings that are changed may include, for example, the temperature of each storage compartment of the refrigerator 902, the compressor rotation speed, the defrost cycle, the buzzer sound emitted by the refrigerator 902, and so on.

[0156] If it is determined in step S1002 that no interaction between the operator and the user is necessary, steps S1003 to S1005 described above will not be performed, and in step S1007, the changes requested by the user will be sent to the refrigerator 902 via the server 904.

[0157] Furthermore, the server 904 may be equipped with a function to determine abnormalities in the refrigerator 902 based on a threshold, as described in Embodiment 1. In this case, the server 904 may be configured to change the threshold stored in it according to the content of the setting changes made in the refrigerator 902. For example, if the temperature setting of the freezer compartment is changed to a temperature higher than the initial setting, the threshold used to determine the temperature abnormality of the freezer compartment may also be changed to a temperature higher than the initial setting.

[0158] [4-3. Effects] As described above, in this embodiment, the home appliance management system is characterized by comprising a server, a home appliance including a communication unit capable of communicating with the server, and a management unit that can change the operating settings of the home appliance via the server.

[0159] This allows users to have the operator change the operating settings of their home appliances, enabling them to achieve their desired operating settings.

[0160] Furthermore, the home appliance may be a refrigerator, and the settings that can be changed by the control unit may include settings related to the temperature of each storage compartment of the refrigerator, the compressor rotation speed, the defrost cycle, and the buzzer sound emitted by the refrigerator.

[0161] This allows users to have the operator change the refrigerator's operating settings, enabling them to achieve their desired operating settings.

[0162] Furthermore, the management department may be able to chat or make phone calls with each user of home appliances.

[0163] This allows users to directly communicate their desired driving settings and any improvements they would like to see made to the current driving settings to the operator.

[0164] Furthermore, the management department may store the history of chats or calls with users of home appliances.

[0165] This allows operators to understand what kinds of requests users have made in the past.

[0166] Furthermore, the management unit may store in association the changed settings of the home appliance, the chat or call history with the user of the home appliance, and identification information that can identify the home appliance or the user.

[0167] This allows operators to understand what requests users have made in the past and what actions were taken to address them.

[0168] Furthermore, the server stores thresholds that serve as criteria for determining abnormalities in home appliances, and has a function to determine abnormalities in home appliances based on information regarding the operating status of the home appliances and these thresholds. When the operating settings of home appliances are changed by the management unit, the server may change the thresholds according to the set operating settings.

[0169] This makes it possible to maintain the accuracy of abnormality detection even when the operating settings are changed.

[0170] Furthermore, embodiments 1 to 4 described herein may be combined in part or in whole. [Industrial applicability]

[0171] This disclosure is applicable to a system that notifies the operating status of home appliances via a network. [Explanation of symbols]

[0172] 1. Driving Status Notification System 2 Refrigerator 21 Control Unit 22 Control section 23 Memory section 24 Detection unit 25 Communications Department 3. Information terminals 31 Terminal Control Unit 32 Terminal display unit 33 Terminal Communication Unit 4 servers 41 Server Control Unit 42 Server Communication Unit 43 Server Storage Unit 901 Management System 902 Refrigerator 903 Information Terminal 904 Server 905 Management Department

Claims

1. A system for notifying the operating status of home appliances, A server that receives operating information for multiple home appliances via a network, A notification unit that notifies users of the aforementioned multiple home appliances, Each of the aforementioned multiple home appliances is provided with a determination unit that determines whether the operation of the home appliance is normal or abnormal based on the operating information of the home appliance. The notification unit notifies the user of the operating status of the home appliances used by the user at a predetermined time. The aforementioned operating conditions include the determination result by the determination unit, A system for notifying the operating status of home appliances.

2. The determination unit outputs one of the following as the determination result: normal, abnormal, or unknown, as described in claim 1, for the operating status notification system of a home appliance.

3. The notification unit periodically provides notifications, as described in claim 1, for the operating status notification system of home appliances.

4. The notification unit further provides notification when the determination unit determines that there is an abnormality, as described in claim 3, for the operating status notification system of a home appliance.

5. The notification unit notifies the user of the home appliance that the home appliance is operating normally, if the determination unit does not determine that there is an abnormality in the determination made within a predetermined period, according to claim 1.

6. The home appliance operating status notification system for a home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the home appliance is a refrigerator, and the operating status further includes information regarding the internal temperature or information regarding power consumption.

7. The home appliance operating status notification system for a home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the home appliance is a refrigerator, and the operating status further includes information regarding the cooling function or information regarding the ice-making time.

8. The home appliance operating status notification system for a home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the home appliance is a refrigerator, and the operating status further includes at least one of the storage capacity, door opening time, and power saving operation rate.

9. The operating status notification system for a home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the operating status further includes an evaluation of how the user uses the home appliance.

10. The determination by the determination unit determines whether or not there is an abnormality for each part or function of the home appliance, as described in claim 1, for the operating status notification system for home appliances.

11. The notification from the notification unit is transmitted to an information terminal owned by the user, as described in claim 1, for the operating status notification system of a home appliance.

12. The home appliance operating status notification system according to claim 1, wherein the notification by the notification unit includes information regarding the timing or model of home appliances for which replacement is recommended.

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