Equipment management device, equipment management system, and air conditioner management method

Abstract

An apparatus management device according to the present disclosure comprises: a data acquisition unit that acquires operation data related to the operation of an air conditioner; an information acquisition unit that acquires, from a terminal operated by a worker who carried out work on the air conditioner, work information relating to that work; and a processing unit that, on the basis of the work information acquired by the information acquisition unit, relates operation data acquired by the data acquisition unit before the work to operation data acquired by the data acquisition unit after the work.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an equipment management device, an equipment management system, and a management method for an air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, equipment management systems that manage equipment such as air conditioners are known. This type of technology is described, for example, in Patent Document 1 below. In the equipment monitoring system described in Patent Document 1, a bathroom ventilator / dryer / heater, a heat exchange type ventilator, and a floor heating device are connected to a centralized management device via an indoor network. Equipment such as a bathroom ventilator / dryer / heater monitors its own operating status and usage status, and when it determines that it is time for inspection, it outputs inspection management information to the centralized management device. The centralized management device is connected to an external network such as the Internet, and outputs inspection management information of the equipment to an external monitoring device via the external network. In this way, the equipment monitoring system described in Patent Document 1 notifies the need for inspection. Furthermore, the equipment monitoring system resets the accumulated usage time of the part or rewrites the useful time to a new value by the main body control unit based on the fact that the accumulated usage time of the part to be maintained has reached its useful time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-038386 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a device managed by the above-mentioned device management system is replaced, it is necessary to set whether or not to transfer information between the device before and after the replacement, which increases the burden on workers. In addition, when replacing or repairing a part that does not have identification information, such as a part inside the device, the burden on workers may further increase because information about the part that does not have identification information must be transferred.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the problems described above, and aims to provide an equipment management device, an equipment management system, and a management method for an air conditioner that can reduce the burden on workers in transferring operating data when work such as replacement or repair is performed on an air conditioner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The equipment management device of the first aspect comprises a data acquisition unit that acquires operating data related to the operation of an air conditioner, an information acquisition unit that acquires work information related to the work from a terminal operated by a worker who performed work on the air conditioner, and a processing unit that associates operating data acquired by the data acquisition unit before the work with operating data acquired by the data acquisition unit after the work based on the work information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

[0007] An equipment management system according to a second aspect includes a terminal device that is operated by a worker performing work on an air conditioner and transmits work information regarding the work based on the worker's operation, a data acquisition unit that acquires operating data related to the operation of the air conditioner, an information acquisition unit that acquires the work information from the terminal device, and a processing unit that associates operating data acquired by the data acquisition unit before the work with operating data acquired by the data acquisition unit after the work based on the work information acquired by the information acquisition unit.

[0008] The air conditioner management method of the third aspect includes the steps of acquiring operating data related to the operation of the air conditioner, acquiring work information related to the work from a terminal operated by a worker who performed work on the air conditioner, and associating operating data acquired before the work with operating data acquired after the work based on the work information. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the burden on workers for transferring operational data when work such as replacement or repair is performed on an air conditioner. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a device management system according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a database registered in the device management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment. [Diagram 5] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an air conditioner and a device management device according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing examples of operation screens on a worker terminal device, where (A) is a diagram showing an example of a screen for selecting equipment to be replaced or repaired, (B) is a diagram showing an example of a work selection screen, (C) is a diagram showing an example of a repair content selection screen, and (D) is a diagram showing an example of a repair content registration screen. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of handover of operational data in the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of handover of operational data in the embodiment. [Figure 10]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of handover of operational data in the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of handover of operational data in the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. [Figure 15] 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of signal transmission and reception in the device management system according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for notifying an owner's terminal device or a maintenance contractor's terminal device of work. FIG. [Figure 17] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for notifying an owner's terminal device or a maintenance contractor's terminal device of work. FIG. [Figure 18] 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for notifying an owner's terminal device or a maintenance contractor's terminal device of work. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiment, and can be changed as desired within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present disclosure. In addition, in the following drawings, the scale and number of each structure may be different from the scale and number of the actual structure in order to make each configuration easier to understand.

[0012] (Device Management System Configuration) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an equipment management system according to an embodiment. The equipment management system includes, for example, an equipment management device 200, an owner's terminal device 300, a maintenance company's terminal device 400, and a worker's terminal device 410. In the following description, the air conditioner 100A and the air conditioner 100B are collectively referred to simply as "air conditioner 100". The air conditioner 100A and the air conditioner 100B are connected to a network NW such as the Internet via a router 101. The equipment management device 200, the owner's terminal device 300, the maintenance company's terminal device 400, and the worker's terminal device 410 have a function of connecting to the network NW. In the following description, the user of the air conditioner 100 is described as a "user", the owner of the air conditioner 100 is described as an "owner", a person who provides services such as maintenance of the air conditioner 100 as a business is described as a "maintenance company", and a person who performs replacement or repair work is also described as a "worker".

[0013] The air conditioner 100A includes, for example, an outdoor unit 10a, an indoor unit 20a, and a communication device 30a. The air conditioner 100B includes, for example, an outdoor unit 10b, indoor units 20b1 and 20b2, and a communication device 30b. The outdoor unit 10b and the indoor units 20b1 and 20b2 are connected to each other via a signal line. In the following description, the outdoor units are collectively referred to simply as "outdoor unit 10", the indoor units are collectively referred to simply as "indoor unit 20", and the communication devices are collectively referred to simply as "communication device 30". The communication device 30 is connected to at least one of the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 via a signal line. The outdoor unit 10 is disposed outside the room. The indoor unit 20 is disposed inside the room. The outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are connected to each other via a circulation path portion through which a refrigerant circulates. The air conditioner 100 adjusts the temperature of the air in the room by exchanging heat between the refrigerant flowing inside the circulation path portion and the air in the room in which the indoor unit 20 is located.

[0014] In the embodiment, for example, the communication device 30 is connected to the router 101 via a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), and the router 101 is connected to the network NW, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the communication device 30 may include a communication module compatible with LTE (Long Term Evolution) or 5G, and may connect to the network NW without going through a router.

[0015] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment. The air conditioner 100 communicates with, for example, an operation unit 110 and an information processing terminal 120. The operation unit 110 is connected to the indoor unit 20 by wire. The operation unit 110 includes operation buttons operated by the user and a display unit. The operation unit 110 accepts operations by the user and outputs operation signals to the indoor unit 20. The operation unit 110 displays various information such as the status of the air conditioner 100 on the display unit. The information processing terminal 120 is, for example, a smartphone operated by the user.

[0016] The equipment management device 200 is an information processing device such as a server device that accumulates operation data of the air conditioner 100 and performs various processes using the operation data. The equipment management device 200 issues various notifications to the owner's terminal device 300 and the maintenance company's terminal device 400. The equipment management device 200 provides information related to the operation data based on requests from the owner's terminal device 300 and the maintenance company's terminal device 400.

[0017] The equipment management system manages owner information, user information, property information related to the property in which the air conditioner 100 is installed, equipment information of the air conditioner 100, and operation data of the air conditioner 100. For example, the equipment management system registers, refers to, changes, and deletes owner information, user information, property information, equipment information, operation data, and the like, based on requests received from the information processing terminal 120, the owner terminal device 300, or the maintenance contractor terminal device 400.

[0018] The information processing terminal 120 acquires user information, property information, and equipment information, for example, by accepting a user operation. The information processing terminal 120 acquires the equipment information of the air conditioner 100 by reading a code affixed to the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20. The information processing terminal 120 may acquire the equipment information of the air conditioner 100 from the operation unit 110. The information processing terminal 120 can also acquire the equipment information of the air conditioner 100 by reading a code written on a nameplate affixed to the air conditioner 100. The user information, property information, and equipment information are transmitted from the information processing terminal 120 to the equipment management device 200 via the air conditioner 100.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a database registered in the equipment management device 200 in the embodiment. The equipment management device 200 constructs, for example, an owner table, a property table, an equipment table, and a maintenance company table. The owner table, the property table, the equipment table, and the maintenance company table are associated with each other. For example, the owner, the equipment, and the maintenance company may be associated with each other using the property as key information. The equipment management device 200 performs processing including registration, change, deletion, etc. of information on the owner table, the property table, the equipment table, and the maintenance company table. For example, an owner ID and owner information are registered in the owner table. The owner information is information including the name and contact information of the owner. The property table is registered with a property ID and property information. The property information is information including the name of the property such as the building name and the location of the property. The equipment table is registered with equipment information including the equipment ID, model name, serial number, MAC address, etc., operation data, replacement and repair history information, abnormality history information, and inspection support information. The maintenance company table is registered with maintenance company information including the maintenance company ID, company name, contact information, etc. The owner table, property table, and equipment table are linked by property IDs, and the equipment table and maintenance company table are linked by equipment IDs.

[0020] The replacement / repair history information includes the replacement date and repair date of the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20, equipment information before replacement, equipment information after replacement, etc. The replacement / repair history information includes the replacement date and repair date of parts of the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20, equipment information before replacement, equipment information after replacement, etc. The inspection support information is information including the simplified inspection date of the air conditioner 100, the history of the simplified inspection, an inspection record sheet, etc.

[0021] 4 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of an air conditioner 100 according to an embodiment. The air conditioner 100 includes, for example, an outdoor unit 10, an indoor unit 20, and a circulation path section 18. The air conditioner 100 is capable of adjusting the temperature of the indoor air by performing heat exchange between a refrigerant 19 flowing through the circulation path section 18 and the air in a room in which the indoor unit 20 is arranged. Examples of the refrigerant 19 include fluorine-based refrigerants and hydrocarbon-based refrigerants that have a low global warming potential (GWP).

[0022] The outdoor unit 10 includes, for example, a housing 11, a compressor 12, a heat exchanger 13, a flow rate control valve 14, a blower 15, a four-way valve 16, and a control unit 17. The housing 11 accommodates the compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13, the flow rate control valve 14, the blower 15, the four-way valve 16, and the control unit 17.

[0023] The compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13, the flow rate control valve 14, and the four-way valve 16 are provided in a portion of the circulation path 18 that is located inside the housing 11. The compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13, the flow rate control valve 14, and the four-way valve 16 are connected by a portion of the circulation path 18 that is located inside the housing 11.

[0024] The four-way valve 16 is provided in a portion of the circulation path section 18 that is connected to the refrigerant discharge side of the compressor 12. The four-way valve 16 switches the path of the refrigerant 19 flowing through the circulation path section 18 between the path shown by the solid line and the path shown by the dashed line. The path shown by the solid line is a path that returns the refrigerant 19 discharged from the compressor 12 to the compressor 12 via the heat exchanger 13, the flow control valve 14, and the indoor unit 20. The path shown by the dashed line is a path that returns the refrigerant 19 discharged from the compressor 12 to the compressor 12 via the indoor unit 20, the flow control valve 14, and the heat exchanger 13.

[0025] The indoor unit 20 includes a housing 21, a heat exchanger 22, a blower 23, and a control unit 24. The housing 21 houses therein the heat exchanger 22, the blower 23, the control unit 24, and the communication device 30. The indoor unit 20 is capable of a cooling operation for cooling the air in the room in which the indoor unit 20 is located, and a heating operation for heating the air in the room in which the indoor unit 20 is located.

[0026] When the air conditioner 100 performs cooling operation, the refrigerant 19 circulates, as indicated by the solid arrows, through the compressor 12, the heat exchanger 13 in the outdoor unit 10, the flow control valve 14, and the heat exchanger 22 in the indoor unit 20 in that order, before returning to the compressor 12. During cooling operation, the heat exchanger 13 in the outdoor unit 10 functions as a condenser, and the heat exchanger 22 in the indoor unit 20 functions as an evaporator.

[0027] When the air conditioner 100 performs heating operation, the refrigerant 19 circulates, as indicated by the dashed arrows, through the compressor 12, the heat exchanger 22 in the indoor unit 20, the flow control valve 14, and the heat exchanger 13 in the outdoor unit 10, in that order, before returning to the compressor 12. During heating operation, the heat exchanger 13 in the outdoor unit 10 functions as an evaporator, and the heat exchanger 22 in the indoor unit 20 functions as a condenser.

[0028] The control unit 24 is mounted on a circuit board in the indoor unit 20 together with the communication device 30 and the storage unit 24a. The control unit 24 controls each part of the indoor unit 20. The control unit 17 is mounted on a circuit board in the outdoor unit 10 together with the storage unit 17a. The control unit 17 controls each part of the outdoor unit 10. The control unit 24 and the control unit 17 are realized by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a program stored in a program memory. Software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware is described as a program, and the program is stored in the program memory. In addition, some or all of the functional units may be realized by hardware such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or may be realized by software and hardware working together. The storage units 17a and 24a are realized by non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), or EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM).

[0029] Specifically, the control unit 24 communicates with the operation unit 110 and the information processing terminal 120 via the communication device 30. The control unit 24 receives signals from sensors (not shown) mounted on the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. The control unit 24 controls the motor in the blower 23. The control unit 24 supplies a control signal for operating the outdoor unit 10 to the control unit 17. The control unit 17 controls the motor in the compressor 12, the motor in the blower 15, the actuator in the four-way valve 16, and the actuator in the flow rate control valve 14.

[0030] The sensors may include, for example, temperature sensors that detect various temperatures such as the outside air temperature, the room temperature, the refrigerant piping temperature, and the shell temperature of the compressor 12; sensors that detect various driving amounts such as the driving amount of the blower 15, the driving amount of the blower 23, and the driving amount of the compressor 12; sensors that detect various operations such as the operation of the flow control valve 14 and the operation of the four-way valve 16; and refrigerant leakage sensors arranged around the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20.

[0031] The operation data will be described in detail below. The operation data is data related to the operation of the air conditioner 100. The operation data includes data related to the overall operation of the air conditioner 100, data related to the operation of the outdoor unit 10, data related to the operation of the indoor unit 20, data related to the operation of the parts of the outdoor unit 10, and data related to the parts of the indoor unit 20. The operation data may be data that can be used to predict the lifespan of the air conditioner 100. The data that can be used to predict the lifespan of the air conditioner 100 may include data that can be used to predict the lifespan of the outdoor unit 10, the lifespan of the indoor unit 20, the lifespan of the parts of the outdoor unit 10, and the lifespan of the parts of the indoor unit 20. In addition, the operation data includes operation data stored in the outdoor unit 10, operation data stored in the indoor unit 20, and operation data managed in the equipment management device 200.

[0032] The operation data stored in the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 includes, for example, an abnormality history indicating the time of occurrence of an abnormality and the type of abnormality, the power supply time of the outdoor unit 10, the number of on / off times and the cumulative time of the compressor 12, the cumulative operation time of the blower 15, the cumulative operation time of the blower 23, the cumulative operation time of the drain pump, the cumulative operation time and the total number of drive pulses of the vane stepping motor, the total value of drive pulses of the indoor linear expansion valve (LEV (Linear Expansion Valve)) in the indoor unit 20, the number of times the indoor linear expansion valve in the indoor unit 20 has been tightened, the life signal of the refrigerant leakage sensor, the power supply time of the indoor unit 20, the number of times the flow control valve 14 has been switched, the total value of drive pulses of the indoor linear expansion valve in the outdoor unit 10, and the number of times the indoor linear expansion valve in the outdoor unit 10 has been tightened. The cumulative values ​​of these operation data are stored in the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20. Some or all of the operating data stored in these outdoor units 10 and indoor units 20 may be transmitted from the air conditioner 100 to the equipment management device 200 at a preset time, at preset intervals, or when preset conditions are met.

[0033] The operation data managed by the equipment management device 200 includes, for example, the stop time and operation time of the air conditioner 100, the operation mode of the air conditioner 100, the set temperature, the set air speed, the scheduled operation setting, the power consumption, the filter usage time, the number of people detected by the human sensor, the floor temperature detected by the human sensor, the operating frequency of the compressor 12, the operating current of the compressor 12, the bus voltage of the inverter mounted on the compressor 12, the refrigerant discharge temperature of the compressor 12, the refrigerant suction temperature of the compressor 12, the shell temperature of the compressor 12, the liquid pipe temperature of the indoor unit 20, the two-phase pipe temperature of the indoor unit 20, the liquid pipe temperature of the outdoor unit 10, the two-phase pipe temperature of the outdoor unit 10, the discharge superheat, subcool, outdoor air temperature, indoor suction temperature of the compressor 12, the rotation speed of the blower 15, the opening degree of the indoor linear expansion valve in the outdoor unit 10, and the on / off state of the four-way valve 16. These instantaneous values ​​of operating data are stored in the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20. The operating data managed in the equipment management device 200 is transmitted from the air conditioner 100 to the equipment management device 200 at a preset time, for each preset period, or when preset conditions are met, and is not stored in the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20. In addition, the operating data managed in the equipment management device 200 is stored in the equipment management device 200 as time-series data.

[0034] 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the air conditioner 100 and the device management device 200 in the embodiment. The air conditioner 100 includes, for example, a control unit 24, a data acquisition unit 140, a processing unit 142, a storage unit 24a, an external communication unit 150, and an in-home communication unit 152. The data acquisition unit 140 and the processing unit 142 are realized by, for example, a processor such as a CPU executing a program stored in a program memory. The control unit 24, the data acquisition unit 140, the processing unit 142, the storage unit 24a, the external communication unit 150, and the in-home communication unit 152 may be mounted on either the outdoor unit 10 or the indoor unit 20, or may be distributed and mounted on the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20.

[0035] The control unit 24 outputs control signals to each unit of the air conditioner 100. The data acquisition unit 140 acquires operation data from each unit of the air conditioner 100. The memory unit 24a stores work information and operation data. The processing unit 142 transmits the work information and operation data stored in the memory unit 144 to the equipment management device 200 via the external communication unit 150. The external communication unit 150 is a communication unit that transmits the operation data to the equipment management device 200. The home communication unit 152 performs wired communication with the operation unit 110. The home communication unit 152 communicates with the information processing terminal 120 using a short-range communication method. The short-range communication method is, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The air conditioner 100 may acquire work information related to the work from a worker terminal device 410 operated by a worker who performed work on the air conditioner 100 via the home communication unit 152.

[0036] The equipment management device 200 includes, for example, a data acquisition unit 210, an information acquisition unit 220, a processing unit 230, and a storage unit 240. The data acquisition unit 210 acquires operation data by communicating with an external communication unit 150 provided in the air conditioner 100. The information acquisition unit 220 acquires work information related to the work from a worker terminal device 410 operated by the worker who performed the work on the air conditioner 100. The storage unit 240 stores the operation data and the like. The processing unit 230 associates the operation data acquired before the work with the operation data acquired after the work based on the work information.

[0037] In the embodiment, the work information may be acquired by the air conditioner 100 from a worker near the air conditioner 100 via the in-home communication unit 152, or the worker terminal device 410 may acquire the work information via the network NW by the acquisition unit 220. The work information acquired by the air conditioner 100 is transmitted to the equipment management device 200 via the network NW and stored in the storage unit 240.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an operation screen on the worker terminal device 410. FIG. 6(A) is a diagram showing an example of a screen for selecting a device to be replaced or repaired. The worker terminal device 410 starts application software for registering work information, and displays a screen for selecting a device based on an instruction from the application software. The worker terminal device 410 acquires device information included in the air conditioner 100 by performing short-distance communication with the air conditioner 100, for example, and displays a list of devices to be replaced or repaired. When an operation for selecting "outdoor unit 10a" from among the devices to be replaced or repaired is input, the worker terminal device 410 displays a work selection screen. FIG. 6(B) is a diagram showing an example of a work selection screen. In response to the selection of "outdoor unit 10a", the worker terminal device 410 acquires information from the device management device 200 indicating that the devices connected to the outdoor unit 10a are the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10a, and the indoor unit 20a. The worker terminal device 410 displays the equipment to be replaced or repaired on the work selection screen based on the acquired information. The worker terminal device 410 also displays a work menu for the equipment to be replaced or repaired. The work menu includes an operation data confirmation work, an operating work, and a repair registration work.

[0039] The worker terminal device 410 displays a repair content selection screen in response to receiving an operation to select "repair registration" from the work menu. FIG. 6(C) is a diagram showing an example of the repair content selection screen. Repair contents include, for example, communication device replacement, equipment replacement, part replacement, refrigerant injection, cleaning, and the like. The worker terminal device 410 displays a repair content registration screen in response to the selection of "communication device replacement". FIG. 6(D) is a diagram showing an example of the repair content registration screen. The worker terminal device 410 displays an input field on the repair content registration screen to prompt an input operation to specify the repair content. The worker terminal device 410 displays, for example, a pre-replacement ID input field, a post-replacement ID input field, a reason input field, a repair date input field, a repair person input field, a photo input field, and a data transfer input field for communication device replacement. The worker terminal device 410 receives an operation to input "XXX" in the pre-replacement ID input field, "YYY" in the post-replacement ID input field, and "automatic" in the data transfer input field. Then, the worker terminal device 410 accepts an operation to select the registration button. The worker terminal device 410 transmits to the equipment management device 200 work information including information indicating the selected equipment, information indicating that the pre-replacement ID is "XXX", information indicating that the post-replacement ID is "YYY", and information indicating that data transfer will be performed automatically.

[0040] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the transfer of operation data in the embodiment. Assume that the communication device 30 to which the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are connected is replaced with a new communication device 30. In this case, the equipment management device 200 acquires information indicating the ID "XXX" of the communication device 30 before the replacement, information indicating the ID "YYY" of the communication device 30 after the replacement, and information indicating that data transfer is to be performed automatically. The processing unit 230 of the equipment management device 200 associates the operation data (YYY) of the new communication device 30 with the operation data of the outdoor unit 10 before the replacement and the operation data of the outdoor unit 10 after the replacement, and the operation data of the indoor unit 20 before the replacement and the operation data of the indoor unit 20 after the replacement. As a result, when any one of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20 is replaced, the equipment management device 200 stores the operation data of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20 before the replacement. Furthermore, the processing unit 230 integrates the operation data of the outdoor unit 10 before replacement with that of the replaced outdoor unit 10, and integrates the operation data of the indoor unit 20 before replacement with that of the replaced indoor unit 20. The process of integrating the operation data is, for example, a process of summing up the power-on time of the outdoor unit 10 before replacement and the power-on time of the outdoor unit 10 after replacement. This allows the equipment management device 200 to perform a process such as determining whether the power-on time of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 has exceeded their service life using the sum of the power-on time.

[0041] 8 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. When replacing the outdoor unit 10, the worker terminal device 410 may display input fields for the model name of the pre-replacement device, the serial number of the pre-replacement device, the model name of the post-replacement device, and the serial number of the post-replacement device. The worker terminal device 410 reads, for example, a code attached to the pre-replacement outdoor unit 10 and a code attached to the post-replacement outdoor unit 10. This allows the worker terminal device 410 to automatically input the model name "XXX" of the pre-replacement device and the serial number "111" of the pre-replacement device, the model name "YYY" of the post-replacement device and the serial number "222" of the post-replacement device into the input fields. In response to receiving the operation in which the registration button has been selected, the worker terminal device 410 transmits work information to the equipment management device 200, the work information including information indicating that the selected equipment is the outdoor unit 10, information indicating the model name of the equipment before replacement, the serial number of the equipment before replacement, the model name of the equipment after replacement, and the serial number of the equipment after replacement, and information indicating that data transfer will be performed automatically.

[0042] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the transfer of operation data in the embodiment. Assume that the outdoor unit 10 to which the communication device 30 and the indoor unit 20 are connected is replaced with a new outdoor unit 10. In this case, the equipment management device 200 receives, for example, information indicating the model name of the pre-replacement equipment, the serial number of the pre-replacement equipment, the model name of the post-replacement equipment, and the serial number of the post-replacement equipment, and information indicating that data transfer is to be performed automatically. The equipment management device 200 associates the operation data of the pre-replacement outdoor unit 10 with the operation data of the post-replacement outdoor unit 10. For example, the equipment management device 200 can transfer the operation data of the pre-replacement outdoor unit 10, which is not accumulated, such as stop and operation history, operation mode, and set temperature, to the operation data of the post-replacement outdoor unit 10. The equipment management device 200 can also not transfer the operation data of the pre-replacement outdoor unit 10, which is accumulated, such as the power supply time, the number of on / off times, and operation time, from the operation data of the pre-replacement outdoor unit 10 to the operation data of the post-replacement outdoor unit. The equipment management apparatus 200 may store, rather than erase, the operating data that is not to be carried over.

[0043] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. When the repair content is "refrigerant charging", the worker terminal device 410 displays, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a charging amount input field, a reason input field, a repair date input field, a repair person input field, a photo input field, and a data transfer input field for charging the refrigerant. The worker terminal device 410 accepts, for example, an operation of inputting "1 kg" in the charging amount input field and "automatic" in the data transfer input field, and accepts an operation of selecting the registration button. The worker terminal device 410 transmits work information to the equipment management device 200, including information indicating that the repair content is "refrigerant charging" and that the charging amount input field is "1 kg", and information indicating that data transfer is to be performed automatically.

[0044] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another example of the transfer of operation data in the embodiment. The equipment management device 200 receives information indicating that the repair content is "refrigerant charging" and that the charging amount input field is "1 kg", and information indicating that the data transfer will be performed automatically. The equipment management device 200 updates the information on the charging amount of refrigerant for the air conditioner 100 associated with the operation data of the communication device 30 using the received information indicating that the charging amount input field is "1 kg". The equipment management device 200 changes the charging amount of refrigerant to, for example, the current charging amount of refrigerant plus 1 kg.

[0045] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. When the repair content is "part replacement", the worker terminal device 410 displays a replacement part input field, a reason input field, a repair date input field, a repair person input field, a photo input field, and a data transfer input field, as shown in FIG. 12, for example. The worker terminal device 410 can accept an operation of inputting "compressor" in the replacement part input field and "automatic" in the data transfer input field, and can accept an operation of selecting the registration button. The worker terminal device 410 transmits work information including information indicating that the repair content is "part replacement" and that the replacement device is "compressor", and information indicating that data transfer is to be performed automatically, to the equipment management device 200.

[0046] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the transfer of operation data in the embodiment. The equipment management device 200 receives, for example, information indicating that the repair content is "part replacement" and the replacement equipment is "compressor", and information indicating that data transfer is to be performed automatically. The equipment management device 200 resets the operation data to be accumulated among the current operation data of the compressor 12. The accumulated operation data is, for example, data such as the number of times the compressor 12 is turned on and off. The equipment management device 200 does not need to reset the operation data that is not accumulated among the current operation data of the compressor 12. The operation data that is not accumulated is, for example, data such as the operating frequency of the compressor 12. Note that, when the parts of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are repaired, it is preferable that the equipment management device 200 transfers the accumulated operation data from the parts before repair to the parts after repair without resetting the accumulated operation data of the parts before repair.

[0047] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing another example of the repair content registration screen. For example, as shown in FIG. 14, when the repair content is "cleaning", the worker terminal device 410 displays a cleaning part input field, a reason input field, a repair date input field, a repair person input field, a photo input field, and a data transfer input field. The worker terminal device 410 can accept an operation of inputting "vane" in the cleaning part input field and "no" in the data transfer input field and selecting the registration button. The worker terminal device 410 transmits information indicating that the repair content is "cleaning" and that the cleaning part is "vane", and information indicating that data transfer will not be performed, to the equipment management device 200. When the equipment management device 200 receives information indicating that data transfer will not be performed, the equipment management device 200 does not transfer the operation data for the cleaning part. The equipment management device 200 updates the replacement and repair history information for the vane.

[0048] FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram showing an example of signal transmission and reception in the equipment management system. The air conditioner 100 transmits operation data to the equipment management device 200, and the equipment management device 200 stores the received operation data. For example, when performing work to replace equipment such as the outdoor unit 10, the equipment management device 200 transmits request information to the worker terminal device 410 to prompt the worker to transmit work information, and the worker terminal device 410 transmits the work information to the equipment management device 200. When the worker terminal device 410 receives request information from the equipment management device 200 to prompt the worker to transmit work information, it can start up application software and display an input screen for the work information. This can prevent a situation in which the worker performs work but the work information is not transmitted.

[0049] For example, the worker terminal device 410 may transmit a request to delete operation data related to the equipment or part before replacement to the equipment management device 200. When the equipment management device 200 receives the request to delete, it deletes the operation data related to the equipment or part corresponding to the request.

[0050] The equipment management device 200 transfers the operation data using the work information. In response to the data transfer, the equipment management device 200 notifies the owner terminal device 300 and the maintenance company terminal device 400 of the work. The work notification may include information including, for example, the equipment ID of the equipment on which the worker performed the work, the property ID, and the work content. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for notifying the owner terminal device 300 or the maintenance company terminal device 400 of the work. The owner terminal device 300 and the maintenance company terminal device 400 can display a screen as shown in FIG. 16 based on the work notification.

[0051] The equipment management device 200 may notify the owner terminal device 300 or the maintenance company terminal device 400 of the operation time of the parts based on the result of the data transfer. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the relationship between the work history and the operation time. The equipment management device 200 transmits information indicating the work content and information indicating the operation time after the work such as replacing the blower 15, replacing the compressor 12, cleaning the blower 23, etc. after the data transfer to the owner terminal device 300 and the maintenance company terminal device 400. As a result, the owner terminal device 300 or the maintenance company terminal device 400 can check the operation time of the parts after the work by displaying the information shown in FIG. 17.

[0052] The device management device 200 may update the replacement timing of the part based on the operation time of the part after the data transfer. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the relationship between the part, the work, and the replacement timing. For example, the device management device 200 transmits information including the replacement timing when the fan motor in the blower 15 is not cleaned, the replacement timing when regular cleaning is performed twice a year, and the replacement timing when the fan motor is replaced with a new one to the owner terminal device 300 or the maintenance company terminal device 400. As a result, the device management device 200 provides the owner terminal device 300 with information including the replacement timing of the part, and allows the owner to select the work to be performed on the fan motor. In addition, the maintenance company terminal device 400 can suggest maintenance of the fan motor to the owner.

[0053] When the equipment management device 200 receives operation data from the air conditioner 100 after the work, the equipment management device 200 associates the received operation data with the operation data before the work. The equipment management device 200 integrates the operation data acquired after the work with the operation data that has been transferred. For example, the equipment management device 200 performs processes such as a life diagnosis and a failure diagnosis of the air conditioner 100 based on the operation data transmitted from the air conditioner 100 after the work and the operation data that has been transferred. When the usage time of the outdoor unit 10 exceeds its service life, the equipment management device 200 transmits a life notification to the maintenance contractor terminal device 400. In response to receiving the life notification, the maintenance contractor terminal device 400 transmits a request to refer to the operation data to the equipment management device 200. When the equipment management device 200 receives a request to refer to the operation data from the maintenance contractor terminal device 400, the equipment management device 200 transmits to the maintenance contractor terminal device 400 the operation data that is obtained by integrating the operation data acquired after the work with the operation data that has been transferred. The maintenance contractor terminal device 400 can refer to the operating data and transmit proposal information to the owner's terminal device 300, including proposals for replacing the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 of the air conditioner 100, and proposals for maintenance work on the air conditioner 100.

[0054] As described above, the equipment management device 200 of the embodiment includes a data acquisition unit 210 that acquires operation data related to the operation of the air conditioner 100, an acquisition unit 220 that acquires work information related to the work from the worker terminal device 410 operated by the worker who performed the work on the air conditioner 100, and a processing unit 230 that associates the operation data acquired before the work with the operation data acquired after the work based on the work information acquired by the acquisition unit 220. According to the equipment management device 200, the operation data acquired before the work can be automatically associated with the operation data acquired after the work by transmitting the work information from the worker terminal device 410 to the equipment management device 200. As a result, according to the equipment management device 200, for example, when it is necessary to take over the operation data due to the replacement of a part of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, or the indoor unit 20, the burden on the worker to take over the operation data when the air conditioner 100 is replaced or repaired can be reduced. Furthermore, according to the equipment management device 200, the equipment management device 200 automatically transfers the operation data based on the work information, so that it is possible to suppress errors in the transfer of operation data by workers. As described above, the air conditioner 100 includes the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20. When any one of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20 is replaced, the equipment management device 200 can store both the operation data acquired before the replacement and the operation data acquired after the replacement in association with the combination of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20 after the replacement.

[0055] For example, when the communication device 30 to which the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 are connected is replaced with a new communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 to which the communication device 30 before the replacement was connected are connected to the new communication device 30, but there is a possibility that the new communication device 30 may be mistakenly recognized as a combination of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20. In this case, the operation data of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 connected to the communication device 30 before the replacement cannot be taken over. In contrast, according to the device management system of the embodiment, the device management device 200 recognizes that the communication device 30 has been replaced by transmitting work information from the worker terminal device 410 to the device management device 200, and the operation data of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 connected to the communication device 30 before the replacement can be associated with the communication device 30 after the replacement.

[0056] In the embodiment, the work may be replacing a first device included in the air conditioner 100 with a second device. The "device" in the first device and second device is, for example, any of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, and the indoor unit 20. The processing unit 230 can associate the operation data of the first device with the operation data of the second device based on the work information, and perform processing based on the result of integrating the operation data of the first device with the operation data of the second device. For example, the processing unit 230 can perform a life diagnosis by adding the operation time of the first device and the operation time of the second device. For example, the processing unit 230 can create information proposing replacement of the outdoor unit 10, the indoor unit 20, and the communication device 30, or parts, included in the air conditioner 100.

[0057] In the embodiment, the work may be replacing a first part included in a device included in the air conditioner 100 with a second part. The "part" in the first part and second part is an element that constitutes a part of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, or the indoor unit 20, for example, the compressor 12 in the outdoor unit 10. The processing unit 230 can associate the operation data of the first part with the operation data of the second part based on the work information, and perform processing based on the result of integrating the operation data of the first part with the operation data of the second part. For example, the processing unit 230 can perform a life diagnosis by adding the operation time of the compressor 12 before replacement and the operation time of the compressor 12 after replacement. In addition, there are cases where identification information is not given to the parts in the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, or the indoor unit 20, but the operation data of the parts can be taken over based on the equipment information of the communication device 30, the outdoor unit 10, or the indoor unit 20 in the work information. For example, operation data for parts is stored in both the control boards of the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20, and in the equipment management device 200. According to the equipment management system, work information is transmitted from the worker terminal device 410 to the equipment management device 200, so that when replacing parts, the operation data for parts stored in the control boards can be reset, and the operation data for parts stored in the equipment management device 200 can also be reset.

[0058] According to the embodiment, the equipment management device 200 notifies the worker terminal device 410 that work information is to be input. For example, when the equipment management device 200 does not receive work information after a replacement work is performed, the equipment management device 200 can notify the worker terminal device 410. This allows the equipment management device 200 to prevent the worker terminal device 410 from not transmitting the work information to the equipment management device 200. Furthermore, the equipment management device 200 can detect that an unintended replacement or the like has been performed by reliably acquiring the work information and notifying the owner terminal device 300 or the maintenance contractor terminal device 400 based on the work information.

[0059] According to the embodiment, the equipment management device 200 can delete the driving data before the work based on a request received from the worker terminal device 410. This allows the worker to delete unnecessary driving data.

[0060] Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and includes designs within the scope of the present disclosure. The configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiment can be arbitrarily combined. For example, in the embodiment, the air conditioner 100 is described as the target of work, but this is not limited thereto, and the above-mentioned embodiment may be applied if there is a need to associate or transfer operation data before and after work due to work such as equipment replacement, part replacement, repair, or cleaning. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 10, 10a, 10b... outdoor unit, 12... compressor, 13... heat exchanger, 14... flow rate control valve, 15... blower, 16... four-way valve, 17... control unit, 17a, 24a... memory unit, 19... refrigerant, 21... housing, 22... heat exchanger, 23... blower, 24... control unit, 20, 20a, 20b1, 20b2... indoor unit, 30, 30a, 30b... communication device, 100, 100A, 100B... air conditioner, 101... router, 110... operation unit, 1 20...information processing terminal, 140...data acquisition unit, 142...processing unit, 144...storage unit, 150...external communication unit, 152...in-home communication unit, 200...apparatus management device, 210...data acquisition unit, 220...information acquisition unit, 230...processing unit, 240...storage unit, 250...learning data storage unit, 252...learning processing unit, 254...prediction unit, 300...owner's terminal device, 400...maintenance contractor's terminal device, 410...worker's terminal device

Claims

1. A data acquisition unit that acquires operation data related to the operation of the air conditioner; an information acquisition unit that acquires work information related to the work from a terminal operated by a worker who performed the work on the air conditioner; a processing unit that associates driving data acquired by the data acquisition unit before the work with driving data acquired by the data acquisition unit after the work based on the work information acquired by the information acquisition unit; A device management device comprising:

2. the work is replacing a first device included in the air conditioner with a second device, The processing unit associates the operation data of the first device with the operation data of the second device, and performs processing based on a result of integrating the operation data of the first device with the operation data of the second device. The device management device according to claim 1 .

3. the work is replacing a first part of a device included in the air conditioner with a second part, The processing unit associates the operation data of the first part with the operation data of the second part, and performs processing based on a result of integrating the operation data of the first part with the operation data of the second part. The device management device according to claim 1 .

4. The air conditioner includes a communication device that communicates with the equipment management device, and an outdoor unit and an indoor unit that are connected to the communication device, When the replacement of any one of the communication device, the outdoor unit, and the indoor unit is performed as the work, the operation data of the communication device, the outdoor unit, and the indoor unit acquired by the data acquisition unit before the replacement is stored. The device management device according to claim 1 .

5. The device management apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a notification to the terminal that the work information is to be input.

6. The equipment management device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit deletes the pre-task operating data acquired by the data acquisition unit based on a request received from the terminal.

7. a terminal device that is operated by a worker performing work on the air conditioner and transmits work information related to the work based on the operation of the worker; an equipment management device including: a data acquisition unit that acquires operation data related to the operation of the air conditioner; an information acquisition unit that acquires the work information from the terminal device; and a processing unit that associates the operation data acquired by the data acquisition unit before the work with the operation data acquired by the data acquisition unit after the work, based on the work information acquired by the information acquisition unit; An equipment management system comprising:

8. Obtaining operational data related to the operation of the air conditioner; acquiring work information related to the work from a terminal operated by a worker who performed the work on the air conditioner; Associating the driving data acquired before the work with the driving data acquired after the work based on the work information; A method for managing an air conditioner having the above structure.

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