Maintenance and inspection method and maintenance and inspection system

Abstract

To prevent mismatch between a content of abnormality and a person coping with maintenance when abnormality occurs, and to cope with the abnormality efficiently.SOLUTION: On the basis of in-chamber temperature information of cooling equipment 4 acquired from the cooling equipment 4 via a network 13, and relevant information acquired from a relevant information acquisition device 9 via the network, whether abnormality of the cooling equipment 4 is caused by a failure of the cooling equipment 4 or caused by a temporary cause is determined. In the case where the abnormality is the temporary cause, a screen display of work for solving the temporary cause is provided to a shop user terminal device 10 via the network 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a maintenance and inspection method, a maintenance and inspection system, and an information terminal. [Background technology]

[0002] When refrigeration equipment breaks down, it is repaired by a specialized maintenance worker (for example, a service engineer). Therefore, when a user of the refrigeration equipment (for example, a store employee) suspects an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment, they will request a specialized maintenance worker to investigate the cause of the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment as necessary. The specialized maintenance worker will investigate and repair the equipment. However, the cause of the abnormality may not be a breakdown in the refrigeration equipment itself, but a temporary one caused by the way it is operated (for example, when the air intake of a showcase is covered by products, advertising paper, price tags, etc.). Furthermore, Patent Document 1 discloses a store maintenance system that, when an abnormality (error) occurs in refrigeration equipment, enables even employees who are unfamiliar with maintenance to immediately deal with the error using a tablet terminal. Patent document 1 states that "the store maintenance system is equipped with a tablet terminal that receives alarm information regarding errors that occur in equipment installed in the store, and this tablet terminal has a memory unit that holds maintenance information including methods for dealing with errors that occur in the equipment, a display unit, and an input unit, and when alarm information is received, a specified alarm notification is issued on the display unit and methods for dealing with the occurred error are displayed on the display unit." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-133787 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, users of refrigeration equipment cannot determine the cause of the abnormality in the equipment. As a result, even when repairs are not required, users of refrigeration equipment may request an investigation by a maintenance worker. In this case, the user of refrigeration equipment incurs unnecessary work and expenditures, such as requesting an investigation and paying the investigation costs. In addition, maintenance workers spend time on unnecessary business trips, which reduces the time they can spend on repair work. In conventional systems, there is a mismatch between the nature of the abnormality and the person who handles maintenance, which can lead to inefficient handling of abnormalities.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a maintenance and inspection method, a maintenance and inspection system, and an information terminal that can prevent a mismatch between the content of an abnormality and the person responsible for maintenance when an abnormality occurs, and can efficiently deal with the abnormality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is a maintenance and inspection method for performing maintenance and inspection of a refrigeration equipment using a computer connected via a network to a refrigeration equipment having a first sensor that acquires measurement information including at least inside temperature information and a second terminal device having a second sensor that acquires related information from the refrigeration equipment, the maintenance and inspection method determining whether an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a temporary cause based on the measurement information of the refrigeration equipment acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network and the related information different from the measurement information acquired from the second terminal device via the network, comparing ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment by the second terminal device without using the network with ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, and determining whether the refrigeration equipment from which the second terminal device acquired the related information is the refrigeration equipment causing the abnormality. The present invention is a maintenance and inspection system that is connected via a network to a refrigeration equipment having a first sensor that acquires measurement information including at least inside temperature information, and a second terminal device having a second sensor that acquires related information from the refrigeration equipment, and performs maintenance and inspection of the refrigeration equipment using a computer. The maintenance and inspection system determines whether an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a temporary cause based on the measurement information of the refrigeration equipment acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network and the related information different from the measurement information acquired from the second terminal device via the network, compares ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment by the second terminal device without using the network with ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, and determines whether the refrigeration equipment from which the second terminal device acquired the related information is the refrigeration equipment causing an abnormality. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs, a mismatch between the nature of the abnormality and the person who handles the maintenance can be prevented, and the abnormality can be handled efficiently. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a refrigeration equipment management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] Block diagram showing the functional configuration of the cooling equipment [Diagram 3] Block diagram showing the functional configuration of the in-store device [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a related information acquisition device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a store user terminal device. [Figure 6] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of an engineer terminal device. [Figure 7] Block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server [Figure 8]1A and 1B are diagrams showing examples of the configuration of various data stored in the storage unit of the management server, in which (a) is a diagram showing a list of store devices in a store managed by the management server, (b) is a diagram showing a list of correspondence between refrigeration equipment and related information acquisition devices managed by the store device, (c) is a diagram showing the configuration of operation data acquired by the data acquisition unit from refrigeration equipment 4 via the store device, (d) is a diagram showing the configuration of alarm data acquired by the data acquisition unit from refrigeration equipment via the store device, (e) is a diagram showing the configuration of related information data acquired by the related information acquisition unit from the related information acquisition device, and (f) is a diagram showing the configuration of work report data acquired by the work result acquisition unit from a store user terminal device. [Figure 9] Sequence diagram of the cooling equipment management system when no abnormality occurs in the cooling equipment [Figure 10] Sequence diagram of the cooling equipment management system when an abnormality occurs in the cooling equipment [Figure 11] Diagnosis process flow chart [Figure 12] Flowchart of related information acquisition process [Figure 13] Flowchart of cause identification process [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart of a cause identification process according to a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] A first invention is a maintenance and inspection method used in a maintenance and inspection system that is connected via a network to a refrigeration equipment having a first sensor that acquires measurement information including at least inside temperature information, a first terminal device that displays information about the refrigeration equipment, and a second terminal device having a second sensor that acquires information from the refrigeration equipment, and that performs maintenance and inspection of the refrigeration equipment using a computer, the maintenance and inspection method determining whether an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a malfunction of the refrigeration equipment or a temporary cause based on inside temperature information of the refrigeration equipment obtained from the refrigeration equipment via the network and related information about the refrigeration equipment that is different from the inside temperature information of the refrigeration equipment and obtained from the second terminal device via the network, and if the cause is temporary, providing a screen display of work to eliminate the temporary cause to the first terminal device via the network. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment, the appropriate person can perform the appropriate work to address the cause of the abnormality, and the abnormality can be dealt with efficiently. For example, a user such as a store employee is instructed to perform only the work that can be performed without specialized knowledge of the refrigeration equipment to address the cause, and is not instructed to perform the work that requires specialized knowledge. Therefore, even if a user does not have specialized knowledge of the refrigeration equipment and is unfamiliar with maintenance, it becomes possible to perform the appropriate work to address the cause of the abnormality.

[0010] A second invention is a maintenance and inspection method in which, in the first invention, when it is not possible to determine whether an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a malfunction of the refrigeration equipment or is temporary, based on internal temperature information of the refrigeration equipment obtained from the refrigeration equipment via the network, a screen display is provided to the first terminal device to prompt acquisition of the related information. This makes it easier to identify the cause of the abnormality, allowing the appropriate person to carry out the appropriate work to address the cause of the abnormality, and thus enabling the abnormality to be dealt with efficiently.

[0011] A third invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to the first or second invention, in which, when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment, an interior light of the refrigeration equipment is turned off. It becomes easier to identify cooling equipment that is experiencing an abnormality.

[0012] A fourth invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to any one of the first to third inventions, in which, when it is determined that an increase in the temperature inside the refrigeration equipment is caused by a malfunction of the refrigeration equipment, a request to a maintenance and inspection service provider is sent via the network to deal with the abnormality. As a result, when specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment is required to deal with the cause of the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment, it is possible to have a professional carry out the appropriate work, rather than the user.

[0013] A fifth invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to the first invention, wherein the refrigeration equipment has an ID transmission unit that transmits ID information of the refrigeration equipment to the second terminal device without going through the network, and the second terminal device compares the ID information acquired from the ID transmission unit with ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, and determines whether the refrigeration equipment about which the second terminal device has acquired the related information is a refrigeration equipment experiencing an abnormality. This makes it possible to prevent related information of refrigeration equipment that is not experiencing an abnormality from being used in making a judgment using the related information.

[0014] A sixth invention is the maintenance and inspection method according to the fifth invention, wherein the ID transmission unit transmits the ID information by at least one of a QR code, a beacon, and an optical ID. This makes it possible to transmit the ID information to the second terminal device by a method other than communication via a network.

[0015] A seventh invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to the fifth or sixth invention, in which, if the ID information acquired by the second terminal device from the ID transmission unit does not match the ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, a message is sent to the first terminal device or the second terminal device via the network indicating that the refrigeration equipment about which the second terminal device has acquired the related information is not a refrigeration equipment having an abnormality. This notifies the second terminal device that the related information is being acquired from a cooling appliance that is not experiencing an abnormality, and allows the user or the second terminal device itself to acquire the related information again.

[0016] An eighth invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to any one of the fifth to seventh inventions, in which, when ID information acquired by the second terminal device from the ID transmission unit does not match ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, information identifying the refrigeration equipment having an abnormality is sent to the first terminal device or the second terminal device via the network. This allows the second terminal device to reliably acquire related information from the refrigeration equipment in which an abnormality is occurring.

[0017] A ninth invention is a maintenance inspection method according to any one of the first to eighth inventions, wherein the related information is image information captured by a camera of the cold air outlet, cold air inlet, evaporator, honeycomb, filter, or the surrounding area including at least one of these parts of the cooling equipment. By acquiring such related information, it is possible to accurately identify whether the cause of the abnormality is one that does not require specialized knowledge about refrigeration equipment to deal with.

[0018] A tenth invention is a maintenance inspection method according to the ninth invention, in which the work to eliminate the temporary cause is cleaning at least one of the cold air outlet, the honeycomb, the filter, and the surrounding area, or removing foreign matter from at least one of the cold air intake and the surrounding area. This allows a user who does not have specialized knowledge about cooling equipment and is unfamiliar with maintenance to carry out only the work that is appropriate for that user.

[0019] An eleventh invention is a maintenance and inspection method in any one of the first to eighth inventions, wherein the related information obtained from the second terminal device is sound collection information of a fan or compressor of the refrigeration equipment by a microphone. By obtaining such related information, it is possible to accurately identify whether the cause of the abnormality is a fan or compressor abnormality, which may require specialized knowledge of refrigeration equipment to deal with.

[0020] A twelfth invention is a maintenance and inspection method in any one of the first to eighth inventions, wherein the related information obtained from the second terminal device is vibration information of a compressor of the refrigeration equipment detected by an acceleration sensor. By acquiring such related information, it is possible to identify whether the cause of the abnormality is a compressor abnormality, which may require specialized knowledge about refrigeration equipment to deal with.

[0021] A thirteenth invention is a maintenance inspection method in the first invention, which causes the refrigeration equipment to defrost the evaporator when it is determined that the cause of an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is frost on the evaporator based on the internal temperature information of the refrigeration equipment obtained from the refrigeration equipment and an image of the evaporator of the refrigeration equipment taken by a camera obtained from the second terminal device. As a result, an abnormality in the temperature inside the storage unit caused by frost can be appropriately dealt with by having the cooling equipment perform defrosting, without requiring the user to perform any work.

[0022] A fourteenth invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to any one of the first to thirteenth inventions, wherein the first terminal device is a portable mobile terminal, and the second terminal device is an information acquisition device installed in a store in which the refrigeration equipment is located or in the refrigeration equipment. This allows the user to obtain related information without any work, reducing the number of times the user has to work. In addition, since the first terminal device is a portable terminal, the user can perform the work while operating the first terminal device near the refrigeration equipment to be worked on.

[0023] A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is a maintenance and inspection method according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention, wherein the first terminal device and the second terminal device are the same portable terminal. This reduces the cost of the maintenance and inspection system. Furthermore, since the first terminal device is a portable terminal that also serves as the second terminal device, the user can carry the first terminal device to the cooling equipment where an abnormality occurs and reliably obtain related information from the cooling equipment, regardless of the location of each cooling equipment.

[0024] A sixteenth invention is a maintenance and inspection system that is connected via a network to a refrigeration equipment having a first sensor that acquires measurement information including at least inside temperature information, a first terminal device that displays information of the refrigeration equipment, and a second terminal device having a second sensor that acquires information from the refrigeration equipment, and performs maintenance and inspection of the refrigeration equipment using a computer, the maintenance and inspection system determining whether an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a malfunction of the refrigeration equipment or a temporary cause based on inside temperature information of the refrigeration equipment acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network and related information about the refrigeration equipment that is different from the inside temperature information of the refrigeration equipment acquired from the second terminal device via the network, and if the cause is temporary, providing a screen display of work to eliminate the temporary cause to the first terminal device via the network. According to the present invention, the same effects as those of the first invention are achieved.

[0025] A seventeenth aspect of the present invention is an information terminal for use in the maintenance and inspection system according to the sixteenth aspect of the present invention. According to the present invention, the same effects as those of the first invention are achieved.

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a refrigeration equipment management system 1 according to this embodiment. The refrigeration equipment management system 1 is a system that includes a management server 3 and uses the management server 3 to manage refrigeration equipment 4 installed in a store 2 such as a supermarket or a convenience store. Refrigeration equipment 4 is a general term for refrigeration equipment and freezing equipment. In this embodiment, one or more freezer / refrigerated showcases, one or more refrigerators, and one or more freezers are arranged in store 2 as refrigeration equipment. These refrigeration equipment 4 are installed outside store 2, and receive a supply of refrigerant from a refrigeration machine having a compressor via refrigerant piping to cool items such as merchandise stored in each compartment. The refrigeration machine may be installed in a machine room in the store, and the refrigeration equipment 4 may include a refrigeration machine.

[0028] The store 2 is also provided with a store device 8 for store users U, such as the store owner or employees, who are users of the refrigeration equipment 4, to manage each refrigeration equipment 4, and the store device 8 is connected to a network 13 for enabling communication with each refrigeration equipment 4 and the management server 3. The store device 8 acquires operation data D1 (see FIG. 9) relating to the operating state from each refrigeration equipment 4 and transmits the data to the management server 3. The management server 3 then performs various management of the refrigeration equipment 4 using the operation data D1.

[0029] Here, the refrigeration equipment management system 1 of this embodiment also functions as a maintenance and inspection system that manages the maintenance and inspection of the refrigeration equipment 4. That is, the management server 3 has a function of diagnosing abnormalities in the operation of the refrigeration equipment 4, and a function of transmitting a request for a maintenance and inspection service to deal with the abnormality (hereinafter referred to as a "maintenance and inspection request") to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 as necessary when an abnormality occurs.

[0030] The maintenance and inspection service provider 15 is a provider that provides a maintenance and inspection service for the refrigeration equipment 4. A provider terminal device 12 for receiving a maintenance and inspection request from the management server 3 via the network 13, and an engineer terminal device 11 are provided. The contractor terminal device 12 is a communication terminal capable of communicating with the management server 3 via the network 13 , and receives a maintenance and inspection request from the management server 3 . Furthermore, the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 has many service engineers E. The service engineers E have specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 and are workers who perform maintenance and inspection work on the refrigeration equipment 4. The engineer terminal device 11 is an information and communication terminal used by the service engineers E when performing the maintenance and inspection work, and provides the service engineers E with various tools that support the maintenance and inspection work. Then, when a maintenance and inspection request is sent from the management server 3 and received by the contractor terminal device 12, a service engineer E goes to the store 2 and performs maintenance and inspection work on the refrigeration equipment 4 using the engineer terminal device 11, and resolves the abnormality occurring in the refrigeration equipment 4.

[0031] Here, some maintenance and inspection work for resolving an abnormality can be appropriately performed not only by the service engineer E but also by a store user U who does not have specialized knowledge. In more detail, cleaning work involving disassembly of the refrigeration equipment 4 ("disassembly and cleaning"), and maintenance and inspection work such as part replacement and repairs require specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4, and therefore it is appropriate for such work to be performed by a service engineer E rather than by the store user U. In contrast, maintenance and inspection work that does not require disassembly, part replacement, or repair of the refrigeration equipment 4 does not require specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 to be performed, and even the store user U can properly perform the maintenance and inspection work.

[0032] Hereinafter, maintenance and inspection work that requires specialized knowledge to be performed will be referred to as "specialized maintenance and inspection work", and maintenance and inspection work that does not require specialized knowledge will be referred to as "general maintenance and inspection work". Specific examples of general maintenance and inspection work include the following: cleaning the various parts inside the refrigerator such as the cold air outlet and cold air inlet of the refrigerator equipment 4, cleaning the honeycomb and filters housed in the main body of the refrigerator equipment 4, cleaning the various parts inside the refrigerator or the surrounding areas including the honeycomb and filters, removing foreign objects that are obstructing the ventilation of the cold air inlet, removing foreign objects that are present in the surrounding areas, etc.

[0033] In the following, various causes that are the source of abnormalities that require specialized maintenance and inspection work to deal with are referred to as "Type 1 causes," and various causes that are the source of abnormalities that can be dealt with by general maintenance and inspection work are referred to as "Type 2 causes." Typically, a "Type 1 cause" refers to a malfunction of the cooling equipment, and a "Type 2 cause" refers to a temporary abnormality in the cooling equipment, but they are not necessarily limited to these.

[0034] In the refrigeration equipment management system 1 of this embodiment, when the cause of the abnormality occurring in the refrigeration equipment 4 is a second type cause, the management server 3 instructs the store user U to perform general maintenance and inspection work, rather than sending a maintenance and inspection request to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15. For this operation, the refrigeration equipment management system 1 further includes a store user terminal device (first terminal device) 10 and a related information acquisition device (second terminal device) 9 as devices provided in the store 2.

[0035] The configuration of each part of the refrigeration equipment management system 1 will be described in detail below.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the refrigeration equipment 4. As shown in FIG. The refrigeration equipment 4 includes a refrigeration equipment control unit 16, a refrigeration equipment sensor unit 17, a communication unit 18, an interior lighting unit 20, and an indicator unit 19. The refrigeration equipment control unit 16 includes a computer having a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, and memory devices such as a ROM or a RAM, and controls each part of the refrigeration equipment 4. The refrigeration equipment sensor unit 17 has one or more sensors (first sensors) and measures various information used to monitor the operating state of the refrigeration equipment 4. This type of information includes at least inside temperature information. Hereinafter, the various information measured by the refrigeration equipment sensor unit 17 will be referred to as "measurement information." The communication unit 18 transmits and receives information to and from the in-store device 8 via the network 13, and includes a transceiver having a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit. The indicator unit 19 displays the operating state of the refrigeration equipment 4, and has various lamps, a display panel, and the like provided on the main body of the refrigeration equipment 4. The interior lighting unit 20 illuminates the interior of the refrigeration equipment 4 and has a plurality of lighting devices.

[0037] The refrigeration equipment control unit 16 functions as a memory unit 21, a measurement information acquisition unit 22, an abnormality detection unit 23, an indicator control unit 24, an interior lighting control unit 25, and a data transmission control unit 26 by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory device. The storage unit 21 stores various types of information, and at least stores in advance refrigeration equipment ID information that uniquely identifies its own refrigeration equipment 4. The measurement information acquisition unit 22 periodically acquires the measurement information from the refrigeration equipment sensor unit 17 at an appropriate period. The abnormality detection unit 23 detects an abnormality in the operation of the refrigeration equipment 4 based on the measurement information. Specifically, for the physical quantities, properties, characteristics, etc. indicated by the measurement information, conditions (e.g., thresholds, numerical ranges, etc.) for regarding an abnormality as abnormality determination information are set in advance. Each time measurement information is acquired, the abnormality detection unit 23 detects an abnormality based on the measurement information and the abnormality determination information. Note that the abnormality detection unit 23 may be provided in other devices such as the store equipment 8 and the management server 3, instead of the refrigeration equipment 4.

[0038] The indicator control unit 24 controls the display of the indicator unit 19 based on the measurement information so as to display the state of the refrigeration equipment 4. When an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection unit 23, the indicator unit 19 displays the abnormal state so that the store user U can recognize the abnormality.

[0039] The interior lighting control unit 25 controls the blinking of each lighting device in the interior lighting unit 20, and turns off the interior lighting unit 20 when an abnormality is detected. By turning off the lights, even if multiple refrigeration devices 4 of the same type are installed in the store 2, the store user U can easily identify the refrigeration device 4 that is experiencing an abnormality. Note that the interior lighting control unit 25 may turn the interior lighting unit 20 off / on in accordance with an instruction from the management server 3.

[0040] Every time the data transmission control unit 26 transmits the measurement information acquired by the measurement information acquisition unit 22 to the store device 8, it adds the refrigeration device ID information and other appropriate information to the measurement information and transmits it as operation data D1 via the communication unit 18 to the store device 8. Furthermore, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection unit 23, the data transmission control unit 26 adds the refrigeration device ID information and other appropriate information to the abnormality detection result and transmits it as warning data D2 to the store device 8 via the communication unit 18. The abnormality detection result includes at least an error code indicating the abnormality.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 1, each of the refrigeration equipment 4 is provided with an ID transmission unit 14. The ID transmission unit 14 is a device or object for transmitting the refrigeration equipment ID information of the refrigeration equipment 4 directly from the refrigeration equipment 4 to the related information acquisition device 9 without going through the network 13. For this ID transmission unit 14, at least one of a display device or display object that transmits the refrigeration equipment ID information by displaying a QR code (registered trademark) formed by encoding the refrigeration equipment ID information, a beacon transmitter that transmits the refrigeration equipment ID information by a beacon, and an optical ID transmitter that transmits the refrigeration equipment ID information as an optical ID by blinking an LED light source is used.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the in-store device 8. As shown in FIG. The in-store device 8 includes an in-store device control unit 30, a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a display unit 33. The in-store device control unit 30 has a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, and memory devices such as a ROM or a RAM, and controls each unit of the in-store device 8. The communication unit 31 communicates with the refrigeration equipment 4 and the management server 3 via the network 13, and includes a transceiver having a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit. The storage unit 32 includes a data storage device such as an HDD or SSD, and stores various types of information. The display unit 33 includes a display and displays various information.

[0043] The in-store device control unit 30 also functions as a data acquisition unit 35, a storage control unit 36, a data transmission control unit 37, and a display control unit 38 by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory device. The data acquisition unit 35 acquires the operation data D1 and the alarm data D2 transmitted by each of the refrigeration devices 4 via the network 13. The storage control unit 36 ​​stores the driving data D1 and the warning data D2 acquired by the data acquisition unit 35 in the storage unit 32. The data transmission control unit 37 transmits the driving data D1 stored in the storage unit 32 to the management server 3 at an appropriate timing. When the warning data D2 is stored in the storage unit 32, the data transmission control unit 37 transmits the warning data D2 to the management server 3 promptly and without delay from the timing of storage. The display control unit 38 controls the display of the display unit 33. When the alarm data D2 is acquired by the data acquisition unit 35, the display control unit 38 displays the abnormality indicated by the alarm data D2 on the display unit 33, so that the store user U can recognize the abnormality.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the related information acquisition device 9. As shown in FIG. The related information acquisition device 9 is a device that acquires related information (described later) of the refrigeration equipment 4 in the store 2 in response to a request from the management server 3 and transmits the information to the management server 3 via the network 13, and is equipped with an information acquisition device control unit 40, a related information detection unit 41, an accumulation unit 42, and a communication unit 43. The information acquisition device control unit 40 has a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, and memory devices such as a ROM or a RAM, and controls each unit of the related information acquisition device 9. The related information detection unit 41 detects related information of the refrigeration equipment 4, and includes various sensors (second sensors) for detection. The related information is information related to the refrigeration equipment 4, other than the above-mentioned measurement information of the refrigeration equipment 4, and is information that is useful for identifying the cause of an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4 when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4, or for obtaining confirmation of a predicted cause. In this embodiment, the related information includes image information of the refrigeration equipment 4, sound collection information of the operation sound of the refrigeration equipment 4, and vibration information of a compressor that condenses the refrigerant. In order to detect the related information, the related information detection unit 41 includes a camera 41A having an imaging sensor for obtaining the image information, a microphone 41B for collecting the sound collection information, and an acceleration sensor 41C for detecting the vibration information. For example, an information acquisition device already installed in the store 2 is used as the related information acquisition device 9 equipped with the camera 41A and the microphone 41B. In this embodiment, a monitoring device that monitors the inside of the store is used as such an information acquisition device.

[0045] The location where the relevant information is acquired from the refrigeration equipment 4 is determined in advance. The locations captured by the camera 41A as image information include each part inside the refrigerator, such as the cold air outlet and cold air inlet, each part, such as the evaporator, honeycomb, and filter, housed in the main body of the refrigeration equipment 4, or the surrounding area of ​​the refrigeration equipment 4 including at least one of these parts. The honeycomb and the filter are members that remove dust particles from the outside air taken into the refrigeration equipment 4. For example, the honeycomb is provided at the cold air outlet, and the filter is provided in the condenser. The microphone 41B acquires collected sound information from a fan or a compressor of a heat exchanger provided in the refrigeration equipment 4, for example. The acceleration sensor 41C acquires vibration information from a compressor.

[0046] The storage unit 42 includes a data storage device such as an HDD or SSD, and stores various types of information. The communication unit 43 communicates with the management server 3 via the network 13, and includes a transceiver having a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit.

[0047] Furthermore, the information acquisition device control unit 40 functions as a related information acquisition unit 45, a related information transmission control unit 46, and a refrigeration device ID information acquisition unit 47 by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory device. When the related information acquisition unit 45 is requested by the management server 3 to acquire related information, it controls the related information detection unit 41 to acquire the related information, and stores it in the storage unit . The refrigeration equipment ID information acquisition unit 47 acquires the refrigeration equipment ID information transmitted by the ID transmission unit 14 of the refrigeration equipment 4. That is, when the ID transmission unit 14 displays a QR code, the refrigeration equipment ID information acquisition unit 47 acquires the refrigeration equipment ID information by reading the QR code with the camera 41A. When the ID transmission unit 14 transmits a beacon, a beacon receiver is provided in the related information acquisition device 9, and the refrigeration equipment ID information acquisition unit 47 acquires the refrigeration equipment ID information by receiving the beacon with the beacon receiver. When the ID transmission unit 14 transmits a light ID, the refrigeration equipment ID information acquisition unit 47 acquires the refrigeration equipment ID information by capturing an image of the blinking light with the camera 41A. The related information transmission control unit 46 generates related information data D3 (see Figure 10) including the related information acquired by the related information acquisition unit 45 and the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired by the refrigeration equipment ID information acquisition unit 47, and transmits it from the communication unit 43 to the management server 3 via the network 13.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the store user terminal device 10. As shown in FIG. The store user terminal device 10 is an information communication terminal device operated by a store user U, and for example, a portable terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet PC is used as the store user terminal device 10. The store user terminal device 10 acquires information about the refrigeration equipment 4 by communicating with the management server 3, and displays the information. One piece of information includes a work instruction for instructing general maintenance and inspection work that can resolve an abnormality that occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4. As described above, the general maintenance and inspection work is work that can be performed by a person who does not have the same specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 as a manufacturer or a maintenance and inspection company.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, the store user terminal device 10 includes a user terminal control unit 50, a communication unit 51, a storage unit 52, a display unit 53, and a work result detection unit 54. The user terminal control unit 50 includes a computer having a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, and memory devices such as a ROM or a RAM, and controls each unit of the store user terminal device 10. The communication unit 51 communicates with the management server 3 via the network 13, and includes a transceiver having a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit. The storage unit 52 includes a data storage device such as an HDD or SSD, and stores various types of information. The display unit 53 includes a display and displays various information such as the work instructions acquired from the management server 3. The work result detection unit 54 detects the state of the refrigeration equipment 4 as a result of the store user U performing general maintenance and inspection work (referred to as the "work result state"). The detected data of the work result state is accumulated in the accumulation unit 52. In this embodiment, the work result state is the external appearance state of the refrigeration equipment 4, in particular the external appearance state including the areas where the general maintenance and inspection work was performed. The work result detection unit 54 is provided with a camera 54A for detecting the state, and images captured by the camera 54A are accumulated in the accumulation unit 52.

[0050] Furthermore, the user terminal control unit 50 functions as a work execution control unit 57 by having the processor execute a program recorded in the memory device. The work execution control unit 57 controls the reception of work instructions from the management server 3, the display of the work instructions, the acquisition and storage of the work result status, and the transmission of work report data D4 (see FIG. 10) to the management server 3. The work report data D4 is data that notifies the management server 3 of the results of the work instructions. When the work result status is acquired and stored, the work execution control unit 57 generates work report data D4 including the work result status and transmits it to the management server 3.

[0051] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the engineer terminal device 11. As shown in FIG. The engineer terminal device 11 includes an engineer terminal control unit 60, a communication unit 61, and a display unit 62, and is configured by a portable information terminal such as a notebook PC or a tablet PC. The engineer terminal control unit 60 includes a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, and memory devices such as a ROM or a RAM, and controls each part of the engineer terminal device 11 . The communication unit 61 communicates with the management server 3 via the network 13, and includes a transceiver having a receiving circuit and a transmitting circuit. The display unit 62 includes a display and displays various information.

[0052] Furthermore, the engineer terminal control unit 60 functions as a maintenance and inspection support unit 63 by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory device. The maintenance and inspection support unit 63 provides various tools for supporting the maintenance and inspection work performed by the service engineer E. Such tools include viewing information related to abnormalities in the refrigeration equipment 4 that is the target of the maintenance and inspection work, viewing the history of the maintenance and inspection work of the refrigeration equipment 4, and viewing the service manual of the refrigeration equipment 4. The maintenance and inspection support unit 63 communicates with the management server 3 as necessary, and obtains appropriate data required to execute the tools from the management server 3.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server 3. As shown in FIG. The management server 3 is configured by a server computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU or MPU, a memory device such as a ROM or RAM, a storage device such as an HDD or SSD, an interface circuit for connecting various peripheral devices, and a transmitting / receiving device for communicating with other communication devices via the network 13. The management server 3 functions as a server control unit 70, a communication unit 71, and a storage unit 72 as shown in Fig. 7 by the processor executing a program stored in the storage device. The server control unit 70 controls each unit of the management server 3, and the communication unit 71 transmits and receives information to and from other communication devices such as the in-store devices 8 via the network 13. The storage unit 72 stores various types of information.

[0054] Moreover, the server control unit 70 executes the above programs to function as a data acquisition unit 76, a related information acquisition unit 77, a learning data collection unit 78, a diagnosis processing unit 79, and an operation result acquisition unit 80. The data acquisition unit 76 acquires the operating data D1 and the warning data D2 transmitted by the in-store device 8 via the network 13, and stores them in the storage unit 72. In the diagnosis by the diagnosis processing unit 79, the related information acquisition unit 77 transmits an instruction to acquire related information to the related information acquisition device 9 as necessary, acquires related information data D3 from the related information acquisition device 9, and stores it in the storage unit 72. The learning data collection unit 78 collects learning data for judgment using a trained model, which will be described later.

[0055] When an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4, the diagnostic processing unit 79 executes diagnostic processing to eliminate the abnormality. In the diagnostic processing, the cause of the abnormality is identified. Then, if the cause is a Type 1 cause that requires the above-mentioned specialized maintenance and inspection work to be dealt with, the diagnostic processing unit 79 transmits a maintenance and inspection request to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 via the communication unit 71. On the other hand, if the cause is a Type 2 cause that can be dealt with by the above-mentioned general maintenance and inspection work, the diagnostic processing unit 79 notifies the store user terminal device 10 of a work request instructing the implementation of the general maintenance and inspection work.

[0056] The work result acquisition unit 80 acquires work report data D4 indicating the work result status from the work report transmitted from the store user terminal device 10. Then, the diagnosis processing unit 79 judges whether the maintenance and inspection work has been performed appropriately based on this work report data D4.

[0057] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of various data stored in the storage unit 72 of the management server 3. As shown in FIG. 8(a) is a diagram showing a store device list in a store managed by the management server 3. The store device list has a store ID and the store device IDs of the store devices 8. Based on this store device list, the management server 3 manages information acquired from the store devices 8 in each store. This store device list may be stored in advance in the storage unit 72 of the management server 3 as an initial setting, or may be added by updating. FIG. 8(b) is a diagram showing a list of correspondence between the refrigeration equipment 4 and the related information acquisition device 9 managed by the store device 8. This list includes the store device ID of the store device 8, the refrigeration equipment ID of the refrigeration equipment 4, the ID of the related information acquisition device 9 (e.g., a camera ID in FIG. 8(b)), and coordinate information of the refrigeration equipment 4 in the information acquired by the related information acquisition device 9 (four coordinates in FIG. 8(b)). Based on this list, the diagnosis processing unit 79 determines which refrigeration equipment 4 the related information acquired by the related information acquisition unit 77 from the related information acquisition device 9 corresponds to and which part of the related information is to be used. For example, when the related information detection unit 41 is a camera, image information within a range surrounded by four points of coordinate information in the camera image is used as related information corresponding to a specific refrigeration equipment. Fig. 8(c) is a diagram showing the configuration of operating data D1 acquired by the data acquisition unit 76 from the refrigeration equipment 4 via the store device 8. The operating data D1 includes the store device ID of the store device 8, the refrigeration equipment ID of the refrigeration equipment 4 in the store device, time information, and measurement information. Data corresponding to its own refrigeration equipment ID is transmitted from the refrigeration equipment 4, and is integrated into the data shown in Fig. 8(c) in the store device 8. The store device ID may be added in the store device 8. 8(d) is a diagram showing the configuration of alarm data D2 acquired by the data acquisition unit 76 from the refrigeration equipment 4 via the store device 8. The operation data D1 includes the store device ID of the store device 8, the refrigeration equipment ID of the refrigeration equipment 4 in the store device, time information, and an error code. The store device ID may be added by the store device 8. Fig. 8(e) is a diagram showing the configuration of related information data D3 acquired by the related information acquisition unit 77 from the related information acquisition device 9. The related information data D3 has a store ID, an ID of the related information acquisition device 9 (e.g., a camera ID in Fig. 8(e)), and related information (e.g., an image captured by a camera in Fig. 8(e)). Data corresponding to the ID of the related information acquisition device 9 is transmitted from the related information acquisition device 9, and is integrated into the data shown in Fig. 8(e) in the management server 3. 8(f) is a diagram showing the configuration of work report data D4 that the work result acquisition unit 80 acquires from the store user terminal device 10. The work report data D4 includes the store device ID of the store device 8, the refrigeration device ID of the refrigeration device 4 in the store device, time information when the maintenance and inspection work was performed, and work information indicating the content of the maintenance and inspection work.

[0058] Next, the operation relating to the maintenance and inspection of the refrigeration equipment management system 1 will be described.

[0059] FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram of the refrigeration equipment management system 1 when no abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4. In the refrigeration equipment management system 1, the refrigeration equipment 4 periodically generates operation data D1 including measurement information at that time, and transmits the operation data D1 to the store equipment 8 each time the operation data D1 is generated. When the store equipment 8 receives the operation data D1, it accumulates it in the accumulation unit 32. Then, the store equipment 8 collectively transmits the operation data D1 accumulated in the accumulation unit 32 to the management server 3 at an appropriate timing. When the management server 3 receives the operation data D1 from the store equipment 8, it accumulates it in the accumulation unit 72.

[0060] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram of the refrigeration equipment management system 1 when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4. When the abnormality detection unit 23 detects an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4, the refrigeration equipment 4 transmits alarm data D2 indicating the occurrence of the abnormality to the store equipment 8. When the store equipment 8 receives the alarm data D2, it promptly transmits it to the management server 3. When the management server 3 receives the alarm data D2, it executes a diagnosis process.

[0061] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the diagnosis process. In the diagnosis process, the management server 3 executes a cause identification process (step Sa1). The cause identification process is a process for identifying the cause of an abnormality that has occurred in the refrigeration equipment 4. In the first diagnosis process in which an abnormality is detected, the management server 3 attempts to identify the cause based on the operation data D1 (at least the measurement information) of the refrigeration equipment 4. For example, the cause is identified based on the measurement information of the operation data D1 corresponding to the store device ID, the refrigeration equipment ID, and the time information (2018 / 1 / 1 00:01 in Fig. 8(c) and Fig. 8(d)) of the alarm data D2. Note that the measurement information within a predetermined range (2018 / 1 / 1 00:00 to 00:02 in Fig. 8(c) and Fig. 8(d)) before and after the matching time information may be used. If the cause cannot be identified (step Sa2: NO), the management server 3 executes a related information acquisition process (step Sa8).

[0062] The related information acquisition process is a process for identifying the cause of an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4 or acquiring related information for confirming the cause from the related information acquisition device 9. In this process, as shown in Fig. 10, the management server 3 transmits a related information acquisition instruction to the related information acquisition device 9 to instruct it to transmit related information, and receives related information data D3 including the related information from the related information acquisition device 9. The details of this related information acquisition process will be described later.

[0063] When the management server 3 acquires the related information from the related information data D3, it executes the cause identification process again (step Sa1) and identifies the cause based on the operation data D1 and the related information. In this identification, the management server 3 refers to Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(e) to extract the related information data D3 that matches the store device ID, refrigeration device ID, and time information corresponding to the error code in the alarm data D2, and extracts the corresponding related information (images captured by the camera in Figure 8(e)).

[0064] The cause identification process determines, as a result of the process, whether or not there is a high probability that the cause of the abnormality is due to a Type 1 cause, whether or not there is a high probability that the cause of the abnormality is due to a Type 2 cause, or whether or not follow-up observation is required. The "need for follow-up observation" is one aspect of an anomaly handling method in which a certain period of time is waited for without carrying out maintenance or inspection work for the anomaly, and it is confirmed whether the anomaly is still being detected after the certain period of time has passed. For example, if the cause of the anomaly is the long period of time left open inside the warehouse for the taking in and taking out of goods such as inventory, the anomaly will be resolved when the taking in and taking out work is completed. In this way, when there is a high probability that the abnormality will be resolved over time without maintenance or inspection work, the cause identification process will identify as a result of the process the need for follow-up observation rather than maintenance or inspection work as a method for dealing with the abnormality. The cause identification process will be described in detail later.

[0065] When the management server 3 can identify the cause (step Sa2: YES), and when the cause is highly likely to be a first-class cause (step Sa3: YES), the management server 3 transmits a maintenance and inspection request to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 (step Sa4). As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, the maintenance and inspection request is received by the contractor terminal device 12. Thereafter, the service engineer E visits the store 2 and performs specialized maintenance and inspection work to resolve the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4. After the specialized maintenance and inspection work is performed, the management server 3 receives a work completion report indicating this from the contractor terminal device 12, thereby managing the completion of the specialized maintenance and inspection work. In order to support the work of the service engineer E, when transmitting the maintenance and inspection request, the management server 3 also transmits information on the first class cause identified in the cause identification process and information on the specialized maintenance and inspection work to address the first class cause.

[0066] On the other hand, when it is determined in step Sa2 that the cause is highly likely to be the second type cause (step Sa5: YES), the management server 3 transmits a work request to the store user terminal device 10 to instruct the store user terminal device 10 to perform general maintenance and inspection work to eliminate the second type cause (step Sa6). When transmitting this work request, the management server 3 also transmits to the store user terminal device 10 store user work support information (e.g., the contents and work procedures of the general maintenance and inspection work) that supports the work by the store user U. The store user U performs the general maintenance and inspection work while referring to the store user work support information displayed on the display screen of the display unit 53 of the store user terminal device 10. After that, when the store user U finishes the general maintenance and inspection work, he or she transmits work report data D4 to the management server 3 as shown in FIG. 10. Then, the management server 3 determines whether the general maintenance and inspection work has been performed appropriately based on this work report data D4. If the management server 3 determines that the general maintenance and inspection work has not been performed properly, it sends a work request again to have the store user U perform the general maintenance and inspection work so that the work is performed properly.

[0067] If the result of the identification process in step Sa2 is not the first type cause or the second type cause, that is, if follow-up observation is required (NO in both steps Sa3 and Sa5), the management server 3 waits for a certain period of time that is a follow-up observation period (step Sa7). After that, if the management server 3 still receives the alarm data D2 from the in-store device 8, it performs the diagnosis process again.

[0068] In addition, in this diagnosis process, if the cause has still not been identified as a result of the cause identification process performed an appropriate number of times, the management server 3 transmits a request for maintenance and inspection to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 .

[0069] FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the related information acquisition process described above. In the related information acquisition process, the management server 3 transmits a related information acquisition instruction to the related information acquisition device 9 to acquire and transmit related information through the communication unit 71 (step Sb1). After that, the management server 3 receives the related information data D3 transmitted by the related information acquisition device 9 (step Sb2).

[0070] Here, since multiple refrigeration equipment 4 of the same type are installed in the store 2, there is a probability that the related information acquisition device 9 has acquired related information of a refrigeration equipment 4 other than the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality. Therefore, the management server 3 determines whether the refrigeration equipment ID information included in the alarm data D2 acquired from the store device 8 matches the refrigeration equipment ID information included in the related information data D3 acquired from the related information acquisition device 9 (step Sb3).

[0071] If the two do not match (step Sb3: NO), the management server 3 transmits a related information acquisition instruction again to the related information acquisition device 9 (step Sb4). At this time, the management server 3 also transmits refrigeration equipment identification information (e.g., refrigeration equipment ID information included in the alarm data D2) that enables the related information acquisition device 9 to identify the refrigeration equipment 4 in which an abnormality has occurred. By issuing a related information acquisition instruction again, the related information acquisition device 9 is notified that the refrigeration equipment 4 from which the related information has been acquired is not the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality. Then, the related information acquisition device 9 acquires the related information of the refrigeration equipment 4 corresponding to the refrigeration equipment identification information, thereby making it possible to reliably obtain the related information of the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality. This makes it possible to prevent the use of the related information of the refrigeration equipment 4 that is not related to the abnormality when the management server 3 makes a judgment using the related information.

[0072] If the refrigeration equipment ID information does not match (step Sb3: NO), the management server 3 may issue an instruction to the refrigeration equipment 4 directly or through the store equipment 8 to turn off the interior lighting of the refrigeration equipment 4. As a result, the related information acquisition device 9 can identify the turned-off refrigeration equipment 4 by image processing or the like, and can accurately identify the refrigeration equipment 4 from which related information should be acquired. In addition, by turning off the interior lighting, heat generation from the interior lighting unit 20 is suppressed, which contributes to preventing an abnormal increase in the interior temperature.

[0073] Next, the cause identification process in the diagnosis process will be described in detail. In this embodiment, artificial intelligence technology is used to identify the cause of the abnormality. Specifically, when the driving data D1, or the driving data D1 and related information are input as input data, each of the trained models 81 is generated in advance, the trained model for first type cause determination that outputs a degree of agreement that the cause of the abnormality matches the first type cause, the trained model for second type cause determination that outputs a degree of agreement that the cause of the abnormality matches the second type cause, and the trained model for follow-up observation required determination that outputs a degree of agreement that the cause of the abnormality is one that requires follow-up observation, and these are stored in the accumulation unit 72. To generate these trained models 81, an appropriate method in the technical field of artificial intelligence can be used.

[0074] 7, the above-mentioned learning data collection unit 78 collects learning data used for reinforcement learning of the trained model 81 from external systems and various devices, records of maintenance and inspection work performed by the maintenance and inspection service provider 15, and the like. Then, when new learning data is acquired, the management server 3 executes reinforcement learning of the trained model 81 at an appropriate timing. This improves the accuracy of judgment using the trained model 81. For example, AI techniques such as machine learning and deep learning are used in this judgment.

[0075] FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a cause identification process using a judgment based on such a trained model. In the cause identification process, the management server 3 creates input data from the operating data D1 in the case of the first determination process, and generates input data from the operating data D1 and related information in the case of the second or subsequent determination process (step Sc1). Next, the management server 3 reads out each of the trained models 81 for the first type cause determination, the second type cause determination, and the need for follow-up observation determination from the storage unit 72 (step Sc2).Then, the management server 3 inputs input data to each trained model 81, and obtains the degree of agreement as an output from each of them (step Sc3).

[0076] Then, if the degree of match obtained from the trained model 81 for determining the first type of cause is greater than or equal to the first threshold (step Sc4: YES), the management server 3 identifies the cause of the abnormality as a first type of cause (a cause that requires addressing by specialized maintenance and inspection work) (step Sc5). Furthermore, if the degree of agreement obtained from the trained model 81 for determining the first type of cause is below the first threshold (step Sc4: NO) and the degree of agreement obtained from the trained model 81 for determining the second type of cause is above the second threshold (step Sc6: YES), the management server 3 identifies the cause of the abnormality as a second type of cause (a cause that can be addressed by general maintenance and inspection work) (step Sc7). Furthermore, if the degree of agreement obtained from the trained model 81 for determining the second type of cause is below the second threshold (step Sc6: NO) and the degree of agreement obtained from the trained model 81 for determining whether follow-up observation is required is above the third threshold (step Sc8: YES), the management server 3 determines that the identified result is one that requires follow-up observation (step Sc9). Then, if the degree of agreement obtained from the trained model 81 for determining whether follow-up observation is necessary is equal to or lower than the third threshold (step Sc8: NO), the management server 3 determines that the identification result is an unidentifiable cause (step Sc10).

[0077] Since the trained model 81 is used to identify the cause of anomalies, by continuously performing reinforcement learning of the trained model 81, it is possible to reduce cases in which the cause cannot be identified.

[0078] According to this embodiment, the following effects are obtained.

[0079] In this embodiment, the management server 3 determines whether or not specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 is required to address the cause of the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4 based on the operation data D1 (measurement information) of the refrigeration equipment 4, and if specialized knowledge is not required, transmits general maintenance and inspection work to address the cause to the store user terminal device 10. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4, the store user U is instructed only to perform general maintenance and inspection work that can be performed without specialized knowledge, and is not instructed to perform specialized maintenance and inspection work that requires specialized knowledge. Therefore, even if the store user U does not have specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 and is unfamiliar with maintenance, he or she will be able to carry out appropriate work to address the cause of the abnormality. In addition, the store user U can solve abnormalities that can be dealt with by general maintenance and inspection work without requesting work from the maintenance and inspection service provider 15. This allows the store 2 to reduce the cost paid to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15, and the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 does not need to spend time on general maintenance and inspection work, and can concentrate on advanced maintenance and inspection work that requires specialized knowledge.

[0080] In this embodiment, the management server 3 determines whether or not specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 is required to address the cause of the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4 based on the operation data D1 and the related information data D3, so that the management server 3 can make an accurate determination.

[0081] In this embodiment, when the management server 3 cannot determine, based on the operation data D1, whether specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 is required to address the cause of the abnormality of the refrigeration equipment 4, the management server 3 acquires related information data D3 from the related information acquisition device 9. Then, based on the operation data D1 and the related information data D3, the management server 3 determines whether specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 is required to address the cause of the abnormality of the refrigeration equipment 4. This makes it possible to reduce the number of times that the management server 3 instructs the related information acquisition device 9 to acquire related information.

[0082] In this embodiment, when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4, the interior lighting of the refrigeration equipment 4 is turned off, so that it is easy to identify the refrigeration equipment 4 having the abnormality.

[0083] In this embodiment, when it is determined that specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 is required to address the cause of the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4, the management server 3 sends a maintenance and inspection request to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15. As a result, when specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 is required to address the cause of an abnormality in the refrigeration equipment 4, the appropriate work can be performed by a service engineer E of the maintenance and inspection service provider 15, rather than by the store user U.

[0084] In this embodiment, the management server 3 compares the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired by the related information acquisition device 9 from the ID transmission unit 14 attached to the refrigeration equipment 4 with the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment 4 via the network 13, and determines whether the refrigeration equipment 4 from which the related information acquisition device 9 acquired related information data D3 is the refrigeration equipment 4 experiencing an abnormality. This makes it possible to prevent the management server 3 from using the related information of the refrigeration equipment 4 that is not experiencing an abnormality when making a judgment using the related information.

[0085] In this embodiment, the ID transmission unit 14 transmits the refrigeration equipment ID information by at least one of a QR code, a beacon, and an optical ID, so that the refrigeration equipment ID information can be transmitted to the related information acquisition device 9 by a method other than communication via the network 13.

[0086] In this embodiment, if the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired by the related information acquisition device 9 from the ID transmission unit 14 does not match the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment 4 via the network 13, the management server 3 notifies the related information acquisition device 9 via the network 13 that the refrigeration equipment 4 from which the related information was acquired is not the refrigeration equipment 4 experiencing an abnormality. As a result, when the related information acquisition device 9 acquires related information from an incorrect refrigeration device 4, the related information acquisition device 9 can acquire the related information again.

[0087] In this embodiment, if the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired by the related information acquisition device 9 from the ID transmission unit 14 does not match the refrigeration equipment ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment 4 via the network 13, the management server 3 transmits refrigeration equipment identification information to the related information acquisition device 9 for identifying the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality. This allows the related information acquisition device 9 to reliably acquire related information from the cooling equipment 4 in which an abnormality is occurring.

[0088] In this embodiment, the relevant information is image information of the cool air outlet, cool air inlet, evaporator, honeycomb, filter, or a surrounding area including at least one of these parts of the cooling equipment 4 captured by the camera 41A. By acquiring such related information, it is possible to accurately identify whether the cause of the abnormality is one that does not require specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 to deal with.

[0089] In this embodiment, work to address causes that do not require specialized knowledge about the cooling equipment 4 (general maintenance and inspection work) is cleaning at least one of the cold air outlet, honeycomb, filter, and surrounding areas, or removing foreign matter from at least one of the cold air inlet and surrounding areas. This allows the store user U, who does not have specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 and is unfamiliar with maintenance, to carry out only the work that is appropriate for that store user U.

[0090] In this embodiment, the relevant information is information on the sound of the fan or compressor of the cooling equipment 4 collected by the microphone 41B. By acquiring such related information, it is possible to identify whether the cause of the abnormality is an abnormality in the fan or compressor, which may require specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 to deal with.

[0091] In this embodiment, the relevant information is vibration information of the compressor of the refrigeration equipment 4 obtained by the acceleration sensor 41C. By acquiring such related information, it is possible to identify whether the cause of the abnormality is a compressor abnormality, which is also a cause that requires specialized knowledge about the refrigeration equipment 4 to deal with.

[0092] In this embodiment, the related information acquisition device 9 is a monitoring device, which is an example of an information acquisition device installed in the store 2 in which the refrigeration equipment 4 is located, and the store user terminal device 10 is a portable mobile terminal. As a result, the management server 3 can obtain the related information without the store user U having to perform any work, thereby reducing the number of tasks performed by the store user U. In addition, since the store user terminal device 10 is a portable terminal, the store user U can perform general maintenance and inspection work while operating the store user terminal device 10 near the refrigeration equipment 4 that is the target of the work.

[0093] It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is merely an example of one aspect of the present invention, and that any modification and application can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0094] (Variation 1) The related information acquisition device 9 is not limited to being provided in the store 2, but may be provided in each of the refrigeration equipment 4. This makes it possible to reliably acquire the related information of each refrigeration equipment 4.

[0095] (Variation 2) The shop user terminal device 10 may also function as the related information acquisition device 9 . That is, the store user terminal device 10 acquires a related information acquisition instruction from the management server 3, and displays it on the display unit 53 to present it to the store user U. In this case, the management server 3 supports the store user U in acquiring the related information by sending a procedure for acquiring the related information to the store user terminal device 10 together with an instruction to acquire the related information. In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4, the interior lighting of the refrigeration equipment 4 is turned off by the refrigeration equipment 4 or the management server 3, so that the store user U can easily identify the refrigeration equipment 4 having the abnormality. When the store user U completes the operation of acquiring the related information, the store user terminal device 10 transmits the related information data D3 to the management server 3 via the network 13.

[0096] If the store user U sends incorrect related information about the refrigeration equipment 4 to the management server 3, the related information acquisition process sends a notice of this to the store user terminal device 10 together with the refrigeration equipment identification information. For example, the model name or model number of the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality, and its location in the store 2 are used for this refrigeration equipment identification information. This allows the management server 3 to have the store user U retry acquiring the related information about the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality, and ensure that the necessary related information is acquired.

[0097] According to this modified example, the store user terminal device 10 is configured to also function as the related information acquisition device 9, and the store user terminal device 10 and the related information acquisition device 9 are made into the same device, thereby reducing the equipment costs of the refrigeration equipment management system 1. Furthermore, since the store user terminal device 10 is a portable terminal, the store user U can carry the store user terminal device 10 to the refrigeration equipment 4 having an abnormality and reliably obtain related information from the refrigeration equipment 4 without being affected by the location of each refrigeration equipment 4.

[0098] (Variation 3) In a configuration in which the store user terminal device 10 also serves as the related information acquisition device 9, the store user terminal device 10 may execute the above-mentioned cause identification process on behalf of the management server 3 based on driving data D1 stored in the management server 3 or the store device 8, or based on the driving data D1 and related information. If dealing with the cause of the abnormality does not require specialized knowledge, the store user terminal device 10 displays general maintenance and inspection work for dealing with the cause on the display unit 53. Conversely, if dealing with the cause of the abnormality requires specialized knowledge, the store user terminal device 10 transmits a maintenance and inspection request to the maintenance and inspection service provider 15, or displays on the display unit 53 a screen that prompts the store user U to request maintenance and inspection from the maintenance and inspection service provider 15. In this way, by the store user terminal device 10 executing the cause identification process, when the store user U notices an abnormality occurring in the refrigeration equipment 4, the cause can be quickly identified and an appropriate response can be implemented.

[0099] (Variation 4) In the above embodiment, each refrigeration device 4 detects an abnormality that occurs in itself, but this is not limited thereto, and the store device 8 or the management server 3 may detect an abnormality based on the operation data D1. In this case, a publicly known or well-known appropriate technology may be used as a method for detecting an abnormality based on the operation data D1.

[0100] (Variation 5) In the embodiment described above, the management server 3 acquires the operating data D1 of each refrigeration equipment 4 from the store device 8, but this is not limiting, and the data may be acquired directly from each refrigeration equipment 4 via the network 13.

[0101] (Variation 6) In the above-described embodiment, the refrigeration equipment management system 1 is configured so that the operation control parameters of the refrigeration equipment 4 can be remotely controlled from the management server 3 via the network 13, and when an abnormality occurs in the refrigeration equipment 4, the management server 3 may determine in the cause identification process whether or not the cause of the abnormality can be addressed by remote control. Fig. 14 is a flowchart of the cause identification process according to this modification. In Fig. 14, the same steps as those in Fig. 13 are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. In this modified example, the trained model 81 of the management server 3 includes a trained model for determining remotely addressable causes that outputs a degree of agreement that the cause of the abnormality matches a cause that can be addressed by remote operation when the driving data D1, or the driving data D1 and related information are input as input data. One example of this type of abnormality is an abnormality in the temperature inside the refrigerator caused by frosting of the evaporator of the cooling equipment 4. This abnormality in the temperature inside the refrigerator can be accurately determined based on the temperature inside the refrigerator information included in the measurement information and related information obtained by capturing an image of the evaporator of the cooling equipment 4, and can be resolved by the management server 3 remotely controlling the operation control parameters of the cooling equipment 4 via the network 13 and causing the cooling equipment 4 to perform a defrosting operation.

[0102] In the cause identification process of this modified example, in step Sd1 of Figure 14, it is determined whether the degree of match obtained from the learned model for determining causes that can be remotely dealt with is greater than or equal to a fourth threshold, and if it is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold (step Sd1: YES), the management server 3 remotely operates the operational control parameters via the network 13 to resolve the abnormality (step Sd2).

[0103] According to this modified example, an abnormality caused by a cause that can be dealt with by remotely operating the refrigeration equipment 4 (for example, an abnormal temperature inside the storage unit due to frost) can be appropriately dealt with by remotely operating the refrigeration equipment 4 (for example, defrosting) without having the store user U and the maintenance and inspection service provider 15 perform the work.

[0104] (Other variations) The functional blocks shown in Figures 1 to 7 are schematic diagrams in which components are classified according to the main processing contents in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the components can be further classified into more components according to the processing contents. Also, one component can be classified to perform more processes.

[0105] 1 to 7 may be executed by one piece of hardware or by multiple pieces of hardware. Furthermore, the processing of each component may be realized by one program or by multiple programs.

[0106] The management server 3 may be configured as a computer system made up of a plurality of server computers, each of which may cooperate to realize the various functions shown in FIG. [Industrial Applicability]

[0107] As described above, the maintenance and inspection method, maintenance and inspection system, and information terminal of the present invention can prevent a user from taking inappropriate measures when an abnormality occurs in refrigeration equipment, and can be applied to various applications related to the maintenance of refrigeration equipment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 1. Refrigeration equipment management system (maintenance and inspection system) 2 stores 3 Management Server (Computer) 4 Refrigeration equipment 8. Store Equipment 9 Related information acquisition device (second terminal device) 10 Store user terminal device (first terminal device) 13 Network 14 ID Transmission Section 15 Maintenance and inspection service providers 17 Cooling device sensor section (first sensor) 20 Interior lighting section 23 Anomaly detection section 41 Related information detection unit (second sensor) 41A Camera 41B Microphone 41C Acceleration Sensor 54 Work result detection unit 79 Diagnostic Processing Unit D1 Operation data D2 Alarm data D3 Related information data D4 Work report data U Store User (User)

Claims

1. A maintenance inspection method for performing maintenance and inspection of a refrigeration equipment using a computer connected via a network to a refrigeration equipment having a first sensor that acquires measurement information including at least inside temperature information and a second terminal device having a second sensor that acquires related information from the refrigeration equipment, Identifying whether the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a temporary cause based on the measurement information of the refrigeration equipment obtained from the refrigeration equipment via the network and the related information different from the measurement information obtained from the second terminal device via the network; A maintenance and inspection method in which the second terminal device compares ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment without going through the network with ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, and determines whether the refrigeration equipment from which the second terminal device acquired the related information is a refrigeration equipment experiencing an abnormality.

2. 2. The maintenance and inspection method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: providing, on the first terminal device, a display prompting the user to obtain the related information when the cause of the abnormality cannot be identified.

3. 3. The maintenance and inspection method according to claim 1, wherein the related information is image information captured by a camera, sound information captured by a microphone, or vibration information captured by an acceleration sensor.

4. A maintenance and inspection system is connected via a network to a refrigeration equipment having a first sensor that acquires measurement information including at least inside temperature information, and a second terminal device having a second sensor that acquires related information from the refrigeration equipment, and the maintenance and inspection system performs maintenance and inspection of the refrigeration equipment using a computer, determining whether the abnormality in the refrigeration equipment is caused by a temporary cause based on the measurement information of the refrigeration equipment obtained from the refrigeration equipment via the network and the related information obtained from the second terminal device via the network and different from the measurement information; A maintenance and inspection system that compares ID information acquired by the second terminal device from the refrigeration equipment without going through the network with ID information acquired from the refrigeration equipment via the network, and determines whether the refrigeration equipment from which the second terminal device acquired the related information is a refrigeration equipment experiencing an abnormality.

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