Air conditioner monitoring system

Abstract

An air conditioner monitoring system (100) comprises: an air conditioner (1); a remote controller (2) which is capable of communicating with the air conditioner (1) and which remotely controls the air conditioner (1); and a monitoring device (3) which is capable of communicating with the air conditioner (1), and which displays abnormality occurrence information for notifying that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner (1), upon receipt of an abnormality occurrence notification signal, which is a signal instructing notification of the abnormality occurrence information. The remote controller (2) includes: an operating unit for accepting setting operations relating to control of the air conditioner (1); and a remote controller control unit for transmitting an abnormality signal, which is a signal indicating the occurrence of the abnormal state in the air conditioner (1), to the air conditioner (1) if the operating unit has accepted a predetermined specific operation. The air conditioner (1) includes an air conditioning control unit which controls transmission of the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device (3) upon receipt of the abnormality signal from the remote controller (2).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an air conditioner monitoring system composed of an air conditioner, a monitoring device that monitors the air conditioner, and a remote controller that operates the air conditioner. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a configuration is known in which an air conditioner is intentionally made to transmit an abnormality signal in order to perform an operational test to check whether it is possible to remotely confirm that an abnormality has occurred in the air conditioner.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an air-conditioning equipment monitoring system that includes an air conditioner capable of issuing a signal to notify of an abnormal state, a monitoring device that monitors the operation of the air conditioner, and a communication relay device that is connected to the air conditioner and the monitoring device and relays communication between the air conditioner and the monitoring device, with the aim of reducing the effort required for operational testing. In the air-conditioning equipment monitoring system described in Patent Document 1, the communication relay device commands the air conditioner to output an abnormal signal and includes an abnormal signal control unit that commands the air conditioner to stop outputting the abnormal signal. The communication relay device, which is the subject of the operational test, controls the air conditioner to output and stop outputting the abnormal signal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-122741 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the air conditioning equipment monitoring system described in the above Patent Document 1, when performing an operation test, the operator must separately prepare a test operation device dedicated to the operation test. ExperienceWhen carrying out the operation test, it is necessary to connect the test operation device to the communication relay device, and after the operation test, it is necessary to detach the test operation device from the communication relay device and take it home. For this reason, the air conditioning equipment monitoring system described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that the work cannot be carried out easily.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an air conditioner monitoring system that allows an operator to easily perform operation tests without using dedicated test operation equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the air conditioner monitoring system according to the present disclosure includes: This is an air conditioner monitoring system capable of performing an operational test to confirm whether it is possible to remotely check if an abnormality has occurred in the air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a remote controller capable of communicating with the air conditioner and remotely controlling the air conditioner, and a monitoring device capable of communicating with the air conditioner and displaying abnormality occurrence information when an abnormality occurrence notification signal is received, the abnormality occurrence notification signal being a signal instructing the notification of abnormality occurrence information to notify that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner. Equipped with operation buttons that accept setting operations related to the control of the air conditioner an operation unit that receives setting operations related to control of the air conditioner; This is an operation in which the operation button is pressed a predetermined number of times in succession. Predefined specific operations The operation unit a remote controller control unit that, when receiving the signal, transmits to the air conditioner an abnormality signal that indicates that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner; a remote controller display unit that displays a test-only screen that displays information about an abnormality signal transmitted from the remote controller to the air conditioner when the operation unit receives a specific operation; The air conditioner has an air conditioning control unit that performs control to transmit an abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device when an abnormality signal is received from the remote controller. Effect of the Invention

[0008] Advantageous Effects of Invention The present disclosure provides an advantage in that it provides an air conditioner monitoring system that allows an operator to easily perform an operation test without using dedicated test operation equipment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an air conditioner monitoring system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in an air conditioner monitoring system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a remote controller of an air conditioner monitoring system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a remote controller of an air conditioner monitoring system according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a monitoring device of an air conditioner monitoring system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a flowchart for explaining an operation procedure during an operation test of an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmission operation in the air conditioner monitoring system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A flowchart for explaining the procedure of an operation during an operation test of an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmission operation of an air conditioner monitoring system in embodiment 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 shows an example of a test-dedicated screen displayed on a remote control display unit in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] A flowchart for explaining the procedure of an operation during an operation test of the transmission operation of an abnormality occurrence notification signal of the air conditioner monitoring system in the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 shows an example of a test-dedicated screen displayed on a remote control display unit in the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration in which each function of a control unit according to a first embodiment is realized by hardware. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration in which each function of a control unit according to a first embodiment is realized by software. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An air conditioner monitoring system according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Embodiment 1 Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to embodiment 1 includes an air conditioner 1, a remote controller 2, and a monitoring device 3. Hereinafter, the remote controller may be referred to as a remote control.

[0012] The air conditioner monitoring system 100 is a monitoring system capable of performing an operational test to check whether it is possible to remotely confirm that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1. An operational test to check whether it is possible to remotely confirm that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1 can be considered an operational test to check that the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3. Furthermore, an operational test to check whether it is possible to remotely confirm that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1 can be considered an operational test of the transmission operation of the abnormality occurrence notification signal. Below, the above operational test may be simply referred to as an operational test.

[0013] The abnormality signal is a signal that indicates the occurrence of an abnormal state in the air conditioner 1. A different abnormality signal is transmitted depending on the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1. The abnormality signal contains information that indicates the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1. The abnormality occurrence notification signal is a signal that instructs the notification of abnormality occurrence information. The abnormality occurrence notification signal contains information that is included in the abnormality signal and that indicates the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1. The abnormality occurrence information is information for notifying the user that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1.

[0014] The air conditioner 1 comprises an indoor unit 11 installed indoors and an outdoor unit 12 installed outdoors, and performs air conditioning of the indoor area, which is the area to be air-conditioned by the air conditioner 1. The air conditioner 1 forms one complete refrigeration cycle with the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12. The air conditioner 1 uses a refrigerant that circulates between the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 through a refrigerant pipe (not shown) to transfer heat between the air inside the room, which is the area to be air-conditioned, and the air outside the room, thereby realizing air conditioning of the room.

[0015] 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1 of the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment. The indoor unit 11 has an indoor unit air conditioning unit 111, a sensor 112, an indoor unit memory unit 113, an indoor unit communication unit 114, and an air conditioning control unit 115. The indoor unit memory unit 113, the indoor unit communication unit 114, and the air conditioning control unit 115 are mounted on an indoor unit control board 116, which is a control board for the indoor unit 11.

[0016] The indoor unit air conditioning section 111 has the air conditioning function of the indoor unit of a general air conditioner. The indoor unit air conditioning section 111 includes components such as an indoor heat exchanger (not shown) that exchanges heat between the air taken in by the indoor unit 11 and the refrigerant flowing in the refrigerant circuit, a blower fan (not shown) that sends the conditioned air that has been heat exchanged in the indoor heat exchanger from the indoor unit 11 to the room, and an air direction adjustment section (not shown) that adjusts the direction in which the conditioned air is sent out from the indoor unit 11. The air taken in by the indoor unit 11 is the indoor air of the room in which the indoor unit 11 is installed.

[0017] The sensor 112 is built into the indoor unit 11 and detects information such as the operating state of the indoor unit 11 and the state of the air in the room, which is the area to be air-conditioned. The sensor 112 transmits the detection result to the air conditioning control unit 115 as sensor information.

[0018] If the sensor 112 determines based on the detection result that an abnormal condition has occurred in the air conditioner 1, it transmits an abnormality signal, which is a signal indicating that an abnormal condition has occurred in the air conditioner 1, as sensor information to the air conditioning control unit 115. If the sensor 112 determines based on the detection result that no abnormal condition has occurred in the air conditioner 1, it transmits a normal signal, which indicates that the air conditioner 1 is operating normally, to the air conditioning control unit 115 as sensor information.

[0019] Examples of the sensor 112 include an indoor temperature sensor (not shown) that detects the indoor temperature, which is the temperature of the indoor air, at a predetermined cycle, and a human presence sensor (not shown) that detects people inside the room. The outdoor unit 12 is provided with sensors such as an outdoor air temperature sensor (not shown) that detects the outdoor air temperature, which is the temperature of the air outdoors, at a predetermined cycle, and a pressure sensor (not shown) that detects the pressure of a compressor provided in the outdoor unit 12.

[0020] The indoor unit storage unit 113 is a storage unit that stores information such as various control setting values ​​and programs for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1. The indoor unit storage unit 113 is a non-volatile storage unit, and is configured with a semiconductor storage medium such as a flash memory.

[0021] The indoor unit communication unit 114 communicates with a remote controller communication unit 24 of the remote controller 2, which will be described later, and with a monitoring device communication unit 33 of the monitoring device 3, which will be described later.

[0022] The air conditioning control unit 115 is a control unit that controls the overall operation of the air conditioner 1, and controls the operation of the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 to control the operation of the air conditioner 1. The air conditioning control unit 115 receives a control instruction signal transmitted from the remote control 2 instructing control of the operation of the air conditioner 1, and controls the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the control instruction signal. The air conditioning control unit 115 operates a compressor (not shown) provided in the outdoor unit 12 based on the set temperature set in the air conditioning control unit 115, the indoor temperature, and the outdoor temperature, to perform cooling or heating operation.

[0023] The air conditioning control unit 115 also receives sensor information transmitted from the sensor 112, and determines whether or not an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1 based on the sensor information. When the air conditioning control unit 115 receives an abnormality signal from the sensor 112, it determines that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1. The air conditioning control unit 115 then determines the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1 based on the abnormality signal, and transmits an abnormality occurrence notification signal corresponding to the determined abnormality to the monitoring device 3. The air conditioning control unit 115 determines the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1 based on information indicating the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1, which is included in the abnormality signal.

[0024] Furthermore, the air conditioning control unit 115 determines that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1 when it receives an abnormality signal for operation testing that has been intentionally transmitted from the remote control 2. The air conditioning control unit 115 then determines the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1 based on the abnormality signal for operation testing transmitted from the remote control 2, and transmits an abnormality occurrence notification signal corresponding to the determined abnormality to the monitoring device 3. The air conditioning control unit 115 determines the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1 based on information indicating the type of abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1, which is included in the abnormality signal for operation testing transmitted from the remote control 2.

[0025] The abnormality signal for the operation test is a signal indicating the occurrence of an abnormal state in the air conditioner 1, but is not a signal transmitted from the sensor 112, but an abnormality signal transmitted intentionally from the remote control 2.

[0026] The remote control 2 remotely controls the air conditioner 1. That is, the remote control 2 is a remote control device for the air conditioner 1 for controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1 by transmitting a control instruction signal for the air conditioner 1 to the indoor unit 11. The remote control 2 may be a remote control for the air conditioner 1, or may be a terminal device such as a smartphone that has application software installed that allows remote control of the air conditioner 1 and is capable of communicating with the air conditioner 1. In the first embodiment, a case will be described in which the remote control 2 is a remote control for the air conditioner 1. In the first embodiment, the remote control 2 and the air conditioner 1 are connected by wire, and it is assumed that power can be supplied from the air conditioner 1 to the remote control 2. The method of supplying power to the remote control 2 is not particularly limited.

[0027] Furthermore, when an operation test is performed to confirm that the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality signal to the monitoring device 3, the remote control 2 transmits an abnormality signal for the operation test to the air conditioner 1 based on an operator's operation of the remote control 2. Examples of the operator include a person who manages the air conditioner 1, such as a serviceman of the manufacturer of the air conditioner 1 or a facilities manager of the building in which the air conditioner 1 is installed.

[0028] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the remote controller 2 of the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 4 is a front view showing the remote controller 2 of the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment. The remote controller 2 includes a remote controller operation unit 21, a remote controller display unit 22, a remote controller storage unit 23, a remote controller communication unit 24, and a remote controller control unit 25. The above-mentioned components of the remote controller 2 are capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from each other.

[0029] The remote control operation unit 21 accepts setting operations related to the control of the air conditioner 1 requested by the user. In other words, the remote control operation unit 21 is an interface for remotely controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1, and accepts operations from the user related to the operation of the air conditioner 1. When the remote control operation unit 21 accepts an operation from the user, it transmits a signal corresponding to the user's operation to the remote control control unit 25 as an operation signal.

[0030] The remote control operation unit 21 is configured to allow the user to arbitrarily select various functions related to the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 1, such as starting operation of the air conditioner 1, selecting the operating mode of the air conditioner 1 including stopping operation of the air conditioner 1, changing the set temperature, changing the set humidity, setting the air volume, and setting the air direction.

[0031] The remote control operation unit 21 has a first operation button 211, a second operation button 212, and a third operation button 213 as multiple operation buttons that accept operations from the user to input control commands for various operations to the air conditioner 1. In other words, the remote control operation unit 21 has multiple operation buttons, and when it accepts an operation from the user performed on one of the operation buttons, it transmits a signal corresponding to the user's operation to the remote control control unit 25 as an operation signal.

[0032] When a user operates to control the operation of the air conditioner 1, the operation buttons are used to input commands such as inputting commands to start or stop operations such as heating operation, cooling operation, and fan operation of the air conditioner 1, and inputting commands to display various information related to the air conditioner 1 on the remote control display unit 22.

[0033] Furthermore, when an operator performs an operational test of the air conditioner 1, as described below, the operation buttons are used to perform a specific operation for transmitting an abnormality signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1. The specific operation will be described in detail below.

[0034] The remote control display unit 22 displays various information related to the air conditioner 1. That is, the remote control display unit 22 displays information and status required for air conditioning by the air conditioner 1, such as various setting information related to the air conditioning operation of the air conditioner 1 and the status of the air conditioner 1, and switches and displays screens corresponding to operations on the remote control operation unit 21. The remote control display unit 22 receives signals transmitted from the remote control control unit 25, and displays various information based on the signals. The status of the air conditioner 1 includes heating operation, cooling operation, fan operation, and the occurrence of an abnormality.

[0035] The remote control storage unit 23 stores various information necessary for air conditioning processing in the air conditioner 1, and temporarily or long-term stores information such as the setting contents to be displayed on the remote control display unit 22 and image data related to the setting contents. The remote control storage unit 23 also stores various information necessary for performing an operation test, and temporarily or long-term stores information such as the setting contents to be displayed on the remote control display unit 22 and image data related to the setting contents.

[0036] The remote control communication unit 24 is capable of communicating with the indoor unit communication unit 114 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1. The remote control communication unit 24 receives a signal transmitted from the remote control control unit 25, and transmits the signal to the air conditioner 1. The remote control communication unit 24 also receives a signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1, and transmits the signal to the remote control control unit 25.

[0037] The communication between the remote control communication unit 24 and the indoor unit communication unit 114 may be wireless communication or wired communication. In the first embodiment, the remote control 2 is a remote control for the air conditioner 1, the remote control 2 and the air conditioner 1 are connected by wire, and the communication between the remote control communication unit 24 and the indoor unit communication unit 114 is wired communication.

[0038] The remote control control unit 25 controls the overall operation of the remote control 2. The remote control control unit 25 controls the remote control 2 based on an operation signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21. In addition, the remote control control unit 25 transmits the operation signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21 to the air conditioning control unit 115 of the indoor unit 11.

[0039] Furthermore, when an operation test is performed to confirm that the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality signal to the monitoring device 3, the remote control control unit 25 transmits an abnormality signal for the operation test to the air conditioner 1 if a specific operation is performed on at least one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21. In other words, the remote control control unit 25 functions as an abnormality signal transmission unit that transmits an abnormality signal for the operation test to the air conditioner 1 when the remote control operation unit 21 accepts a specific operation by the user.

[0040] The command to transmit an abnormality signal is a command to instruct the remote control control unit 25 to transmit, to the air conditioner 1, an abnormality signal for an operation test.

[0041] Therefore, the remote control control unit 25 has a function of determining what operation the signal received from the remote control operation unit 21 instructs the air conditioner 1 to perform and a function of transmitting a signal instructing the air conditioner 1 to perform an operation based on the result of the determination, a function of determining what operation the signal received from the remote control communication unit 24 instructs, and a function as a signal processing unit that controls the remote control 2 based on the result of the determination.

[0042] The monitoring device 3 monitors the operation of the air conditioner 1. When the monitoring device 3 receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1 at the time when the air conditioner 1 receives an abnormality signal transmitted from the sensor 112, the monitoring device 3 displays abnormality occurrence information based on the abnormality occurrence notification signal. That is, the monitoring device 3 is capable of communicating with the air conditioner 1, and monitors the operating state and abnormal state of the air conditioner 1 based on signals transmitted from the air conditioner 1. Then, when the monitoring device 3 receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1 based on the abnormality signal transmitted from the sensor 112, it displays abnormality occurrence information and prompts the user to take action against the abnormal state of the air conditioner 1.

[0043] This allows the user to take appropriate action against the abnormal state of the air conditioner 1 by viewing the abnormality occurrence information displayed on the monitoring device 3. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, it is assumed that the monitoring device 3 and the air conditioner 1 are connected by wire, and that power can be supplied from the air conditioner 1 to the monitoring device 3.

[0044] The monitoring device 3 is also a device that can be used for an operation test to confirm that the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3, and is directly connected to the air conditioning control unit 115 of the air conditioner 1. In other words, the monitoring device 3 is able to communicate directly with the air conditioning control unit 115 via the indoor unit communication unit 114 of the air conditioner 1.

[0045] Furthermore, even if the monitoring device 3 receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1 when the air conditioner 1 receives an abnormality signal for an operation test transmitted from the remote control 2, the monitoring device 3 can display abnormality occurrence information based on the abnormality occurrence notification signal. This allows the worker to confirm that the abnormality occurrence information is displayed on the monitoring device 3 when an abnormality signal for an operation test is transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test, thereby confirming that the air conditioner 1 is successfully transmitting the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3.

[0046] The installation location of the monitoring device 3 is not particularly limited. If the air conditioner 1 is a home air conditioner, the monitoring device 3 is installed, for example, indoors in a house so that a user or an operator conducting an operational test can view the information displayed on the monitoring device 3. If the air conditioner 1 is a commercial air conditioner, the monitoring device 3 may be installed, for example, in a room used by a tenant in a building so that a building manager or an operator conducting an operational test can view the information displayed on the monitoring device 3, or may be installed in a space on the building management side, such as the building's management room or machine room.

[0047] 5 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the monitoring device 3 of the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment. The monitoring device 3 includes a monitoring device display unit 31, a monitoring device storage unit 32, a monitoring device communication unit 33, and a monitoring device control unit 34. The above-described components of the monitoring device 3 are capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from each other.

[0048] The monitoring device display unit 31 displays information on the operating state and abnormal state of the air conditioner 1. In other words, the monitoring device display unit 31 is a display unit that displays the state of the air conditioner 1. The states of the air conditioner 1 include heating operation, cooling operation, fan operation, and an abnormality state in which an abnormality has occurred.

[0049] The monitoring device storage unit 32 stores various types of information necessary for controlling the monitoring device 3. The monitoring device storage unit 32 stores information such as image data of abnormality occurrence information to be displayed on the monitoring device display unit 31 when the monitoring device 3 receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal, which is a signal instructing the monitoring device 3 to notify of the occurrence of an abnormal state in the air conditioner 1.

[0050] The monitoring device communication unit 33 communicates with the indoor unit communication unit 114 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1. When the monitoring device communication unit 33 receives a signal indicating the state of the air conditioner 1, it transmits the signal to the monitoring device control unit .

[0051] When the monitoring device communication unit 33 receives the abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the indoor unit communication unit 114, it transmits the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device control unit 34. Note that the communication between the monitoring device communication unit 33 and the indoor unit communication unit 114 may be wireless communication or wired communication. In the first embodiment, it is assumed that the monitoring device 3 and the air conditioner 1 are connected by wire, and the communication between the monitoring device communication unit 33 and the indoor unit communication unit 114 is wired communication.

[0052] The monitoring device control unit 34 controls the overall operation of the monitoring device 3. The monitoring device control unit 34 receives a signal indicating the status of the air conditioner 1, transmitted from the monitoring device communication unit 33. The monitoring device control unit 34 causes the monitoring device display unit 31 to display information on the status of the air conditioner 1 based on the signal.

[0053] When the monitoring device control unit 34 receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1 at the same time that the air conditioner 1 receives an abnormality signal transmitted from the sensor 112, it causes the monitoring device display unit 31 to display abnormality occurrence information, which is information indicating that an abnormal condition has occurred in the air conditioner 1, based on the abnormality occurrence notification signal, and prompts the user to take action against the abnormal condition of the air conditioner 1. In this way, the user can take appropriate action against the abnormal condition of the air conditioner 1 by looking at the abnormality occurrence information displayed on the monitoring device 3.

[0054] Furthermore, even if the monitoring device control unit 34 receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1 when the air conditioner 1 receives an abnormality signal for an operation test transmitted from the remote control 2, it can cause the monitoring device display unit 31 to display abnormality occurrence information based on the abnormality occurrence notification signal. This allows the worker to confirm that the air conditioner 1 is properly transmitting the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3 by confirming that abnormality occurrence information is displayed on the monitoring device 3 when an abnormality signal for an operation test is transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test.

[0055] Next, a description will be given of the operation during an operational test in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment to confirm that the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality signal to the monitoring device 3. Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the operation during an operational test of the transmission operation of an abnormality occurrence notification signal in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0056] In step S110, power is applied to the air conditioner 1. When power is applied to the air conditioner 1, power is supplied from the air conditioner 1 to the remote control 2 and the monitoring device 3. Specifically, when power is applied to the air conditioner 1, a power supply unit (not shown) provided in the indoor unit 11 generates drive power for driving the remote control 2 and the monitoring device 3 using power supplied from an external power source (not shown). The power supply unit supplies the generated drive power to the remote control 2 and the monitoring device 3. Then, proceed to step S120.

[0057] In step S120, a predetermined specific operation for inputting a command to transmit an abnormality signal is accepted by the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2. Specifically, the specific operation is performed by an operator at the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2. As a result, a command to transmit an abnormality signal is inputted from the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 to the remote control 2. Here, one example of the specific operation is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 a predetermined number of times in succession.

[0058] The remote control operation unit 21 transmits a signal corresponding to an operation performed by the worker on the remote control operation unit 21 as an operation signal to the remote control control unit 25. Specifically, the remote control operation unit 21 transmits a signal corresponding to a specific operation performed by the worker on the remote control operation unit 21 as a transmission command signal for an abnormality signal to the remote control control unit 25. The remote control control unit 25 receives the transmission command signal for an abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21. Then, the process proceeds to step S130.

[0059] The command to transmit an abnormality signal is a command that instructs the remote control 2 to transmit an abnormality signal for use in an operation test to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test. The command signal to transmit an abnormality signal is a command signal that instructs the remote control 2 to transmit an abnormality signal for use in an operation test to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test.

[0060] The specific operation is an operation for inputting a command to transmit an abnormality signal to the remote control 2 in an operation test, and is determined in advance.

[0061] In step S130, an abnormality signal is transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1. Specifically, the remote control control unit 25 transmits the abnormality signal to the air conditioner 1. When the remote control control unit 25 receives a transmission command signal for the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21, it transmits the abnormality signal to the remote control communication unit 24 based on the transmission command signal for the abnormality signal. When the remote control communication unit 24 receives the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control control unit 25, it transmits the abnormality signal to the air conditioner 1. Then, proceed to step S140.

[0062] Examples of abnormality signals transmitted from the remote control unit 25 to the air conditioner 1 include a temperature abnormality signal, a communication abnormality signal, a sensor abnormality signal, a pressure abnormality signal, and an operation abnormality signal. The temperature abnormality signal is a signal indicating the occurrence of a temperature abnormality state. The communication abnormality signal is a signal indicating the occurrence of a communication abnormality state. The sensor abnormality signal is a signal indicating the occurrence of a sensor abnormality state. The pressure abnormality signal is a signal indicating the occurrence of a pressure abnormality state.

[0063] An example of a temperature abnormality is an abnormality in which the deviation between the temperature actually measured by sensor 112 in the room, which is the area to be air-conditioned by air conditioner 1, and the set temperature in air conditioner 1 is greater than a predetermined threshold value.

[0064] The communication abnormality is exemplified by an abnormality in which communication between the remote control 2 and the indoor unit 11 or communication between the indoor unit 11 and the outdoor unit 12 cannot be performed.

[0065] Examples of sensor abnormalities include an abnormality caused by a breakdown of the sensor 112, where a measurement value of the sensor 112 exceeds a predetermined range of measurement values, or an abnormality where the sensor 112 does not operate.

[0066] The pressure abnormality is exemplified by a pressure abnormality in a compressor provided in the outdoor unit 12.

[0067] Examples of operational abnormalities include an abnormality in which the air conditioner 1 does not operate even when the operation control of the air conditioner 1 is operated on the remote control 2, and an abnormality in which the air conditioner 1 performs an unintended operation that differs from the operation content of the air conditioner 1 instructed on the remote control 2.

[0068] In the remote control 2, by varying the operation content of the specific operation, it is possible to transmit to the air conditioner 1 an abnormality signal indicating different contents of the abnormality in the air conditioner 1.

[0069] For example, one example of a specific operation for transmitting a temperature abnormality signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation section 21 of the remote control 2 a first specific number of times in succession. Also, one example of a specific operation for transmitting a communication abnormality signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation section 21 of the remote control 2 a second specific number of times in succession. Also, one example of a specific operation for transmitting a sensor abnormality signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation section 21 of the remote control 2 a third specific number of times in succession. Also, one example of a specific operation for transmitting a pressure abnormality signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation section 21 of the remote control 2 a third specific number of times in succession. abnormalityAn example of a specific operation for transmitting a signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 a predetermined fourth specific number of times in succession. Also, an example of a specific operation for transmitting an operation abnormality signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 a predetermined fourth specific number of times in succession. 5 It should be noted that the specific operation for transmitting different abnormality signals from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is not limited to the above example.

[0070] In step S140, an abnormality signal is detected in the air conditioner 1. Specifically, the air conditioning control unit 115 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1 detects the abnormality signal by receiving the abnormality signal transmitted from the indoor unit communication unit 114. The indoor unit communication unit 114 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1 receives the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control communication unit 24. When the indoor unit communication unit 114 receives the abnormality signal, it transmits the abnormality signal to the air conditioning control unit 115 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1. The air conditioning control unit 115 receives the abnormality signal transmitted from the indoor unit communication unit 114. Then, proceed to step S150.

[0071] In step S150, an abnormality occurrence alert signal is transmitted to the monitoring device 3. Specifically, the air conditioning control unit 115 transmits the abnormality occurrence alert signal to the monitoring device 3. When the air conditioning control unit 115 detects the abnormality signal transmitted from the indoor unit communication unit 114, it transmits an abnormality occurrence alert signal to the indoor unit communication unit 114 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1 based on the abnormality signal. When the indoor unit communication unit 114 receives the abnormality occurrence alert signal transmitted from the air conditioning control unit 115, it transmits the abnormality occurrence alert signal to the monitoring device 3.

[0072] The monitoring device communication unit 33 of the monitoring device 3 receives the abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the indoor unit communication unit 114. Upon receiving the abnormality occurrence notification signal, the monitoring device communication unit 33 transmits the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device control unit 34 of the monitoring device 3. The monitoring device control unit 34 receives the abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the monitoring device communication unit 33. Then, the process proceeds to step S160.

[0073] The abnormality occurrence notification signal may be generated in the air conditioning control unit 115 as a signal different from the abnormality signal, or the abnormality signal may be used as is. By using the abnormality signal as is as the abnormality occurrence notification signal, the air conditioning control unit 115 can reduce the processing load.

[0074] In step S160, the abnormality occurrence information is displayed on the monitoring device 3. Specifically, the monitoring device control unit 34 causes the monitoring device display unit 31 to display the abnormality occurrence information. Upon receiving an abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the monitoring device communication unit 33, the monitoring device control unit 34 causes the monitoring device display unit 31 to display the abnormality occurrence information corresponding to the abnormality occurrence notification signal based on the abnormality occurrence notification signal. As a result, the abnormality occurrence information about the abnormality that has occurred in the air conditioner 1 is displayed on the monitoring device display unit 31.

[0075] By confirming that the abnormality information is displayed on the monitoring device display unit 31, the worker can confirm that the abnormality notification signal is being sent normally from the air conditioning control unit 115 to the monitoring device 3, that communication between the indoor unit communication unit 114 and the monitoring device communication unit 33 is being carried out normally, and that the abnormality information is being displayed normally on the monitoring device display unit 31.

[0076] As described above, the air conditioner monitoring system 100 of embodiment 1 is capable of conducting an operational test to confirm whether it is possible to remotely confirm that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner 1, i.e., an operational test to confirm that the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality occurrence alarm signal to the monitoring device 3 when the air conditioner 1 receives an abnormality signal.

[0077] In the air conditioner monitoring system 100, in an operation test, when a specific operation is received, the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 transmits a transmission command signal for an abnormality signal to the remote control control unit 25 of the remote control 2. When the remote control control unit 25 receives the transmission command signal for an abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21, it transmits an abnormality signal to the air conditioner 1 based on the transmission command signal for the abnormality signal. When the air conditioning control unit 115 of the air conditioner 1 detects the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control 2, it transmits an abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3 based on the abnormality signal. When the monitoring device control unit 34 of the monitoring device 3 receives the abnormality occurrence notification signal transmitted from the air conditioner 1, it causes the monitoring device display unit 31 to display abnormality occurrence information corresponding to the abnormality occurrence notification signal based on the abnormality occurrence notification signal.

[0078] Then, by confirming that the abnormality occurrence information is displayed on the monitoring device display unit 31, the worker can confirm that the abnormality occurrence alarm signal is being normally sent from the air conditioning control unit 115 to the monitoring device 3, that communication between the indoor unit communication unit 114 and the monitoring device communication unit 33 is being carried out normally, and that the abnormality occurrence information is being normally displayed on the monitoring device display unit 31.

[0079] The main subject of the operation test is the air conditioning control unit 115 of the air conditioner 1. That is to say, in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment, by carrying out the above-described operation test, it is possible to confirm whether the air conditioning control unit 115 of the air conditioner 1 is able to transmit an abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3.

[0080] Furthermore, in the air conditioner monitoring system 100, by performing the above-mentioned operational test, it is possible to confirm whether communication between the indoor unit communication unit 114 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1 and the monitoring device communication unit 33 of the monitoring device 3 is functioning normally.

[0081] Furthermore, in the air conditioner monitoring system 100, by carrying out the above-mentioned operation test, it is possible to check whether the monitoring device control unit 34 and the monitoring device display unit 31 of the monitoring device 3 are functioning normally.

[0082] According to the air conditioner monitoring system 100 described above, an air conditioner monitoring system is realized which includes an air conditioner 1, a remote controller 2 capable of communicating with the air conditioner 1 and remotely controlling the air conditioner 1, and a monitoring device 3 capable of communicating with the air conditioner 1 and displaying abnormality occurrence information when it receives an abnormality occurrence notification signal which is a signal that instructs the notification of abnormality occurrence information to notify that an abnormal condition has occurred in the air conditioner 1, wherein the remote controller 2 has a remote controller operation unit 21 which accepts setting operations related to the control of the air conditioner 1, and a remote controller control unit 25 which sends an abnormality signal to the air conditioner 1 which is a signal indicating the occurrence of an abnormal condition in the air conditioner 1 when the remote controller operation unit 21 accepts a predetermined specific operation, and wherein the air conditioner 1 has an air conditioning control unit 115 which controls the transmission of the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device 3 when it receives the abnormality signal from the remote controller 2.

[0083] As described above, in the air conditioner monitoring system 100, when an operator performs an operation test, the user operates the remote control 2 used to control the operation of the air conditioner 1, thereby intentionally sending a pseudo abnormal signal from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1, thereby enabling the operation test to be performed. As a result, in the air conditioner monitoring system 100, when an operation test is performed, it is not necessary to separately prepare a dedicated test operation device for generating an abnormal signal. In other words, in the air conditioner monitoring system 100, when performing an operation test, the operator does not need to connect the test operation device to the air conditioner 1, and after the operation test, the operator does not need to remove the test operation device from the air conditioner 1 and take it home.

[0084] For this reason, with the air conditioner monitoring system 100, an operator can easily perform an operation test without using dedicated test operation equipment. Also, with the air conditioner monitoring system 100, there is no need to separately prepare dedicated test operation equipment for generating an abnormality signal, which helps reduce costs.

[0085] Furthermore, when an operator performs an operation test, the operator, for example, presses one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 a specific number of times in succession. However, this operation is not normally performed by the user when controlling the operation of the air conditioner 1. Therefore, with the air conditioner monitoring system 100, there is no risk that the user will erroneously cause an abnormality signal to be transmitted.

[0086] In the above description, the specific operation is described as an operation of pressing a predetermined one of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21 of the remote control 2 a predetermined number of times in succession, but the specific operation is not limited to the above example. For example, the specific operation may be an operation of pressing at least two of the multiple operation buttons on the remote control operation unit 21 in succession in a preset order.

[0087] For example, it is assumed that a function to instruct the start of heating operation is assigned to the first operation button 211, and a function to instruct the start of cooling operation is assigned to the second operation button 212. In this case, the specific operation may be an operation of alternately pressing the first operation button 211 and the second operation button 212 three times each. Note that this operation is performed when the user wants to start the operation of the air conditioner 1. control Therefore, with the air conditioner monitoring system 100, there is no risk of the user accidentally sending an abnormality signal.

[0088] Furthermore, by varying the operation content of a specific operation, the remote control 2 can transmit abnormality signals indicating different abnormalities in the air conditioner 1 to the air conditioner 1. This makes it easy to perform an operation test for all of the different abnormality signals.

[0089] Therefore, the air conditioner monitoring system 100 has the advantage that an operator can easily perform an operation test without using dedicated test operation equipment.

[0090] Embodiment 2 In the second embodiment, another example of operation in an operation test in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 7 is a flowchart explaining the procedure of an operation during an operation test of the transmission operation of an abnormality occurrence notification signal in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the second embodiment. Below, steps different from those in the flowchart of Fig. 6 in the first embodiment will be described.

[0091] First, steps S110 and S120 are performed in the same manner as in embodiment 1. Then, the process proceeds to step S210.

[0092] In step S210, a test-dedicated screen 221, which will be described later, is displayed on the remote control 2. Specifically, the remote control control unit 25 causes the test-dedicated screen 221 to be displayed on the remote control 2. Upon receiving a transmission command signal of an abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21, the remote control control unit 25 causes the remote control display unit 22 of the remote control 2 to display the test-dedicated screen 221 based on the transmission command signal of the abnormal signal.

[0093] Then, the remote control control unit 25 displays information on the name of one abnormality on the test-dedicated screen 221. That is, in the second embodiment, the remote control control unit 25 displays information on the test-dedicated screen 221 on the test-dedicated screen 221, the information on the name of an abnormality corresponding to one abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 in the operation test, and corresponding to one abnormal signal corresponding to the specific operation in step S120.

[0094] The test-only screen 221 is a screen that displays information related to the operation test. Specifically, the test-only screen 221 is a screen that displays information related to an abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1. The test-only screen 221 is displayed on the remote control display unit 22 when a specific operation is performed in step S120 and the remote control control unit 25 receives a transmission command signal for an abnormal signal, which is a signal corresponding to the specific operation. In the second embodiment, the test-only screen 221 displays the name of an abnormality corresponding to one abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 in the operation test.

[0095] By displaying the test-only screen 221 on the remote control display unit 22, the operator can easily confirm on the remote control display unit 22 that a specific operation on the remote control operation unit 21 has caused the remote control control unit 25 of the remote control 2 to enter operation test mode, that the operation test processing is being performed normally on the remote control 2, and the name of the abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal sent from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during the operation test.

[0096] The test-only screen 221 displays information on types of abnormalities that are expected to occur in the air conditioner 1. The type of abnormality signal sent from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during an operational test differs depending on the operating procedure of the specific operation. Therefore, the information on the type of abnormality displayed on the test-only screen 221 during an operational test differs depending on the operating procedure of the specific operation. Examples of the types of abnormalities displayed on the test-only screen 221 include temperature abnormalities, communication abnormalities, sensor abnormalities, and pressure abnormalities.

[0097] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a dedicated test screen 221 displayed on the remote control display unit 22 in embodiment 2. Fig. 8 shows a state in which a temperature abnormality display 222 is displayed on the dedicated test screen 221 of the remote control display unit 22 as a display showing the name of the abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1. The temperature abnormality display 222 is a display indicating that the abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is a temperature abnormality.

[0098] Note that the display displayed on the dedicated test screen 221 indicating information on the type of abnormality corresponding to the abnormal signal is not limited to the temperature abnormality display 222. If the specific operation performed in step S120 is a specific operation corresponding to a communication abnormality, the remote control control unit 25 causes a communication abnormality display 223, described below, to be displayed on the dedicated test screen 221 of the remote control display unit 22 as an indication indicating information on the type of abnormality corresponding to the abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1.

[0099] In addition, if the specific operation performed in step S120 is a specific operation corresponding to a sensor abnormality, the remote control control unit 25 displays a sensor abnormality display 224, described later, on the test-only screen 221 of the remote control display unit 22 as a display showing information on the type of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1.

[0100] Furthermore, if the specific operation performed in step S120 is a specific operation corresponding to a pressure abnormality, the remote control control unit 25 causes a pressure abnormality display 225, described later, to be displayed on the test-dedicated screen 221 of the remote control display unit 22 as a display showing information on the type of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1.

[0101] During normal operation of the air conditioner 1, information on the operating state of the air conditioner 1 is displayed on the remote control display unit 22. On the other hand, during an operation test of the air conditioner monitoring system 100, when the remote control control unit 25 receives a transmission command signal for an abnormality signal, a test-only screen 221 is displayed on the remote control display unit 22. Then, the process proceeds to step S130.

[0102] As described above, in the second embodiment, when the remote control control unit 25 receives a transmission command signal of an abnormality signal, which is a signal corresponding to a specific operation performed on the remote control operation unit 21, it causes the remote control display unit 22 to display the test-dedicated screen 221. In addition, the remote control control unit 25 causes the test-dedicated screen 221 to display information on the type of abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal corresponding to the specific operation performed on the remote control operation unit 21.

[0103] This allows the worker to easily confirm on the remote control display unit 22 that a specific operation on the remote control operation unit 21 has caused the remote control control unit 25 of the remote control 2 to transition to the operation test mode, that the operation test processing is being performed normally on the remote control 2, and details of the abnormal signal sent from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during the operation test. Therefore, the worker can easily and reliably perform the operation test while checking the processing of the remote control 2 during the operation test.

[0104] Embodiment 3 In the third embodiment, another example of the operation of the operation test in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the first embodiment will be described. Fig. 9 is a flowchart explaining the procedure of the operation during the operation test of the transmission operation of the abnormality occurrence notification signal in the air conditioner monitoring system 100 according to the third embodiment. Below, steps different from those in the flowchart of Fig. 6 in the first embodiment will be described.

[0105] First, steps S110 and S120 are performed in the same manner as in embodiment 1. Then, the process proceeds to step S310.

[0106] In step S310, the test-dedicated screen 221 is displayed on the remote control 2. Specifically, the remote control control unit 25 causes the test-dedicated screen 221 to be displayed on the remote control 2. Upon receiving a transmission command signal of an abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21, the remote control control unit 25 causes the test-dedicated screen 221 to be displayed on the remote control display unit 22 of the remote control 2 based on the transmission command signal of the abnormal signal.

[0107] Then, the remote control control unit 25 displays a plurality of abnormal signal options, which are options for selecting an abnormal signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test, on the test-dedicated screen 221. That is, in the third embodiment, the remote control control unit 25 displays information on the names of a plurality of abnormal signals that can be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test on the test-dedicated screen 221.

[0108] In the above-described second embodiment, when a specific operation is performed in step S120 and a transmission command signal for an abnormality signal, which is a signal corresponding to the specific operation, is received, the remote control control unit 25 displays information on the name of one abnormality corresponding to the specific operation on the test-dedicated screen 221. In the third embodiment, when a specific operation is performed in step S120 and a transmission command signal for an abnormality signal, which is a signal corresponding to the specific operation, the remote control control unit 25 displays abnormality signal options for selecting an abnormality signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 in an operation test on the test-dedicated screen 221. That is, in the third embodiment, the remote control 2 displays the abnormality signal options on the test-dedicated screen 221 to prompt the operator to select an abnormality signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1.

[0109] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a dedicated test screen 221 displayed on the remote control display unit 22 in embodiment 3. Fig. 10 shows a state in which a temperature abnormality display 222, a communication abnormality display 223, a sensor abnormality display 224, and a pressure abnormality display 225 are displayed on the dedicated test screen 221 of the remote control display unit 22 as abnormality signal options for selecting an abnormality signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 in an operation test.

[0110] The communication abnormality display 223 is a display indicating that the abnormality corresponding to the abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is a communication abnormality. The sensor abnormality display 224 is a display indicating that the abnormality corresponding to the abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is a sensor abnormality. The pressure abnormality display 225 is a display indicating that the abnormality corresponding to the abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 is a pressure abnormality.

[0111] The operator uses the operation buttons of the remote control operation unit 21 to perform an abnormality signal selection operation, which is an operation to select, from a plurality of abnormality signal options, an abnormality signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1. Then, the process proceeds to step S320.

[0112] In step S320, the remote control control unit 25 receives the selection signal of the abnormal signal. Specifically, the remote control operation unit 21 transmits a signal corresponding to the abnormal signal selection operation performed by the operator on the remote control operation unit 21 to the remote control control unit 25 as the selection signal of the abnormal signal. Then, the remote control control unit 25 receives the selection signal of the abnormal signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21. Then, the process proceeds to step S330.

[0113] In step S330, an abnormality signal is transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1. Specifically, the remote control control unit 25 transmits the abnormality signal to the air conditioner 1. When the remote control control unit 25 receives a selection signal for an abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control operation unit 21, it transmits an abnormality signal to the remote control communication unit 24 based on the selection signal for the abnormality signal. The remote control control unit 25 transmits an abnormality signal corresponding to the selection signal for the abnormality signal, i.e., the abnormality signal specified in the selection signal for the abnormality signal, to the remote control communication unit 24. When the remote control communication unit 24 receives the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote control control unit 25, it transmits the abnormality signal to the air conditioner 1. Then, proceed to step S140.

[0114] As described above, in the third embodiment, when the remote control control unit 25 receives a transmission command signal for an abnormality signal, which is a signal corresponding to a specific operation performed on the remote control operation unit 21, it causes the remote control display unit 22 to display the test-dedicated screen 221. In addition, the remote control control unit 25 causes the test-dedicated screen 221 to display information on the names of multiple abnormality signals that can be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 during an operation test. This allows the operator to select the abnormality signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 from the multiple abnormality signal options displayed on the remote control display unit 22.

[0115] This allows the worker to easily confirm on the remote control display unit 22 that the remote control control unit 25 of the remote control 2 has transitioned to the operation test mode by a specific operation on the remote control operation unit 21, and that the operation test processing on the remote control 2 is proceeding normally. Furthermore, the worker can recognize that he or she has selected to transmit an abnormal signal by performing an operation to select an abnormal signal to be transmitted from the remote control 2 to the air conditioner 1 from among a plurality of abnormal signal options displayed on the test-only screen 221. As a result, in the third embodiment, the worker can easily and reliably perform an operation test while more reliably checking the processing of the remote control 2 during the operation test than in the second embodiment described above.

[0116] Next, the hardware configuration of each of the control units 80 according to the first embodiment will be described. The control unit 80 according to the first embodiment corresponds to each of the air conditioning control unit 115 of the indoor unit 11 of the air conditioner 1, the remote control control unit 25 of the remote control 2, and the monitoring device control unit 34 of the monitoring device 3 according to the first embodiment. Each function of the control unit 80 according to the first embodiment is realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware, or may be a processing device that executes a program stored in a storage device.

[0117] When the processing circuit is a dedicated hardware, the processing circuit corresponds to a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a field programmable gate array, or a combination of these. Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration in which each function of the control unit 80 according to the first embodiment is realized by hardware. A logic circuit 81a that realizes the function of the control unit 80 is incorporated in the processing circuit 81.

[0118] When the processing circuit 81 is a processing device, the functions of the control unit 80 are realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware.

[0119] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration in which each function of the control unit 80 according to the first embodiment is realized by software. The processing circuit 81 has a processor 811 that executes the program 81b, a random access memory 812 that the processor 811 uses as a work area, and a storage device 813 that stores the program 81b. The processor 811 deploys the program 81b stored in the storage device 813 on the random access memory 812 and executes it, thereby realizing the function of the control unit 80. The software or firmware is written in a program language and stored in the storage device 813. The processor 811 can be exemplified by a central processing unit, but is not limited to this. The storage device 813 can be a semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM (registered trademark)). The semiconductor memory may be a non-volatile memory or a volatile memory. Further, in addition to a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) can be applied to the storage device 813. The processor 811 may output data such as a calculation result to the storage device 813 for storage, or may store the data in an auxiliary storage device (not shown) via the random access memory 812. By integrating the processor 811, the random access memory 812, and the storage device 813 on one chip, the functions of the control unit 80 can be realized by a microcomputer.

[0120] The processing circuit 81 realizes the functions of the control unit 80 by reading and executing the program 81b stored in the storage device 813. It can also be said that the program 81b causes a computer to execute procedures and methods for realizing the functions of the control unit 80.

[0121] In addition, the processing circuit 81 may be configured so that some of the functions of the control unit 80 are realized by dedicated hardware, and some of the functions of the control unit 80 are realized by software or firmware.

[0122] Thus, the processing circuitry 81 can realize each of the above-described functions by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these.

[0123] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, or the embodiments may be combined with each other. Also, parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 1 air conditioner, 2 remote controller, 3 monitoring device, 11 indoor unit, 12 outdoor unit, 21 remote controller operation unit, 22 remote controller display unit, 23 remote controller memory unit, 24 remote controller communication unit, 25 remote controller control unit, 31 monitoring device display unit, 32 monitoring device memory unit, 33 monitoring device communication unit, 34 monitoring device control unit, 80 control unit, 81 processing circuit, 81a logic circuit, 81b program, 100 air conditioner monitoring system, 111 indoor unit air conditioning unit, 112 sensor, 113 indoor unit memory unit, 114 indoor unit communication unit, 115 air conditioning control unit, 116 Indoor unit control board, 211 first operation button, 212 second operation button, 213 third operation button, 221 test dedicated screen, 222 temperature abnormality display, 223 communication abnormality display, 224 sensor abnormality display, 225 pressure abnormality display, 811 processor, 812 random access memory, 813 storage device.

Claims

1. An air conditioner monitoring system capable of performing an operational test to confirm whether an abnormality occurring in an air conditioner can be remotely confirmed, The air conditioner; A remote controller capable of communicating with the air conditioner and remotely controlling the air conditioner; a monitoring device capable of communicating with the air conditioner, and displaying the abnormality occurrence information when an abnormality occurrence notification signal is received, the abnormality occurrence notification signal being a signal instructing notification of abnormality occurrence information for notifying that an abnormal state has occurred in the air conditioner; Equipped with The remote controller includes: an operation unit including operation buttons for receiving setting operations related to control of the air conditioner, the operation unit receiving setting operations related to control of the air conditioner; a remote controller control unit that transmits to the air conditioner an abnormality signal, which is a signal indicating the occurrence of an abnormal state in the air conditioner, when the operation unit receives a predetermined specific operation, which is an operation of pressing the operation button a predetermined specific number of times in succession; a remote controller display unit that displays a test-dedicated screen, which is a screen that displays information about the abnormal signal transmitted from the remote controller to the air conditioner, when the operation unit receives the specific operation; and having The air conditioner has an air conditioning control unit that performs control to transmit the abnormality occurrence notification signal to the monitoring device when the abnormality signal is received from the remote controller. Air conditioner monitoring system.

2. The test-dedicated screen displays the name of the abnormality corresponding to the abnormality signal transmitted from the remote controller to the air conditioner. The air conditioner monitoring system according to claim 1.

3. a selection of abnormality signals for selecting the abnormality signal to be transmitted from the remote controller to the air conditioner is displayed on the test-dedicated screen; The air conditioner monitoring system according to claim 1.

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