Home appliance management system and home appliance management program

Abstract

To provide a home appliance management system capable of flexibly and timely providing notifications easy to understand for consumers.SOLUTION: A home appliance management system includes a terminal unit 10 connected to home appliances 30 and a home appliances management unit 20. The system includes: a timing determination unit 22 that determines whether the end of a part retention period is within a predetermined period based on the first notice period; an end notification information creation unit 24 that indicates that the holding period is ending, and creates a piece of first termination notification information including first guide information guiding possible solutions for the home appliances 30 before the end of the retention period and second guide information guiding actions that can be taken even after the retention period has ended; and an output unit 14 that outputs the first termination notification information on a screen during the first notice period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for managing household electrical appliances.

Background Art

[0002] Various types of maintenance are performed on various devices including household electrical appliances. In maintenance, it is necessary to prepare replacement parts. Also, manufacturers may end the possession of parts after a predetermined holding period. For example, for household electrical appliances, the holding period of repair performance parts is announced in the instruction manual, catalog, etc.

[0003] Therefore, in the maintenance of various devices and facilities including household electrical appliances, it is desirable to manage the holding period of parts. Regarding the management of such held parts, Patent Documents 1 and 2 have been proposed.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a maintenance service system 1 that "includes an equipment information acquisition unit 31, a first information creation unit 32, a second information creation unit 33, and an output unit 52. The equipment information acquisition unit 31 acquires 'equipment information' which is information on equipment 2 provided in the customer facility 10. The first information creation unit 32 creates maintenance information which is information regarding the maintenance of equipment 2 based on the equipment information. The second information creation unit 33 creates service information related to the maintenance information", and "the output unit 52 outputs the maintenance information and the service information" (see the abstract). Here, in Patent Document 1, the 'holding period of repair performance parts' is described as 'equipment information' (see paragraph 0019).

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus that, in order to "notify the user of information regarding the completion of maintenance work at an appropriate time," includes "a storage means (non-volatile memory unit 110) for storing information regarding the completion of maintenance work for the apparatus itself, a usage frequency calculation means (CPU 101) for calculating the frequency of use of the apparatus itself based on information regarding the cumulative number of printed pages, the start date of use, and the current date, a replacement timing calculation means (CPU 101) for calculating the next replacement timing of maintenance parts, a failure timing calculation means (CPU 101) for calculating the estimated failure timing, and a notification means (display unit 111) for notifying the user of information regarding the completion of maintenance work at an appropriate time" (see abstract). Here, Patent Document 2 uses "the end date of manufacturing of various maintenance parts (consumables)" as "the completion of maintenance work" (see paragraph 0034). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-123114 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-049428 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] As described above, Patent Documents 1 and 2 present maintenance information, including expiration dates, based on the parts retention period (including retention and manufacturing expiration dates). However, for devices such as home appliances, general consumers may decide whether maintenance is necessary or carry out the maintenance themselves. Therefore, it is necessary to flexibly notify consumers of information appropriate to the timing, corresponding to the end of the retention period, in a way that is easy to understand.

[0008] However, Patent Document 1 only considers the "service life" of the equipment in question (solar panels), and therefore cannot provide flexible notification. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 only notifies consumers of the termination of maintenance work at the end of the service period, leaving the consumer's response uncertain and thus unable to provide flexible notification.

[0009] Therefore, the objective of this invention is to flexibly implement notifications that are easy for users, such as consumers, to understand, according to the relevant timing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above problems, the present invention determines that a first notification period is within a predetermined period from the end of the retention period for parts such as repair performance parts, and during the first notification period, it indicates that the retention period is ending and notifies the user of termination notification information which includes first guidance information that provides guidance on actions that can be taken for the home appliance itself before the end of the retention period and second guidance information that provides guidance on actions that can be taken for the home appliance even after the end of the retention period.

[0011] More specifically, in a home appliance management system having terminal devices that connect to home appliances and home appliance management devices, The aforementioned home appliance management device is Determining whether the first notification period is within a predetermined period from the starting point based on the end date of the retention period for the components constituting the aforementioned home appliance. First Timing determination unit, Including the retention period of the aforementioned parts, Create a first termination notification information that indicates the end of the aforementioned retention period and includes first guidance information that provides instructions on actions that can be taken for the home appliance before the end of the retention period, and second guidance information that provides instructions on actions that can be taken even after the end of the retention period. and notify the terminal device. Completion notification information creation department Having , The terminal device includes a storage unit for storing the first termination notification information, a second timing determination unit for determining whether it is a second notification period starting from the end of the first notification period using the retention period of the component, and, if it is the second notification period, an output processing unit for invalidating the first guidance information from the first termination notification information stored in the storage unit to indicate that the retention period has ended and creating second termination notification information including the second guidance information. During the first notification period, the first termination notification information is output on a single screen. And, during the second notification period, the second termination notification information is output. This is a home appliance management system that has an output unit.

[0012] In addition, the present invention also includes each device constituting the home appliance management system and these subsystems. Further, the home appliance management method executed by these devices and subsystems is also included in the present invention.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention also includes a program for causing each of the above-described devices, subsystems or home appliance management system to function as a computer and a storage medium storing the program.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, it is easy for a user to understand, and it is possible to realize a notification regarding the end of a flexible holding period according to the corresponding time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an outline of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a system configuration diagram of the home appliance management system in Example 1. [Figure 3] It is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 1. [Figure 4] It is a functional block diagram of the home appliance 30 in Example 1. [Figure 5] It is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 1. [Figure 6] It is a hardware configuration diagram of the home appliance management device 20 in Example 1. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing the user management information 251 used in Example 1. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing the home appliance management information 252 used in Example 1. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the log data 253 used in Example 1. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing the processing flow in Example 1. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing the creation process of the end notification information in Example 1. [Figure 12A]The figure shows an output screen for outputting first end notification information in Example 1. [Figure 12B] The figure shows an output screen (part 1) for outputting second end notification information in Example 1. [Figure 12C] The figure shows an output screen (part 2) for outputting second end notification information in Example 1. [Figure 13] The figure is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 2. [Figure 14] The figure is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 2. [Figure 15] The figure shows user information 152 used in Example 2. [Figure 16] The figure is a flowchart showing the processing flow in Example 2. [Figure 17] The figure shows user management information 251-1 used in Example 3. [Figure 18A] The figure is a flowchart showing the processing flow in Example 3. [Figure 18B] The figure is a flowchart showing the processing flow of a modification example in Example 3. [Figure 19] The figure is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 4. [Figure 20] The figure is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 4. [Figure 21A] The figure is a flowchart (part 1) showing the processing flow in Example 4. [Figure 21B] The figure is a flowchart (part 2) showing the processing flow in Example 4.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] The following describes one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a notification of termination is given to the user when the parts retention period for a home appliance, which is an example of equipment, ends. Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of this embodiment. In Figure 1, (1) to (6) are the parts retention periods for the home appliance. First, development, manufacturing, and sales of the home appliance begin at the start time (1). Next, the home appliance is purchased by the user at the purchase time (2). Subsequently, the manufacturing of the home appliance ends at the manufacturing end time (3). In this way, once it is decided that manufacturing will end, the parts retention period end time (6), which is a predetermined period A after the manufacturing end time (3), is determined. Note that the parts retention period end time (6) may start from a point other than the manufacturing end time (3), or may be determined by other criteria.

[0017] Furthermore, a first notification period is determined, starting from (4) before the predetermined period B from the end of the parts retention period (6). This first notification period ends (5) before the predetermined period B from the end of the parts retention period (6). During this first notification period, a first termination notification is issued indicating that the retention period has ended. This first termination notification includes a first guidance information that provides guidance on actions that can be taken for the home appliance before the end of the retention period, and a second guidance information that provides guidance on actions that can be taken for the home appliance after the end of the retention period.

[0018] An example of the first type of notification information is repair request information, which guides users through the process of requesting repairs, including the replacement of parts for the target home appliance. An example of the second type of notification information is replacement information, which guides users through the process of replacing home appliances. The starting point (4) of the first notification period can vary, for example, to be the end date of manufacturing (3). Furthermore, the ending point (5) of the first notification period can also vary, for example, to be the end date of the parts retention period (6) (specified period C=0), or to be after that date.

[0019] Furthermore, the second notification period is determined starting from the end point (5) of the first notification period. During this second notification period, a second termination notice is issued, including second information such as replacement information. The starting point (5) of the second notification period can also be varied, such as being the end date of the parts retention period (6) or later. As a result, it becomes possible to issue appropriate termination notices depending on the supply status of parts.

[0020] This concludes the description of this embodiment. Below, we will describe specific examples of this embodiment. [Examples]

[0021] In Example 1, a home appliance management device 20 implemented on a server creates termination notification information and distributes it to the user's terminal device 10. The details of Example 1 will be explained below in the following order: <Configuration>, <Information>, <Processing Flow>, and <Output Screen>. Note that the configuration, information, and output screen of Example 1 below overlap considerably with Examples 2 to 4 described later. For this reason, the explanation of the overlapping parts will be omitted in each of the following examples.

[0022] <Structure> First, Figure 2 is a system configuration diagram of the home appliance management system in Example 1. In Figure 2, the home appliances 30 are assumed to be used in a house 1. Here, the user of the home appliances will use a terminal device 10 such as a smartphone. In the home appliance management system, the terminal device 10, the home appliance management device 20, various home appliances 30, the sales counter device 40, and the service provider device 50 are all connected to each other via a network 70 such as the internet. The following describes each of these devices. In this explanation, please also refer to Figures 3 to 6 in addition to Figure 2.

[0023] First, the terminal device 10 is used for managing the home appliances 30 used in house 1. In Figure 2, the home appliances 30 are a robot vacuum cleaner 31, a microwave oven 32, and a washing machine 33. House 1 is also equipped with a router 60 for connecting the home appliances 30 and the terminal device 10 to the network 70. However, the router 60 is optional, and the home appliances 30 and the terminal device 10 may be connected directly to the network 70.

[0024] Now, let's describe the terminal device 10. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in Embodiment 1. The terminal device 10 is used for purchasing and managing home appliances 30. The terminal device 10 has a communication unit 11, an output processing unit 12, an input unit 13, an output unit 14, and a storage unit 15.

[0025] First, the communication unit 11 can communicate with each home appliance 30, the home appliance management device 20, the sales counter device 40, and the service provider device 50. In particular, it receives termination notification information from the home appliance management device 20. These communications may be implemented via the router 60, directly, or via other devices. The output processing unit 12 causes the output unit 14 to output the termination notification information, etc. This output unit 14 can be implemented as a display device, and can perform display as an example of output. The output processing unit 12 may create termination notification information according to the information from the home appliance management device 20. In this case, the terminal device 10 may also be provided with a timing determination unit to determine various timings such as the creation of termination notification information and the timing of notification. For example, the output processing unit 12 creates termination notification information according to the determination result of the timing determination unit, and outputs it to the output unit 14.

[0026] The input unit 13 accepts various operations from the user, such as output instructions. The output unit 14 outputs completion notification information, etc. The input unit 13 and the output unit 14 can be configured as a single unit, like a touch panel. The storage unit 15 stores completion notification information 151 and user information 152. These will be explained later. The terminal device 10 may also be equipped with a purchase unit that performs purchase processing for the sales counter device 40 and a service request unit that performs service request processing for the service provider device 50.

[0027] Furthermore, the terminal device 10 may be equipped with a log data collection unit that collects log data detected by the home appliance 30. In this case, the collected log data may be notified to the home appliance management device 20 via the communication unit 11.

[0028] Next, the configuration of the home appliance 30 for information processing will be described. Figure 4 is a functional block diagram of the home appliance 30 in Embodiment 1. This is common to the robot vacuum cleaner 31, microwave oven 32, and washing machine 33, so it will be explained together. In Figure 4, the home appliance 30 has a control unit 301, a communication unit 302, a display and operation unit 303, an operating unit 304, and a detection unit 305 as its information processing configuration. These are connected to each other via a communication path. The following describes each configuration.

[0029] First, the control unit 301 includes a control signal creation unit 3011 and a log data collection unit 3012. The control unit 301 creates and outputs control signals from the control signal creation unit 3011 to realize the functions of the home appliance 30, and controls the operation of the home appliance 30. The log data collection unit 3012 collects log data indicating the operating status detected by the detection unit 305. This log data can be used to identify replacement candidates included in the replacement guidance information.

[0030] Furthermore, the control unit 301 can be implemented using an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), while the control signal generation unit 3011 and the log data collection unit 3012 can be implemented using dedicated hardware or software such as programs.

[0031] Furthermore, the communication unit 302 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the router 60 and network 70. The communication unit 302 also outputs collected log data and control-related information, and receives control instructions from terminal devices 10 and home appliance management devices 20. The display and operation unit 303 receives operations from the user for the home appliance 30 and outputs the operating status of the home appliance 30. The display and operation unit 303 may be configured separately as an operation unit (e.g., buttons) that accepts operations and a display unit that displays information.

[0032] Furthermore, the operating unit 304 performs various functions according to the control from the control unit 301. For this purpose, control signals created by the control signal creation unit 3011 are used. These functions include cleaning, self-propulsion for cleaning, cooking, and washing. The detection unit 305 detects the operation of the home appliance 30 and outputs the result to the control unit 301. As a result, the log data collection unit 3012 can correct the log data. For this reason, the detection unit 305 can be implemented using various sensors, measuring instruments, etc.

[0033] Next, we will return to Figure 2 and describe the home appliance management device 20. The home appliance management device 20 performs the main processing of this embodiment. The home appliance management device 20 also includes a communication unit 21, a timing determination unit 22, a user information processing unit 23, a termination notification information creation unit 24, and a storage unit 25.

[0034] First, the communication unit 21 connects to the terminal device 10, home appliance 30, sales counter device 40, and service provider device 50 via the network 70. The timing determination unit 22 determines various timings, such as the creation of termination notification information and the timing of notifications. For example, it determines the first notification period and the second notification period shown in Figure 1.

[0035] Furthermore, the user information processing unit 23 updates the user management information 251 and performs other operations for the distribution of termination notification information. The termination notification information creation unit 24 creates termination notification information according to the determination result of the timing determination unit 22. Note that at least a portion of the functions of the timing determination unit 22 and the termination notification information creation unit 24 may be provided in the terminal device 10, and at least a portion of the functions may be omitted. The storage unit 25 stores the user management information 251, home appliance management information 252, log data 253, and termination notification information (template) 254. These will be explained later.

[0036] Next, we will explain the sales window device 40, which is a device that realizes a so-called online store. Here, the sales window device 40 is a device for selling products such as home appliances 30, and can be realized by an EC server 401 that operates an e-marketplace or an online store server 402 in a single company. Note that since the EC server 401 and the online store server 402 have many common or similar functions, we will explain their functions as the sales window device 40.

[0037] The sales counter device 40 executes sales processing for home appliances 30 and their parts in response to the purchase processing at the terminal device 10. In particular, it is desirable for the sales counter device 40 to present replacement candidates to the terminal device 10 using replacement guidance information included in the termination notification information. Furthermore, it is desirable for the sales counter device 40 to present replacement parts to the terminal device 10 using repair request guidance information included in the termination notification information.

[0038] Next, we will describe the service provider device 50 used to provide services related to the home appliance 30. Here, the service provider device 50 can be implemented using the following types of servers: (1) a maintenance provider server 501 for a maintenance provider of the home appliance 30, (2) a physical store server 502 for managing physical stores that sell the home appliance 30 and its parts, and (3) a delivery provider server 503 for a delivery provider that delivers and installs the home appliance 30 and its parts. Since these servers have many common or similar functions, we will describe their functions as the service provider device 50.

[0039] The service provider device 50 performs parts sales processing and replacement service processing in response to service request processing at the terminal device 10. In particular, it is desirable that the service provider device 50 uses repair request guidance information to present the terminal device 10 with information on the repair request to be guided and the details of the maintenance service, such as the arrangement of replacement parts.

[0040] Of the above configurations, the terminal device 10, the home appliance management device 20, the sales counter device 40, and the service provider device 50 can be implemented using so-called computers. Here, we will describe an implementation example of the configuration of the terminal device 10 and the home appliance management device 20, which perform the main processing in this embodiment.

[0041] First, we will describe the hardware configuration of one implementation example of the terminal device 10. Figure 5 is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in Embodiment 1. In Figure 5, the terminal device 10 has a touch panel 101, a processing unit 102, a communication device 103, and a storage device 104, which are connected to each other via a communication path.

[0042] First, the touch panel 101 has a configuration that also serves as the input unit 13 and output unit 14 in Figure 5, and accepts user operations and displays various information. The touch panel 101 may also be configured as separate input and output devices. Furthermore, the processing unit 102 can be implemented as a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and performs calculations according to the home appliance management program 105 stored in the storage device 104, which will be described later.

[0043] Furthermore, the home appliance management program 105 has at least an output processing module 106, and may also have at least a portion of a purchase module, a timing determination module, and a termination notification information creation module. Each of these modules may be implemented as an individual program or a combination of some of them.

[0044] Here, the output processing module 106 implements the functions of the output processing unit 12 in Figure 3. Furthermore, the purchase module, timing determination module, and termination notification information creation module implement the functions of the purchase unit, timing determination unit, and termination notification information creation unit, respectively.

[0045] Therefore, the processing unit 102 executes the processing of the output processing unit 12 according to the home appliance management program 105. Furthermore, the processing unit 102 can be configured to execute the processing of the purchase unit, the timing determination unit, and the completion notification information creation unit. The home appliance management program 105 may be implemented as a management program that individually manages each home appliance, such as the robot vacuum cleaner 31 and the microwave oven 32, or it may be implemented as a manufacturer-specific program for each home appliance 30. These programs can also be stored on a storage medium.

[0046] Furthermore, the communication device 103 corresponds to the communication unit 11 in Figure 3 and has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the router 60 and network 70.

[0047] Furthermore, the storage device 104 corresponds to the storage unit 15 in Figure 3 and stores the home appliance management program 105, the termination notification information 151 and user information 152 mentioned above. For this reason, the storage device 104 may be implemented as a main memory such as memory and a secondary storage device (storage medium) which is a so-called storage device. The secondary storage device may be implemented as an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), memory card, etc. Furthermore, at least some of the above-mentioned programs and information can be omitted. This concludes the explanation of Figure 5.

[0048] Next, we will describe a hardware configuration, which is one implementation example of the home appliance management device 20. Figure 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the home appliance management device 20 in Example 1. In Figure 6, the home appliance management device 20 has a processing unit 201, a communication device 202, a memory 203, and a sub-storage device 204, which are connected to each other via a communication path.

[0049] First, the processing unit 201 can be implemented as a processor such as a CPU and performs calculations according to the home appliance management program 205 stored in the sub-memory 204, which will be described later. The communication device 202 corresponds to the communication unit 21 in Figure 2, connects to the network 70, and communicates with other devices.

[0050] Furthermore, the memory 203 and the secondary storage device 204 correspond to the storage unit 25 in Figure 2. The memory 203 is where the home appliance management program 205 and information used for processing by the processing unit 201, which are stored in the secondary storage device 204, are loaded. The secondary storage device 204 can be implemented as a so-called storage device. The secondary storage device 204 stores the home appliance management program 205, user management information 251, home appliance management information 252, log data 253, and termination notification information (template) 254. The secondary storage device 204 may also be implemented as various storage media such as an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or memory card, or it may be implemented as a separate device from the home appliance management device 20, such as a file server.

[0051] Here, the home appliance management program 205 consists of a timing determination module 206, a user information processing module 207, and a termination notification information creation module 208, each with its own function. Note that each of these modules may be implemented as an individual program or as a combination of some of them.

[0052] Here, the configuration shown in Figure 2, which performs the same function as each module, is as follows: Timing determination module 206: Timing determination unit 22 User information processing module 207: User information processing unit 23 Termination notification information creation module 208: Termination notification information creation unit 24 Therefore, the processing unit 201 executes the processing of the timing determination unit 22, the user information processing unit 23, and the termination notification information creation unit 24 according to the home appliance management program 205. Here, the home appliance management program 205 can be stored on a storage medium. This concludes the explanation of the configuration of Embodiment 1.

[0053] <Information> First, Figure 7 shows the user management information 251 used in Example 1. The user management information 251 is information that associates the user, home appliance 30, and parts retention period mentioned above. Therefore, the user management information 251 consists of a set of user information for each user, which includes the following items: contact information, family, individual home appliance identification, parts retention period, and notification period. In other words, each row in Figure 7 represents user information.

[0054] Furthermore, the user's address, telephone number, and email address can be used as contact information in the user management information 251. The contact email address can also be used as the recipient for termination notification information. Additionally, the identification code of the home appliance management program 105 or a member code that identifies the home appliance management program 105 or the user can be used in the user management information 251 as the recipient for termination notification information.

[0055] Furthermore, "family" indicates the family structure of the user in question. In Example 1, the number of family members is used. This "family" is a type of attribute, and other attributes such as residence and age may also be used. By using attributes, it is possible to identify potential replacements. For this reason, it is desirable to use attributes related to the specifications and performance of home appliances 30, such as family size and the size of the residence.

[0056] Furthermore, the individual identification of home appliances identifies the individual home appliances used by the user. In addition, the individual identification of home appliances in Example 1 also identifies the model number of home appliance 30. Therefore, in addition to individual identification of home appliances, a model number field may also be included.

[0057] Furthermore, the parts retention period indicates the parts retention period for the relevant home appliance 30. In other words, the parts retention period indicates the end date of the parts retention period (6) in Figure 1. In Example 1, since the parts retention period is set to a predetermined period after the end of manufacturing of the relevant home appliance 30, the parts retention period for the microwave oven 32 is recorded as "undetermined". Alternatively, instead of or in addition to the parts retention period, an item for the end of manufacturing date of the home appliance may be added to the user management information 251.

[0058] Furthermore, the notification period specifies the first notification period and the second notification period. In the example in Figure 7, the notice period and the end period are used. The notice period corresponds to the starting point (4) in Figure 1, that is, the starting point of the first notification period. The end period corresponds to the ending point (5) in Figure 1, that is, the end point of the first notification period and the starting point of the second notification period. Alternatively, as explained in Figure 1, the end date of the parts retention period (6) may be used as the end date. Note that the notice period and end date are just examples, and other items may be used to specify the first and second notification periods, or these items may be omitted and calculated each time from the parts retention period.

[0059] In Example 1, the user information 152 will be the user information of the corresponding user in the user management information 251. However, this may be omitted in Example 1, and its contents will be explained in Example 2.

[0060] Next, Figure 8 shows the home appliance management information 252 used in Example 1. The home appliance management information 252 is information for managing various home appliances, including the home appliance 30 in Figure 1. The home appliance management information 252 targets, for example, home appliances manufactured and sold by a manufacturer operating the home appliance management device 20. For this purpose, the home appliance management information 252 consists of a set of home appliance information having items such as home appliance (model number), parts retention period, specifications / performance, and replacement candidate. In other words, each row in Figure 8 represents home appliance information.

[0061] Here, "Home Appliance (Model Number)" refers to the model number of the home appliance. The "Parts Retention Period" is the same information as the "Parts Retention Period" in "User Management Information 251." The "Parts Retention Period" in "User Management Information 251" may be a copy of the "Parts Retention Period" in "Home Appliance Management Information 252," or it may be omitted. Furthermore, "Home Appliance Management Information 252" may include a notification period, similar to "User Management Information 251." Additionally, "End of Manufacturing Date of Home Appliance" may be included in "Home Appliance Management Information 252" instead of, or in addition to, the "Parts Retention Period."

[0062] Furthermore, the specifications and performance section indicates the specifications and performance of the relevant home appliance and can be used to create replacement guidance information. In addition, replacement candidates indicate home appliances (especially their model numbers) that are candidates to replace the relevant home appliance. Moreover, these replacement candidate home appliances should be of the same type as the original home appliance 30, and preferably related appliances of the same type (same series). Here, related home appliances include newer home appliances, such as new products, that are newer than the original home appliance 30. Home appliances with improved performance may also be considered as replacement candidates.

[0063] Next, Figure 9 shows the log data 253 used in Example 1. The log data 253 shows various histories such as the operating status of the home appliance 30 and the operation and browsing history of the home appliance on the terminal device 10. In particular, log data such as the power consumption of the home appliance 30 can be used to create replacement guidance information. For example, if the power consumption increases, a larger home appliance can be identified as a replacement candidate. In addition, the browsing history can be used to estimate which home appliances the user is considering as replacement candidates, and replacement guidance information can be created taking this into consideration.

[0064] Furthermore, the log data 253 is detected by the detection unit 305 of the home appliance 30 and collected by the log data collection unit 3012 or acquired by the terminal device 10. For this reason, the home appliance management device 20 may collect the log data from the home appliance 30 or via the terminal device 10.

[0065] Furthermore, the termination notification information (template) 254 is standardized information for termination notification information. Therefore, the termination notification information (template) 254 is information for notifying users of the end of the parts retention period, replacement, or repair requests, excluding unique information such as the end date of the parts retention period, user name, and replacement candidate. Termination notification information is created by merging this termination notification information (template) 254 with various unique information. The storage unit 15 and storage unit 25 store the created termination notification information 151. In addition, the storage unit 25 may also store this information. This concludes the explanation of the information used in Embodiment 1.

[0066] <Processing Flow> Next, the processing flow in Example 1 will be described. Figure 10 is a flowchart of the processing flow in Example 1. The following processing flow will be explained using the configuration shown in the functional block diagram above. First, in step S1, the timing determination unit 22 of the home appliance management device 20 determines whether there are any managed home appliances for which the parts retention period has been determined. To this end, the timing determination unit 22 can determine that the parts retention period has been determined if the parts retention period is newly registered in the home appliance management information 252. Alternatively, this step may be determined based on whether the above-mentioned end of manufacturing has been newly registered.

[0067] Thus, in this step, the determination may be made based on input from the administrator of the home appliance management device 20. Furthermore, the registration of the parts retention period may be performed on the user management information 251, and the timing determination unit 22 may use this to make a determination. If the parts retention period is determined as a result (Y), the process proceeds to step S2. If it is not determined (N), this step is repeated.

[0068] Furthermore, in step S2, the user information processing unit 23 updates the user management information 251 according to the registered parts retention period. To this end, the user information processing unit 23 identifies the notice period and the end period from the registered parts retention period. To this end, the user information processing unit 23 identifies the notice period (start point (4)) that is a first predetermined period (predetermined period B) prior to the end of the parts retention period indicated by the parts retention period. The user information processing unit 23 also identifies the end period (end point (5)) that is a second predetermined period (predetermined period C) prior to the end of the parts retention period indicated by the parts retention period. Then, the user information processing unit 23 registers the identified notice period and end period in the notification period of the user management information 251.

[0069] Furthermore, in step S3, the timing determination unit 22 determines whether it is time to notify the termination notification information. To do this, the timing determination unit 22 detects whether it is a pre-set notification cycle. For example, it determines whether it is a notification cycle such as every Monday or every day at 12:00. Note that this step may be omitted. If it is time to notify (Y), the process proceeds to step S4. If it is not time to notify (N), step S3 is repeated. In this embodiment, termination notification information is referred to as a notification, but it is sufficient if the termination notification information can be made displayable on the terminal device 10 through distribution, transmission, etc.

[0070] Furthermore, steps S4 to S8 are performed for each user information in the user management information 251. First, in step S4, the timing determination unit 22 reads the user information from the user management information 251. Then, in step S5, the timing determination unit 22 uses the contents of the notification period of the read user information to determine the notification period for the termination notification information for the home appliance 30. At this time, the timing determination unit 22 makes a determination for each home appliance identified by the home appliance individual identification included in the read user information. In this determination, it is determined to be either the first notification period, the second notification period, or not applicable.

[0071] For example, in the case of the robot vacuum cleaner 31 in Figure 7, if the time is around the notice date: January 31, 2030, it is determined to be the first notification period, and if it is around the end date: March 30, 2030, it is determined to be the second notification period. Here, "around" refers to the same date in the notification cycle for the notice date and end date, as well as the date immediately following or immediately following, the same month, or the same week. Also, in Example 1, the notification period and parts retention period are managed on a daily basis, but they may also be managed on a weekly or monthly basis.

[0072] If the result of the determination in step S5 is that it is the first notification period, the process proceeds to step S6. If it is the second notification period, the process proceeds to step S7. If it is not applicable, such as being before the first notification period, the process proceeds to step S8.

[0073] Furthermore, in step S6, the termination notification information creation unit 24 creates a first termination notification information containing two pieces of information. These two pieces of information are a repair request information and a replacement information. Also, in step S7, the termination notification information creation unit 24 creates a second termination notification information containing one piece of information, namely a replacement information. Therefore, in step S7, it is also possible to create a second termination notification by removing the repair request information from the first termination notification information. In addition, the first and second termination notification information includes the fact that the retention period has ended, in particular the retention period and the timing of this termination.

[0074] Here, we will explain the creation of completion notification information in steps S6 and S7. Since steps S6 and S7 have many common parts, they will be explained together. Figure 11 is a flowchart of the process for creating completion notification information in Example 1.

[0075] First, in step S21, the termination notification information creation unit 24 identifies the model number of the home appliance and family members and other attributes from the user information read in step S4. To identify the model number of the home appliance, the termination notification information creation unit 24 uses the individual home appliance identification information from the user information.

[0076] Furthermore, in step S22, the termination notification information creation unit 24 searches for replacement candidates from the home appliance management information 252. To this end, the termination notification information creation unit 24 identifies replacement candidates corresponding to the model numbers of the home appliances (home appliance (model number)) identified in step S21. In addition, the termination notification information creation unit 24 further narrows down the identified replacement candidates using the identified attributes.

[0077] For example, let's assume that the parts retention period for washing machine X shown in Figure 8 has ended. First, the termination notification information creation unit 24 identifies washing machines W1 and W2 as replacement candidates based on their model numbers. Here, the user A of washing machine 33, which is washing machine X, is identified from its usage information as having a family of five. As a result, the termination notification information creation unit 24 narrows down the replacement candidates to washing machine W1, whose specifications and performance indicate it is "suitable for families." In this way, in Example 1, replacement candidates can be narrowed down using attributes, but narrowing down can also be done using log data. For example, if the log data shows an increase in power consumption or an increase in the number of washes since purchase for washing machine 33, which is assigned the model number of washing machine X, the termination notification information creation unit 24 can determine that the family has grown. The termination notification information creation unit 24 can then use this determination result to narrow down the candidates. Note that the above-mentioned narrowing processes may be executed in combination or omitted.

[0078] Furthermore, in step S23, the termination notification information creation unit 24 reads termination notification information (template) 254 from the storage unit 25. Then, in step S24, the termination notification information creation unit 24 combines the read termination notification information (template) with individual information to create termination notification information. This individual information consists of the home appliance replacement candidates narrowed down in step S22 and the termination date identified in step S2.

[0079] In step S6, the termination notification information creation unit 24 further creates repair request information that guides users to request repairs for the target home appliance 30, and replacement information that guides users to narrowed-down replacement candidates for home appliances. These are then combined with the retrieved termination date template. As a result, the first termination notification information is created.

[0080] Furthermore, in step S7, the termination notification information creation unit 24 creates replacement guidance information that guides users to the narrowed-down list of replacement candidates for home appliances. This information is then combined with the retrieved termination date template. As a result, a second set of termination notification information is created. This concludes the explanation of Figure 11, and we return to the explanation of Figure 10.

[0081] Next, in step S8, the termination notification information creation unit 24 determines whether it has executed steps S4 onward for each user information included in the user management information 251. If it has been executed (Y), it proceeds to step S9. If there is unprocessed user information (N), it returns to step S4 and repeats the process. Then, in step S9, the termination notification information creation unit 24 notifies the terminal device 10 of the created termination notification information (either the first termination notification information or the second termination notification information) via the communication unit 21. As a result, the output processing unit 12 of the terminal device 10 outputs the termination notification information to the output unit 14.

[0082] The notification and output of termination notification information can be performed as follows. First, in step S9, the termination notification information itself is sent, and the output unit 14 outputs it. In this case, the termination notification information may be sent as an email attachment, or it may be sent to the home appliance management program 105 (app). Also in step S9, a notification is made that termination notification information such as "Notification" exists, and the home appliance management program 105 of the terminal device 10 outputs this notification to the output unit 14. Then, in response to instructions from the user (click, etc.) in response to the notification, the terminal device 10 accesses the home appliance management device 20, retrieves the termination notification information, and outputs it. This notification may also be implemented via email, or it may be retrieved as a function of the home appliance management program 105.

[0083] This completes the process shown in Figure 10. Here, in order to execute the processes from step S3 onward periodically, the creation and notification of the completion notification information from step S4 onward are repeatedly (multiple times) executed during the first and second notification periods. However, the creation and notification of the completion notification information may be controlled to be limited to a predetermined number of times (one or more). For this purpose, as described above, the creation and notification of the completion notification information may be limited to immediately before or after, or the number of notifications may be recorded and the timing determination unit 22 may use this to determine step S5. In other words, if the creation and notification are performed more than the predetermined number of times, the timing determination unit 22 determines that it is not applicable. This concludes the explanation of the processing flow of Embodiment 1.

[0084] <Output screen> Next, we will describe the output screen for outputting termination notification information on the terminal device 10. Figure 12A is a diagram showing the output screen for outputting the first termination notification information in Embodiment 1. The first termination notification information can be output during the first notification period. In Figure 12A, the touch panel 101 of the terminal device 10 is used as the output screen. The touch panel 101 outputs the parts retention period information 111, replacement information 112, and repair request information 113 that constitute the first termination notification information.

[0085] Furthermore, the parts retention period information 111 indicates that the retention period will end on May 1, 2023. In addition, the parts retention period information 111 in this example states that, in principle, parts cannot be supplied after the end of the retention period, but there may be exceptional cases where parts can be supplied. This is because, although the parts retention period is managed for each model number of home appliances, it is possible that at least some of the parts may remain in stock.

[0086] Furthermore, the replacement guidance information 112 includes links that lead to information on replacement candidate home appliances identified and narrowed down in step S22. In other words, when the user specifies the replacement guidance information 112, the terminal device 10 accesses sales counter devices 40 such as the online store server 402 or the physical store server 502, and outputs the home appliance information to the output unit 14. Thus, in Figure 12A, the replacement guidance information 112 uses information that leads to information on home appliances, but the replacement guidance information 112 may also include information on replacement candidate home appliances corresponding to the information.

[0087] Furthermore, the repair request guidance information 113 is information that guides the user through repairs, including parts replacement, for the target home appliance 30. In the example shown in Figure 12A, the repair request guidance information 113 includes repair request guidance information 114. This repair request guidance information 114 contains links that lead to parts purchase information and repair request information. In other words, when the user specifies the repair request guidance information, the terminal device 10 accesses the sales window device 40, such as the online store server 402, and outputs information for purchasing parts to the output unit 14. Alternatively, the terminal device 10 accesses the maintenance provider server 501, etc., and outputs a repair request to the output unit 14. Thus, in Figure 12A, the repair request guidance information 113 includes the repair request guidance information 114, but the repair request guidance information 114 may also be used as the repair request guidance information 113. Conversely, the replacement guidance information 112 may be configured to include replacement guidance information.

[0088] Next, Figure 12B shows the output screen (part 1) for outputting the second termination notification information in Embodiment 1. The second termination notification information can be output during the second notification period. In Figure 12B, the touch panel 101 of the terminal device 10 is also used as the output screen. In Figure 12B, the touch panel 101 outputs the parts retention period information 111 and the replacement information 112 that constitute the first termination notification information. In other words, compared to Figure 12A, the repair request information 113 has been removed. This is because, in principle, parts cannot be supplied and repair requests cannot be handled during the second notification period, so the repair request information 113 has been removed.

[0089] Furthermore, the second termination notification information may be output with the repair request guidance information 113 disabled. For example, even if the repair request guidance information 114 is specified, it may be configured not to redirect to the relevant site, or the repair request guidance information 113 may be output in a different format, such as by masking it. This disabling can also be interpreted as enabling only the replacement guidance information 112.

[0090] Next, another example of outputting the second termination notification information will be described. Figure 12C shows the output screen (part 2) for outputting the second termination notification information in Embodiment 1. In Figure 12C, the repair request information 113 is excluded in a limited manner. This is to retain information about parts sharing and repair requests in case parts can be supplied exceptionally even after the parts retention period has ended. The first termination notification information and the second notification information shown above will be stored in the storage unit 15 as termination notification information 151. This concludes the explanation of Example 1. [Examples]

[0091] In Example 1, the home appliance management device 20 creates a first termination notification and a second termination notification, and notifies the terminal device 10 of these. In contrast, in Example 2, the home appliance management device 20 creates the first termination notification, and the terminal device 10 creates the second termination notification based on this.

[0092] First, the configuration of the terminal device 10, which is characteristic of Embodiment 2, will be described. Figure 13 is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in Embodiment 2. Embodiment 2 further includes a timing determination unit 16 compared to Embodiment 1. The timing determination unit 16 can determine various timings, such as the creation of termination notification information and the notification period, similar to the timing determination unit 22 in Embodiment 1. The timing determination unit 16 determines whether it is the second notification period. This will be explained in step S13 of Figure 16.

[0093] Figure 14 is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 2. In Example 2, compared to Example 1, a period determination module 107 is added to the home appliance management program 105. In other words, the configuration is such that the functions of the period determination unit 16 can be realized.

[0094] Next, Figure 15 shows the user information 152 used in Example 2. The user information 152 has the same items as the user management information 251 and is information about the user of the terminal device 10 in question. In Example 2, the timing determination unit 16 performs a determination process using this user information 152.

[0095] Next, the processing flow in Example 2 will be described. Figure 16 is a flowchart of the processing flow in Example 2. The following processing flow will also be explained using the configuration shown in the functional block diagram described above. Up to step S4, the processing is the same as in Example 1.

[0096] Then, in step S50, the timing determination unit 22 uses the content of the notification period of the read user information to determine whether it is the first notification period for the relevant home appliance 30 or something else. This determination method can be adapted from the method in step S5 of Embodiment 1. As a result, if it is the first notification period (Y), the process proceeds to step S60. If it is not the first notification period (N), the process proceeds to step S8. Note that "not the first notification period" includes not only periods before the first notification period, but also the second notification period and periods after it.

[0097] Then, in step S6, similar to Embodiment 1, the termination notification information creation unit 24 creates the first termination notification information. Also, similar to Embodiment 1, steps S8 and S9 are executed, and the termination notification information creation unit 24 notifies the terminal device 10 of the created termination notification information (first termination notification information) via the communication unit 21. At this time, the termination notification information creation unit 24 also notifies the user management information 251, including the notice period and termination period, as well as the parts retention period, via the communication unit 21.

[0098] In response, in step S10, the communication unit 11 of the terminal device 10 receives the notified first termination notification information and stores it in the storage unit 15 as termination notification information 151. In other words, the first termination notification information is downloaded (DL). Furthermore, the parts retention period, including the notice period and the termination period, is also recorded in the user information 152.

[0099] Then, the process from step S11 onwards is repeated until the second notification period ends. In Example 1, the end of the second notification period may be until the user gives up the relevant home appliance 30, or it may be the time of the termination request notification.

[0100] Then, in step S11, the timing determination unit 16 determines whether it is the second notification period. This determination method can be implemented using the same method as in step S50, but the timing determination unit 16 uses the parts retention period of the user information 152 recorded in step S10. As a result, if it is the second notification period (Y), the process proceeds to step S12. If it is not the second notification period, that is, if it is the first notification period (N), the process proceeds to step S13. As a result, in step S13, the output processing unit 12 outputs the first notification information downloaded to the output unit 14. In this case, the output screen will be as shown in Figure 12A, similar to Embodiment 1.

[0101] Furthermore, in step S12, the output processing unit 12 creates a second completion notification from the downloaded first notification information. In Embodiment 2, the output processing unit 12 invalidates the repair request guidance information 113 included in the first notification information. This invalidation is the same as in Embodiment 1. In other words, the output processing unit 12 performs invalidation by deleting the repair request guidance information 113, breaking the link, and outputting it in a different format. As a result, in step S13, the output processing unit 12 outputs the second notification information created to the output unit 14. In this case, the output screen will be as shown in Figures 12B and 12C, similar to Embodiment 1.

[0102] In Embodiment 2, the home appliance management device 20 may create a second completion notification information. The output processing unit 12 of the terminal device 10 may then add repair request information 113 to this to create the first notification information. In this case, when the second notification period begins, the output processing unit 12 will again disable the repair request information 113. Furthermore, the home appliance management device 20 may also notify the terminal device 10 of the first completion notification information with the parts replacement information 113 disabled. In this case, the output processing unit 12 of the terminal device 10 will enable the repair request information 113 when it is the first notification period, and will again disable the repair request information 113 when it is the second notification period.

[0103] Furthermore, in Example 2, steps S11 to S13 may be repeatedly executed from the first notification period to the second notification period, or they may be executed only a limited number of times. This concludes the explanation of Example 2. [Examples]

[0104] Example 3 is a modification of Example 1, in which the home appliance management device 20 creates a first termination notification information and a second termination notification information and notifies the terminal device 10 of these. In Example 1, the notification period for the termination notification information is determined using user management information 251. In contrast, in Example 3, the notification period for the termination notification information is determined using home appliance management information 252. In addition, in Example 3, the creation and notification of termination notification information is limited to a predetermined number of times (one or more times) within each notification period. The details will be explained below, focusing on the differences from Examples 1 and 2.

[0105] The configuration and output screen of Example 3 can be implemented with the same configuration as Example 1, so their explanation will be omitted. First, we will explain the information characteristic of Example 3. Figure 17 shows the user management information 251-1 used in Example 3. User management information 251-1 is information that associates the user, the home appliance 30, and the notification status. Therefore, user management information 251-1 consists of a set of user information for each user, which includes items such as contact information, family, home appliance individual identification, and notification period. In this way, compared to the user management information 251 of Example 1, the parts retention period is omitted and the notification period is changed to the notification status. However, a parts retention period may be included in user management information 251-1.

[0106] Here, the notification status records the number of times completion notification information was sent for each of the first and second notification periods. The number of notifications used here is the number of times notifications were sent and the limit number of times they were sent (in parentheses in the figure). Therefore, for washing machine 33 in Figure 17, it is shown that in the first notification period, the first completion notification information was sent twice out of two times, and in the second notification period, the second completion notification information was sent once out of two times.

[0107] Next, the processing flow of Example 3 will be described. Figure 18A is a flowchart of the processing flow in Example 3. The following processing flow will also be explained using the configuration shown in the functional block diagram described above. First, in step S101, the timing determination unit 22 reads the record (home appliance information) of the home appliance management information 252. The processing up to step S108 is then repeated for each piece of home appliance information. Note that step S1 may be executed before step S101, as in Example 1.

[0108] Furthermore, in step S5, similar to Example 1, the timing determination unit 22 uses the content of the notification period of the read user information to determine the notification period for the termination notification information to the home appliance 30. If the result is the first notification period, the process proceeds to step S102. If it is the second notification period, the process proceeds to step S103. If it is outside the scope, such as before the first notification period, the process proceeds to step S104.

[0109] Furthermore, in step S102, the user information processing unit 23 extracts user information from the user management information 251-1 that includes the home appliance 30 indicated by the read home appliance information. Then, in step S6, similar to the first embodiment, the termination notification information creation unit 24 creates the first termination notification information.

[0110] Furthermore, in step S103, similar to step S102, the user information processing unit 23 extracts user information relating to the read home appliance 30 from the user management information 251-1. Then, in step S7, similar to Embodiment 1, the termination notification information creation unit 24 creates second termination notification information.

[0111] Furthermore, in step S104, the termination notification information creation unit 24 determines whether steps S101 onwards have been executed for each appliance information included in the appliance management information 252. If it has been executed (Y), the process proceeds to step S9. If there is unprocessed user information (N), the process returns to step S101 and is repeated. Also, in step S9, similar to Embodiment 1, the termination notification information creation unit 24 notifies the relevant terminal device 10 of the termination notification information via the communication unit 21. Then, in step S105, the user information processing unit 23 updates the notification status of user management information 251-1. That is, the user information processing unit 23 adds 1 to the notification count.

[0112] This concludes the processing flow for Example 3, but Example 3 also includes the following modifications. First, the creation of termination notification information and the restriction on notifications can be removed. In this case, the user management information 251 from Example 1 is used as the user management information, and step S105 is omitted. Then, the user management information 251 is updated as in Example 1 when the parts retention period is determined.

[0113] Furthermore, Example 3 also includes a modified version that incorporates the contents of Example 2. Figure 18B is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the modified version in Example 3. Step S101 is the same process as in Figure 18A. Then, in step S106, the timing determination unit 22 determines whether the notification period is the first notification period or something else. As a result, if it is the first notification period (Y), the process proceeds to step S102. If it is not the first notification period (N), the process proceeds to step S104.

[0114] Furthermore, in step S102, similar to Figure 18A, the user information processing unit 23 extracts user information from user management information 251-1. Then, in steps S7 to S9, the same processing as in Figures 18A and 16 is performed. In step S9, the termination notification information creation unit 24 also notifies the first termination notification information and the parts retention period, including the notice period and termination date of the user management information 251, via the communication unit 21. Then, the terminal device 10 executes steps S10 to S13, similar to Figure 16. This concludes the explanation of Embodiment 3. [Examples]

[0115] In Examples 1-3, the home appliance management device 20 creates termination notification information, particularly the first termination notification information. However, in Example 4, the terminal device 10 creates the first termination notification information. The details of this example will be explained below, focusing on the differences from Examples 1-3.

[0116] First, the configuration of the terminal device 10, which is characteristic of Embodiment 4, will be described. Figure 19 is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in Embodiment 4. Compared to Embodiment 2, Embodiment 4 further includes a termination notification information creation unit 17 and a user information processing unit 18. The termination notification information creation unit 17 creates termination notification information, similar to the termination notification information creation unit 24 in Embodiments 1 to 3. The user information processing unit 18 performs tasks such as updating user information 152.

[0117] Figure 20 is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in Example 4. In Example 4, compared to Example 2, a termination notification information creation module 108 and a user information processing module 109 are added to the home appliance management program 105. In other words, the configuration enables the functions of the termination notification information creation unit 17 and the user information processing unit 18.

[0118] Next, the processing flow in Example 4 will be described. Figures 21A and 21B are flowcharts of the processing flow in Example 4. The following processing flow will use the configuration shown in the functional block diagram described above, and will also refer to the hardware configuration as appropriate.

[0119] First, in step S121, the user information processing unit 18 detects the user's purchase of home appliances 30 and the download of the home appliance management program 105. The purchase of home appliances 30 can be detected through input from the user.

[0120] Furthermore, in step S122, the user information processing unit 18 registers or updates user information 152. If the home appliance management program 105 is downloaded at this time, user information 152 is registered. In this way, in step S122, at least the individual identification of the home appliance 30 is recorded. Then, in step S123, the user information processing unit 18 notifies the home appliance management device 20 of the registered or updated user information via the communication unit 11.

[0121] Furthermore, in step S124, the communication unit 21 of the home appliance management device 20 receives the notified user information. Then, in step S125, the user information processing unit 23 records the received user information in the user management information 251.

[0122] Furthermore, in step S126, similar to step S1 in Figure 10, the timing determination unit 22 determines whether there are any home appliances for which the parts retention period has been determined. If the parts retention period is determined (Y), the process proceeds to step S127. If it is not determined (N), this step is repeated.

[0123] Furthermore, in step S127, the timing determination unit 22 identifies the terminal device 10 of a user who owns a home appliance whose parts retention period has been determined. The timing determination unit 22 then notifies the identified terminal device 10 via the communication unit 21 that the parts retention period has been determined. This notification includes the model number of the relevant home appliance and the notification period (notice period and end period). Then, in step S128, the user information processing unit 18 of the terminal device 10 records the notified notification period in the user information 152.

[0124] Furthermore, in step S129, the timing determination unit 22 determines whether each home appliance is a home appliance 30 that has entered the first notification period. For this purpose, the timing determination unit 22 uses user management information 251 or home appliance management information 252. If the result is that it is a home appliance 30 that has entered the first notification period (Y), the process proceeds to step S130. Otherwise (N), step S129 is repeated.

[0125] Furthermore, in step S130, the termination notification information creation unit 24 identifies the attributes of the user who owns the home appliance 30 that has entered the first notification period. Then, the termination notification information creation unit 24 identifies and narrows down replacement candidates according to the home appliance 30 that has entered the first notification period and its attributes. This can be achieved in the same way as steps S21 and S22 in Figure 11.

[0126] Furthermore, in step S131, the termination notification information creation unit 24 notifies the terminal device 10 of the replacement candidates via the communication unit 21. Then, in step S132, the communication unit 11 of the terminal device 10 accepts the notified replacement candidates.

[0127] Furthermore, in step S133, the termination notification information creation unit 17 creates the first termination notification information. This can be achieved using the same method as in step S6 (Figure 11) in Figures 10 and 16. Then, in step S134, the output processing unit 12 outputs the created first termination notification information to the output unit 14. This output screen is the same as in Figure 12A. Moreover, step S134 may be repeated multiple times during the first notification period.

[0128] Furthermore, in step S135, the timing determination unit 16 determines whether it is the second notification period, similar to step S11 in Figure 16. If it is the second notification period (Y), the process proceeds to step S137. If it is not the second notification period, i.e., the first notification period (N), step S135 is repeated.

[0129] Furthermore, in step S136, the output processing unit 12 creates a second termination notification information from the first notification information created, similar to step S12. Then, in step S137, the output processing unit 12 outputs the created second notification information to the output unit 14. In this case, the output screen will be as shown in Figures 12B and 12C, similar to Embodiment 1.

[0130] In Example 4, the second termination notification information is created from the first termination notification information, but these may be created individually, as in Example 1. Furthermore, the terminal device 10 may create termination notification information in advance, and the terminal device 10 may activate and output it as a trigger for the replacement candidate notification in step S131.

[0131] This concludes the description of each embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to these. For example, although two guidance information items were used in each embodiment, the number of guidance information items may be greater, and information other than repair request guidance information and replacement guidance information may also be used. Furthermore, the target is not limited to home appliances, but can be applied to various devices and equipment such as automobiles. Moreover, at least some of the functions of each embodiment may be combined. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0132] 1...House, 10...Terminal device, 11...Communication unit, 12...Output processing unit, 13...Input unit, 14...Output unit, 15...Storage unit, 16...Timing determination unit, 17...Termination notification information creation unit, 18...User information processing unit, 151...Termination notification information, 152...User information, 20...Home appliance management device, 21...Communication unit, 22...Timing determination unit, 23...User information processing unit, 24...Termination notification information creation unit, 25...Storage unit, 251...User management information, 252...Home appliance management information, 253...Log data, 254...Termination Notification information (template), 30... Home appliances, 31... Robot vacuum cleaner, 32... Microwave oven, 33... Washing machine, 301... Control unit, 3011... Control signal creation unit, 3012... Log data collection unit, 302... Communication unit, 303... Display operation unit, 304... Operation unit, 305... Detection unit, 40... Sales counter device, 401... EC server, 402... Online store server, 50... Service provider device, 501... Maintenance provider server, 502... Physical store server, 60... Router, 70... Network

Claims

1. In a home appliance management system having terminal devices that connect to home appliances and home appliance management devices, The aforementioned home appliance management device is A first timing determination unit that determines whether the first notification period is within a predetermined period from the starting point based on the end date of the retention period for the components constituting the aforementioned home appliance, The system includes a termination notification information creation unit that creates first termination notification information, which includes the retention period for the aforementioned parts, indicates that the retention period has ended, provides first guidance information that provides actionable steps for the home appliance before the end of the retention period, and provides second guidance information that provides actionable steps that can be taken even after the end of the retention period, and notifies the terminal device of this termination notification information. The aforementioned terminal device is A storage unit that stores the first termination notification information, A second timing determination unit that determines whether the second notification period starts from the end of the first notification period, using the retention period of the aforementioned parts, If it is the second notification period, an output processing unit invalidates the first guidance information from the first termination notification information stored in the storage unit to indicate that the retention period has ended, and creates a second termination notification information including the second guidance information. During the first notification period, the first termination notification information is displayed on a single screen. A home appliance management system having an output unit that outputs the second termination notification information during the second notification period.

2. In the home appliance management system according to claim 1, The first information is a home appliance management system, which is information for guiding users to request repairs for the aforementioned home appliances.

3. In the home appliance management system according to claim 2, The second set of information is a home appliance management system that provides replacement guidance information for purchasing newer home appliances than the aforementioned home appliances.

4. In the home appliance management system described in claim 3, The second type of guidance information is a home appliance management system in which the second type of guidance information is either home appliance information for the new home appliance or guidance information to the said home appliance information.

5. In the home appliance management system according to claim 4, The aforementioned home appliance information is a home appliance management system, which is home appliance information for home appliances of the same type as the aforementioned home appliance.

6. In the home appliance management system according to claim 1, The output unit is a home appliance management system that outputs the first termination notification information multiple times during the first notification period.

7. In a home appliance management program that enables a terminal device connected to home appliances to function as a computer, The aforementioned terminal device, A timing determination unit determines whether a first notification period is within a predetermined period from a starting point based on the end date of the retention period of the components constituting the home appliance, and determines whether a second notification period is starting from the end point of the first notification period using the retention period of the components. An termination notification information creation unit creates first termination notification information that includes the retention period for the said parts, indicates that the said retention period has ended, provides first guidance information that provides actionable steps for the home appliance before the end of the said retention period, and provides second guidance information that provides actionable steps that can be taken even after the end of the said retention period. A storage unit that stores the first termination notification information, If it is the second notification period, an output processing unit invalidates the first guidance information from the first termination notification information stored in the storage unit to indicate that the retention period has ended, and creates a second termination notification information including the second guidance information. During the first notification period, the first termination notification information is displayed on a single screen. A home appliance management program that functions as an output unit to output the second termination notification information during the second notification period.

8. In the home appliance management program described in claim 7, The first information mentioned above is a home appliance management program, which is information for guiding users to request repairs for the aforementioned home appliances.

9. In the home appliance management program described in claim 8, The second set of guidance information is a home appliance management program that provides replacement guidance information for purchasing newer home appliances than the aforementioned home appliances.

10. In the home appliance management program described in claim 9, The second set of guidance information is a home appliance management program which is either home appliance information for the new home appliance or guidance information to access said home appliance information.

11. In the home appliance management program described in claim 10, The aforementioned home appliance information is a home appliance management program, which is home appliance information for home appliances of the same type as the aforementioned home appliance.

12. In the home appliance management program described in claim 7, The output unit is a home appliance management program that outputs the first termination notification information multiple times during the first notification period.

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