Household chore support system

Abstract

To realize support in grasping a state of house keeping operations such as cleaning and so on with use of home electrical appliances.SOLUTION: The present invention is directed to a housekeeping support system having home electrical appliances 31 to 36, terminal apparatuses 10-1 to 10-4, terminal apparatuses 10-1 to 10-4, and a housekeeping support device 20. Each of the home electrical appliances 31 to 36 has an operation unit 309 operating for house keeping, an operation detection unit 303 for detecting an operation of the operation unit 309, and a home electrical appliance communication unit 307 for communicating with the terminal apparatuses 10-1 to 10-4. Each of the terminal apparatuses 10-1 to 10-4 has a radio field intensity calculating unit 14 for calculating the radio field intensity in the communication with the home electrical appliances 31 to 36, and a communication time calculating unit 15 for calculating communication time in the communication with the home electrical appliances 31 to 36. The house keeping support device 20 has a house keeping executing person specifying unit 23 which, based on the calculated radio field intensity and the calculated communication time, specifies the best terminal apparatus to specify a user of the specified best terminal apparatus as a user of the house electrical appliances 31 to 36.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for assisting housework. Among them, in particular, it relates to a technology for identifying and visualizing the implementation status of housework performers, that is, users of household electrical appliances used for housework.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, lifestyle changes have occurred due to factors such as an increase in dual-income households and telecommuting. Along with this change, the way of doing housework, such as sharing, has also changed. Along with this change, there is a demand for accurately grasping the implementation status of housework. As a means of grasping the implementation status, Patent Document 1 has been proposed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 sets as an issue "enhancing the motivation for cleaning" and discloses "a broom used for cleaning, the broom comprising data acquisition means for acquiring data used for calculating the cleaning area, communication means for transmitting the data, user identification means for identifying a user by a fingerprint authentication system provided on the pattern of the broom, the communication means transmitting information indicating the user, and further comprising usage period identification means for identifying the start and end of cleaning, the communication means transmitting information indicating the start and end of cleaning".

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In Patent Document 1, in addition to the above-mentioned fingerprint authentication, users are identified by face authentication and buttons. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to add a configuration for authenticating a broom, that is, a household electrical appliance. For this reason, there is a risk that the configuration of the household electrical appliance will become complicated.

[0006] In recent years, home appliances with communication functions, often referred to as "smart appliances," have become widespread. Therefore, the objective of this invention is to utilize the communication functions of home appliances to more easily understand the usage status of home appliances, that is, the status of household chores being performed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention uses the communication status between home appliances and the user's terminal device to understand the status of household chores. More preferably, the radio wave strength and communication time in the communication between the home appliance and the terminal device are used as the communication status.

[0008] More specifically, the household support system comprises a home appliance, multiple terminal devices for multiple users who may use the home appliance, and a household support device connected to the terminal devices, wherein the home appliance has an operating unit that operates for household chores, an operating detection unit that detects the operation of the operating unit, and a home appliance communication unit that communicates with each of the multiple terminal devices in accordance with the operation, and a radio wave strength calculation unit that calculates multiple radio wave strengths for communication between the home appliance and each of the multiple terminal devices, and a communication time calculation unit that calculates multiple communication times for communication between the home appliance and each of the multiple terminal devices, and the household support device has a household performer identification unit that identifies the best terminal device based on the calculated multiple radio wave strengths and multiple communication times, and identifies the user of the identified best terminal device as the user of the home appliance.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention also includes the devices and subsystems that constitute a household support system. The household support methods performed by these devices and subsystems are also included in the present invention.

[0010] Furthermore, the present invention also includes programs for enabling each of the above-mentioned devices, subsystems, or household support systems to function as computers, as well as storage media for storing these programs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to support the understanding of how household chores are being performed using home appliances. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a system configuration diagram of a household support system in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This shows a functional block diagram of a home appliance in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner in one embodiment of the present invention stored on the charging base in a stick configuration. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner body in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a functional block diagram of a terminal device in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a hardware configuration diagram of a terminal device in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a hardware configuration diagram of a household assistance device in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This figure shows user management information used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows terminal management information used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] This figure shows the operation history information used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] This figure shows user history information used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] This figure shows the log data used in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a flowchart showing the processing flow of one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] This diagram illustrates the identification of the best terminal device in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15]This is a diagram for explaining the principle of providing a communication board (home appliance communication section) near the handle section in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a diagram (part 1) showing the display screen in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a diagram (part 2) showing the display screen in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a diagram showing the data flow in the advice display process in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] This is a diagram showing the outline of Example 1. [Figure 20] This is a sequence diagram showing the details of the process of Example 1. [Figure 21] This is a diagram showing the outline of Example 2. [Figure 22] This is a sequence diagram showing the details of the process of Example 2. [Figure 23] This is a diagram showing the outline of Example 3. [Figure 24] This is a sequence diagram showing the details of the process of Example 3. [Figure 25] This is a diagram showing the outline of Example 4.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described. As the main home appliance to be used, a vacuum cleaner will be used for the description. That is, as housework, mainly the implementation status of cleaning is grasped. Also, cooperation between cleaning and other home appliances will be described.

[0014] [[ID=#41]] Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram of the housework support system in the present embodiment. In Figure 1, home appliances 31 to 36 (hereinafter simply referred to as home appliances 30) are used inside the house 1. Also, it is assumed that each family member in the house 1 has a terminal device 10. And these home appliances 30 and terminal devices 10 can be connected to each other via the router 40 or directly.

[0015] The household support device 20 is connected to the network 50. Furthermore, these home appliances 30 and terminal devices 10 are connected to the network 50, which can be realized via a router 40 or directly via the internet. In addition, the connections between the terminal devices 10, home appliances 30, router 40, and network 50 can be wired or wireless. The following describes each of these devices.

[0016] First, in house 1, the following home appliances 30 are used: a vacuum cleaner 31, an induction cooktop 32, a microwave oven 33, a refrigerator 34, an air purifier 35, and a washing machine 36. House 1 is just one example of the area where the home appliances 30 are used, and this embodiment can be applied to other areas as well. Furthermore, there may be multiple areas of use. Moreover, each of the home appliances 30 described above is just an example, and only a part of them may be used, or other home appliances may be added.

[0017] Here, Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the home appliance 30 in this embodiment. Figure 2 is representative of each of the home appliance 30 components and is described in a common manner. As shown in Figure 2, the home appliance 30 has a control unit 301, a communication status determination unit 304, a home appliance communication unit 307, a display operation panel 308, and an operating unit 309. These are connected to each other via a communication path. The following describes each component.

[0018] First, the control unit 301 includes a control signal creation unit 302, an operation detection unit 303, and a communication status determination unit 304. In other words, the control unit 301 uses the control signal creation unit 302 to create and output control signals to realize the functions of the home appliance 30, such as cleaning, and controls the operation of the home appliance 30. The control unit 301 also uses the operation detection unit 303 to detect whether the home appliance 30 is in operation. For this purpose, the operation detection unit 303 detects, for example, the startup and shutdown of the home appliance 30.

[0019] Furthermore, the communication status determination unit 304 determines the communication status between the home appliance 30 and the terminal device 10. For this purpose, the communication status determination unit 304 includes, for example, a radio wave strength calculation unit 305 and a communication time calculation unit 306. Specifically, the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 calculates the radio wave strength during communication between the home appliance 30 and the terminal device 10. The communication time calculation unit 306 calculates the communication time, communication frequency, etc., during communication between the home appliance 30 and the terminal device 10. It should be noted that the functionality of the communication status determination unit 304 can be provided in the terminal device 10 and omitted from the home appliance 30.

[0020] The control unit 301 can be implemented using an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), while the control signal generation unit 302, operation detection unit 303, and communication status determination unit 304 can be implemented using dedicated hardware or software such as programs. The operation detection unit 303 may collect time-series data related to the operation of the home appliance 30 and calculate the operating time based on this data, or it may calculate the operating time based on data from other units or devices.

[0021] Furthermore, the home appliance communication unit 307 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the router 40 and network 50. The home appliance communication unit 307 also outputs the communication status and receives control instructions from terminal devices 10 and household support devices 20. The display and operation panel 308 receives operations from the user for the home appliance 30 and outputs the operating status of the home appliance 30. The display and operation panel 308 may be configured separately as an operation unit (e.g., buttons) that receives operations and a display unit that displays information.

[0022] Furthermore, the operating unit 309 performs various functions according to the control from the control unit 301. For this purpose, for example, control signals created by the control signal creation unit 302 are used. The functions to be performed include cleaning, cooking, washing, and freezing, and can be realized by electric blowers, heaters, compressors, motors, actuators, etc. In addition to the above, sensors such as cameras may be provided on the home appliance 30. In particular, it is desirable to provide the vacuum cleaner 31 with a coordinate sensor to detect its movement position and a sensor to detect the amount of dirt, and the refrigerator 34 with a camera to photograph the inside of the refrigerator.

[0023] Next, the structure of the vacuum cleaner 31, which is the main household appliance 30 used in this embodiment, will be described. Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner 31 in this embodiment stored in the charging base in stick mode. The vacuum cleaner 31 is composed of a vacuum cleaner body 310, an extension tube 311, and a vacuum cleaner head 312. The vacuum cleaner 31 can also be changed to various usage states, such as handheld mode and stick mode, for cleaning. The charging base 60 in which the vacuum cleaner 31 is stored stores the vacuum cleaner 31 in stick mode and is composed of a base member 61, three stand members 62, and a holder member 63. The functional block shown in Figure 2 is mainly mounted on the vacuum cleaner body 310.

[0024] Next, an example of the implementation of the vacuum cleaner body 310 will be described. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner body 310 in this embodiment. The vacuum cleaner body 310 has a handle 313, a display and operation panel 308, a control board 314, an electric blower 315, and a communication board 316. The handle 313 is the part that the user grips to clean. The display and operation panel 308 is the part described in Figure 2. The display and operation panel 308 (display unit) may be provided on the charging base 60. The control board 314 corresponds to the control unit 301 in Figure 2.

[0025] Furthermore, the electric blower 315 has the function of sucking up dust and corresponds to the movable part 309 in Figure 2. The communication board 316 corresponds to the home appliance communication unit 307 in Figure 2. Here, the communication board 316 is provided near the handle part 313. In particular, as shown in Figure 4, it is desirable to provide it in a position opposite the handle part 313 so that it is difficult for the user to directly grasp it. In the case of a cylinder type, it is desirable to provide it in a part that the user does not grasp and operates during cleaning (a part other than the vacuum cleaner body to which the casters are attached). Therefore, in common with stick type and canister type vacuums, it is desirable to provide the communication board 316 between the end of the handle that the user grasps and the vacuum cleaner head 312. Furthermore, it is desirable that the communication board 316 be provided on the vacuum cleaner body 310, which is located at the top when the vacuum cleaner 31 is in use. By providing it away from the human body and at a higher position, the radio waves of the communication board 316, i.e., the home appliance communication unit 307, are less likely to be attenuated. In other words, determining the communication status in this embodiment becomes easier. This concludes the explanation of the home appliance 30, particularly the vacuum cleaner 31. We will now return to the explanation of Figure 1 and describe the other components.

[0026] In Figure 1, each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 is used by family members to manage home appliances 30, and can be implemented using computers such as smartphones, mobile phones, tablets, and PCs. Here, Figure 5 is a functional block diagram of the terminal device 10 in this embodiment. In Figure 5, the terminal device 10 has a terminal communication unit 11, an operation detection unit 12, a communication status determination unit 13, an input unit 16, an output unit 17, and a storage unit 18.

[0027] The terminal communication unit 11 has communication and short-range wireless communication functions via the router 40 and network 50. The operation detection unit 12 detects the operation of the home appliance 30, similar to the operation detection unit 303 of the home appliance 30. For this purpose, the terminal communication unit 11 can use time-series data regarding the operation of the home appliance 30 received from the home appliance 30. Note that at least one of the operation detection unit 303 and the operation detection unit 12 can be omitted.

[0028] Furthermore, the communication status determination unit 13, similar to the communication status determination unit 304, determines the communication status between the terminal device 10 and the home appliance 30. For this purpose, the communication status determination unit 13 includes, for example, a radio wave strength calculation unit 14 and a communication time calculation unit 15. The radio wave strength calculation unit 14, similar to the radio wave strength calculation unit 305, calculates the radio wave strength during communication between the home appliance 30 and the terminal device 10. The communication time calculation unit 15, similar to the communication time calculation unit 306, calculates the communication time during communication between the home appliance 30 and the terminal device 10. Note that at least one of the communication status determination unit 304 and the communication status determination unit 13 may be omitted. Furthermore, at least one of the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 and the radio wave strength calculation unit 14, and the communication time calculation unit 306 and the communication time calculation unit 15 may also be omitted. It is also desirable that the communication time calculation unit 15 calculates the communication time while the operating unit 309 is in operation.

[0029] Furthermore, the input unit 16 receives various operations from the user, i.e., family members. The output unit 17 outputs various information such as household chore status and advice related to household chores. The input unit 16 and the output unit 17 can be configured as a single unit, like a touch panel. In addition, the storage unit 18 stores various information used in the processing of the operation detection unit 12 and the communication status determination unit 13, as well as in the processing of home appliances 30 and household support devices 20.

[0030] Here, we will describe one implementation example of the terminal device 10. Figure 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 10 in this embodiment. In Figure 6, the terminal device 10 includes 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.

[0031] First, the touch panel 101 has a configuration that also serves as the input unit 16 and output unit 17 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 (integrated application) stored in the storage device 104, which will be described later.

[0032] The home appliance management program 105 is composed of an operation detection module 106, a radio wave strength calculation module 107, and a communication time calculation module 108, each with its own function. These modules may be implemented as individual programs or in combinations thereof.

[0033] Here, the configuration shown in Figure 5, which performs the same function as each module, is as follows: Operation detection module 106: Operation detection unit 12 Radio wave intensity calculation module 107: Radio wave intensity calculation unit 14 Communication time calculation module 108: Communication time calculation unit 15 The radio wave intensity calculation module 107 and the communication time calculation module 108 may also be configured as communication status determination modules for determining the communication status.

[0034] Therefore, the processing unit 102 will execute the operations of the operation detection unit 12, the radio wave intensity calculation unit 14, and the communication time calculation unit 15 (communication status determination unit 13) in accordance with the home appliance management program 105.

[0035] Furthermore, the storage device 104 stores the home appliance management program 105, user management information 109, terminal management information 110, and user history information 111. Here, the home appliance management program 105 may be a program for managing the home appliance 30, or it may consist of multiple programs for each home appliance 30. In the latter case, separate management programs for the vacuum cleaner 31, induction cooker 32, microwave oven 33, refrigerator 34, air purifier 35, and washing machine 36 would be used.

[0036] The user management information 109, terminal management information 110, and user history information 111 will be explained later when describing the information stored by the household support device. Furthermore, the storage device 104 may be implemented as a main memory device such as memory and a secondary memory device (storage medium) which is a so-called storage device. The secondary memory device may be implemented as an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), memory card, etc. In addition, at least a portion of the home appliance management program 105, user management information 109, terminal management information 110, and user history information 111 can be omitted. This can be maintained by the household support device 20 described later. Furthermore, at least a portion of the modules (functions) of the home appliance management program 105 may be provided in the terminal device 10 or the household support device 20.

[0037] This concludes the explanation of Figure 6, and we will now return to the explanation of Figure 1. The household support device 20 is provided to enable the use of home appliances 30, that is, to provide support for household chores, and can be implemented using computers such as servers and clouds. Support for household chores includes visualizing the status of household chores and creating advice. For this purpose, the household support device 20 has a device communication unit 21, a household chore status identification unit 22, an advice creation unit 25, and a storage unit 26.

[0038] Here, the device communication unit 21 connects to the terminal device 10 and the home appliance 30 via the network 50. The household chore status identification unit 22 identifies the use of the home appliance 30, that is, the status of household chores, based on information from the terminal device 10 and the home appliance 30. To this end, the household chore status identification unit 22 uses, for example, the household chore performer identification unit 23 to identify the person performing the household chore, that is, a candidate user of the home appliance. The household chore status identification unit 22 also uses, for example, the household chore content identification unit 24 to identify the content of the household chore performed, that is, the content of the use of the home appliance 30.

[0039] Furthermore, the advice creation unit 25 creates advice on household chores according to the household chore situation identified by the household chore situation identification unit 22. Note that the household chore situation identification unit 22 and the advice creation unit 25 may be installed in the terminal device 10 or home appliance 30 and omitted from the household chore support device 20.

[0040] Furthermore, the storage unit 26 stores user management information 261, terminal management information 262, operation history information 263, user history information 264, advice creation rules 265, and log data 266. These pieces of information will be explained later, but before that, one implementation example of the household support device 20 will be described. Figure 7 is a hardware configuration diagram of the household support device 20 in this embodiment. In Figure 4, the household support 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.

[0041] First, the processing unit 201 can be implemented using a processor such as a CPU, and it performs calculations according to the home appliance management program 205 stored in the secondary memory device 204, which will be described later. The home appliance management program 205 will be described later.

[0042] Furthermore, the communication device 202 corresponds to the device communication unit 21 in Figure 1, connects to the network 50, and communicates with other devices.

[0043] Furthermore, the memory 203 and the secondary storage device 204 correspond to the storage unit 26 in Figure 1. The memory 203 stores 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. The secondary storage device 204 can be implemented as so-called storage and stores the home appliance management program 205, user management information 261, terminal management information 262, operation history information 263, user history information 264, advice creation rules 265, and log data 266. 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 household support device 20, such as a file server.

[0044] Here, the home appliance management program 205 consists of a module 206 for identifying the person performing the household chore, a module 207 for identifying the content of the household chore, and an advice creation module 208. Note that each of these modules may be implemented as an individual program or in some combinations thereof.

[0045] Here, the configuration shown in Figure 1, which performs the same function as each module, is as follows: Household chore performer identification module 206: Household chore performer identification section 23 Household chore content identification module 207: Household chore content identification unit 24 Advice generation module 208: Advice generation section 25 Furthermore, the household chore performer identification module 206 and the household chore content identification module 207 may be configured as household chore status identification modules that identify the use of household appliances 30, that is, the status of household chore performance.

[0046] Therefore, the processing unit 201 will execute the processing of the household chore performer identification unit 23, the household chore content identification unit 24 (household chore situation identification unit 22), and the advice creation unit 25 in accordance with the program.

[0047] Next, the information stored in the sub-memory 204 will be explained along with the information shown in Figure 6. First, Figure 8 shows the user management information 261 used in this embodiment. The user management information 261 is information about the user who uses the home appliance 30. In Figure 8, the user management information 261 has the following items for each family: user, address, contact information, terminal device, owned equipment, and layout information. First, a family represents a unit of people living in house 1. The user represents a member of the family or an autonomously driven household robot, and can be expressed by attributes such as "Dad" or "Robot Vacuum Cleaner," name, or nickname. By registering family members and household robots, including robot vacuum cleaners, it becomes possible to display who performed the household chore. When a household robot is registered, since the household robot has a communication function, information indicating the household robot itself or its communication device will be registered in the user management information 261.

[0048] The address should indicate the address of the user in question, but a single address for the family may also be used. Similarly, the contact information should indicate the contact details of the user, such as their phone number or email address, but a single contact information for the family may also be used.

[0049] Furthermore, the terminal device refers to the terminal device 10 used by the relevant user. The owned equipment is a list of the home appliances 30 in house 1, but this could also be a user-specific item. Additionally, the layout information refers to the objects in which the home appliances 30 are used in house 1, such as the layout of the house, and is stored with location information such as coordinates and room divisions associated with each other. Therefore, the layout information can be implemented as so-called map information.

[0050] Furthermore, depending on the sensors in the home appliance 30, the layout information may not be limited to a map showing the division of rooms within the house. For example, the layout information may be a list of area names, which, although not displayed as a map, indicates the names of areas within house 1, such as the living room and bedrooms. This allows home appliances 30 with fewer sensors to display information about house 1.

[0051] Here, the user management information 109 stored in the terminal device 10 has the same items as the user management information 261 and may consist of records for users who use the terminal device 10, or it may consist of records for family members of those users.

[0052] Next, Figure 9 shows the terminal management information 262 used in this embodiment. The terminal management information 262 is information related to the terminal device 10. In Figure 9, the terminal management information 262 has the following items for each terminal device: user, communication partner device, and communication status. The user indicates the user of the terminal device in question. The communication partner device indicates a device that can be a communication partner of the terminal device in question, such as a home appliance 30.

[0053] The communication status indicates the communication status of the terminal device in question. In this embodiment, the communication status includes the following items: communication in progress, signal strength, and communication time. Here, "communication in progress" indicates whether the terminal device and the communication partner device are communicating, and is updated with the latest information according to a predetermined rule, such as at regular intervals. The signal strength indicates the signal strength of the terminal device and the communication partner device during communication. Specifically, this may be time-series data of communication, or representative values ​​such as the maximum or average value during the most recent communication may be used. The communication time indicates the communication time between the terminal device and the communication partner device during communication, or the frequency with which communication was established within a predetermined time. For this reason, the communication time can be the start and end times of communication, the duration thereof, or the communication frequency. Regarding the method of calculating the communication time, the communication time calculation unit 15 on the terminal device side may calculate the communication time or communication frequency on its own, or the communication time calculation unit 306 of the home appliance may calculate the communication time or communication frequency on its own. Furthermore, each may calculate the start and end points, or they may be calculated separately and their consistency checked.

[0054] Here, the terminal management information 110 stored by the terminal device 10 has the same items as the terminal management information 262 and may consist of records for the terminal device 10, or it may consist of records for the family members of the user of the terminal device 10.

[0055] Figure 10 shows the operation history information 263 used in this embodiment. The operation history information 263 is information that shows the operation history of each home appliance 30. In Figure 10, the operation history information 263 has items for specific user and operation status for each home appliance. The specific user is the user identified by the household chore performer identification unit 23 among the users in the house 1, that is, the person who performs the household chores. Here, if the household chore performer identification unit 23 cannot identify or does not identify a specific user, a blank (-) will be recorded in the corresponding item (third record in Figure 10). The blank may display words such as "other" or "unknown" (meaningful information).

[0056] Furthermore, the operating status indicates the operating status of the home appliance 30 and includes items for operating time and operating details. Here, operating time indicates the time the target home appliance 30 was operating (from disclosure to termination). The operating details indicate the content of the operation identified by the household chore content identification unit 24. This indicates the content of the household chore performed. In this embodiment, the operating details include the operating position of the home appliance and its operation details. In this embodiment, a record (item) showing the total (grand total) of the operating time and operating details for each identified person is provided for each home appliance, but this may be omitted. Note that the terminal management information 262 includes information for multiple households.

[0057] Here, the terminal device 10 may store information equivalent to the operation history information 263. This information may have the same items as the operation history information 263 and consist of records for the home appliances used in the house 1 of the terminal device 10.

[0058] Figure 11 shows the user history information 264 used in this embodiment. The user history information 264 shows the usage history of the home appliance 30 for each user, that is, the history of household chores performed. Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, the user history information 264 has a usage history for each user. The usage history includes items such as home appliance, usage time, and usage details. The usage time shows the same content as the operating time in the operation history information 263. The usage details show the same content as the operating details in the operation history information 263. In the case of a household robot that performs household chores autonomously, the results of the household chores performed by the household robot will be shown.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a record (item) is provided for each user showing the total usage time and usage details for each home appliance, but this may be omitted. Note that the user history information 264 includes information for multiple households.

[0060] Here, the user history information 111 stored by the terminal device 10 has the same items as the user history information 264 and may consist of records for the user in question, or it may consist of records for the user's family. At least a portion of each of the above pieces of information, in particular the user management information 109, terminal management information 110, and user history information 111, may be omitted.

[0061] Furthermore, the advice creation rule 265 in this embodiment indicates rules for creating advice on household chores based on the operation history information 263, user history information 264, or the operation history information and user history information 111 of the terminal device 10. For example, it shows the correspondence between the content indicated by the above information and the advice. In addition, the creation of the advice may be performed using artificial intelligence. Note that the operation history information 263, user history information 264, or the operation history information and user history information 111 of the terminal device 10 may be managed together as history information related to household chores.

[0062] Figure 12 shows the log data 266 used in this embodiment. The log data 266 is log data relating to the operation of the home appliances 30 and communication between the terminal device 10 and the home appliances 30. For example, as shown in Figure 12, it includes the operating status of each home appliance 30 and the communication status between the terminal device 10 and the home appliances 30. The operating status has items for operating time and operating details for each home appliance. Here, the usage time and operating details are the same as those for the operating history information 263. The coordinate information included in the operating details can be detected by the position (coordinate) sensor described above, but the coordinate information may also be identified using the router 40, or other radio wave sources (not shown) installed on the vacuum cleaner charging stand or outlets on the walls of each room instead of the router 40. In other words, the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 may calculate the radio wave strength with respect to the router 40, etc., and identify the coordinate information based on this radio wave strength and the installation location of the router 40, etc.

[0063] Furthermore, the communication status includes items for signal strength and communication time for each communication device. Communication devices refer to the home appliances 30 and terminal devices 10 performing the communication. The signal strength and communication time are the same as those in the terminal management information 262. The log data 266 may also be configured to record operating status and communication information at regular intervals. Note that the log data 266 includes data for multiple households.

[0064] Here, the log data 112 stored by the terminal device 10 has the same items as the log data 266 and may consist of records for the user in question, or it may consist of records for the user's family. At least a portion of each of the above pieces of information, in particular the user management information 109, terminal management information 110, user history information 111, and log data 112, may be omitted.

[0065] This concludes the explanation of each piece of information, and we will now return to the explanation of Figure 1. The router 40, etc., has the function of connecting each device, and it is desirable that it be installed on the same premises as the home appliances 30. Note that the router 40, etc., can be omitted or replaced with other communication devices such as a home server. The network 50 is a communication network such as the Internet or a public telephone network. This concludes the explanation of the configuration of this embodiment.

[0066] Next, the processing flow of this embodiment will be described. Figure 13 is a flowchart of the processing flow of this embodiment. In this flowchart, the parts of the functional block diagrams in Figures 1, 2, and 5 will be used for explanation. As mentioned above, the vacuum cleaner 31 is used as the target of this processing flow.

[0067] First, in step S1, the vacuum cleaner 31 is placed on the charging base 60 and is in standby (charging) mode. Then, in step S2, the operation detection unit 303 of the vacuum cleaner 31 determines whether the operation of the vacuum cleaner 31 has started. To do this, for example, the operation detection unit 303 determines whether the operation button on the display operation panel 308 has been pressed. Alternatively, the operation detection unit 303 may make this determination based on whether the home appliance communication unit 307 has received a control command (start operation) from the terminal device 10. Here, the control command from the terminal device 10 may or may not include identification information of the terminal device 10 or its user. In the former case, instead of identifying the specific user as described later, the specific user may be identified using the identification information of the terminal device 10 or its user in the control command.

[0068] If the above results indicate that operation has started (Y), proceed to step S3. If operation has not started (N), return to step S1 and wait.

[0069] Furthermore, in step S3, the communication status determination unit 304 of the vacuum cleaner 31 or the communication status determination unit 13 of the terminal device 10 determines the communication status. Here, the communication status refers to information indicating the correspondence between the communication status in the communication between the vacuum cleaner 31 and at least one of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 and the terminal device 10 that performed the communication. For this purpose, communication such as beacon communication and replies is performed between the vacuum cleaner 31 and at least one of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4. The communication status is determined as appropriate during the communication. Note that the period during communication may include the period after the end of communication.

[0070] Here, to determine the communication status, for example, the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 of the vacuum cleaner 31 or the radio wave strength calculation unit 14 of the terminal device 10 calculates the radio wave strength in the communication. Furthermore, in addition to calculating the radio wave strength, the communication time calculation unit 306 of the vacuum cleaner 31 or the communication time calculation unit 15 of the terminal device 10 may also calculate the communication time in the communication. As a result, the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 or the radio wave strength calculation unit 14 will identify the correspondence between the value indicating the radio wave strength and the terminal device 10 that performed the communication. Similarly, the communication time calculation unit 306 or the communication time calculation unit 15 will identify the correspondence between the value indicating the communication time and the terminal device 10 that performed the communication. These are treated as the communication status.

[0071] Furthermore, in step S4, the operation detection unit 303 collects the operating status of the vacuum cleaner 31. This is performed as appropriate while the vacuum cleaner 31 is in operation. In this embodiment, the operating status refers to the operating status of the vacuum cleaner 31 as described in Figure 10, and is information associated with the identification information of the vacuum cleaner 31.

[0072] Furthermore, in step S5, the operation detection unit 303 determines whether the operation of the vacuum cleaner 31 has ended. For example, the operation detection unit 303 determines whether the end button has been pressed on the display operation panel 308. Alternatively, the operation detection unit 303 may make this determination based on whether the home appliance communication unit 307 has received a control command (end operation) from the terminal device 10. Here, the control command from the terminal device 10 may or may not include identification information of the terminal device 10 or its user. In the former case, instead of identifying the specific user as described later, the specific user may be identified using the identification information of the terminal device 10 or its user in the control command. As a result of the above, if the operation has ended (Y), the system proceeds to step S6. If the operation has not ended, that is, if it is still in operation (N), the system returns to steps S3 and S4 and continues operation (cleaning).

[0073] Furthermore, in step S6, the household worker identification unit 23 of the household support device 20 identifies the terminal device 10 whose communication status, as determined in step S3, is "best." Here, "best" indicates the relationship between the distance to the vacuum cleaner 31 and the radio wave strength and communication time, and is particularly based on proximity.

[0074] Here, we will explain the reasons and principles for identifying the best terminal device 10. Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the identification of the best terminal device 10 in this embodiment. In Figure 14, terminal device 10-1 is closer (shorter communication distance) than terminal device 10-2. In this case, we assume that each terminal device 10 communicates with the vacuum cleaner 31. In this case, the radio waves from the communication with the closer terminal device 10-1 can be detected more strongly. Conversely, the closer the terminal device 10-1 is, the closer it is located to the vacuum cleaner 31. Here, since the terminal device 10 is carried by the user as its name suggests, it can be estimated that the user of terminal device 10-1 is located closest to the vacuum cleaner 31. In other words, it can be determined that the user of terminal device 10-1 is using the vacuum cleaner 31, that is, performing household chores.

[0075] Furthermore, Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the principle of providing the communication board 316 (home appliance communication unit 307) near the handle portion 313 in this embodiment. This arrangement was explained using Figure 4, but the principle will be explained below. Figure 15(a) is a diagram illustrating the communication distance of the terminal device 10 when the vacuum cleaner 31 is used by the user 100. In Figure 15(a), the user 100 is using the vacuum cleaner 31 with the terminal device 10 in their trouser pocket. As shown here, the communication distance is shorter when the communication board 316 is provided near the handle portion 313 than when it is provided on the vacuum cleaner head 312. As a result, it is presumed that providing the communication board 316 near the handle portion 313 is more advantageous in terms of being able to recognize a larger radio wave strength.

[0076] Here, Figure 15(b) shows the results of measuring the radio wave strength of the terminal device 10 at different heights in graph format. This graph also shows measurements for cases where the communication board 316 is installed near the handle portion 313 and at the vacuum cleaner head 312. As this graph shows, the radio wave strength is maximum when the terminal device 10 is in a pants pocket. Furthermore, even if the terminal device 10 is not in a pocket, the radio wave strength is greater (stronger) when the communication board 316 is located near the handle portion 313 in most positions. Also, in wearable terminals, which are examples of terminal devices 10, there are also rings and glasses, and it can be seen that these are also closer to the pocket position (height), which is advantageous in terms of radio wave strength. As a result, as described above, in this embodiment, the communication board 316 (home appliance communication unit 307) is installed near the handle portion 313.

[0077] Furthermore, in order to identify the best terminal device 10, in step S6, the device communication unit 21 first receives the communication status and operating status determined in step S3 from the home appliance communication unit 307 or the terminal communication unit 11. Note that the communication status may be received sequentially in parallel with steps S3 and S4.

[0078] The household activity status identification unit 22 then stores the received communication status and operating status in the storage unit 26 as log data 266.

[0079] The household worker identification unit 23 then extracts the best communication conditions from the communication conditions in the log data 266. For example, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the maximum radio wave strength and / or the longest communication time among the radio wave strengths. However, other conditions can also be used as radio wave strength. For example, the one that most closely approximates the radio wave strength of the vacuum cleaner 31 can be used. The household worker identification unit 23 then identifies the terminal device 10 that corresponds to these conditions.

[0080] This concludes the explanation of Figure 15, and we will now continue with the explanation of step S6. Here, we will describe one specific example of the best terminal device 10. Here, we will use radio wave strength and communication time as communication conditions. First, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the radio wave strength with the highest value. Based on this, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the terminal device 10 (for example, terminal device 10-1) corresponding to the identified radio wave strength. The household worker identification unit 23 also identifies the communication time with the longest value. Based on this, the household worker identification unit 23 similarly identifies the terminal device 10 (for example, terminal device 10-2) corresponding to the identified communication time.

[0081] The household worker identification unit 23 then determines whether the identified terminal devices 10-1 and 10-2 match. If they match, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the identified terminal device 10-1 (or 10-2) as the best terminal device 10. If they do not match, the best terminal device 10 is not specified (blank).

[0082] In this embodiment, the determination of whether they match may be made as follows: If the terminal devices 10 with the maximum radio wave strength or the longest communication time are not the same, the terminal device 10 that has the maximum (longest) one and the other is of a predetermined higher rank shall be considered the best terminal device 10. The higher rank is preferably second place, but if multiple ranks are included, the terminal device 10 that has a higher rank in aspects other than the highest rank may be considered the best terminal device 10.

[0083] Furthermore, another specific example of the best terminal device 10 will be described. The household worker identification unit 23 calculates a communication status index for the communication status by using a predetermined formula with radio wave strength and communication time values ​​as parameters. Then, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the best terminal device 10 using the communication status index.

[0084] In this embodiment, various specific examples may be combined. For example, if the terminal device 10 with the maximum signal strength and the longest communication time do not coincide, a communication status index may be calculated. When using a communication status index, if the difference in communication status indexes of each terminal device 10 is within a predetermined range, or if the maximum communication status index is below a threshold, the best terminal device 10 may be considered none (blank). Also, if the maximum signal strength or the longest communication time is below a threshold, the best terminal device 10 may be considered none (blank).

[0085] In this step, once the best terminal device 10 is identified, it will be identified as the terminal device 10 located nearby when the vacuum cleaner 31 is in operation. As a result, it can be inferred that the user of terminal device 10 used the vacuum cleaner 31 to perform cleaning (housework). Then, in this step, the household work performer identification unit 23 identifies the user of the identified terminal device 10 as the specified user from the user management information 261 or terminal management information 262. Then, in step S7, the household worker identification unit 23 determines whether the best terminal device 10, i.e., the specific user, was identified in step S5. If it is identified (Y), the process proceeds to step S9. If it is not identified (N), the process proceeds to step S8.

[0086] Furthermore, in step S8, the household worker identification unit 23 stores a blank (-) for the specified user in the operation history information 263. By storing a blank, that is, indicating that it is difficult to estimate the user (houseworker) of the vacuum cleaner 31, the operation to identify another user can be omitted, thereby improving operability. In other words, since the purpose of user identification in household work is not user authentication, the primary purpose of the household work can be achieved even with a blank, and by omitting the operation to identify other users, household work can be started smoothly.

[0087] Furthermore, in step S9, the household chore performer identification unit 23 stores the specific user identified in step S7 (for example, Dad) in the operation history information 263. Also in this step, the household chore content identification unit 24 updates the information using the log data 266 related to the specific user and blanks stored in steps S7 and S8.

[0088] The following describes a specific example of this update. The household activity identification unit 24 stores the communication status from the log data 266 in the terminal management information 262 and the user history information 264. In other words, the radio wave strength and communication time are stored in the record corresponding to the communication device in the terminal management information 262 and the user history information 264. When the communication status is acquired, "〇" is stored in the "Communicating" item of the terminal management information 262. Alternatively, the communication status may be stored in either the terminal management information 262 or the user history information 264.

[0089] Furthermore, the household chore content identification unit 24 stores the operating status in the operation history information 263 and the user history information 264. In other words, the operating status, including the operating time and content, is stored in the record of the home appliance 30 (vacuum cleaner 31 in this example) that is the subject of the operating status in the terminal management information 262. The operating status is also converted into a more easily understandable usage status (usage time and usage content) and stored in the user history information 264. Here, the layout information of the user management information 261 can be used for this conversion. Note that terminal management information 262 and user history information 264, and operation history information 263 and user history information 264 may each be provided individually. Furthermore, log data 266 may be provided individually.

[0090] Furthermore, in step S10, the household chore status identification unit 22 determines whether it is necessary to correct the specific user and / or updated information recorded in step S9. To this end, the household chore status identification unit 22 (household chore performer identification unit 23, household chore content identification unit 24) uses the device communication unit 21 to output the specific user and / or updated information recorded in step S9. As a result, this information is displayed on the display operation panel 308 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and / or the output unit 17 of the terminal device 10. For example, the updated user history information 264 may be displayed.

[0091] In this step, the household chore status identification unit 22 receives a notification from the user indicating whether or not corrections are needed. More specifically, if the display operation panel 308 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and / or the input unit 16 of the terminal device 10 receive an input from the user indicating that corrections are needed, it determines that corrections are needed (Y). If no input from the user indicating that corrections are needed is received, it determines that corrections are not needed (N). As a result, if corrections are needed (Y), the system proceeds to step S11. If corrections are not needed (N), the system proceeds to step S12.

[0092] Furthermore, in step S11, the device communication unit 21 receives user modification input for the display operation panel 308 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and / or the input unit 16 of the terminal device 10. This modification input includes specifying the content of the modifications to the displayed information. Then, the process transitions to step S9, where the household worker identification unit 23 and the household work content identification unit 24 update the information according to the modifications.

[0093] Furthermore, in step S12, the advice creation unit 25 creates advice regarding household chores using the updated information, for example, user history information 264. At this time, the advice creation rule 265 is applied to the updated information. As a result, advice regarding household chores is created such as, "Since user A (Dad) spends less time cleaning than B (Mom), let's increase A's cleaning time." Advice such as, "The study hasn't been cleaned enough, so let's clean the study next time," or "The amount of trash in the bedroom is small, so it's okay to reduce the frequency of cleaning," can also be created. In this way, advice is generated that takes into account the user and the household situation, so it is possible to provide more specific advice to improve the efficiency of household chores.

[0094] Then, the advice generation unit 25 outputs the advice via the device communication unit 21. As a result, the display operation panel 308 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and / or the output unit 17 of the terminal device 10 will display this advice.

[0095] In step S12, the following display may be shown. In this step, it is also possible to display the updated information in a format that is easier to understand regarding household chore performance. A specific example of this will be explained below. First, as a premise, in this example, user history information 264 is used. In this embodiment, the household chore status identification unit 22 performs conversions (corrections, partial extractions, statistics, etc.) on the usage history for each user. As a result, the display screens shown in Figures 16 and 17 are shown.

[0096] Figure 16 is a diagram (part 1) showing the display screen in this embodiment. First, Figure 16(a) is a screen showing the cleaning time of each user over a period of one week. This screen is created using the total usage time of each user in the user history information 264. In this embodiment, in addition to the vacuum cleaner 31, a so-called robot vacuum cleaner (robot), which is a type of household robot, may also be used as a user. In this case, the vacuum cleaner 31 and the robot vacuum cleaner are managed as a vacuum cleaner group, and the status of their respective household chores, i.e., cleaning, is managed (usage status). Figure 16(a) allows for an understanding of the cleaning status of each user. In particular, it allows for an intuitive understanding of how much of the cleaning each user is responsible for.

[0097] Furthermore, Figure 16(b) shows the proportion of dirt cleaned by each user. For this purpose, the detection results from the dirt detection sensor of the vacuum cleaner 31 described above are used. To realize such a display, it is desirable to include the amount of dirt in the operation details of the log data 266. As a result, it becomes possible to understand each user's cleaning responsibilities from a different perspective than in (a).

[0098] Furthermore, Figure 16(c) shows the percentage of areas (rooms) cleaned by each user. Usage data is used for this purpose. In other words, this screen is created using the sum of each user's usage data from the user history information 264. As a result, it becomes possible to understand each user's cleaning responsibilities from a different perspective than (a) and (c).

[0099] Figure 17 is a diagram (part 2) showing the display screen in this embodiment. First, Figure 17(a) is a screen in which the users (people who perform household chores) are superimposed on the calendar. This screen is created using the usage time for each user by date and time in the user history information 264. With Figure 17(a) like this, it is possible to intuitively understand when each user is responsible for cleaning.

[0100] Furthermore, Figure 17(b) shows a screen displaying the cleaning ranking for each user. For this purpose, the detection results from the sensor that detects the amount of dust in the vacuum cleaner 31, as well as maintenance (usage details in user history information 264), are used. To realize such a display, it is desirable to include the amount of dust and maintenance in the operation details of the log data 266. As a result, it becomes possible to evaluate the division of cleaning responsibilities among each user from multiple perspectives.

[0101] Furthermore, Figure 17(c) shows a screen where each user's cleaning record is superimposed on House 1. For this purpose, the usage details and layout information from user management information 261 mentioned above are used. In other words, this screen can be realized by superimposing the usage details onto the layout information. As a result, it becomes possible to intuitively understand which room each user cleaned regarding the division of cleaning responsibilities.

[0102] Furthermore, it is possible to display at least some of the figures 16(a)-(c) and 17(a)-(c) in combination. This combination can be displayed on a single screen (including scrollable screens) or by switching between each screen. By displaying them in this combination, it becomes possible to understand the division of household chores from multiple perspectives. Note that the display of Figures 16 and 17 may be performed as step S10. Also, the displays in Figures 16 and 17 show the analysis results that form the basis of the advice. For this reason, these analysis results and the corresponding advice may be displayed in association. For example, they may be displayed side by side on the same screen, or they may be switched between with a single touch.

[0103] Here, the data flow between each device in step S12 will be explained. Figure 18 is a diagram showing the data flow in step S12, that is, the advice display process, in this embodiment. In Figure 18(a), the household support device 20 notifies the vacuum cleaner 31, the charging stand 60, and the terminal device 10 of the advice it has created. If the vacuum cleaner 31 or the charging stand 60 does not have a display unit, the advice it has created is notified only to the terminal device 10. In this case, the advice may be notified only to the terminal device 10-1 which has been identified as the best terminal device. Furthermore, the advice may be notified only to the vacuum cleaner 31 or terminal device 10 for which the user has requested advice.

[0104] Then, as shown in Figure 18(b), the notified advice is displayed on the vacuum cleaner 31 or terminal device 10 that received the notification. The analysis results shown in Figures 16 and 17 can also be displayed in the data flow shown in Figure 18.

[0105] Steps S12 and S9 may be executed in a separate cycle. For example, they may be executed at a predetermined interval, such as one week.

[0106] This concludes the description of this embodiment. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various applications and modifications are possible. For example, steps S10 and S11 may be omitted, and step S12 may be performed after step S9. Furthermore, although the household support device 20 identifies the household situation, this may also be done by the terminal device 10 or home appliances 31, such as the vacuum cleaner 31.

[0107] Furthermore, this embodiment can also be realized in more specific forms, such as the following Examples 1 to 4. Of these, Examples 1 to 3 are embodiments of the process for identifying a specific user (steps S2 to S6), and Example 4 is an embodiment of cooperation with home appliances 30 other than the vacuum cleaner 31. Each of these embodiments will be described below. [Examples]

[0108] Example 1 is an example of using beacons to determine the communication status. Figure 19 is a diagram showing an overview of Example 1. First, in Figure 19(a), a beacon ID is transmitted from a source such as a router 40 to the vacuum cleaner 31 and each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 (beacon communication is performed). Then, the radio wave strength and communication time in the beacon communication are calculated in the vacuum cleaner 31 and each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4.

[0109] Next, in Figure 19(b), the calculated radio wave strength and communication time are transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 31 and each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 to the household support device 20. The household support device 20 then identifies a specific user based on the radio wave strength and communication time. For example, the user of terminal device 10 whose radio wave strength and communication time most closely match those of the vacuum cleaner 31 is identified as the specific user.

[0110] The details of Example 1 will be described below. Figure 20 is a sequence diagram showing the details of the process in Example 1. Note that in the sequence diagrams of Examples 1 to 3, only the parts corresponding to steps S2 to S6 in the above-described embodiments will be extracted and explained. For this reason, the symbols in the sequence diagrams correspond to the flowchart in Figure 13 (the tens digit of the sequence diagram corresponds to the flowchart). Also, in order to simplify the explanation, the explanation of log data collection (step S4) will be omitted.

[0111] In Figure 20, first, in step S21, a source such as the router 40 detects the start of operation of the vacuum cleaner 31. Specifically, the source receives information from the home appliance communication unit 307 of the vacuum cleaner 31 indicating that the vacuum cleaner 31 has started operation. For this purpose, the vacuum cleaner 31 uses an operation detection unit 303.

[0112] When the start of operation is detected, a beacon ID is transmitted from the source to the vacuum cleaner 31 and to each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4, and beacon communication is performed. As a result, beacon communication is performed only when it is desired to identify the user, thus reducing the power consumption related to communication in the vacuum cleaner 31 and terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4.

[0113] Then, in step S31, the vacuum cleaner 31 and each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 receive the beacon. In other words, in step S31-1, the home appliance communication unit 307 of the vacuum cleaner 31 receives the beacon. Also, in step S31-2, the terminal communication units 11 of each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 also receive the beacon.

[0114] Furthermore, in step S32, the vacuum cleaner 31 calculates the signal strength of its own beacon communication. That is, in step S32-1, the signal strength calculation unit 305 of the vacuum cleaner 31 calculates the signal strength. Also, in step S32-2, the signal strength calculation unit 14 of each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 calculates the signal strength. As a result, in beacon communication, there is no need for bidirectional communication between the vacuum cleaner 31 and each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4, so it is possible to stably calculate the signal strength and communication time. Also, unlike bidirectional one-to-one communication, the signal strength can be calculated simultaneously by each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4, so it is possible to quickly narrow down the candidate for the "best" terminal device.

[0115] At this time, the communication time calculation unit 306 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and the communication time calculation units 15 of each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 detect the reception timing as the communication start time. Then, the vacuum cleaner 31 and each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 transmit their radio wave strength to the household support device 20.

[0116] Furthermore, in step S61-1, the household support device 20 identifies a candidate user based on the received radio wave strength. For example, the household user identification unit 23 compares the radio wave strength of terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 with the radio wave strength of the vacuum cleaner 31 and extracts terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 that satisfy predetermined conditions. These predetermined conditions include the difference being below a predetermined position or being above a predetermined level. The household user identification unit 23 can then identify the user of the extracted terminal device 10 as a candidate user.

[0117] Furthermore, in step S33-1, the source detects that a predetermined time has elapsed since step S21, and transmits the beacon ID again to the vacuum cleaner 31 and terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4, and performs beacon communication.

[0118] Then, in steps S31-3 to S32-4, the same processing as in steps S31-1 to S32-2 is performed. In step S61-2, the same processing as in step S61-1 is performed, but in step S61-2, it is desirable to narrow down the list of potential users identified in step S61-1.

[0119] Furthermore, in step S51, the source, such as the router 40, detects that the vacuum cleaner 31 has finished operating. Specifically, the source receives information from the vacuum cleaner 31's home appliance communication unit 307 indicating that the vacuum cleaner 31 has finished operating. For this purpose, the vacuum cleaner 31 uses an operation detection unit 303.

[0120] Then, in steps S31-5 to S32-6, the same processing as in steps S31-1 to S32-2 and steps S31-3 to S32-4 is performed. However, at this time, the communication time calculation unit 306 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and the communication time calculation units 15 of each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 detect the timing of reception of the beacon ID as the communication end time. In response to the detection of this communication end time, the communication time calculation unit 306 and the communication time calculation unit 15 calculate the communication time using the above-mentioned communication start time and communication end time. In this way, the communication time during operation of the vacuum cleaner 31 can be calculated. This is also the case in Examples 2 and 3. However, for efficient searching, it is desirable to have an exclusive processing such as not performing bidirectional communication with the same terminal for a predetermined time. Furthermore, similar to the calculation of communication time, the radio wave strength is calculated until the operation of the operating unit 309 ends, so the radio wave strength during operation of the vacuum cleaner 31 can be calculated. This is also the case in Examples 2 and 3. Furthermore, the frequency with which communication is established within a predetermined time may be used to calculate the communication time. The predetermined time is the time that includes part or all of the period from the start to the end of communication. A beacon ID is transmitted at predetermined intervals, and the frequency or number of times that each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 receives the beacon ID is defined as the communication time. With this method, even if the time on the vacuum cleaner side and the terminal side do not match with high precision, the calculation can be performed using the clock of either device, thus eliminating the need for clock synchronization.

[0121] Then, the home appliance communication unit 307 of the vacuum cleaner 31 and the terminal communication units 11 of each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4 transmit the relevant radio wave strength and communication time to the household support device 20.

[0122] Furthermore, in step S61-3, the same processing as in step S61-2 is performed. Then, in step S62, the household worker identification unit 23 of the household support device 20 uses the received communication time to identify a specific user from the user candidates identified in step S61-3. For this purpose, for example, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the terminal device 10 of the user candidates with the longest communication time and designates this user as the specific user. Alternatively, the household worker identification unit 23 can identify the terminal device 10 of the user candidates whose radio wave strength is closest to that of the vacuum cleaner 31 and which has the longest communication time, and designates this user as the specific user. This concludes the explanation of Embodiment 1. [Examples]

[0123] Example 2 is an example of determining the communication status mainly using a vacuum cleaner 31. Figure 21 is a diagram showing an overview of Example 2. First, in Figure 21(a), the vacuum cleaner 31 communicates with each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 while it is operating. The vacuum cleaner 31 then calculates the radio wave strength and communication time for communication with each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4. As a result, the success or failure of beacon communication can be determined by the vacuum cleaner 31 without going through the household support device 20, thus reducing the communication charges for the terminals and allowing the user to be identified in a shorter time.

[0124] Next, in Figure 21(b), the vacuum cleaner 31 identifies potential users based on radio wave strength and communication time. This result is then transmitted from the vacuum cleaner 31 to the household support device 20. As a result, the household support device 20 identifies a specific user from the potential users.

[0125] The details of Example 2 will be described below. Figure 22 is a sequence diagram showing the details of the process in Example 2. First, in step S21, the operation detection unit 303 of the vacuum cleaner 31 detects the start of operation of the vacuum cleaner 31. Upon detecting the start of operation, the vacuum cleaner 31 transmits a beacon ID to each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 and performs beacon communication, including receiving the response. The communication time calculation unit 306 of the vacuum cleaner 31 will detect the timing of step S21 and the communication as the communication start time.

[0126] Furthermore, in step S32-1, the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 of the vacuum cleaner 31 calculates the radio wave strength of the beacon communication from each terminal device 10-1 to 10-4. Then, the beacon communication and step S32-1 are executed periodically. In other words, the processing from step S32-2 onwards is executed.

[0127] Furthermore, in step S51, when the operation detection unit 303 of the vacuum cleaner 31 detects that the operation of the vacuum cleaner 31 has ended, the process proceeds to step S61. At this time, the communication time calculation unit 306 calculates the communication time using the operation end time and the communication start time mentioned above. Then, in step S61, the communication status determination unit 304 identifies a candidate user. The details of step S61 are described below.

[0128] In step S61, the radio wave strength calculation unit 305 extracts terminal devices 10 whose radio wave strength is above a threshold from among the calculated radio wave strengths. The radio wave strength calculation unit 305 then identifies the users of the extracted terminal devices 10 as candidate users. The communication time calculation unit 306 also extracts terminal devices 10 whose communication time is above a threshold. The communication time calculation unit 306 then identifies the users of the extracted terminal devices 10 as candidate users. Based on this, the home appliance communication unit 307 transmits the extracted candidate users, along with their corresponding radio wave strengths and communication times, to the household support device 20.

[0129] Then, in step S62, the household worker identification unit 23 of the household support device 20 identifies a specific user from the received user candidates. For this purpose, for example, the household worker identification unit 23 identifies the terminal device 10 of the user candidates that has the maximum radio wave strength and the longest communication time, and designates this user as the specific user. Note that this identification method is not limited to this example and may include the content described in the embodiment. Also, step S62 may be performed on either the vacuum cleaner 31 or the terminal device 10. This concludes the description of Embodiment 2. [Examples]

[0130] Example 3 is similar to Example 2 in that it involves a different entity for identifying potential users. In other words, in Example 2, the process is performed by the vacuum cleaner 31, while in Example 3, it is performed by the household support device 20. Figure 23 shows an overview of Example 3. First, in Figure 23(a), the vacuum cleaner 31 communicates with each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4 while it is operating. The vacuum cleaner 31 then calculates the radio wave strength and communication time for communication with each of the terminal devices 10-1 to 10-4.

[0131] Next, in Figure 23(b), the vacuum cleaner 31 transmits radio wave strength and communication time to the household support device 20. The household support device 20 then identifies a candidate user based on the radio wave strength and communication time. As a result, the household support device 20 identifies a specific user from the candidate users.

[0132] The details of Example 3 will be described below. Figure 24 is a sequence diagram showing the details of the process in Example 3. In Figure 24, steps S21 to S51 are the same as in Example 2 (Figure 22), so their explanation will be omitted. When the end of operation is detected in step S51, the home appliance communication unit 307 of the vacuum cleaner 31 transmits the calculated radio wave strength and communication time to the household support device 20.

[0133] Furthermore, in step S61, the household chore status identification unit 22 of the household chore support device 20 identifies a candidate user. This process is performed in the same manner as in Example 2. Then, in the same manner as in Example 2, step S62 is executed, and a specific user is identified. This concludes the explanation of Example 3. [Examples]

[0134] Example 4 is an example of cooperation with home appliances 30 other than the vacuum cleaner 31. Example 4 is based on the premise of creating the analysis results and advice described in the above embodiments. In other words, in Example 4, the other home appliances 30 perform cooperation processing according to the analysis results and advice. Here, Figure 25 is a diagram showing an overview of Example 4.

[0135] In Figure 25(a), a cooperation request is sent from the vacuum cleaner 31 or the terminal device 10 to the household support device 20. For example, a cooperation request is sent when the vacuum cleaner 31 starts cleaning (operating) in response to advice. This may be done in response to user operation, or a cooperation request may be sent automatically when the advice meets predetermined conditions. Then, in the same manner as identifying the user described above, the nearest household appliance 30 is identified, and the user, i.e., the terminal device 10, is notified when this household appliance 30 is approached. For example, if advice related to other household appliances 30 is created, such as "Let's operate the air purifier while cleaning" or "Let's clean the air purifier filter while we're cleaning," it can be determined that the predetermined conditions are met. This allows for more efficient cleaning because appropriate advice can be given from the user, the appliances the user is using, and other appliances located close to the user. These predetermined conditions can be defined in the advice creation rules. Furthermore, cooperation requests may be sent only from terminal devices 10 that have been notified of the advice.

[0136] Then, in Figure 25(b), the household support device 20 notifies the target home appliance 30 (IH cooker 32 or air purifier 35) of a control command in response to the cooperation request. As a result, the control signal creation unit 302 in the IH cooker 32 or air purifier 35 creates a control signal in response to the control command (cooperative operation instruction), and the operation unit 309 is activated in a coordinated manner. Note that for this coordinated operation, a prompt for operation may be displayed on the display operation panel 308, and cooking and other operations may be performed only if an operation is performed.

[0137] Furthermore, coordinated operation includes suppressing the operation of the operating unit 309. For example, if advice is created stating, "Kitchen cleaning using the vacuum cleaner 31 should be completed before cooking with oil on the induction cooktop 32," cooking on the induction cooktop 32 can be permitted on the condition that the operation of the vacuum cleaner 31 ends. To this end, when a coordinated operation instruction is received, the induction cooktop 32 temporarily suppresses its operation. The operation detection unit 303 of the vacuum cleaner 31 detects the end of operation and transmits this information from the home appliance communication unit 307 to the household support device 20, the terminal device 10, and the target induction cooktop 32. As a result, the induction cooktop 32 enables operation (oil cooking) in response to the transmitted information about the end of operation, i.e., the release of the suppression. When the end of operation is transmitted to the household support device 20 or the terminal device 10, they transmit a message to the induction cooktop 32 to release the suppression. Furthermore, the induction cooktop 32 and air purifier 35 are examples of compatible home appliances 30, and it is also possible to connect with other home appliances 30.

[0138] This concludes the description of one embodiment of the present invention and examples 1 to 4, but the present invention is subject to various applications and modifications. For example, the identification of household chore status according to the present invention can be implemented for household appliances other than the vacuum cleaner 31, including the household appliance shown in Figure 1. Furthermore, the identification of household chore status, particularly the identification of the person performing the chore (the user of the household appliance 30), may be performed on the condition of the user's permission. For this purpose, a setting screen for granting permission may be displayed on the terminal device 10, or permission may be granted using a messaging app or SNS on the terminal device 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0139] 1...House, 10...Terminal device, 20...Household support device, 21...Device communication unit, 22...Household status identification unit, 23...Household performer identification unit, 24...Household content identification unit, 25...Advice creation unit, 26...Storage unit, 261...User management information, 262...Terminal management information, 263...Operation history information, 264...User history information, 265...Advice creation rules, 266...Log data, 30...Home appliances, 31...Vacuum cleaner, 32...IH cooker, 33...Microwave oven, 34...Refrigerator 35...Air purifier, 36...Washing machine, 301...Control unit, 302...Control signal creation unit, 303...Operation detection unit, 304...Communication status determination unit, 305...Radio wave strength calculation unit, 306...Communication time calculation unit, 307...Home appliance communication unit, 308...Display operation panel, 309...Operation unit, 310...Vacuum cleaner body, 311...Extension tube, 312...Vacuum cleaner head, 313...Handle unit, 314...Control board, 315...Electric blower, 316...Communication board, 40...Router, 50...Network

Claims

1. In a household support system comprising a home appliance, multiple terminal devices for multiple users who may use the home appliance, and a household support device connected to the terminal device, The aforementioned home appliance has an operating unit that operates for household chores, an operation detection unit that detects the operation of the operating unit, and a home appliance communication unit that communicates with each of the plurality of terminal devices in accordance with the operation. The terminal device has a radio wave intensity calculation unit that calculates multiple radio wave intensity values ​​for communication between the home appliance and each of the multiple terminal devices, The household support system includes a household user identification unit that identifies the best terminal device based on the calculated multiple radio wave intensities and identifies the user of the identified best terminal device as the user of the household appliance.

2. In the household support system described in claim 1, The system further includes a communication time calculation unit that calculates multiple communication times for communication between the aforementioned home appliance and each of the aforementioned multiple terminal devices, A household support system having a household worker identification unit that identifies the best terminal device based on the calculated multiple communication times and identifies the user of the identified best terminal device as the user of the household appliance.

3. In the household support system described in claim 2, The aforementioned home appliance has a home appliance communication unit that communicates with the terminal device while the operating unit is in operation. The aforementioned radio wave intensity calculation unit calculates the radio wave intensity during operation of the operating unit, The aforementioned communication time calculation unit is a household support system that calculates the communication time while the operating unit is in operation.

4. In the household support system described in claim 2, The household chore performer identification unit identifies the terminal device having the maximum radio wave intensity and the longest communication time as the best terminal device in the household chore support system.

5. In the household support system according to claim 1 or 2, The household support device further comprises a household support system having a household content identification unit that identifies the details of household chores performed by the household appliances.

6. In the household support system described in claim 5, The household support device further comprises an advice generation unit that generates advice for the household chore according to the content of the household chore and the person performing the chore.

7. In the household support system according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned home appliance is a household chore support system in which the aforementioned home appliance communication unit is installed between the end of the handle that the user grips and the vacuum cleaner head.

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