Management system, temperature determination method, server device

Abstract

To determine proper time to perform trial run of an air conditioner.SOLUTION: A management system including an air conditioner and a server device includes a control unit for proposing a pre-season inspection or determining a threshold outside air temperature at which the pre-season inspection is executed on the basis of outside air temperature on the past operation end day or operation start day of air-cooling and outside air temperature on the past operation end day or operation start day of air-heating.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management system, a temperature determination method, and a server device.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a management system in which a device such as an air conditioner installed on the customer side is connected to a controller, and the controller and a server device arranged in a cloud or the like communicate with each other via a network. In this management system, before the season when the air conditioner is used, the server device instructs the controller to perform a pre-season inspection to check whether a failure has occurred during a period without operation results.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for performing a test operation when the outside air temperature is above or below a threshold value and the air conditioner has not been operated for a certain period of time.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for prompting a test operation of an air conditioner on a day set earlier than a day predicted to be the start date of use of the air conditioner.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, with conventional technology, it was difficult to determine the appropriate timing for conducting pre-season inspections. As a result, situations arose where, for example, the announcement for pre-season operation was too late, resulting in the air conditioners already being used, or the announcement for pre-season operation was too early, leading to insufficient operating load and reduced reliability of diagnostics through trial runs.

[0007] This disclosure aims to determine the appropriate timing for conducting pre-season inspections of air conditioners. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The management system in the first aspect of this disclosure is A management system comprising an air conditioner and a server device, The system includes a control unit that determines a threshold outside temperature at which a pre-season inspection is proposed or performed, based on the outside temperature on the start or end date of past cooling operations, and the outside temperature on the end or start date of past heating operations.

[0009] According to the first aspect of this disclosure, it is possible to determine an appropriate time to conduct a trial run of the air conditioner.

[0010] The management system in the second aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the first aspect, The control unit, The threshold outside air temperature is determined based on the outside air temperature on the start date of past cooling operations and the outside air temperature on the end date of past heating operations, or based on the outside air temperature on the end date of past cooling operations and the outside air temperature on the start date of past heating operations.

[0011] The management system in the third aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the first or second aspect, The aforementioned past start date for air conditioning operation refers to the day when air conditioning operation was initiated after a certain period of consecutive days during which the air conditioner was not operated. The aforementioned past heating operation start date refers to the day when heating operation was initiated after a certain period of consecutive days during which the air conditioner was not operated.

[0012] The management system in the fourth aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the first or second aspect, The aforementioned end date of past air conditioning operation refers to the date on which air conditioning operation was last performed when it had not been performed for a certain period of time. The aforementioned end date of past heating operation refers to the last day heating operation was performed when heating operation had not been performed for a certain period of time.

[0013] The management system in the fifth aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the first to fourth aspects, Depending on whether the outside air temperature on the start date of past cooling operation is higher than the outside air temperature on the end date of past heating operation by a predetermined temperature or more, the control unit changes the method for determining the threshold outside air temperature for cooling.

[0014] The management system in the sixth aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the fifth aspect, If the outside temperature on the start date of the cooling operation in the past is higher than the outside temperature on the end date of the heating operation in the past by a predetermined temperature or more, The control unit determines the threshold outside air temperature for cooling to be a temperature that is a predetermined temperature lower than the outside air temperature on the previous cooling operation start date.

[0015] The management system in the seventh aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the fifth aspect, If the outside temperature on the start date of the cooling operation in the past is not higher than the outside temperature on the end date of the heating operation in the past, The control unit determines the outside air temperature on the previous start date of cooling operation as the threshold outside air temperature for cooling.

[0016] The management system in the eighth aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the first to fourth aspects, The control unit changes the method for determining the threshold outside temperature for heating depending on whether the outside temperature on the start date of past heating operation is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature than the outside temperature on the end date of past cooling operation.

[0017] The management system according to the ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the management system described in the eighth aspect, and when the outside air temperature on the start date of the past heating operation is lower than the outside air temperature on the end date of the past cooling operation by a predetermined temperature or more, the control unit determines a temperature higher than the outside air temperature on the start date of the past heating operation by a predetermined temperature as the threshold outside air temperature for heating.

[0018] The management system according to the tenth aspect of the present disclosure is the management system described in the eighth aspect, and when the outside air temperature on the start date of the past heating operation is not lower than the outside air temperature on the end date of the past cooling operation by a predetermined temperature or more, the control unit determines the outside air temperature on the start date of the past heating operation as the threshold outside air temperature for heating.

[0019] The management system according to the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is the management system described in the first to tenth aspects, and when the preset possible start time of the cooling operation arrives, the control unit proposes a pre-season inspection or determines the date for executing the pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside air temperature for cooling, and when the preset possible start time of the heating operation arrives, the control unit performs a process of proposing a pre-season inspection or determining the date for executing the pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside air temperature for heating.

[0020] The management system according to the twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is the management system described in the first to eleventh aspects, and the control unit acquires future weather data, and if there is a day in the weather data that exceeds the threshold outside air temperature for cooling, the control unit determines that day as the day for proposing a pre-season inspection or executing the pre-season inspection.

[0021] The management system according to the thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure is the management system described in the first to eleventh aspects, and the control unit acquires future weather data, If the weather data indicates a day with an outside temperature lower than the threshold temperature for heating, that day will be designated as the date for proposing or implementing a pre-season inspection.

[0022] The management system in the 14th aspect of this disclosure is the management system described in the 12th or 13th aspect, Even if the air conditioner was operating before the weather data met the conditions for starting the pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside temperature, the control unit will propose the pre-season inspection when the conditions for starting the pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside temperature are met.

[0023] The temperature determination method in the 15th aspect of this disclosure is: A method for determining temperature performed by a management system having an air conditioner and a server device, Based on the outside temperature on the start or end dates of past cooling operations, and the outside temperature on the end or start dates of past heating operations, a threshold outside temperature is determined to propose or perform a pre-season inspection.

[0024] According to a 15th aspect of this disclosure, it is possible to determine an appropriate time to conduct a trial run of the air conditioner.

[0025] The server device in the sixteenth aspect of this disclosure is A server device capable of communicating with an air conditioner, Based on the outside temperature on the start or end dates of past cooling operations, and the outside temperature on the end or start dates of past heating operations, a threshold outside temperature is determined to propose or perform a pre-season inspection.

[0026] According to the sixteenth aspect of this disclosure, it is possible to determine an appropriate time to conduct a trial run of the air conditioner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] [Figure 1] This diagram outlines the decision-making process for determining the timing of pre-season operations. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of the system configuration of the management system. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of an edge device. [Figure 4] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of a server device. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the overall process for pre-season inspections. [Figure 6] This is an example of a functional block diagram that explains the functions of the outdoor unit, edge device, and server device in a management system by dividing them into blocks. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of driving data stored in the driving data storage unit. [Figure 8] This is an example of a scatter plot showing the relationship between outside air temperature and air conditioning load. [Figure 9] This is an example of a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the threshold ambient temperature determination unit determines the threshold ambient temperature for cooling. [Figure 10] This is an example of a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the threshold ambient temperature determination unit determines the threshold ambient temperature for heating. [Figure 11] This is an example of a flowchart illustrating the process by which the trial run date determination unit determines the pre-season inspection date for the air conditioning system. [Figure 12] This is an example of a flowchart illustrating the process by which the trial run date determination unit determines the date for the pre-season inspection of the heating system. [Figure 13] This is an example of a sequence diagram illustrating the process by which a server device transmits pre-season inspection information to the outdoor unit via an edge device, based on threshold outside air temperature and weather data. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Below, we will describe a management system and the temperature determination method performed by the management system as an example of a form for implementing this disclosure.

[0029] <Overview of the Management System's Operation> It is recommended that air conditioners be inspected to ensure that no malfunctions have occurred if they have not been in operation for a certain period of time (i.e., have been continuously shut down). Such inspections are called pre-season inspections. Pre-season inspections are conducted before the summer season when users operate the cooling system, and before the winter season when users operate the heating system. In addition, pre-season inspections may also be conducted during the rainy and dry seasons.

[0030] The server device, for example, instructs the edge device to perform a pre-season inspection at a predetermined time. The edge device then instructs the outdoor unit to perform a pre-season inspection, which the outdoor unit then executes. This pre-season inspection by the outdoor unit is called a trial run.

[0031] Pre-season inspections should ideally be conducted at an appropriate time before the season begins. It is known that the start of the season varies greatly depending on the region. Even if the server equipment attempts to predict the timing of the pre-cooling and pre-heating seasons for each prefecture using weather data, it is difficult to accurately predict the timing of the pre-season due to the variety in how air conditioners are used and where they are installed. This leads to the following problems.

[0032] 1. The announcement regarding pre-season operation was made too late, so the air conditioning units are already in use.

[0033] 2. The pre-season operation guidance is given too early, resulting in low loads, which causes the air conditioners to operate intermittently and prevents the expected conditions, such as drain water, from being met, making it impossible to obtain reliable diagnostic data for pre-season inspections.

[0034] Therefore, in this disclosure, the server device uses the operating data accumulated for each air conditioner to determine the appropriate timing for pre-season inspections.

[0035] First, the most desirable time to conduct pre-season operations is when the following two conditions are met:

[0036] • A period when the air conditioner is not yet in use (considering the need to address any malfunctions, etc., a few days before the air conditioner is put into use) • The air conditioning load is above a certain level, and the air is in a state (temperature and humidity) that is consistent with the trends of that season.

[0037] The server device uses stored historical operating data to determine the outdoor temperature for the start date of cooling operation and the end date of heating operation, as well as the outdoor temperature for the end date of cooling operation and the start date of heating operation, for each outdoor unit. Then, before the next pre-season inspection, the server device uses weather forecast data, the outdoor temperature for the start date of cooling operation and the end date of heating operation, and the outdoor temperature for the end date of cooling operation and the start date of heating operation to determine the optimal day to conduct the pre-season inspection.

[0038] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the general method for determining the timing of pre-season operation. In Figure 1, the horizontal axis represents outside air temperature [°C], and the vertical axis represents the air conditioning load [kW]. Figure 1 is a scatter plot (schematic diagram) showing the correspondence between outside air temperature and air conditioning load in past operating data. Graph 1 is a scatter plot for heating use (winter), and Graph 2 is a scatter plot for cooling use (summer). When the air conditioner is in heating operation, the relationship between outside air temperature and air conditioning load in winter returns to around T1 [°C], oscillating in the direction of the arrow. When the air conditioner is in cooling operation, the relationship between outside air temperature and air conditioning load in summer returns to around T2 [°C], oscillating in the direction of the arrow. Note that T1 and T2 may be determined from operating data where the air conditioning load is above a predetermined lower limit.

[0039] As shown in Graph 1, heating starts and ends when the outside air temperature is around T1 degrees, so T1[°C] is the outside air temperature at the start and end of heating. As shown in Graph 2, cooling starts and ends when the outside air temperature is around T2[°C], so T2[°C] is the outside air temperature at the start and end of cooling. In Figure 1, for the sake of plotting, T1 = heating start temperature = heating end temperature, but the heating start temperature and heating end temperature may be different. In Figure 1, for the sake of plotting, T2 = cooling start temperature = cooling end temperature, but the cooling start temperature and cooling end temperature may be different.

[0040] <<How to determine the threshold outside temperature for air conditioning>> Figure 1(a) shows how to determine the threshold ambient temperature for air conditioning. 1. The server device determines the outdoor temperature on the last day of heating operation when the indoor unit last performed heating. This outdoor temperature is called the heating operation end temperature (corresponding to T1 [°C]). If the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days (a certain period of time) since the day of heating operation, the server device determines the outdoor temperature on the last day of heating operation (the maximum outdoor temperature while the outdoor unit was operating). 2. The server device determines the outside temperature on the day the cooling operation starts. This outside temperature is called the cooling operation start temperature (corresponding to T2 [°C]). If the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days, the server device determines the outside temperature on the day the cooling operation starts (the minimum outside temperature while the outdoor unit is operating). 3. The server device determines the threshold outside air temperature Tsr for cooling when starting the next pre-season inspection for cooling as follows:

[0041] Cooling start temperature - Y [°C] ≥ Heating end temperature → Tsr = Cooling start temperature - Y [°C] Cooling start temperature - Y [°C] < Heating end temperature → Tsr = Cooling operation start temperature = T2 <<How to determine the heating threshold outside temperature>> Figure 1(b) shows how to determine the heating threshold outside temperature. 1. The server device determines the outdoor temperature on the last day of cooling operation when the indoor unit last performed cooling. This outdoor temperature is called the cooling operation end temperature (corresponding to T2 [°C]). If the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days (a certain period of time) since the day of cooling operation, the server device determines the outdoor temperature on the last day of cooling operation (the minimum outdoor temperature while the outdoor unit was operating). 2. The server device determines the outside air temperature on the day the heating operation starts. This outside air temperature is called the heating operation start temperature (corresponding to T1 [°C]). If the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days, the server device determines the outside air temperature on the day the heating operation starts (the maximum outside temperature while the outdoor unit is operating). 3. The server device determines the heating threshold outside air temperature Tsd when starting the pre-season inspection for the next heating season as follows:

[0042] Heating start temperature + Y [°C] ≤ Cooling end temperature → Tsd = Heating start temperature + Y [°C] Heating start temperature + Y [°C] > Cooling end temperature → Tsd = Heating start temperature = T1 Therefore, the management system disclosed herein determines the threshold outside air temperature based on the cooling start temperature and heating end temperature determined from past operating data, thereby enabling the determination of appropriate timing for inspections before the cooling and heating seasons. This prevents situations where the air conditioner is already in use due to the pre-season operation notification being given too late, or where the air conditioner operates at a low load and does not function properly due to the pre-season operation notification being given too early.

[0043] The method for determining the threshold outside temperature for cooling is changed depending on whether the outside temperature on the start date of past cooling operations is higher than or equal to a predetermined temperature than the outside temperature on the end date of past heating operations, thereby enabling the determination of an appropriate threshold outside temperature for cooling. Similarly, the method for determining the threshold outside temperature for heating is changed depending on whether the outside temperature on the start date of past heating operations is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature than the outside temperature on the end date of past cooling operations, thereby enabling the determination of an appropriate threshold outside temperature for heating.

[0044] <Next pre-season inspection date> When determining the timing of the next pre-season inspection for the air conditioning system, the server device obtains the maximum outside temperature from weather forecast data up to two weeks in advance. If there is a day when the maximum outside temperature is higher than the air conditioning threshold outside temperature, that day is determined to be the date for the pre-season inspection.

[0045] Similarly, when the server device determines the timing of the next pre-season heating inspection, it obtains the minimum outside temperature from weather forecast data up to two weeks in advance. If there is a day when the minimum outside temperature is lower than the heating threshold outside temperature, that day is determined to be the date for the pre-season heating inspection.

[0046] <System configuration of the management system> Next, with reference to Figure 2, the system configuration of the management system 100 will be described. Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the management system 100.

[0047] The management system 100 provides a variety of IoT-based services to users, from administrators to general users, by enabling communication between various devices 90 such as air conditioners and lighting equipment and a server device 60 on the cloud side via a network N. The edge devices 10, equipment 90, sensor switches 53, and user terminals 70 are located on the customer's side, while the server device 60 is located in a cloud such as a data center or the internet.

[0048] Equipment 90 refers to all devices that consume power, such as air conditioners, security equipment, heat source equipment, fire alarms, AHUs (air handling units), electricity meters, and lighting. Sensor switches 53 include various sensors, lamps, relays, etc. Equipment 90 and sensor switches 53 are connected to the edge device 10 so as to be able to communicate via a dedicated cable or a network such as a LAN. Equipment 90 and sensor switches 53 may also be connected to the edge device 10 so as to be able to communicate via wireless communication.

[0049] The equipment 90 and sensor switches 53 are controlled by the edge device 10. In other words, the edge device 10 performs the necessary operations on the equipment 90 and sensor switches 53 to suit the purpose of the equipment 90 and sensor switches 53. The content of the control varies depending on the type of equipment 90 and sensor switches 53, but for example, if the equipment 90 is an air conditioner, it may include all control related to the functions of the air conditioner, such as the cooling / heating mode, set temperature, airflow, humidity, and airflow direction, which can generally be set on an air conditioner. In addition, the control may include operating modes such as a pre-season inspection mode, microcontroller reset, operation stop, and function substitution.

[0050] The edge device 10 collects operating data corresponding to the equipment 90 and transmits it to the server device 60 mainly periodically. Periodically means, for example, once every minute, once every 10 minutes, once every 60 minutes, etc., but this can be set by the user or the server device 60. In addition, the equipment 90 can transmit operating data to the edge device 10 upon request from the edge device 10 or the user terminal 70. The operating data varies depending on the equipment 90, but for example, in the case of an air conditioner, it may include high pressure and low pressure of the refrigerant, refrigerant temperature, fan speed, and microcontroller CPU temperature.

[0051] Furthermore, if device 90 detects an abnormality, it sends an abnormality code to the edge device 10. Device 90 that detected the abnormality stops operation. The edge device 10 sends the abnormality code to the server device 60. The processing of the edge device 10 for sensor switches 53 is the same. Sensor switches 53 mainly periodically send information about themselves to the edge device 10 and send abnormality codes.

[0052] Furthermore, device 90 can detect a fault using its own fault prediction engine and transmit a prediction code to the edge device 10.

[0053] The edge device 10 is a controller that controls the equipment 90 and sensor switches 53. The edge device 10 has the functions of a control device that controls the equipment 90 and sensor switches 53, an information processing device that processes operating data, etc., and a communication device that communicates with the server device 60. For example, the edge device 10 transmits an error code received from the equipment 90 to the server device 60 and receives instructions from the server device 60 corresponding to the error code. Alternatively, the edge device 10 can receive instructions from the server device 60 even if it does not transmit any information to the server device 60 (for example, if there are instructions from the user terminal 70 to the server device 60). The edge device 10 converts the instructions into appropriate instructions according to the models of the equipment 90 and sensor switches 53 and transmits them to the equipment 90 and sensor switches 53.

[0054] A server device 60 is one or more information processing devices. Although Figure 2 shows one server device 60, the server devices 60 may be divided into several units according to their functions. Alternatively, the functions of the server devices 60 may be consolidated into a single information processing device. Furthermore, multiple server devices 60 with the same functions may be provided, and these multiple server devices 60 may communicate with each other to process data, similar to a server cluster.

[0055] The server device 60 receives error codes and other information transmitted from the edge device 10 via the network N and generates necessary instructions. For example, in response to an error code, the server device 60 instructs the edge device 10 to perform emergency operation. The server device 60 can also send instructions to the edge device 10 for equipment 90, such as pre-season inspections, according to the schedule and operations set by the user terminal 70.

[0056] Server device 60 also has the functionality of a web server. The web server responds to requests from client software (web clients) such as a web browser operated by the user and provides the client with screen information written in HTML files, XML, CSS files, JavaScript (registered trademark), etc. An application that uses the web mechanism in this way is called a web application.

[0057] Furthermore, it is preferable that the server device 60 supports cloud computing. Cloud computing refers to a usage model in which network resources are utilized without the user being aware of specific hardware resources. Cloud computing provides users with data and software that they previously used on their own computers, as a service via the network. By providing a web browser that runs on a personal computer or mobile device, and an internet connection environment, users can access a variety of services from any device.

[0058] The user terminal 70 is a client terminal that displays various screens provided by the server device 60. The user terminal 70 may be used by an administrator or by a general user. There are customer-side administrators and management system administrators, but this disclosure does not distinguish between them. Furthermore, the administrator is the person who performs maintenance and management that is not performed by general users who use the equipment 90 on a daily basis.

[0059] The screens displayed by the user terminal 70 can vary widely, but some examples include a list screen of the devices 90 and sensor switches 53 connected to the edge device 10, an in-house map showing the locations of the devices 90 and sensor switches 53, and an operation screen for operating the devices 90 and sensors.

[0060] The user terminal 70 may be, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), smartphone, tablet, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or wearable PC (sunglasses type, wristwatch type, etc.). However, it only needs to have communication capabilities and be able to run a web browser. Alternatively, instead of a web browser, the user terminal 70 may run a dedicated native application on the management system 100.

[0061] <Hardware configuration of edge devices and server devices> Next, the hardware configuration of the edge device 10 will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the edge device 10. As shown in Figure 3, the edge device 10 has a processor 201, memory 202, auxiliary storage device 203, I / F (Interface) device 204, communication device 205, and drive device 206. Each piece of hardware in the edge device 10 is interconnected via a bus 207.

[0062] The processor 201 has various computing devices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 201 reads various programs into memory 202 and executes them.

[0063] Memory 202 contains main memory devices such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory). The processor 201 and memory 202 form a so-called computer, and the processor 201 executes various programs read into memory 202.

[0064] The auxiliary storage device 203 stores various programs and various data used when those programs are executed by the processor 201.

[0065] The I / F device 204 is a connection device that connects the edge device 10 to an example of an external device, such as equipment 90 and sensor switches 53.

[0066] The communication device 205 is a communication device for communicating with the server device 60 via the network N.

[0067] The drive device 206 is a device for setting the recording medium 210. The recording medium 210 here includes media that record information optically, electrically, or magnetically, such as CD-ROMs, flexible disks, and magneto-optical disks. The recording medium 210 may also include semiconductor memory that records information electrically, such as ROMs and flash memory.

[0068] The various programs to be installed on the auxiliary storage device 203 are installed, for example, when the distributed recording medium 210 is set in the drive device 206 and the various programs recorded on the recording medium 210 are read by the drive device 206. Alternatively, the various programs to be installed on the auxiliary storage device 203 may be installed by downloading them from the network N via the communication device 205.

[0069] On the other hand, Figure 4 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the server device 60. Since the hardware configuration of the server device 60 is generally the same as that of the edge device 10, this explanation will focus on the differences between the hardware configurations of the server device 60 and the edge device 10.

[0070] The processor 221 reads various programs into memory 222 and executes them. The processor 211 corresponds to the control unit 110 that controls the entire server device 60.

[0071] The I / F device 224 is a connection device that connects the server device 60 to an external device, such as a display device 230 and an operating device 240. The display device 230 displays the internal status of the server device 60. The operating device 240 is used by the administrator of the server device 60 to input various instructions to the server device 60.

[0072] The communication device 225 is a communication device for communicating with the edge device 10 and the user terminal 70 via the network N.

[0073] <Overall flow of pre-season inspection> Figure 5 illustrates the overall process for pre-season inspections. The following explanation follows this process flow.

[0074] (1) When the cooling season has completely ended, for example in January, or when the heating season has completely ended, for example in August, the server device 60 uses the previous year's operating data to determine a threshold outside air temperature.

[0075] (2) When the time comes for the start of cooling operation or the start of heating operation, the server device 60 uses future weather data and threshold outside air temperature to determine the date for the pre-season inspection. The time for the start of cooling operation or the start of heating operation is predetermined for each outdoor unit 30.

[0076] (3) The server device 60 sends an inspection notification email to the customer's administrator, which includes the date on which the pre-season inspection determined in (2) will be carried out.

[0077] (4) The customer's administrator, after referring to the inspection notification email, decides that a pre-season test run should be performed and sets the inspection date and time for server device 60. The inspection date and time will be prioritized according to the customer's convenience, but the customer should, if possible, set the inspection date and time to the pre-season inspection date determined in (2). Note that the notification does not necessarily have to be by email; it may also be communicated by phone or social media.

[0078] (5) The server device 60 transmits to the edge device 10 that the pre-season inspection should be performed at the scheduled inspection date and time.

[0079] (6) The edge device 10 instructs the outdoor unit 30 to perform a pre-season inspection. However, the edge device 10 does not instruct the outdoor unit 30 to perform a pre-season inspection if it is in operation.

[0080] (7) The outdoor unit 30 runs the pre-season inspection program and performs a test run on each indoor unit.

[0081] (8) The pre-season inspection program includes a fault prediction engine that predicts faults based on operating data. When a fault is predicted, a prediction code is generated. The outdoor unit 30 transmits the prediction code to the edge device 10, which then transmits it to the server device 60.

[0082] (9) The server device 60 sends the inspection results (prediction code or normal) to the customer via email or other means based on the inspection results (prediction code or normal) stored in the fault prediction memory unit 67.

[0083] <About the features> Next, with reference to Figure 6, the functional configuration of each device in the management system 100 will be described in detail. Figure 6 is an example of a functional block diagram that explains the functions of the outdoor unit 30, edge device 10, and server device 60 in the management system 100 by dividing them into blocks.

[0084] <<Outdoor unit>> The outdoor unit 30 includes a communication unit 31, an operation unit 32, a fault prediction engine 33, and a test run execution unit 34. Each of these parts of the outdoor unit 30 is a function or means realized by the execution of program instructions by the microcomputer in the outdoor unit 30, or by the control of the air conditioning mechanism of the indoor unit 50 or the outdoor unit 30. The outdoor unit 30 has a pre-season inspection program 40 installed. The pre-season inspection program 40 is a program for operating the outdoor unit 30 in inspection-only mode. The fault prediction engine 33 and the test run execution unit 34 are realized by the pre-season inspection program 40.

[0085] The communication unit 31 communicates with the edge device 10 via a dedicated cable or network. In this disclosure, the communication unit 31 transmits operational data to the edge device 10 and receives instructions for pre-season inspections from the edge device 10.

[0086] The control unit 32 controls the outdoor unit 30 and the indoor unit 50 respectively, performing air conditioning operation according to the cooling / heating mode, set temperature, airflow, etc., set by the user using a remote control or the like.

[0087] The fault prediction engine 33 is a function that predicts faults. The fault prediction engine 33 can be a program module or similar. Fault prediction means detecting a state that is not so abnormal as to prevent continued operation, but rather a state in which operation is possible but which may lead to a fault. In contrast, a state in which continued operation is difficult is called a fault. The fault prediction engine 33 is a discriminative model that uses operating data and the correspondence between cases where a fault occurs and cases where it does not as training data for machine learning, and is trained using algorithms such as deep learning to output the possibility of a fault for the operating data. The fault prediction engine 33 outputs the possibility (probability) of a fault for the input operating data. If this probability exceeds a threshold, the fault prediction engine 33 determines that a fault has been predicted.

[0088] Machine learning is a technique for enabling computers to acquire human-like learning abilities. It involves computers autonomously generating algorithms necessary for data identification and other decision-making processes from pre-programmed training data, and then applying these algorithms to new data to make predictions. The learning method for machine learning can be supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, reinforcement learning, or deep learning, or a combination of these methods; the learning method for machine learning is not limited. Examples of machine learning techniques include perceptrons, deep learning, support vector machines, logistic regression, naive Bayes, decision trees, and random forests, and are not limited to the techniques described in this disclosure.

[0089] For example, deep learning is an algorithm that predicts XYZ based on input data A, B, C, and then adjusts the weights between neural networks using backpropagation to reduce the error with the training data.

[0090] The trial run execution unit 34 forcibly creates a state in which the outdoor unit 30 and indoor unit 50 can be checked for component defects. The fault prediction engine 33 can also detect faults from the operating conditions during the trial run. Inspections performed before the season in which air conditioners are mainly used, such as in summer or winter, are called pre-season inspections. However, trial runs can be performed even outside of the pre-season. The pre-season inspection program can forcibly create component conditions that would not occur during normal operation. For example, a pre-season inspection checks whether the expansion valve opens and closes within a set range of motion, whether the compressor can generate a set pressure, whether the solenoid valve can be opened and closed, and whether any actuator operates as commanded.

[0091] <<Edge Device>> The edge device 10 includes communication units 11 and 13, and an instruction control unit 12. Each of these parts of the edge device 10 is a function or means realized by any of the components shown in Figure 3 operating according to instructions from the processor 201 that are based on a program deployed from the auxiliary storage device 203 to the memory 202.

[0092] The communication unit 13 communicates with the outdoor unit 30 via a dedicated cable or network. In this disclosure, the communication unit 13 transmits instructions to the outdoor unit 30 to perform a pre-season inspection as instructed by the server device 60.

[0093] Furthermore, the communication unit 11 communicates with the server device 60 via the network N. In this disclosure, the communication unit 11 receives instructions from the server device 60 to perform pre-season inspections.

[0094] When the instruction control unit 12 receives an instruction to perform a pre-season inspection from the server device 60, it sends an instruction to perform a pre-season inspection to the outdoor unit 30 if the indoor unit 50 is not in operation.

[0095] <<Server device>> The server device 60 includes a communication unit 61, a trial run instruction unit 62, a threshold ambient temperature determination unit 63, a weather data acquisition unit 64, a trial run date determination unit 65, a schedule storage unit 66, a fault prediction storage unit 67, and an operation data storage unit 68. Each of these parts of the server device 60 is a function or means realized by any of the components shown in Figure 4 operating according to instructions from the processor 221 that follow a program deployed from the auxiliary storage device 223 to the memory 222. The schedule storage unit 66, the fault prediction storage unit 67, and the operation data storage unit 68 are constructed using the auxiliary storage device 223 and the like shown in Figure 4.

[0096] The communication unit 61 communicates with the edge device 10 via the network N. In this disclosure, the communication unit 61 transmits an instruction to the edge device 10 to perform a pre-season inspection.

[0097] The test run instruction unit 62 transmits an instruction to the edge device 10 to perform a pre-season inspection (instruction to perform a test run) based on the test run schedule set in the schedule storage unit 66. The schedule storage unit 66 stores the inspection date and time set by the administrator, or the date of the pre-season inspection for cooling or the date of the pre-season inspection for heating determined by the test run implementation date determination unit 65.

[0098] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the threshold outside air temperature for performing pre-season inspections for cooling based on the operating data, and also determines the threshold outside air temperature for performing pre-season inspections for heating.

[0099] The weather data acquisition unit 64 acquires future weather data from the Japan Meteorological Agency and commercial services. AMEDAS is a well-known example of weather data provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency. The Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts weather data for two weeks or more in advance for each AMEDAS point.

[0100] The trial run date determination unit 65 compares the threshold outside air temperature with future weather data to determine the dates for pre-season inspections for both cooling and heating.

[0101] Figure 7 shows the operation data stored in the operation data storage unit 68. The operation data storage unit 68 stores the operation data of the outdoor unit 30. The outdoor unit 30 transmits operation data to the server device 60 via the edge device 10 at fixed intervals, such as once every hour. In detail, operation data is transmitted for each indoor unit, but Figure 7 shows the operation data of the outdoor unit 30.

[0102] Operating data includes, for example, the operating mode (cooling, heating), the air conditioning load, and the outside air temperature. In Figure 7, for convenience, the lowest and highest outside air temperatures detected while the outdoor unit was operating are shown. The lowest outside air temperature is the lowest outside air temperature detected while the outdoor unit was operating, and the highest outside air temperature is the highest outside air temperature detected while the outdoor unit was operating.

[0103] The location information (latitude and longitude) of the facility where the outdoor unit 30 is installed is set by the air conditioner installer on the server device 60. The installer may use an information service that returns latitude and longitude for a given address.

[0104] Figure 7 shows the end date of heating operation, the start date of cooling operation, the end date of cooling operation, and the start date of heating operation. These definitions are as explained in Figure 1.

[0105] In Figure 7, "-omitted-" indicates that the outdoor unit was not in operation on that day. For example, the outdoor unit was not used from March 24 to June 24. Also, the outdoor unit was not used from September 24 to December 2. Therefore, March 23 is the end date of heating operation, and June 25 is the start date of cooling operation. The highest outdoor temperature on March 23 is the end temperature of heating operation (25°C), and the lowest outdoor temperature on June 25 is the start temperature of cooling operation (23°C). Similarly, September 23 is the end date of cooling operation, and December 3 is the start date of heating operation. The lowest outdoor temperature on September 23 is the end temperature of cooling operation (16°C), and the highest outdoor temperature on December 3 is the start temperature of heating operation (23°C). The threshold outdoor temperature determination unit 63 can determine the threshold outdoor temperatures for cooling and heating from these values.

[0106] <Determination of threshold ambient temperature> The method for determining the threshold ambient temperature will be explained with reference to Figures 8 to 10. Figure 8 shows an example of a scatter plot corresponding to ambient temperature and air conditioning load. Figure 8(a) shows a scatter plot of a typical building, and Figure 8(b) shows a scatter plot of a building with high internal heat generation. Figure 8(a) is a combination of Figures 1(a) and 1(b), but is reproduced here for comparison with Figure 8(b). A building with high internal heat generation refers to a building where a large amount of heat is generated inside, such as when many electrical appliances are operating indoors or when many people are working.

[0107] In both Figures 8(a) and 8(b), Graph 1 is a scatter plot (schematic diagram) for heating use (winter), and Graph 2 is a scatter plot (schematic diagram) for cooling use (summer). T2 is the cooling start temperature = cooling end temperature, and T1 is the heating end temperature = heating start temperature. The heating start temperature and the cooling end temperature do not usually coincide. However, it is not uncommon for the two to be close in value.

[0108] As shown in Fig. 8(b), in a building with high internal heat generation, T1 and T2 are close to each other, may coincide, or T1 < T2. In Fig. 8(b), for the convenience of drawing, T1 = T2 is shown as an example only. In a building with high internal heat generation, during heating, the air-conditioning load with respect to the outside air temperature tends to decrease, and during cooling, the air-conditioning load with respect to the outside air temperature tends to increase. The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines whether the installation location of the air conditioner is a general building or a building with high internal heat generation by comparing T1 and T2, and determines an appropriate threshold outside air temperature.

[0109] <<Cooling Threshold Outside Air Temperature>> First, the cooling threshold outside air temperature will be described. When the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines that "cooling operation start temperature - Y [°C] ≥ heating operation end temperature", it judges that the installation location of the indoor unit 50 is a general building. The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines "cooling operation start temperature - Y [°C]" as the cooling threshold outside air temperature. Y may be a predetermined temperature, for example, about 1 to 3 [°C]. In the case of a general building, by setting the cooling threshold outside air temperature lower than the cooling operation start temperature, the user can perform preseason inspection before starting the cooling operation. The cooling threshold outside air temperature Tsr is shown in Fig. 8(a).

[0110] When the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines that "cooling operation start temperature - Y [°C] < heating operation end temperature", it judges that the building where the indoor unit 50 is installed has high internal heat generation. The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the "cooling operation start temperature" as the cooling threshold outside air temperature. In the case of a building with high internal heat generation, by setting the cooling threshold outside air temperature approximately the same as the cooling operation start temperature, the user can perform preseason inspection before starting the cooling operation, and it can be suppressed that the preseason inspection for cooling is carried out when the user is performing heating operation. The cooling threshold outside air temperature Tsr is shown in Fig. 8(b).

[0111] In the determination of the cooling threshold outside air temperature, the cooling operation start temperature may be the same as the cooling operation end temperature, or the heating operation end temperature may be the same as the heating operation start temperature.

[0112] <<Heating Threshold Outside Air Temperature>> The threshold outdoor temperature for heating is explained below. The threshold outdoor temperature determination unit 63 determines that the indoor unit 50 is installed in a typical building if "heating start temperature + Y [°C] ≤ cooling end temperature". The threshold outdoor temperature determination unit 63 determines "heating start temperature + Y [°C]" as the threshold outdoor temperature for heating. Y can be any predetermined temperature, and is usually around 1 to 3 [°C]. Note that the threshold outdoor temperature for heating and the threshold outdoor temperature for cooling may be different.

[0113] In a typical building, setting the heating threshold outside air temperature higher than the heating start temperature allows users to perform pre-season inspections before starting heating. Figure 8(a) shows the heating threshold outside air temperature Tsd.

[0114] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines that the building where the indoor unit 50 is installed has high internal heat generation if "heating operation start temperature + Y [°C] > cooling operation end temperature". The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the "heating operation start temperature" as the threshold outside air temperature for heating. In the case of a building with high internal heat generation, setting the threshold outside air temperature for heating to be approximately the same as the heating operation start temperature allows the user to perform a pre-season inspection before starting heating operation, and prevents the user from performing a pre-season inspection while cooling operation is in progress. Figure 8(b) shows the threshold outside air temperature Tsd for heating.

[0115] In determining the threshold outside temperature for heating, the cooling operation end temperature may be the cooling operation start temperature, and the heating operation start temperature may be the heating operation end temperature.

[0116] <<Process for determining the threshold ambient temperature>> Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the threshold ambient temperature determination unit 63 determines the threshold ambient temperature for cooling. The process shown in Figure 9 is executed when the cooling season has ended, for example, on January 1st.

[0117] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the outside air temperature (maximum value) on the last day of heating operation as the heating operation termination temperature if the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days since the start of heating operation (S11). X days is, for example, about 1 to 3 months.

[0118] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the outside air temperature (minimum value) on the day when the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days as the cooling operation start temperature (S12).

[0119] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines whether "cooling operation start temperature - Y [°C] ≥ heating operation end temperature" (S13).

[0120] If the determination in step S13 is Yes, the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines "cooling operation start temperature - Y [°C]" as the threshold outside air temperature for cooling (S14).

[0121] If the determination in step S13 is No, the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the "cooling operation start temperature" as the threshold outside air temperature for cooling (S15).

[0122] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure by which the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the threshold outside air temperature for heating. The process in Figure 10 is executed when the heating season has ended, for example, on August 1st. The explanation of Figure 11 mainly describes the differences from Figure 10.

[0123] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the minimum outside air temperature on the last day of cooling operation as the cooling operation termination temperature if the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days since the day the cooling operation was started (S21).

[0124] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the outside air temperature (maximum value) on the day heating operation is started as the heating operation start temperature if the air conditioner has not been operated for X consecutive days (S22).

[0125] The threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines whether "heating operation start temperature + Y [°C] ≤ cooling operation end temperature" (S23).

[0126] If the determination in step 23 is Yes, the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines "heating operation start temperature + Y [°C]" as the threshold outside air temperature for heating (S24).

[0127] If the determination in step 23 is No, the threshold outside air temperature determination unit 63 determines the "heating operation start temperature" as the threshold outside air temperature for heating (S25).

[0128] <How to determine the pre-season inspection date> Next, with reference to Figure 11, the method for determining the pre-season inspection date for the air conditioning system will be explained. Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which the trial run date determination unit 65 determines the pre-season inspection date for the air conditioning system.

[0129] The trial run date determination unit 65 determines whether or not the time for starting air conditioning operation has arrived (S31). The time for starting air conditioning operation is the time when it becomes possible to start using air conditioning after the heating season has ended. For example, in the Kansai and Kanto regions, the time for starting air conditioning operation is after March 20th. The time for starting air conditioning operation is predetermined for each prefecture.

[0130] If the decision in step S31 is Yes, the weather data acquisition unit 64 acquires future weather data from the Japan Meteorological Agency or commercial weather services (S32).

[0131] The trial run date determination unit 65 determines the AMeDAS point closest to the building where the outdoor unit is installed from the AMeDAS points included in the weather data (S33). The server device 60 has registered the location information (latitude, longitude) of the outdoor unit 30. Each AMeDAS point has location information (latitude, longitude). Therefore, the trial run date determination unit 65 identifies the AMeDAS point with the shortest straight-line distance between the two points.

[0132] The trial run date determination unit 65 determines whether there is a day (cooling inspection recommended day) on which the highest outside temperature in the weather data is higher than the cooling threshold outside temperature (S34).

[0133] If the decision in step S34 is Yes, the trial run date determination unit 65 determines the recommended air conditioning inspection date as the pre-season air conditioning inspection date (S35). However, whether the recommended air conditioning inspection date actually becomes the pre-season air conditioning inspection date depends on whether the customer's administrator, who receives notification via the inspection guidance email, sets the recommended air conditioning inspection date to the server device 60. Also, if the server device 60 performs the pre-season air conditioning inspection on the recommended air conditioning inspection date without contacting the customer, then the recommended air conditioning inspection date is the pre-season air conditioning inspection date.

[0134] If the determination in step S34 is No, the trial run date determination unit 65 repeats the process shown in Figure 11, for example, on the next day.

[0135] Figure 12 is a flowchart illustrating the process by which the trial run date determination unit 65 determines the date for the pre-season inspection of the heating system.

[0136] The trial run date determination unit 65 determines whether the time for starting heating operation has arrived (S41). The time for starting heating operation is when the cooling season ends and it becomes possible to start using the air conditioner. For example, in the Kansai and Kanto regions, the time for starting heating operation is September 20th or later. The time for starting heating operation is predetermined for each prefecture.

[0137] The following steps S42 and S43 may be the same as steps S32 and S33 in Figure 11.

[0138] The trial run date determination unit 65 determines whether there is a day (heating inspection recommended day) on which the minimum outside temperature in the weather data is lower than the heating threshold outside temperature (S44).

[0139] If the determination in step S44 is Yes, the trial run date determination unit 65 determines the recommended heating inspection date as the pre-season heating inspection date (S45). However, whether the recommended heating inspection date actually becomes the pre-season heating inspection date depends on whether the customer's administrator, who receives notification via the inspection guidance email, sets the recommended heating inspection date to the server device 60. Also, if the server device 60 performs the pre-season heating inspection on the recommended heating inspection date without contacting the customer, then the recommended heating inspection date is the pre-season heating inspection date.

[0140] If the determination in step S44 is No, the trial run date determination unit 65 repeats the process shown in Figure 12, for example, on the next day.

[0141] <Flowchart for pre-season inspection instructions> Refer to Figure 13 to explain the pre-season inspection process. Figure 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating the process by which the server device 60 transmits the pre-season inspection information to the outdoor unit 30 via the edge device 10, based on threshold outside air temperature and weather data.

[0142] S101~S104: Each indoor unit 50 transmits operation data to the outdoor unit 30 at a fixed interval, such as once every hour. The outdoor unit 30 associates the identification information of each indoor unit 50 with the operation data and transmits it to the edge device 10, which then transmits the operation data to the server device 60. The communication unit 61 of the server device 60 receives the operation data and stores it in the operation data storage unit 68.

[0143] S105: The threshold ambient temperature determination unit 63 of the server device 60 executes the flowcharts shown in Figures 9 and 10 to determine the threshold ambient temperature.

[0144] S106: The trial run date determination unit 65 of the server device 60 executes the flowcharts shown in Figures 11 and 12 to determine whether the weather data meets the conditions for starting the pre-season inspection (determining the recommended date for cooling inspection or the recommended date for heating operation).

[0145] S107: The trial run date determination unit 65 proposes the recommended cooling inspection date or recommended heating operation date determined in step S106 to the customer's manager, etc., and sends an inspection notification email inquiring about the date for the pre-season inspection of the cooling or heating.

[0146] S108: When a user terminal receives an inspection notification email, the customer's administrator sends an email to the server device 60 indicating the date for the pre-season inspection of the air conditioning or heating system. The customer's administrator can also register the date for the pre-season inspection of the air conditioning or heating system with the server device 60 via a web page. The date for the pre-season inspection of the air conditioning or heating system is registered in the schedule storage unit 66.

[0147] In the process shown in Figure 13, the server device 60 instructs the customer's administrator to perform a pre-season inspection. However, the server device 60 may also instruct the pre-season inspection on the recommended cooling inspection date or recommended heating operation date determined in step S106 without inquiring with the customer's administrator.

[0148] Furthermore, users may operate the air conditioner before the recommended cooling inspection date or heating operation date is determined in step S106. However, the trial operation date determination unit 65 should suggest conducting the pre-season inspection when the weather data meets the conditions for starting the pre-season inspection. This is because pre-season inspections allow for operation with functions and loads not used in normal operation.

[0149] S109: The trial run instruction unit 62 of the server device 60 refers to the schedule storage unit 66 to determine whether today is the day for the pre-season inspection.

[0150] S110: When the date for the pre-season inspection stored in the schedule storage unit 66 arrives, the trial run instruction unit 62 of the server device 60 starts processing related to the execution of the pre-season inspection. The trial run instruction unit 62 sends an instruction to the edge device 10 to execute the pre-season inspection for the outdoor unit 30.

[0151] S111: The communication unit 11 of the edge device 10 receives an instruction to perform a pre-season inspection, and the trial run execution unit 34 instructs the outdoor unit 30, which is not currently in operation, to execute the pre-season inspection program.

[0152] S112: The communication unit 31 of the outdoor unit 30 receives an instruction to execute the pre-season inspection program, and the test run execution unit 34 performs the pre-season inspection by executing the pre-season inspection program. The fault prediction engine 33 performs fault prediction based on the operating data.

[0153] S113: The communication unit 31 of the outdoor unit 30 transmits a prediction code or normal status, which is the result of the fault prediction engine 33 performing fault prediction, to the edge device 10.

[0154] S114: The communication unit 13 of the edge device 10 receives a predictive code or normal status, and the communication unit 11 transmits the predictive code or normal status to the server device 60.

[0155] S115: The communication unit 61 of the server device 60 receives a predictive code or normal status and stores it in the fault prediction storage unit 67 in association with the outdoor unit 30 and the indoor unit 50.

[0156] <Main effects> As explained above, the management system disclosed in this disclosure determines a threshold outside air temperature based on the cooling start temperature and the heating end temperature, thereby enabling the determination of appropriate inspection dates before the cooling and heating seasons. This helps to prevent situations where the air conditioner is already in use due to the pre-season operation notification being given too late, or where the air conditioner operates at a low load and does not function properly due to the pre-season operation notification being given too early.

[0157] <Other application examples> Although the best mode for implementing this disclosure has been described above using examples, this disclosure is not limited in any way to these examples, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the gist of this disclosure.

[0158] For example, instead of connecting the server device and the edge device 10, the server device 60 and the outdoor unit 30 may be directly connected in a way that allows them to communicate with each other.

[0159] Furthermore, the edge device 10 may perform the processing of the server device 60 as described in this disclosure.

[0160] Furthermore, the past operating data used by the server device 60 to determine the threshold outside air temperature may not be received from the air conditioner via the network, but rather the server device 60 may process operating data stored on a storage medium or the like. Therefore, the threshold outside air temperature may be determined by any information processing device, not just the server device 60. In this case, the threshold outside air temperature determined by the information processing device is set in the server device 60.

[0161] Furthermore, while this disclosure primarily determines threshold outside temperatures to determine the dates for pre-season inspections of air conditioning and heating systems, pre-season inspections can also be conducted during the rainy or dry season, and the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere.

[0162] Furthermore, pre-season inspections may be performed on equipment other than air conditioners 90.

[0163] Furthermore, the configuration examples in Figure 6 and other figures are divided according to their main functions to facilitate understanding of the processing performed by the outdoor unit 30, edge device 10, and server device 60. This disclosure is not limited by the way the processing units are divided or the names of those units. The processing of the outdoor unit 30, edge device 10, and server device 60 can be further divided into more processing units depending on the processing content. Alternatively, each processing unit can be divided to include even more processing.

[0164] Furthermore, the apparatus described in the examples represents only one of several computing environments for carrying out the disclosure disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the server apparatus 60 includes multiple computing devices, such as a server cluster. The multiple computing devices are configured to communicate with each other via any type of communication link, including a network or shared memory, and perform the processing disclosed herein.

[0165] Each of the functions of this disclosure described above can be implemented not only by software processing through program execution, but also by one or more processing circuits. Here, "processing circuit" as used herein includes processors programmed to execute each function by software, such as processors implemented by electronic circuits, as well as devices such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), DSPs (Digital Signal Processors), FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), and conventional circuit modules designed to execute each of the functions described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0166] 10 Edge device 30 equipment 60 Server Devices 100 Management Systems

Claims

1. A management system comprising an air conditioner and a server device, A control unit that determines a threshold outside temperature for proposing or performing a pre-season inspection, based on the outside temperature on the start or end date of past cooling operations, and the outside temperature on the end or start date of past heating operations. A management system that includes [a certain feature].

2. The control unit, The management system according to claim 1, which determines the threshold outside air temperature based on the outside air temperature on the start date of past cooling operations and the outside air temperature on the end date of past heating operations, or based on the outside air temperature on the end date of past cooling operations and the outside air temperature on the start date of past heating operations.

3. The aforementioned past start date for air conditioning operation refers to the day when air conditioning operation was initiated after a certain period of consecutive days during which the air conditioner was not operated. The management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned past date of start of heating operation is the date on which heating operation was performed after a certain period of consecutive days on which the air conditioner was not operated.

4. The aforementioned end date of past air conditioning operation refers to the date on which air conditioning operation was last performed when it had not been performed for a certain period of time. The management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aforementioned past end date of heating operation is the date on which heating operation was last performed when heating operation was not performed for a certain period of time.

5. The control unit modifies the method for determining the threshold outside temperature for cooling based on whether the outside temperature on the start date of past cooling operation is higher than or equal to a predetermined temperature than the outside temperature on the end date of past heating operation.

6. If the outside temperature on the start date of the cooling operation in the past is higher than the outside temperature on the end date of the heating operation in the past by a predetermined temperature or more, The control unit determines the threshold outside air temperature for cooling to be a temperature that is a predetermined temperature lower than the outside air temperature on the previous day the cooling operation started. The management system according to claim 5.

7. If the outside temperature on the start date of the cooling operation in the past is not higher than the outside temperature on the end date of the heating operation in the past, The control unit determines the outside air temperature on the past start date of cooling operation as the threshold outside air temperature for cooling according to claim 5.

8. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes the method for determining the threshold outside temperature for heating depending on whether the outside temperature on the past heating operation start date is lower by a predetermined temperature or more than the outside temperature on the past cooling operation end date.

9. If the outside temperature on the start date of the past heating operation is lower than the outside temperature on the end date of the past cooling operation by a predetermined temperature or more, The control unit determines the threshold outside air temperature for heating to be a temperature that is a predetermined temperature higher than the outside air temperature on the previous heating operation start date. The management system according to claim 8.

10. If the outside temperature on the start date of the heating operation in the past is not lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature than the outside temperature on the end date of the cooling operation in the past, The control unit determines the outside air temperature on the past heating start date as the threshold outside air temperature for heating according to claim 8.

11. When the predetermined time for starting cooling operation arrives, the control unit determines whether to propose a pre-season inspection or to perform a pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside air temperature for cooling. The control unit, when a predetermined time for starting heating operation arrives, performs a process to propose a pre-season inspection or to determine a date for performing a pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside air temperature for heating, as described in claim 1.

12. The control unit acquires future weather data, The management system according to claim 1, wherein if there is a day in the weather data where the outside air temperature exceeds the threshold temperature for air conditioning, the management system determines that day to be the day on which to propose or to carry out a pre-season inspection.

13. The control unit acquires future weather data, The management system according to claim 1, wherein if there is a day in the weather data where the outside air temperature is lower than the threshold temperature for heating, the management system determines that day to be a day on which to propose or to carry out a pre-season inspection.

14. The management system according to claim 12, wherein even if the air conditioner was operating before the weather data met the conditions for starting a pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside temperature, the control unit proposes a pre-season inspection when the conditions for starting a pre-season inspection based on the threshold outside temperature are met.

15. A method for determining temperature performed by a management system having an air conditioner and a server device, A temperature determination method for determining a threshold outside temperature at which a pre-season inspection is proposed or performed, based on the outside temperature on the start or end date of past cooling operations, and the outside temperature on the end or start date of past heating operations.

16. A server device capable of communicating with an air conditioner, A control unit that determines a threshold outside temperature for proposing or performing a pre-season inspection, based on the outside temperature on the start or end date of past cooling operations, and the outside temperature on the end or start date of past heating operations. A server device having the following features.

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