Water purification device maintenance program and water purification device maintenance system

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a means that is applicable to a water purification device installed in a house and that facilitates the maintenance of the water purification device for which the load of maintenance work has been reduced. The foregoing is achieved by a program that is executed by a computer and that includes: an information acquisition step; a step for determining the urgency of maintenance; a step for determining water insufficiency; and a maintenance output step.

Description

Water purification equipment maintenance program and water purification equipment maintenance system

[0001] The present invention relates to a water purification device maintenance program and a water purification device maintenance system.

[0002] The self-sustaining water purification system will be installed in each home and will purify domestic wastewater discharged from drainage facilities such as washrooms, toilets, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens so that it can be reused.

[0003] Water purification devices are regularly maintained by replacing consumable and deteriorated parts, etc. On the other hand, unexpected maintenance is also performed based on emergency information such as error information from the water purification device that indicates malfunction of the device and contact information from users.

[0004] However, the number of maintenance workers is limited compared to the number of water purification devices. The greater the number of water purification devices that a maintenance worker is responsible for, the greater the burden on the maintenance worker. Therefore, in order for a limited number of maintenance workers to maintain a large number of water purification devices, efficient maintenance work is required, such as identifying water purification devices that require maintenance as a priority and efficiently visiting the water purification devices that require maintenance. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a maintenance support device for water treatment equipment that determines the priority of water treatment equipment for which maintenance work is to be performed based on the content of alarms from the water treatment equipment, creates a patrol route, determines the content of the maintenance work based on operating data from the water treatment equipment and the content of the alarms, and checks the inventory of items required for the maintenance work and arranges for their transportation.

[0005] Patent No. 6617786

[0006] The maintenance support device described in Patent Document 1 can create a route that allows efficient travel around multiple factories and support maintenance work.

[0007] However, the maintenance support device described in Patent Document 1 is intended for large-scale water treatment facilities in factories, etc., and is not intended for water purification systems, which require urgent maintenance. For example, if an abnormality occurs in a water purification system installed in a home, the resident who uses the water purification system will be unable to use water, causing significant inconvenience in their daily lives.

[0008] Furthermore, in the maintenance support device described in Patent Document 1, the content of the alarm is not associated with the content of the operating data, and the water treatment equipment for which maintenance work should be performed is determined solely based on the content of the alarm. This means that the maintenance worker must carefully examine the content of the alarm to determine the water treatment equipment for which maintenance work should be performed, which places a heavy burden on the maintenance worker.

[0009] Therefore, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a means that is applicable to a water purification device installed in a home and that makes it easier to maintain the water purification device while reducing the workload.

[0010] While diligently studying ways to solve the above problems, the inventors discovered that error information reporting malfunctions in water purifiers can be broadly divided into two categories: serious and non-serious, and that information related to the amount of remaining water is essential for water purifiers installed in homes. They then thought that by combining these, it might be possible to evaluate the urgency of maintenance of the water purifier.

[0011] Based on this idea, the inventors have repeatedly tried and tested various methods to solve the problems of the present invention, and have succeeded in creating a water purification device maintenance program and a water purification device maintenance system using this program, which include an information acquisition step, a maintenance urgency determination step, a water shortage determination step, and a maintenance output step. The present invention was completed based on the idea and successful examples first conceived by the inventors.

[0012] That is, according to each aspect of the present invention, the following modes are provided: [1] A water purification device maintenance program to be executed by a computer, comprising an information acquisition step, a maintenance urgency determination step, a water shortage determination step, and a maintenance output step, wherein the information acquisition step acquires error information and remaining water volume information from the water purification device, the maintenance urgency determination step determines the maintenance urgency of the water purification device by comparing the acquired error information with reference error information, the water shortage determination step determines the water shortage of the water purification device by comparing the acquired remaining water volume information with reference remaining water volume information, and the maintenance output step outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is high when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low and the water shortage of the water purification device is high, and outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is medium when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low and the water shortage of the water purification device is low, [2] The program described in item [1], wherein the error information is at least one type of error information selected from the group consisting of error information based on operational malfunction of the water purification device, error information based on deterioration of components of the water purification device, and error information based on deterioration of water quality in the water purification device. [3] The program described in item [1] or [2], wherein the information acquisition step acquires error information and remaining water volume information from two or more water purification devices. [4] The program described in item [3], wherein the maintenance output step further prioritizes output for water purification devices with higher maintenance urgency. [5] The program described in item [3], wherein the maintenance output step further outputs a grace period until maintenance begins and / or an estimated time until maintenance is completed based on the urgency of maintenance for the water purification device. [6] The program described in item [3], wherein the maintenance output step further outputs a maintenance method based on the urgency of maintenance for the water purification device.[7] A water purification device maintenance server connected to a network, comprising a communication unit, a control unit, and a storage unit, wherein the communication unit communicates with the water purification device, and the control unit executes the program described in item [1] stored in the storage unit. [8] A water purification device maintenance system, comprising the server described in item [7] and a water purification device, wherein the water purification device is maintained based on the output of the server. [9] A maintenance method for a water purification device, comprising an information acquisition step, a maintenance urgency determination step, a water shortage determination step, and a maintenance output step, wherein the information acquisition step acquires error information and remaining water volume information from the water purification device, the maintenance urgency determination step determines the maintenance urgency of the water purification device by comparing the acquired error information with reference error information, the water shortage determination step determines the water shortage of the water purification device by comparing the acquired remaining water volume information with reference remaining water volume information, and the maintenance output step outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is high when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low, outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is medium when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low and the water shortage of the water purification device is low, and outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low.

[0013] According to the present invention, by evaluating and outputting the urgency of maintenance of a water purification device based on error information reporting a functional abnormality in the water purification device and information on the remaining water volume of the water purification device, the burden of maintenance work can be reduced and maintenance can be made easier even for water purification devices installed in homes.

[0014] According to the present invention, users of water purification devices are freed from the worries of water shortages, and maintenance workers for water purification devices can accurately and efficiently determine which of multiple water purification devices should be prioritized for maintenance.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a water purification device maintenance system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the water purification device maintenance system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a remaining water volume DB. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of an operation DB. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of an error DB. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a water purification device DB. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a maintenance work DB. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the functions of a water purification device maintenance server. FIG. 9 is a flowchart explaining a water purification device maintenance program. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a terminal app screen of a maintenance worker that outputs the urgency of water purification device maintenance. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a terminal app screen of a user that outputs the urgency of water purification device maintenance. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a terminal app screen of a maintenance worker that inputs maintenance work for a water purification device.

[0016] Each aspect of the present invention will be described in detail below, but the present invention can take various forms as long as it achieves its object.

[0017] Unless otherwise specified, each term in this specification is used in the sense commonly used by those skilled in the art of water treatment and the like, and should not be construed as having an unduly limiting meaning. Furthermore, the speculations and theories made in this specification are based on the inventors' knowledge and experience to date, and therefore the present invention is not limited solely to such speculations and theories.

[0018] "Comprise," "contain," and "include" mean that elements other than those explicitly stated to be included can be added (same meaning as "comprise at least"), but also encompass "consist of" and "essentially consist of." That is, "comprise" can mean including the explicitly stated elements and any one or more elements, consisting of the explicitly stated elements, or essentially consisting of the explicitly stated elements. "Have" is synonymous with "comprise." Elements include parts, means, ingredients, steps, conditions, parameters, and other limitations. "And / or" means any one of the associated listed items, or any or all combinations of two or more.

[0019] "Maintenance" of a water purification device is a comprehensive concept related to keeping the water purification device in normal operation, including the upkeep, maintenance and management of the water purification device as well as repair of the water purification device.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water purification device maintenance program for causing a computer to evaluate the urgency of maintenance of a water purification device and output the evaluation result. The water purification device maintenance program includes, as basic steps, an information acquisition step, a maintenance urgency determination step, a water shortage determination step, and a maintenance output step.

[0021] Another aspect of the present invention is a water purification device maintenance server for executing a water purification device maintenance program. The water purification device maintenance server allows a water purification device maintenance worker to identify a water purification device with a high maintenance priority from among multiple water purification devices and perform maintenance on the water purification device without restricting the user's daily life. The water purification device maintenance server also allows a user of a water purification device to check for malfunctions in the water purification device and the amount of water available, thereby understanding the time until water runs out or any restrictions on daily life. Another aspect of the present invention is a water purification device maintenance system comprising a water purification device maintenance server and a water purification device.

[0022] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following description will discuss various aspects of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which elements that are less relevant to the present invention are omitted.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1 , a water purification device maintenance server 1 acquires remaining water volume information in real time or periodically from a water purification device P installed in a residence F via a network such as the Internet. Furthermore, when a functional abnormality occurs in the water purification device P, the water purification device maintenance server 1 acquires error information via the network. The water purification device maintenance server 1 evaluates and outputs the urgency of maintenance based on the remaining water volume information and error information. Using the water purification device maintenance server 1, a supervisor S and / or maintenance worker M can identify a water purification device P that should be prioritized for maintenance among multiple water purification devices P, or determine the order in which maintenance should be performed, depending on the urgency of maintenance. The water purification device maintenance server 1 can acquire remaining water volume information and error information from each of two or more water purification devices P.

[0024] The water purification device maintenance server 1 compares the acquired error information and remaining water volume information with the respective reference information stored in the memory unit of the water purification device maintenance server 1. The comparison of these pieces of information with the reference information may be performed one after the other, or both simultaneously. The water purification device maintenance server 1 compares the error information with the reference error information to determine the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device P; and compares the acquired remaining water volume information with the reference remaining water volume information to determine whether the water purification device P is experiencing a water shortage.

[0025] The water purification device maintenance server 1 evaluates and outputs the urgency of maintenance for the water purification device P based on the determined urgency of maintenance and water shortage of the water purification device P. If the water purification device maintenance server 1 is equipped with output means, the urgency of maintenance for the water purification device P is output by the water purification device maintenance server 1, and a monitor S who can view this confirms the urgency of maintenance for each water purification device P. If the water purification device maintenance server 1 is not equipped with output means, the monitor S can confirm the urgency of maintenance for each water purification device P via the network. Alternatively, if the water purification device maintenance server 1 is operating normally, there is no need to have a monitor S.

[0026] The water purification device maintenance server 1 outputs the urgency of maintenance via the network to a terminal TM, such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or PC, owned by a maintenance worker M in charge of the water purification device P. Furthermore, the water purification device maintenance server 1 outputs the urgency of maintenance via the network to a terminal TU owned by the water purification device P or a user U of the water purification device P.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2 , the water purification device 2 includes a control unit 20, a monitoring unit 21, a communication unit 22, and a water treatment main unit 23. The water treatment main unit 23 includes a water storage tank and components responsible for water treatment as basic components, and is structured to treat wastewater received from outside the system, store the resulting treated water, and discharge the stored treated water outside the system. Components responsible for water treatment in the water treatment main unit 23 include, for example, water treatment tanks such as chemical treatment tanks and biological treatment tanks, membrane modules such as activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis membranes, membrane filters, and degassing membranes, electrodeionization devices, pumps, and valves. It is preferable to assign a unique ID (identification information) to each component of the water treatment main unit 23.

[0028] The control unit 20 sends operating information such as the amount of treated water (remaining water amount), water quality, and water treatment status detected using various sensors (not shown) installed in the water purification device 2 to the water purification device maintenance server 1 via the network via the communication unit 22.

[0029] The monitoring unit 21 monitors the status information and operation information of each component of the water treatment main body 23, and if this information is not within a normal range, it sends error information to the water purification apparatus maintenance server 1 via the network via the communication unit 22. Note that the control unit 20 may also have the function of the monitoring unit 21.

[0030] The water purification device maintenance server 1 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) as a control unit 10 that controls the overall operation of the water purification device maintenance server 1. The control unit 10 is based on an OS (Operating System) program and executes application programs, including a water purification device maintenance program, on top of that. A memory unit 11 and a communication unit 12 are connected to the control unit 10 via a bus. Other components, such as a display unit and an input unit, may also be connected to the control unit 10. The display unit is, for example, a liquid crystal display, and displays various screens. The input unit is, for example, a device that accepts various operations from a person supervising the water purification device maintenance server 1, and may include a keyboard, mouse, etc.

[0031] The storage unit 11 stores programs such as a water purification device maintenance program and an OS, and data (database) such as reference remaining water volume information and reference error information. The storage unit 11 may be, for example, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive, or a combination thereof.

[0032] Various programs are stored in the memory unit 11, and the control unit 10 executes various processes in accordance with these programs to realize the various functions of the water purification device maintenance server 1. The memory unit 11 includes a water purification device maintenance program, a remaining water volume database (DB), an operation DB, an error DB, a water purification device DB, a maintenance work DB, etc. The memory unit 11 also stores the results of communication with the water purification device 2 performed by the communication unit 12 and the results of the programs executed by the control unit 10.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the remaining water volume DB stores the amount of water (remaining water volume) in the water treatment main body 23 of the water purification device 2 together with the date and time as remaining water volume information. The remaining water volume DB also stores reference remaining water volume information, such as the average amount of water used and the time available for water use, calculated using AI (Artificial Intelligence) or the like from the history of acquired remaining water volume information. The reference remaining water volume information may be a preset value. The reference remaining water volume information can be individually set depending on the user of the water purification device, the model, the capacity of the water storage tank, etc.

[0034] 4, the operation DB stores operation information acquired by a sensor attached to the water treatment main body 23. The residual water volume DB and the operation DB may exist separately or may exist together. For example, the operation information may be stored in the residual water volume DB.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5 , the error DB stores error information acquired from the water purification device. The error information includes the error content (error code), the time the error occurred, the time the error information was acquired, and the like. The error DB may also record the cause of the error that is discovered through recovery work, etc. Specific error information includes error information based on malfunctions in the water purification device 2, error information based on deterioration of parts of the water purification device 2, and error information based on deterioration of water quality in the water storage tank of the water purification device 2. The error DB stores reference error information related to the need for maintenance corresponding to the content of the error. The reference error information includes error information that indicates that the water purification device 2 is unable to supply water or that there is a risk that the water purification device 2 may be unable to supply water.

[0036] In addition to the inability to supply water from the water purification device 2, malfunctions of the water purification device 2 may also include deterioration in the quality of treated water in the final water storage tank in the water treatment main body of the water purification device 2, deterioration in the state of microorganisms in the biological treatment tank, and communication errors between the water purification device 2 and the water purification device maintenance server 1. Furthermore, the error information also includes reports from users (for example, information entered in the chat within the app, such as the final treated water smelling bad).

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, the water purification device DB stores information such as the ID, location, user name, number of errors, and scheduled maintenance date of the water purification device.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 7, the maintenance work DB stores information related to maintenance work, such as the ID and company name of the maintenance worker, the area in charge, and the ID of the water purification device being worked on.

[0039] The communication unit 12 of the water purification device maintenance server 1 communicates with the communication unit 22 of the water purification device 2, the terminal TM of the maintenance worker M, and / or the terminal TU of the user U via the network.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 8, the control unit 10 executes the water purification device maintenance program stored in the memory unit 11 to realize an information acquisition unit 101, a maintenance urgency determination unit 102, a water shortage determination unit 103, a maintenance output unit 104, and the like. The processing of each unit will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in Fig. 9. The flowchart shown in Fig. 9 explains the processing routine of the water purification device maintenance program according to one embodiment of the present invention and each step of the water purification device maintenance method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] The information acquisition unit 101 acquires error information and remaining water volume information from the water purification device 2 (S101). The acquired error information and remaining water volume information are stored in the error DB and remaining water volume DB, respectively. The error information and remaining water volume information are acquired from the water purification device 2 via the network. The error information and remaining water volume information may be transmitted from the water purification device 2 to the water purification device maintenance server 1 automatically from the water purification device 2, or may be transmitted by the user U operating the terminal TU.

[0042] The maintenance urgency determination unit 102 compares the acquired error information with reference error information stored in the error DB (S201). Based on the comparison result, the maintenance urgency, i.e., whether the acquired error information is serious or minor, is determined (S202). The determination of the maintenance urgency may be made qualitatively using text information or quantitatively using a certain numerical range. Note that if there is no water or only a small amount of water in the water storage tank, the error information is also determined to be one requiring high maintenance urgency.

[0043] The water shortage determination unit 103 compares the acquired remaining water volume information with reference remaining water volume information stored in the remaining water volume DB (S301). Based on the comparison result, a water shortage is determined, such as whether the acquired remaining water volume information indicates that the water purification device is short of water, will be short in the near future, or has a surplus of water in the water purification device (S302). The water shortage determination may be either qualitative, using text information, or quantitative, using a certain numerical range.

[0044] The maintenance urgency determination step by the maintenance urgency determination unit 102 and the water shortage determination step by the water shortage determination unit 103 may be performed one after the other, or may be performed in parallel.

[0045] The maintenance output unit 104 evaluates and outputs the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device 2 based on the content of the maintenance urgency determined by the maintenance urgency determination unit 102 and the content of the water shortage determined by the water shortage determination unit 103.

[0046] Based on the level of urgency of maintenance of the water purification device 2 (S401), if it is determined that the urgency of maintenance is high, the maintenance output unit 104 outputs that the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device 2 is high (S402).

[0047] If the maintenance output unit 104 determines that the urgency of maintenance is low based on the level of water shortage in the water purification device 2 (S403), it outputs that the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device 2 is medium if the water shortage is determined to be high (S404), or that the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device 2 is low if the water shortage is determined to be low (S405).

[0048] The urgency of maintenance of the water purification device 2 is output to the water purification device maintenance server 1, the terminal TM of the maintenance worker M, and / or the terminal TU of the user U. Examples of output methods include outputting an alarm sound, outputting text and / or images on the display unit, or a combination of these, depending on the urgency of maintenance.

[0049] It is preferable that the maintenance output unit 104 gives priority to outputting information for water purification devices with a higher level of urgency for maintenance. Furthermore, the maintenance output unit 104 may output the grace period until maintenance work is started, the estimated time until the maintenance work is completed, the maintenance method, etc., based on the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device.

[0050] The water purification device maintenance server 1 allows multiple water purification devices P to be prioritized and maintained in order, thereby reducing the burden on the maintenance worker M and enabling efficient maintenance of the water purification devices P while avoiding inconvenience to the user U's daily life. In particular, the advantage of being able to quickly perform maintenance work on water purification devices P that require maintenance with a high degree of urgency is significant. In other words, the water purification device maintenance server 1 can create or suggest efficient patrol routes.

[0051] The water purification apparatus maintenance server 1 may appropriately correct the evaluation of the urgency of maintenance based on the error information and environmental information about the environment in which the error occurred, such as disaster information, regional drought information, or other information that indicates that the water must be used regardless of the quality of the water. Such corrections may be made manually or mechanically using AI or the like.

[0052] The water purification device maintenance server 1 enables the maintenance worker M to start work early when error information is issued or when there are signs that error information will be issued. At this time, if the remaining water volume in the water purification device P is insufficient, an alert is sent, and if it is sufficient, the maintenance priority may be calculated based on the remaining water volume, water quality, and the seriousness of the error occurring from the source of the error, and the maintenance worker may be notified.

[0053] The water purification device maintenance server 1 may further calculate the urgency by taking into account the water usage pattern in the daily life of the user U. Furthermore, the priority of the corresponding maintenance workers M may be determined based on the distance between the current locations of the multiple maintenance workers M in charge of the area of ​​the residence F where the water purification device P is installed and the installation location of the water purification device P, and the maintenance worker M to be responsible may be selected. At this time, the user U may be reassured by being informed of the activity status of the maintenance workers M, and may also be informed of the water available time and standby time related to the remaining water volume.

[0054] The water purification device maintenance server 1 can output the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device P to the terminals of the maintenance worker M, user U and / or supervisor S using dedicated application software (hereinafter also referred to as an app).

[0055] 10 shows an example in which the urgency of maintenance of a water purification device P is output to an app on the terminal TM of a maintenance worker M. In FIG. 10, "Device stopped" is output for a user who uses a water purification device for which the urgency of maintenance is high, and "Action required" is output for a user who uses a water purification device for which the urgency of maintenance is medium.

[0056] Fig. 11 shows an example in which the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device P is output to an app on the terminal TU of the user U. In Fig. 11, an indication that an emergency response is required is output for abnormal locations with a high level of urgency for maintenance, an indication that an action is required for abnormal locations with a medium level of urgency for maintenance, and an indication that a warning is output for abnormal locations with a low level of urgency for maintenance.

[0057] The maintenance worker M can create a work report using the app and send it to the water purification apparatus maintenance server 1. Fig. 12 shows an example of a work report created on the app on the terminal TM of the maintenance worker M.

[0058] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be created by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

[0059] The water purification device maintenance program and water purification device maintenance system of one embodiment of the present invention can be used by water purification device maintenance workers to efficiently maintain the water purification device, and can also be used by water purification device users to continue using the water from the water purification device on a daily basis.

[0060] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Water purification device maintenance server 2 Water purification device 10 Water purification device maintenance system control unit 11 Water purification device maintenance system storage unit 12 Water purification device maintenance system communication unit 20 Water purification device control unit 21 Water purification device monitoring unit 22 Water purification device communication unit 23 Water purification device water treatment main body unit CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0061] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-135645, filed August 15, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, the entire disclosures of all documents referenced in the detailed description of the invention of this application, including Patent Document 1, are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A water purification device maintenance program to be executed by a computer, comprising an information acquisition step, a maintenance urgency determination step, a water shortage determination step, and a maintenance output step, wherein the information acquisition step acquires error information and remaining water volume information from the water purification device, the maintenance urgency determination step determines the maintenance urgency of the water purification device by comparing the acquired error information with reference error information, the water shortage determination step determines the water shortage of the water purification device by comparing the acquired remaining water volume information with reference remaining water volume information, and the maintenance output step outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is high when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low, outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is medium when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low and the water shortage of the water purification device is low, and outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low.

2. The program described in claim 1, wherein the error information is at least one type of error information selected from the group consisting of error information based on malfunction of the water purification device, error information based on deterioration of parts of the water purification device, and error information based on deterioration of water quality in the water purification device.

3. The program according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information acquisition step acquires error information and remaining water volume information from two or more water purification devices.

4. The program according to claim 3, wherein the maintenance output step gives priority to outputting a maintenance notification for a water purification device that requires maintenance with a higher urgency.

5. The program according to claim 3, wherein the maintenance output step further outputs a grace period until maintenance begins and / or an estimated time until maintenance is completed based on the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device.

6. The program according to claim 3, wherein the maintenance output step further outputs a maintenance method based on the urgency of maintenance of the water purification device.

7. A water purification device maintenance server connected to a network, comprising a communication unit, a control unit, and a memory unit, wherein the communication unit communicates with the water purification device, and the control unit executes the program described in claim 1 stored in the memory unit.

8. A water purification device maintenance system comprising the server according to claim 7 and a water purification device, wherein the water purification device is maintained based on an output of the server.

9. A maintenance method for a water purification device, comprising an information acquisition step, a maintenance urgency determination step, a water shortage determination step, and a maintenance output step, wherein the information acquisition step acquires error information and remaining water volume information from the water purification device, the maintenance urgency determination step determines the maintenance urgency of the water purification device by comparing the acquired error information with reference error information, the water shortage determination step determines the water shortage of the water purification device by comparing the acquired remaining water volume information with reference remaining water volume information, and the maintenance output step outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is high when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low, outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is medium when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low and the water shortage of the water purification device is low, and outputs a message indicating that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low when it is determined that the maintenance urgency of the water purification device is low.

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