Remote management system and inspection device

Abstract

A remote management system (1) comprises: a system (10) to be managed; a notification device (11) that, when an abnormality occurs in the system (10) to be managed, performs notification using at least one means from among sound, light, and vibration; a server device (20) that is connected to a wide area network (60) and remotely manages the system (10) to be managed; a communication unit (302) that relays communication between the notification device (11) and the server device (20); and a measurement unit (303) that measures a measurement value of at least one of sound, light, and vibration in the space in which the notification device (11) is installed. When the communication unit (302) receives an inspection request for the notification device (11) from the server device (20) via the wide area network (60), the communication unit (302) transmits the inspection request to the notification device (11). When the notification device (11) receives the inspection request, the notification device (11) enters a notification state in which notification is performed.

Description

Remote management system, inspection device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote management system for inspecting a remotely located management target system.

[0002] Conventionally, in an air conditioner, air conditioning is performed by a refrigeration cycle in which a compressor, a condenser, a decompressor, and an evaporator are connected in sequence to circulate a refrigerant. Some refrigerants are flammable. In particular, when the refrigerant leaks in the indoor unit in the refrigeration cycle, the refrigerant stays indoors, so it is required to reliably notify the user of the refrigerant leak. Therefore, there is an air conditioning system in which a refrigerant leak detection sensor is installed inside or near the indoor unit of the air conditioner, and when the refrigerant leak detection sensor detects the refrigerant, an alarm that emits an alarm sound is installed (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-60517

[0004] By the way, an alarm that emits an alarm sound when a refrigerant leak is detected needs to be periodically inspected to operate normally after being installed. So far, there has been a problem that in order to inspect whether the alarm can normally generate an alarm sound, an inspection worker has to go to the installation location of the alarm. Not only for alarms, but also notification devices that notify users when an abnormality occurs in a system to be managed need to be periodically inspected, such as once a year, to maintain the safety of users. Therefore, it is desired to save the trouble of inspecting whether the notification device operates normally.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a remote management system that can remotely inspect whether a notification device that notifies an abnormality in a management target system operates normally without an inspection worker going to the installation location of the notification device.

[0006] The remote management system relating to this disclosure comprises a managed system, a notification device that provides notification using at least one of sound, light, or vibration when an abnormality occurs in the managed system, a server device connected to a wide area network for remotely managing the managed system, a communication unit connected to the server device via the wide area network for relaying communication between the notification device and the server device, and a measurement unit that measures at least one of sound, light, or vibration measurements in the space where the notification device is installed. The communication unit transmits an inspection request to the notification device when it receives an inspection request from the server device via the wide area network, and the notification device enters an alert state to provide notification when it receives an inspection request.

[0007] Furthermore, the inspection device relating to this disclosure is connected to a server device that remotely manages a managed system via a wide-area network, and inspects an alarm device that provides notification using at least one of sound, light, or vibration when an abnormality occurs in the managed system. The inspection device comprises a communication unit that relays communication between the alarm device and the server device and transmits an inspection request to the alarm device when it receives an inspection request for the alarm device from the server device; a measurement unit that measures at least one of sound, light, or vibration measurements in the space where the alarm device is installed; and a determination unit that determines the inspection result of the alarm device using the measurement value measured by the measurement unit. The communication unit notifies the server device of a signal indicating the inspection result.

[0008] According to this disclosure, a remote management system can be provided that allows inspection workers to remotely check whether an alarm device, which notifies of abnormalities in a managed system, is functioning correctly, without having to travel to the location where the alarm device is installed.

[0009] This is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a remote management system according to Embodiment 1. This is a block diagram showing the functions of the notification device, communication device, and server device according to Embodiment 1. This is a diagram showing an example of a notification pattern stored by the server device according to Embodiment 1. This is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the remote management system according to Embodiment 1 during inspection. This is a flowchart showing the inspection process by the communication device according to Embodiment 1. This is a graph showing the measured value by the measurement unit according to Embodiment 1. This is a flowchart showing the determination process by the determination unit according to Embodiment 1. This is a flowchart showing the inspection process by the communication device according to Embodiment 2. This is a graph showing the measured value by the measurement unit and the value used for determination according to Embodiment 2. This is a graph showing another example of the measured value by the measurement unit and the value used for determination according to Embodiment 2. This is a graph showing the measured value by the measurement unit and the value used for determination according to a modified example of Embodiment 2. This is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the remote management system 1 according to Embodiment 3.

[0010] The embodiments for carrying out the subject matter of this disclosure will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are simplified or omitted as appropriate. However, the subject matter of this disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments, and any modification of any component of the embodiments, or any combination or omission of any component of the embodiments is possible without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0011] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the remote management system 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The remote management system 1 will be described with reference to Figure 1. The remote management system 1 can remotely perform inspection work to confirm that the notification device 11 of the managed system 10 that is the target of remote management is operating normally. In this embodiment, the managed system 10 will be described as an air conditioning system that provides air conditioning for the interior of a building 18. The air conditioning system is equipped with a notification device 11 that provides notification using at least one of sound, light, or vibration when a refrigerant leak detection unit 17 that detects refrigerant leaks in the interior unit 12 detects a refrigerant leak, and the remote management system 1 performs inspection work on the notification device 11.

[0012] The remote management system 1 comprises a managed system 10, a communication device 30, and terminal devices 40 and server devices 20 that are communicatively connected to the communication device 30 via a wide-area network 60. The wide-area network 60 is a wide-area network that enables communication between the communication device 30 connected to the managed system 10 and the terminal devices 40 and server devices 20 located remotely from the location where the managed system 10 is installed. The wide-area network 60 is, for example, the Internet, or a mobile communication line such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 3G (Generation), 4G, and 5G.

[0013] The air conditioning system, which is the managed system 10 in this embodiment, comprises an indoor unit 12, an outdoor unit 13, and an alarm device 11. The indoor unit 12 and the alarm device 11 are installed inside the building 18, which is the space in which the air conditioning system provides cooling or heating. The outdoor unit 13 is installed outdoors. The indoor unit 12 and the outdoor unit 13 are connected by refrigerant piping 16 through which the refrigerant flows, and together they form a refrigeration cycle to provide cooling or heating to the inside of the building 18. The indoor unit 12 and the outdoor unit 13 are also connected to each other via a communication path 15 so that they can communicate with each other. In this embodiment, the communication path 15 is assumed to be a wired communication path, but it is not limited to this and may be a wireless communication path.

[0014] The refrigerants used in refrigeration cycles are often flammable, such as R32. Therefore, if a refrigerant leak occurs in an air conditioning system, detecting the leak and notifying users is one of the safety measures.

[0015] The indoor unit 12 includes a refrigerant leak detection unit 17 for detecting refrigerant leaks. The refrigerant leak detection unit 17 is connected to the notification device 11 by a communication path 14. The refrigerant leak detection unit 17 detects the refrigerant concentration in the air, and when the detected refrigerant concentration exceeds a threshold, it transmits a refrigerant leak detection signal to the notification device 11 indicating that a refrigerant leak has occurred. In Figure 1, the refrigerant leak detection unit 17 is shown as being included in the indoor unit 12, but the refrigerant leak detection unit 17 may be installed in a different location in the building 18 than the indoor unit 12. For example, the refrigerant leak detection unit 17 may be configured integrally with the notification device 11, which will be described later. In this embodiment, the communication path 14 is assumed to be a wired communication path, but it is not limited to this and may be a wireless communication path.

[0016] When the notification device 11 receives a refrigerant leak detection signal from the refrigerant leak detection unit 17, it provides notification using at least one of the following means: sound, light, or vibration. In this embodiment, the notification device 11 is installed inside the building 18 to notify users of the air conditioning system located inside the building 18 of refrigerant leaks. The notification device 11 may be configured, for example, as an integral part of a remote control device for operating the air conditioning system. The notification device 11 also provides notification when it receives an inspection request transmitted from the communication device 30, which will be described later. Details of the functions of the notification device 11 will be described later.

[0017] The communication device 30 consists of at least one processor and at least one memory. The processor is also called a CPU (Central Processing Unit), processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or DSP. The memory consists of non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, or EEPROM. The communication device 30 is connected to the notification device 11 by a communication channel 51, either wired or wirelessly. The communication device 30 is also connected to the wide area network 60 by a communication channel 52, either wired or wirelessly. The communication device 30 functions as a gateway device that relays signals transmitted from the server device 20 and terminal device 40 to the managed system 10 via the wide area network 60. In this embodiment, the communication device 30 also functions as an inspection device that measures notifications from the notification device 11 and determines whether the notification device 11 is operating normally. The functions of the communication device 30 will be described in detail later.

[0018] The terminal device 40 is a PC terminal, tablet terminal, or smartphone owned by an inspector of the managed system 10. The terminal device 40 has a program installed for performing inspections of the managed system 10. The terminal device 40 may also be located in a management center that remotely manages the managed system 10 using the server device 20. Alternatively, the terminal device 40 may be configured as an integral part of the server device 20.

[0019] The server device 20 is a computer consisting of at least one processor and at least one memory. The server device 20 transmits control signals indicating the control content of the air conditioning system to the air conditioning system via the wide-area network 60. The control signals are generated by a program executed on the server device 20. Alternatively, the control signals are generated by the server device 20 based on signals transmitted to the server device 20 from the terminal device 40, which will be described later. By communicating with the server device 20, the air conditioning system can record the usage status of the air conditioning system, reflect this in the automatic control of the air conditioning system, or detect abnormalities in the air conditioning system from the server device 20. The functions of the server device 20 will be described in detail later.

[0020] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functions of the notification device 11, communication device 30, and server device 20 according to this embodiment. The functions of the notification device 11, communication device 30, and server device 20 will be explained using Figure 2.

[0021] The server device 20 comprises a control unit 200, a storage unit 201, and a communication unit 202. The control unit 200 provides overall control of each part of the server device 20. The communication unit 202 communicates with the communication device 30 and the terminal device 40 via the wide-area network 60. The storage unit 201 is a memory that stores notification patterns specific to each model of notification device 11. A notification pattern is a pattern that includes the notification period and frequency as parameters.

[0022] Figure 3 shows an example of a notification pattern stored by the server device 20 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the server device stores specific notification means and notification patterns for each of the notification device 11 models A, B, C, and D. As mentioned above, the notification pattern includes frequency and period as parameters, and values ​​specific to each model are stored.

[0023] The notification device 11 consists of at least one processor and at least one memory. The notification device 11 includes a control unit 110, a storage unit 111, a communication unit 112, and a notification unit 113 as components that realize its functions. Each component of the notification device 11 is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. Alternatively, the notification device 11 may not have a processor, and each component of the notification device 11 may be realized by dedicated hardware.

[0024] The control unit 110 performs overall control of each part of the notification device 11. The storage unit 111 is a memory that stores notification patterns specific to the model of the notification device 11. The communication unit 112 transmits and receives signals to and from the refrigerant leak detection unit 17 via the communication channel 14 and to the communication device 30 via the communication channel 51. When the notification unit 113 receives a signal requesting notification via the communication unit 112, the notification device 11 enters a notification state and provides notification using at least one means from sound, light, and vibration according to the notification pattern stored in the storage unit 111. The storage unit 111 may store multiple notification patterns. In this case, the multiple notification patterns are assigned an order, and if the notification device 11 has provided notification with a certain notification pattern and the communication device 30 requests a change in the notification pattern, the notification device 11 will provide notification with the next notification pattern. The notification unit 113 provides notification using, for example, sound from a buzzer or speaker, light from an LED or LCD, or vibration from a motor. The remote management system 1 is a system that remotely checks whether the notification unit 113 of the notification device 11 is properly providing notification when it is in a notification state. The notification state is a state in which the notification device 11 recognizes that it is providing notification.

[0025] The communication device 30 comprises a control unit 300, a storage unit 301, a communication unit 302, a measurement unit 303, and a determination unit 304. The control unit 300 performs overall control of each part of the communication device 30. The storage unit 301 is a memory that stores the inspection notification pattern, which will be described later. The communication unit 302 transmits and receives signals to and from the notification device 11 via the communication channel 51, and to the server device 20 and terminal device 40 connected to the wide area network 60 via the communication channel 52. The measurement unit 303 measures the measurement value of at least one notification means from sound, light, and vibration in the space where the notification device 11 is installed. The measurement value is a physical quantity corresponding to the notification means of the notification device 11. For example, if the notification by the notification device 11 is by sound, the measurement unit 303 is a microphone, and the measurement value is sound pressure. Also, if the notification by the notification device 11 is by light, the measurement unit 303 is an image sensor or an illuminance sensor, and the measurement value is illuminance. Hereafter, the magnitude of the physical quantity in the measured value will be referred to as the level. Furthermore, if the notification by the notification device 11 is due to vibration, the measurement unit is a vibration sensor, and the measured value is the amplitude. Note that the measured value measured by the measurement unit 303 is not limited to the above; any unit that can measure the notification by the notification device 11 as a physical quantity is acceptable. The determination unit 304 uses the measured value from the measurement unit 303 to determine whether the notification device 11 is functioning correctly. Details of the determination method used by the determination unit 304 will be described later.

[0026] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of operation during inspection of the remote management system 1 according to this embodiment. Referring to Figure 4, the flow of inspection of the notification device 11 by the remote management system 1 will be explained.

[0027] First, in step S101, the terminal device 40 sends an inspection request to the server device 20. The terminal device 40 specifies the notification device 11 to be inspected based on the operation of the inspection worker and sends the inspection request to the server device 20. Alternatively, the terminal device 40 may be configured to automatically specify the notification device 11 to be inspected periodically and send an inspection request to the server device 20. Next, proceed to step S102.

[0028] In step S102, the server device 20, upon receiving the inspection request, reads an alert pattern corresponding to the model of the alert device 11 to be inspected from the storage unit 201 and transmits it to the communication device 30 along with the inspection request as an inspection alert pattern. The communication device 30, having received the inspection alert pattern and the inspection request, stores the inspection alert pattern in the storage unit 301. The inspection alert pattern is an alert pattern corresponding to the alert device 11 to be inspected, and contains information indicating the frequency and period of the alert means, such as sound, light, or vibration, to be used for alerts during the inspection of the alert device 11. At this time, the server device 20 may also transmit a plurality of sequentially ordered inspection alert patterns to the communication device 30. Next, the process proceeds to step S103.

[0029] In step S103, the communication device 30, having received the inspection request and inspection notification pattern, performs the inspection process of the notification device 11 and determines the inspection result. The inspection process by the communication device 30 will be described later. Next, proceed to step S104.

[0030] In step S104, the communication device 30 transmits the inspection result determined by the inspection process to the server device 20. Next, the process proceeds to step S105.

[0031] In step S105, the server device 20, having received the inspection results, transmits the inspection results to the terminal device 40. This completes the inspection of the notification device 11 by the remote management system 1.

[0032] During the inspection of the notification device 11 by the remote management system 1, if the inspection result received by the terminal device 40 indicates an abnormality, the inspector can prompt the administrator of the managed system 10 to repair or replace the notification device 11.

[0033] Furthermore, the inspection results received by the terminal device 40 can be stored as inspection records along with the date and time in the terminal device 40 or the server device 20. By inspecting the notification device 11 periodically, such as once a year, user safety is maintained. Inspection workers can check the inspection records and perform the next inspection. By storing the results of remote inspections as inspection records, it is possible to prove that remote inspections are performed at an appropriate frequency.

[0034] Next, the inspection process of the notification device 11 by the communication device 30 will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the inspection process by the communication device 30 according to this embodiment. The inspection process by the communication device 30 corresponds to step S103 in Figure 4.

[0035] First, in step S201, the measurement unit 303 measures a measurement value in a stopped state when the notification device 11 is not making a notification. The measurement value is a physical quantity corresponding to the notification means of the notification device 11. The communication device 30 can obtain the notification means of the notification device 11 from the inspection notification pattern stored in the storage unit 301. The measurement unit 303 measures for a period of time longer than the notification period of the notification device 11 shown in the inspection notification pattern. Alternatively, the measurement unit 303 may measure only the measurement value at the notification frequency of the notification device 11 shown in the inspection notification pattern using FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) or the like. For example, if the notification device 11 is model A as shown in Figure 3, the measurement unit 303 measures the sound pressure at 2.0 kHz for 0.5 seconds or more. The measurement value in the stopped state measured by the measurement unit 303 is stored in the storage unit 301. Next, proceed to step S202.

[0036] In step S202, the communication unit 302 transmits an inspection request to the notification device 11. Upon receiving the inspection request, the notification device 11 transitions to a notification state and makes a notification using the period and frequency for inspections that have been previously stored in the storage unit 111. At this time, the period and frequency for inspections are the same as the period and frequency included in the inspection notification pattern. Alternatively, in step S202, the communication unit 302 may transmit the inspection notification pattern to the notification device 11 along with the inspection request, and the notification device 11 may make a notification using the period and frequency obtained from the inspection notification pattern. Next, the process proceeds to step S203.

[0037] In step S203, the measurement unit 303 measures the measurement value in the notification state, which the notification device 11 recognizes as being notifying. At this time, similar to step S201, the measurement unit 303 measures for a longer period than the notification period of the notification device 11 shown in the inspection notification pattern. Alternatively, the measurement unit 303 may measure only the measurement value at the notification frequency of the notification device 11 shown in the inspection notification pattern using FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) or the like. For example, if the notification device 11 is model A as shown in Figure 3, the measurement unit 303 measures the sound pressure at 2.0 kHz for 0.5 seconds or more. The measurement value in the notification state measured by the measurement unit 303 is stored in the storage unit 301. Next, proceed to step S204.

[0038] In step S204, the communication unit 302 transmits a notification stop request to the notification device 11, requesting it to stop broadcasting. Upon receiving the notification stop request, the notification device 11 transitions to a stopped state and stops broadcasting. The process then proceeds to step S205.

[0039] In step S205, the determination unit 304 performs inspection result determination processing using the measurement value in the stopped state measured by the measurement unit 303 in step S201 and the measurement value in the notification state measured by the measurement unit 303 in step S203. Figure 6 is a graph showing the measurement values ​​by the measurement unit 303 according to this embodiment. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the determination processing by the determination unit 304 according to this embodiment. Figure 7 shows the processing in step S205 in Figure 5. The inspection result determination processing by the determination unit 304 will be explained using Figures 6 and 7.

[0040] In Figure 6, the vertical axis represents the level of the measured value, and the horizontal axis represents time. In Figure 6, the solid line represents the time change of the level of the measured value in the notification state, and the dotted line represents the time change of the level of the measured value in the stopped state. The level of the measured value is the magnitude of the physical quantity corresponding to the notification means by the notification device 11. For example, if the notification means is sound, the level of the measured value represents the magnitude of sound pressure; if the notification means is light, it represents the magnitude of illuminance; and if the notification means is vibration, it represents the magnitude of amplitude. In the example in Figure 6, the notification by the notification device 11 in the notification state is periodically repeated between activation and deactivation. Therefore, the level of the measured value in the notification state in Figure 6 changes periodically. Note that the time of measurement for the measured value in the notification state and the measured value in the stopped state are different, but they are shown superimposed in Figure 6. Also, when the notification device 11 is not providing notification, the measured value measured by the measurement unit 303 includes sound, light, or vibration from the surrounding environment. Therefore, the level of the measured value during deactivation in the notification state and the level of the measured value in the stopped state are not zero. Since the level of the measured value fluctuates depending on the environment surrounding the notification device 11, the influence of the environment surrounding the notification device 11 can be reduced by using the measured value in the notification state and the measured value in the stopped state in the determination process of the inspection result by the determination unit 304.

[0041] In step S301 of Figure 7, the determination unit 304 calculates the average value A1 of the measured values ​​in the notification state measured by the measurement unit 303 in step S203 (hereinafter referred to as the average value A1 of the notification state). Next, the process proceeds to step S302.

[0042] In step S302, the determination unit 304 calculates the average value A2 of the measured values ​​in the stopped state measured by the measurement unit 303 in step S201 (hereinafter referred to as the average value A2 in the stopped state). Here, the measured values ​​in the notification state and the measured values ​​in the stopped state are measured for a longer period than the cycle of the inspection notification pattern. Therefore, the measured values ​​in the notification state include the values ​​when the notification is being issued in the notification state. Next, the process proceeds to step S303.

[0043] In step S303, the determination unit 304 determines whether the average value A1 of the notification state is greater than or equal to a threshold value set based on the average value A2 of the stop state. The threshold value is set, for example, to twice the average value A2 of the stop state. By setting the threshold value based on the average value A2 of the stop state, the determination unit 304 can set a threshold value suitable for the surrounding environment where the notification device 11 and the measurement unit 303 are actually installed. Note that the threshold value may be a predetermined fixed value that does not depend on the measured value. Also, the threshold value may be transmitted from the server device 20 to the communication device 30. If it is greater than or equal to the threshold value (step S303: Yes), the process proceeds to step S304. If it is less than the threshold value (step S303: No), the process proceeds to step S305.

[0044] In step S304, the determination unit 304 can consider that the notification of the notification device 11 is included in the measured value in the notification state, determines the inspection result as "normal", and ends the determination process of the inspection result.

[0045] In step S305, the determination unit 304 can consider that the notification of the notification device 11 is not included in the measured value in the notification state, determines the inspection result as "abnormal", and ends the determination process of the inspection result.

[0046] Note that the determination unit 304 determines the inspection result using the average value of the levels of the measured values in the notification state and the stop state, but is not limited to this, and the maximum value of the levels of the measured values in the notification state and the stop state may also be used.

[0047] When the determination process of the inspection result by the determination unit 304 ends, the process returns to FIG. 5 and proceeds to step S206.

[0048] In step S206, the control unit 300 switches the flow according to the inspection result by the determination unit 304. If the inspection result by the determination unit 304 is "normal" (step S206: Yes), the process proceeds to step S207, and if the inspection result is "abnormal" (step S206: No), the process proceeds to step S208.

[0049] In step S207, the control unit 300 stores the inspection result as "normal" in the storage unit 301 and ends the inspection process by the communication device 30.

[0050] In step S208, the control unit 300 switches the flow based on the number of judgments made by the determination unit 304. If the number of judgments is equal to or greater than the maximum number of judgments (e.g., 3 times) (step S208: Yes), the process proceeds to step S209. If the number of judgments is less than the maximum number of judgments (e.g., 3 times) (step S208: No), the process proceeds to step S210.

[0051] In step S210, the communication unit 302 sends a request to the notification device 11 to change the notification pattern. The notification device 11 stores multiple notification patterns in the storage unit 111, and upon receiving a request to change the notification pattern, sets a different notification pattern from the previously used notification pattern as the notification pattern for the next notification. Alternatively, when the communication device 30 sends a request to change the notification pattern from the communication unit 302 to the notification device 11, it may also send the changed notification pattern, and the notification device 11 may set the received changed notification pattern as the notification pattern for the next notification. Note that the communication device 30 has received multiple inspection notification patterns in order from the server device 20 in step S102 of Figure 4. Next, returning to step S201, the communication device 30 repeats the inspection process from steps S201 to S205. At this time, the notification device 11, which received the inspection request in step S202, makes a notification using the changed notification pattern.

[0052] In step S209, the control unit 300 stores the inspection result as "abnormal" in the storage unit 301 and terminates the inspection process by the communication device 30. In step S209, the inspection process is performed up to the maximum number of judgments, and all inspection results are "abnormal". This concludes the explanation of the inspection process by the communication device 30.

[0053] Note that the step in step S210 in which the communication unit 302 sends a request to the notification device 11 to change the notification pattern may be omitted. That is, if the inspection result in S206 is "abnormal", the inspection process by the communication device 30 may be repeated with the same notification pattern. By not changing the notification pattern in this way, only one type of notification pattern needs to be stored in the storage unit 111 of the notification device 11, which reduces the capacity of the storage unit 111.

[0054] Furthermore, in step S206, if the inspection result is "abnormal," the inspection process is repeated up to the maximum number of judgments. However, if the inspection result is "normal," the inspection process may also be repeated up to the maximum number of judgments. In this case, if all of the inspection processes up to the maximum number of judgments result in "normal," the communication device 30 stores the inspection result as "normal" in the storage unit 301.

[0055] As described above in the explanation of the inspection process by the communication device 30, by making a determination using the measured values ​​in the notification state and the measured values ​​in the stopped state, the communication device 30 can determine whether the notification device 11 is making notifications normally in the notification state, regardless of the surrounding environment.

[0056] Furthermore, the determination unit 304 uses the measured value, which is a physical quantity corresponding to the notification means measured by the measurement unit 303, to make a determination as described in the explanation of the inspection process. The determination unit 304 can determine the inspection result using the inspection result determination process method, regardless of whether the notification means is sound, light, or vibration.

[0057] Furthermore, in the inspection process performed by the communication device 30, by repeatedly performing the inspection process up to the maximum number of judgments, it is possible to avoid incorrect inspection results due to the surrounding environment of the notification device 11. In addition, by changing the notification pattern when repeating the inspection process, inspections can be performed with multiple notification patterns, preventing misjudgments caused by the period or frequency of the notification pattern during inspection.

[0058] Furthermore, since the communication device 30 includes a communication unit 302, a measurement unit 303, and a determination unit 304, the inspection process of the notification device 11 can be performed using only the communication device 30. As a result, if only the communication device 30 is installed as the remote management system 1 in the building 18 where the managed system 10 is installed, remote inspection processing can be performed on the notification device 11, making it easier to construct a managed system 10 that can be inspected remotely.

[0059] In this embodiment, the measurement unit 303 and the determination unit 304 have been described as being integrated with the communication device 30, but they may also be provided separately in the building 18 from the communication device 30.

[0060] Furthermore, by having the inspection results determined by the communication device 30 installed in the building 18 where the managed system 10 is installed, the communication device 30 only needs to transmit the inspection results to the server device 20 via the wide-area network 60, which reduces the amount of communication compared to transmitting the measured values ​​measured by the measurement unit 303 to the server device 20.

[0061] As described above, the remote management system 1 according to this embodiment remotely manages a managed system 10, which comprises a managed system 10, a notification device 11 that provides notification using at least one of sound, light, and vibration when an abnormality occurs in the managed system 10, a server device 20 connected to a wide area network 60 and remotely managing the managed system 10, a communication unit 302 connected to the server device 20 via the wide area network 60 and relaying communication between the notification device 11 and the server device 20, and a measurement unit 303 that measures at least one of sound, light, and vibration measurements in the space where the notification device 11 is installed. The communication unit 302 receives an inspection request for the notification device 11 from the server device 20 via the wide area network 60 and transmits an inspection request to the notification device 11. When the notification device 11 receives an inspection request, it enters a notification state to provide notification. With this configuration, when inspecting the notification device 11, the inspection can be performed remotely, away from the installation location of the notification device 11. This allows the inspection worker to verify that the notification device 11 is functioning correctly without having to travel to the installation location of the notification device 11.

[0062] Furthermore, the remote management system 1 is further equipped with a determination unit 304 that determines the inspection result of the notification device 11 using the measurement values ​​measured by the measurement unit 303, and the communication unit 302 notifies the server device of a signal indicating the inspection result. In this way, the amount of communication can be reduced by sending only the inspection result to the server device 20 compared to sending the measured values ​​to the server device 20 via the wide area network 60.

[0063] Furthermore, the measurement unit 303 measures the measurement value when the notification device 11 is in a notification state and the measurement value when the notification device 11 is in a stopped state and is not making a notification. The determination unit 304 determines the inspection result to be normal if the measurement value when the notification state is greater than or equal to a threshold set based on the measurement value when the device is stopped, and determines the inspection result to be abnormal if it is less than the threshold. In this way, the determination unit 304 makes a determination using the measurement value in the notification state and the measurement value in the stopped state, so that the communication device 30 can determine whether the notification device 11 is making a notification normally in the notification state regardless of the surrounding environment.

[0064] Furthermore, the server device 20 includes a storage unit 201 that stores notification patterns for each model of notification device 11, each containing at least one of the notification frequency and period as parameters. The server device 20 transmits the notification pattern of the notification device 11 to be inspected as an inspection notification pattern to the determination unit 304 via the communication unit 302, and the determination unit 304 uses the inspection notification pattern to determine the inspection result of the notification device 11. As a result, the determination unit 304 can determine whether or not the notification of the notification device 11 is included in the measured value using the inspection notification pattern received from the server device 20, even without knowing the notification pattern of the notification device 11. Therefore, the determination unit 304 can be applied to notification devices 11 with different notification patterns, and the same determination unit 304 can be used regardless of the model of the notification device 11.

[0065] Furthermore, if the inspection result is not normal, the determination unit 304 requests the notification device 11 to change the parameters of the inspection notification pattern. When the notification device 11 receives a request to change the parameters, it makes a notification using the changed notification pattern, and the determination unit 304 uses the changed notification pattern to determine the inspection result of the notification device 11. In this way, when the inspection process is repeated, the determination unit 304 can prevent misjudgments caused by the period or frequency of the inspection notification pattern by changing the notification pattern.

[0066] Furthermore, as an example of a managed system 10 managed by the remote management system 1 according to this embodiment, it can be applied to an air conditioning system using a refrigerant. In this case, the notification device 11 will issue a notification when it detects a refrigerant leak. By inspecting the notification device 11, which notifies when a refrigerant leaks in an air conditioning system, periodically, such as once a year, the safety of users can be maintained. By using the remote management system 1 according to this embodiment to enable remote inspection of the notification device 11, it becomes easier to perform inspections periodically, the notification device 11 can be kept in a state of normal operation, and the safety of users can be ensured.

[0067] Furthermore, the communication device 30 according to this embodiment functions as an inspection device. The inspection device is connected to a server device 20 that remotely manages the managed system 10 via a wide-area network 60, and inspects an alarm device 11 that provides notification using at least one of sound, light, or vibration when an abnormality occurs in the managed system 10. The inspection device includes a communication unit 302 that relays communication between the alarm device 11 and the server device 20 and transmits an inspection request to the alarm device 11 when it receives an inspection request from the server device 20; a measurement unit 303 that measures at least one of sound, light, or vibration measurements in the space where the alarm device 11 is installed; and a determination unit 304 that determines the inspection result of the alarm device 11 using the measurement value measured by the measurement unit 303. The communication unit 302 notifies the server device 20 of a signal indicating the inspection result. With this configuration, in the remote management system 1, only the communication device 30, which is the inspection device, needs to be installed at the location where the managed system 10 is installed, making construction easy.

[0068] Embodiment 2. Next, Embodiment 2 will be described. In this embodiment, the system configuration of the remote management system 1 and the configurations of the notification device, communication device, and server device are the same as in Embodiment 1, so their description will be omitted. Also, the example of operation of the remote management system 1 during inspection according to this embodiment is the same as in Embodiment 1 and is shown in Figure 4, so its description will be omitted. In this embodiment, in the inspection process by the communication device 30, the inspection result is determined using only the measured values ​​taken when the notification device 11 is in a notification state.

[0069] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the inspection process by the communication device 30 according to this embodiment. The inspection process of the communication device 30 according to Embodiment 2 will be explained using Figure 8. Note that Figure 8 corresponds to step S103 in Figure 4. Also, in Figure 8, the same reference numerals are used for processes that are the same as in Figure 5, and the explanation is simplified. In this embodiment, the measured value when the notification device 11 is stopped is not used, so step S201 is not performed.

[0070] First, in step S202, the communication unit 302 transmits an inspection request to the notification device 11. Upon receiving the inspection request, the notification device 11 transitions to a notification state and makes a notification using the period and frequency for inspections that have been previously stored in the storage unit 111. At this time, the period and frequency for inspections are the same as the period and frequency included in the inspection notification pattern. Next, the process proceeds to step S203.

[0071] In step S203, the measurement unit 303 measures the measurement value in the notification state, which the notification device 11 recognizes as being notifying. At this time, the measurement unit 303 measures for a longer period than the notification cycle of the notification device 11 shown in the inspection notification pattern. Alternatively, the measurement unit 303 may measure only the measurement value at the notification frequency of the notification device 11 shown in the inspection notification pattern, using FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) or the like. For example, if the notification device 11 is model A as shown in Figure 3, the measurement unit 303 measures the sound pressure at 2.0 kHz for 0.5 seconds or more. The measurement value in the notification state measured by the measurement unit 303 is stored in the storage unit 301. Next, proceed to step S204.

[0072] In step S204, the communication unit 302 transmits a notification stop request to the notification device 11, requesting it to stop broadcasting. Upon receiving the notification stop request, the notification device 11 transitions to a stopped state and stops broadcasting. The process then proceeds to step S211.

[0073] In step S211, the determination unit 304 performs a determination process for the inspection result using the measurement value in the stopped state measured by the measurement unit 303 in step S203. Figure 9 is a graph showing the measurement value by the measurement unit 303 and the value used for determination according to this embodiment. The determination process for the inspection result by the determination unit 304 will be explained using Figure 9.

[0074] In Figure 9, SP0 is the peak level at which the measured value is highest, and the reference time TP0 is the time when the level reaches SP0. From the reference time TP0, TP1 is half a cycle ahead of the inspection notification pattern cycle, and the level at TP1 is defined as SP1. From the reference time TP0, TP2 is one cycle ahead of the inspection notification pattern cycle, and the level at TP2 is defined as SP2. Also, from TP1, TP3 is one cycle ahead of the inspection notification pattern cycle, and the level at TP3 is defined as SP3. The determination unit 304 extracts the peak value SP0 from the measured value and determines SP1, SP2, and SP3. The determination unit 304 uses the values ​​of SP0, SP1, SP2, and SP3 to determine the inspection result.

[0075] The determination unit 304 determines the inspection result as "normal" if the sum of SP0 and SP2 is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and determines the inspection result as "abnormal" if it is less than the first threshold. The first threshold is set to, for example, twice the sum of SP1 and SP3. The first threshold may also be a predetermined fixed value that does not depend on the measured value. The first threshold may also be transmitted from the server device 20 to the communication device 30. By using the sum of the peak values ​​SP0 and SP2 in the determination, it is possible to prevent misjudgment when SP0 is a peak value due to noise rather than a notification from the notification device 11.

[0076] Furthermore, the determination by the determination unit 304 may use any of SP0, SP1, SP2, and SP3, regardless of the above. For example, the determination unit 304 may determine the inspection result as "normal" if the difference between SP2 and SP1 is greater than or equal to the second threshold, and determine the inspection result as "abnormal" if it is less than the second threshold.

[0077] Note that the reference time may not be the peak time, but rather the first time point TC0 (hereinafter referred to as the change point) when the change in the measured level exceeds the third threshold. Figure 10 is a graph showing another example of the measured value by the measurement unit 303 and the value used for determination according to this embodiment. Using Figure 10, the determination process of the inspection result by the determination unit 304 when the reference time is set as the change point will be explained. The change in the measured level is determined, for example, by sampling the measured level at sampling times that are sufficiently shorter than the notification period (for example, one-tenth of the period), and using the difference between the level at a certain time and the level at the time before the sampling time. The third threshold is set in advance in the communication device 30 based on the notification level of the notification device 11. Alternatively, the third threshold is set to a value greater than the maximum value of noise expected in the environment in which the notification device 11 is installed. In this case, the reference time TC0 is assumed to be the time immediately after the notification device 11 switches from idle to notification in the notification state, since the change in the measured level exceeds the third threshold. From the reference time TC0, TC1 is set to a time half a cycle ahead of the inspection time notification pattern cycle, TC2 is set to a time one cycle ahead of the inspection time notification pattern cycle from the reference time TC0, and TC3 is set to a time one cycle ahead of the inspection time notification pattern cycle from TC1. The levels at each time point are set to SC0, SC1, SC2, and SC3. The determination unit 304 may use SC0, SC1, SC2, and SC3 to perform the same processing as that performed in SP0, SP1, SP2, and SP3.

[0078] Once the determination process of the inspection results by the determination unit 304 is completed, return to Figure 8 and proceed to step S206.

[0079] In step S206, the control unit 300 switches the flow based on the inspection result from the determination unit 304. If the inspection result from the determination unit 304 is "normal" (step S206: Yes), the process proceeds to step S207; if the inspection result is "abnormal" (step S206: No), the process proceeds to step S208.

[0080] In step S207, the control unit 300 stores the inspection result as "normal" in the storage unit 301 and terminates the inspection process by the communication device 30.

[0081] In step S208, the control unit 300 switches the flow based on the number of judgments made by the determination unit 304. If the number of judgments is equal to or greater than the maximum number of judgments (e.g., 3 times) (step S208: Yes), the process proceeds to step S209. If the number of judgments is less than the maximum number of judgments (e.g., 3 times) (step S208: No), the process proceeds to step S210.

[0082] In step S210, the communication unit 302 sends a request to the notification device 11 to change the notification pattern. Next, returning to step S201, the communication device 30 repeats the inspection process from steps S201 to S205. At this time, the notification device 11, having received the inspection request in step S202, issues a notification using the changed notification pattern.

[0083] In step S209, the control unit 300 stores the inspection result as "abnormal" in the storage unit 301 and terminates the inspection process by the communication device 30. In step S209, the inspection process is performed up to the maximum number of judgments, and all inspection results are "abnormal". This concludes the explanation of the inspection process by the communication device 30.

[0084] As described above, in this embodiment, the determination unit 304 of the communication device 30 determines the inspection result using only the measured value in the notification state. Therefore, the measurement unit 303 does not need to measure the measured value in the stopped state, and the communication device 30 can determine the inspection result in a shorter time than if it were to determine the inspection result using both the measured value in the notification state and the measured value in the stopped state. In addition, since the measurement unit 303 of the communication device 30 only needs to measure the measured value in the notification state, the capacity of the storage unit 301 that temporarily stores the measured values ​​can be reduced.

[0085] As described above, in the remote management system 1 according to this embodiment, the notification device 11 repeatedly signals and pauses at a predetermined interval when in the notification state, the measurement unit 303 measures the measurement value for a longer period than the interval when the notification device 11 is in the notification state, and the determination unit 304 determines the inspection result using the measurement value at a reference time obtained from the measurement value and the measurement value at a time one cycle after the reference time. As a result, the determination unit 304 can make a determination in a short time.

[0086] <Modification> Modification 1 of this embodiment will be described, in which the communication device 30 determines the inspection result using only the measured values ​​in the notification state. In Modification 1, the inspection result determination process by the determination unit 304 differs from the description above. Figure 11 is a graph showing the measured values ​​by the measurement unit and the values ​​used for determination in the modification of this embodiment. The inspection result determination process by the determination unit 304 will be described using Figure 11.

[0087] In Figure 11, the solid line shows the time change in the level of the measured value in the notification state measured by the measurement unit 303. The dotted line shows the value obtained by shifting the measured value in the notification state in the time axis half a cycle ahead of the period of the inspection notification pattern. The dashed line shows the value obtained by shifting the measured value in the notification state in the time axis one cycle ahead of the period of the inspection notification pattern. The determination unit 304 calculates a total value S1 by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value in the time axis half a cycle ahead. At this time, the determination unit 304 calculates the total value S1 by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value in the time axis half a cycle ahead at sampling times that are sufficiently shorter than the period of the inspection notification pattern in the time axis (for example, one-tenth of the period). The determination unit 304 also calculates a total value S2 by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value in the time axis one cycle ahead. At this time, the determination unit 304 calculates a total value S2 by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value one cycle ahead in the time axis, for example, at sampling times that are sufficiently shorter than the period of the inspection notification pattern with respect to the time axis (for example, one-tenth of the period). The determination unit 304 determines the inspection result to be "normal" if the peak value of the total value S2 is equal to or greater than the fourth threshold, and determines the inspection result to be "abnormal" if it is less than the fourth threshold. The fourth threshold is set to, for example, twice the total value S1. The fourth threshold may also be a predetermined fixed value that does not depend on the measured value. The fourth threshold may also be transmitted from the server device 20 to the communication device 30.

[0088] In this way, the level is leveled by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value half a cycle ahead on the time axis, and the level is amplified by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value one cycle ahead on the time axis. In the determination, by using the total value S2 obtained by adding the measured value in the notification state and the value obtained by shifting the measured value one cycle ahead on the time axis, it is possible to prevent misjudgment when the peak value of the total value S2 is caused by noise rather than notification by the notification device 11, and the accuracy of the determination processing by the determination unit 304 can be improved.

[0089] As described above, in the remote management system 1 according to a modified version of this embodiment, the notification device 11 repeatedly signals and pauses at a predetermined interval when in the notification state, the measurement unit 303 measures a measurement value for a longer period than the period when the notification device 11 is in the notification state, and the determination unit 304 determines the inspection result using a measurement value shifted half a cycle ahead of the period and a measurement value shifted one cycle ahead of the period with respect to the time axis. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the determination process by the determination unit 304.

[0090] Embodiment 3. Next, Embodiment 3 will be described. Figure 12 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the remote management system 1 according to Embodiment 3. In Embodiment 1, the air conditioning system, which is the managed system 10, is equipped with a refrigerant leak detection unit 17, and the notification device 11 makes a notification when a refrigerant leak is detected. In this embodiment, the notification device 11 of the air conditioning system is equipped with a vibration detection unit 19 that detects vibrations of the outdoor unit 13, and makes a notification when vibrations of the outdoor unit 13 are detected.

[0091] As shown in Figure 12, the outdoor unit 13 is connected to the indoor unit 12 by a communication channel 15. The indoor unit 12 is also connected to the notification device 11 by a communication channel 14. When the vibration detection unit 19 of the outdoor unit 13 detects vibration, it transmits a signal indicating vibration detection to the indoor unit 12 via the communication channel 15. The indoor unit 12 then transmits a signal indicating vibration detection or a signal requesting notification to the notification device 11 via the communication channel 14. This allows users of the air conditioning system in the building 18 to know that the outdoor unit 13 is vibrating.

[0092] The reason the outdoor unit 13 is vibrating is presumably because it is being targeted for theft. Users of the air conditioning system who are indoors are unaware of the situation outside, and it is difficult for them to notice if the outdoor unit 13, which is installed outdoors, is being targeted for theft. Therefore, the air conditioning system can prevent theft by equipping it with a vibration detection unit 19 and an alarm device 11. Furthermore, the security effect can be maintained by periodically checking the alarm device 11, which notifies the system of vibration detection in the outdoor unit 13, using the remote management system 1.

[0093] In this embodiment, the notification device 11 may be installed outdoors, near the outdoor unit 13. Alternatively, the outdoor unit 13 may be configured to include the notification device 11. If the outdoor unit 13 is about to be stolen, the notification device 11 will issue a notification, thereby preventing theft.

[0094] As described above, the managed system 10 of the remote management system 1 according to this embodiment is an air conditioning system equipped with an outdoor unit 13 installed outside, and the notification device 11 provides notification when it detects vibration of the outdoor unit 13. In this way, by enabling remote inspection of the notification device 11, which provides notification when it detects vibration of the outdoor unit 13, using the remote management system 1, inspection work becomes easier, inspections can be carried out regularly, and the security effect can be maintained.

[0095] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples of the content of the present invention, and can be combined with other known technologies. It is also possible to omit or modify parts of the configuration without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0096] According to this disclosure, a remote management system can be provided that allows inspection workers to remotely check whether an alarm device, which notifies of abnormalities in a managed system, is functioning correctly, without having to travel to the location where the alarm device is installed.

[0097] 1 Remote management system, 10 Managed system, 11 Notification device, 12 Indoor device, 13 Outdoor device, 14 Communication channel, 15 Communication channel, 16 Refrigerant piping, 17 Refrigerant leak detection unit, 18 Building, 19 Vibration detection unit, 20 Server device, 30 Communication device, 40 Terminal device, 51 Communication channel, 52 Communication channel, 60 Wide area network, 110 Control unit, 111 Storage unit, 112 Communication unit, 113 Notification unit, 200 Control unit, 201 Storage unit, 202 Communication unit, 300 Control unit, 301 Storage unit, 302 Communication unit, 303 Measurement unit, 304 Judgment unit.

Claims

Managed systems and A notification device that provides notification using at least one of the following means: sound, light, or vibration, when an abnormality occurs in the managed system. A server device connected to a wide-area network for remotely managing the managed systems, A communication unit connected to the server device via the aforementioned wide-area network and relaying communication between the notification device and the server device, A measuring unit that measures at least one of the sound, light, and vibration measurements in the space where the aforementioned notification device is installed, A remote management system for remotely managing the aforementioned managed system, comprising: When the communication unit receives an inspection request for the notification device from the server device via the wide-area network, it transmits the inspection request to the notification device. The remote management system is characterized in that the notification device enters a notification state to perform the notification when it receives the inspection request. 　 The aforementioned remote management system is The measurement unit further comprises a determination unit that determines the inspection result of the notification device using the measured value measured by the measurement unit, The remote management system according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit transmits a signal indicating the inspection result to the server device. 　 The measuring unit measures the measured value when the notification device is in the notification state and the measured value when the notification device is in a stopped state and is not making a notification. The remote management system according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines the inspection result to be normal if the measured value when the notification state is greater than or equal to a threshold set based on the measured value when the stop state is greater than or equal to the threshold, and determines the inspection result to be abnormal if the value is less than the threshold. 　 The notification device repeatedly activates and pauses at a predetermined interval during the notification state. The measuring unit measures the measured value for a period of time longer than the cycle when the notification device is in the notification state. The remote management system according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines the inspection result using the measured value at a reference time obtained from the measured value and the measured value at a time one cycle later than the reference time. 　 The notification device repeatedly activates and pauses at a predetermined interval during the notification state. The measuring unit measures the measured value for a period of time longer than the cycle when the notification device is in the notification state. The remote management system according to claim 2, wherein the determination unit determines the inspection result using the measured value shifted half a cycle ahead of the period and the measured value shifted one cycle ahead of the period with respect to the time axis. 　 The server device includes a storage unit that stores notification patterns for each model of notification device, which include at least one of the notification frequency and period as parameters, and transmits the notification pattern of the notification device to be inspected to the determination unit via the communication unit as an inspection notification pattern. The remote management system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the determination unit determines the inspection result of the notification device using the inspection notification pattern. 　 If the inspection result is not normal, the determination unit requests the notification device to change the parameters of the inspection notification pattern. When the notification device receives a request to change the parameters, it will perform the notification using the modified notification pattern. The remote management system according to claim 6, wherein the determination unit determines the inspection result of the notification device using the modified notification pattern. 　 The system under management is an air conditioning system using a refrigerant, The remote management system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the notification device provides notification when it detects a leak of the refrigerant. 　 The managed system is an air conditioning system equipped with an outdoor unit installed outside, The remote management system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the notification device provides notification when it detects vibration of the outdoor unit. 　 An inspection device for inspecting an alarm device that is connected to a server device that remotely manages a managed system via a wide-area network, and which provides notification using at least one of sound, light, or vibration when an abnormality occurs in the managed system, A communication unit relays communication between the notification device and the server device, and transmits an inspection request to the notification device when it receives an inspection request from the server device. A measuring unit that measures at least one of the sound, light, and vibration measurements in the space where the aforementioned notification device is installed, The device comprises a determination unit that determines the inspection result of the notification device using the measured value measured by the measurement unit, The communication unit is an inspection device that notifies the server device of a signal indicating the inspection result.

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