Computer program, information processing method, and information processing system

Abstract

Provided are a computer program, an information processing method, and an information processing system.　In the present invention, at least one computer is caused to execute processing in which: via a generative AI model that refers to related documents for an air-conditioning-related apparatus, a worker is requested to input information that is required when performing a task relating to the air-conditioning-related apparatus and is missing from the related documents; with the related documents and the information input by the worker designated as reference information, instruction information for the task is generated by the generative AI model; and the generated instruction information is output.

Description

Computer program, information processing method, and information processing system

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a computer program, an information processing method, and an information processing system.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a test operation tool for grasping installation information of equipment before starting remote management of the equipment. Expected installation information is input into the test operation tool in advance. Alternatively, the predicted installation information is input on site where the equipment is to be installed. The management center performs remote management of the equipment based on the predicted installation information transmitted from the test operation tool.

[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-15747

[0004] Information necessary for test operation of equipment exists in various media such as service guides, installation instructions, past test operation data, and customer information. For this reason, at present, workers themselves collect necessary information from these various media and set the information as setting information for the equipment to operate the equipment. This is inefficient, and the test operation requires a large amount of man-hours.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a computer program, an information processing method, and an information processing system that can efficiently collect information necessary for work and output instruction information for the work.

[0006] The computer program according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is a computer program for causing at least one computer to execute the following processing: through a generative AI model that references related documents of air-conditioning related equipment, requesting a worker to input information that is necessary for work related to the air-conditioning related equipment and is missing from the related documents; specifying the related documents and the information input by the worker as reference information; generating instruction information for the work by the generative AI model; and outputting the generated instruction information.

[0007] The computer program relating to the second aspect of this disclosure, in the computer program relating to the first aspect, determines whether there is any deficiency in the information entered by the worker by referring to the relevant documents, and if it determines that there is any deficiency in the entered information, causes the computer to execute a process that requests the worker to enter the deficiency information.

[0008] The computer program relating to the third aspect of this disclosure causes the computer program relating to the first or second aspect to perform a process in which it obtains information on the work performed by the worker or other general worker for the said work, and stores the obtained information on the work as a work history.

[0009] The computer program relating to the fourth aspect of this disclosure, in the computer program relating to the third aspect, specifies the work history as reference information, generates information to be notified to a worker who will newly perform the work using the generating AI model, and causes the computer to execute a process to notify the worker of the generated information.

[0010] The computer program relating to the fifth aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to fourth aspects that causes the computer to perform a process in which it learns errors made in work performed by the worker or other general worker, and based on the learned results, the generating AI model proposes corrections to the related documents.

[0011] The computer program relating to the sixth aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to fifth aspects that acquires information relating to the operating state of the air conditioning equipment after the work has been performed, specifies the acquired information relating to the operating state as reference information, and causes the computer to execute a process to generate a work report for the work using the generation AI model and output the generated work report.

[0012] The computer program relating to the seventh aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the instruction information includes information on the content of the work and the work process of the work to be performed by the worker.

[0013] The computer program relating to the eighth aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the instruction information includes control commands to the air conditioning-related equipment.

[0014] The computer program relating to the ninth aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the air conditioning-related equipment includes an air conditioner, an ancillary device attached to the air conditioner, or a cooperating device that works in conjunction with the air conditioner.

[0015] The computer program relating to the tenth aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the work includes installation work, commissioning, or maintenance work of the air conditioning-related equipment.

[0016] The computer program relating to the eleventh aspect of this disclosure is a computer program relating to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the related documents include technical documents such as instruction manuals, installation manuals, and service guides for the air conditioning equipment, data obtained from the air conditioning equipment during work performed in the past, and customer information.

[0017] The information processing method relating to the twelfth aspect of this disclosure involves, through a generating AI model that references related documents for air conditioning-related equipment, requesting an operator to input information necessary for work related to the air conditioning-related equipment that is missing from the related documents, designating the related documents and the information input by the operator as reference information, generating instruction information for the work using the generating AI model, and outputting the generated instruction information, all of which are performed by at least one computer.

[0018] The information processing system relating to the 13th aspect of this disclosure comprises at least one computer, which, through a generating AI model that references related documents for air conditioning-related equipment, requests an operator to input information necessary for the work related to the air conditioning-related equipment that is missing from the related documents, and uses the generating AI model to generate instruction information for the work, specifying the related documents and the information input by the operator as reference information, and outputs the generated instruction information.

[0019] According to this disclosure, it is possible to efficiently collect information necessary for the work and output instruction information for the work.

[0020] This is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an air conditioning system according to an embodiment. This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the air conditioning control system. This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the user terminal control system. This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the first server control system. This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the second server control system. This is a diagram showing an example of a work support prompt. This is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing that the user terminal 200 executes in response to input of a work start prompt. This is a diagram showing an example of a work report during trial operation.

[0021] The information processing system according to the embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the air conditioning system according to the embodiment. The air conditioning system 1 according to the embodiment comprises an air conditioner 100 and a user terminal 200. The air conditioner 100 and the user terminal 200 are connected to each other via a local communication network NW1 such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0022] The air conditioner 100 is a household or commercial air conditioner for adjusting the temperature, humidity, air cleanliness, etc., of a room, and comprises an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. The air conditioner 100 adjusts the temperature, humidity, etc., of a room by operating in accordance with control commands output from a remote controller 150 or a user terminal 200.

[0023] The user terminal 200 is a device such as a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, or smart speaker operated by the user of the air conditioner 100. The user terminal 200 is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI). The artificial intelligence installed in the user terminal 200 is constructed by the artificial intelligence model MD2, which generates new content in response to inputs such as text, voice, still images, and videos. The artificial intelligence model MD2 may be a proprietary model that has been fine-tuned and / or distilled (lightened) for a specific application. The content generated by the artificial intelligence model MD2 includes text, sound such as voice or music, and images such as still images or videos. The user terminal 200 can create the indoor environment desired by the user by using the artificial intelligence to interact with the user, generate control commands for the air conditioner 100, and control the operation of the air conditioner 100 based on the generated control commands.

[0024] In the example shown in Figure 1, there is one user terminal 200, but there may be multiple user terminals 200 capable of controlling the air conditioner 100.

[0025] The air conditioning system 1 may further include an air purifier 151, a circulator 152, a diffuser 153, lighting equipment 154, and sound equipment 155. The air purifier 151 is a device for purifying the air in a room and providing clean air. The circulator 152 is a device for circulating the air in a room. The diffuser 153 is a device for diffusing fragrance. The lighting equipment 154 is a device for illuminating the space in a room. The sound equipment 155 is a device for playing music, ambient sounds, etc. These devices 151 to 155 are connected to at least one of the air conditioner 100 and the user terminal 200 via a communication network NW1 so as to be able to communicate.

[0026] The air conditioning system 1 may further include a wearable device 250 worn by the user. The wearable device 250 measures, for example, at least one of the user's heart rate, body temperature, sweating, blood pressure, respiration, brain waves, and body composition, and outputs the measurement results as the user's biometric information. The output destination may be the air conditioning unit 100 or the user terminal 200.

[0027] The air conditioning system 1 may further include a first server 310 or a second server 320 accessible from the air conditioner 100 or a user terminal 200. The air conditioner 100 or the user terminal 200 and the first server 310 or the second server 320 are connected to each other via an external communication network NW2, such as the Internet.

[0028] The first server 310 is equipped with a generative AI. The generative AI in the first server 310 is constructed by a generative AI model MD3 that generates new content in response to inputs such as text, audio, still images, and videos. The generative AI model MD3 may include existing models such as GPT (Generative Pretrained Transformer, registered trademark), BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), GAN (Generative Adversarial Network), Wave Net, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion, or it may be a unique model that has been fine-tuned for a specific application from an existing model. The first server 310 generates content such as text, audio, still images, and videos in response to a request from the air conditioner 100 or user terminal 200, and returns the generated content to the requester.

[0029] The second server 320 is a search server that searches for relevant documents or information in response to an input query and returns the relevant documents or information to the requester. Existing search engines such as vector search are used to search for relevant documents and information. In one example, the second server 320 is a general-purpose search server that returns search results in response to external search requests. Alternatively, the second server 320 may be a dedicated search server that can access a database DB that stores information such as operation manuals, service guides, technical handbooks, instruction manuals, installation manuals, customer information, operation data during trial operation, and operation data after the start of operation for the air conditioner 100, and searches the database DB in response to external search requests and returns the search results to the requester. The database DB may also further register construction information when the air conditioner 100 was installed (installation location of indoor and outdoor units, piping length, floor plan, year of construction), information about the installed air conditioner 100 (model, Ua value, horsepower, etc.), and sales information for each employee.

[0030] The air conditioning system 1 according to the embodiment implements the information processing method described herein by utilizing at least one of the generation AI model MD2 installed on the user terminal 200 and the generation AI model MD3 installed on the first server 310. This information processing method may be implemented using only the content output from the generation AI model MD2 installed on the user terminal 200, or it may be implemented using only the content output from the generation AI model MD3 installed on the first server 310.

[0031] Furthermore, the information processing method disclosed herein may be realized through cooperation between the generation AI model MD2 installed on the user terminal 200 and the generation AI model MD3 installed on the first server 310.

[0032] Furthermore, the information processing method disclosed herein may be implemented using a RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) mechanism. That is, in response to an input query from the air conditioner 100 or user terminal 200, the second server 320 may output documents or information related to the input query, and the first server 310 may generate content based on the documents or information output from the second server 320 and return the content to the air conditioner 100 or user terminal 200. By using a RAG mechanism, more accurate and relevant content can be provided.

[0033] In this embodiment, the user terminal 200 is configured to be equipped with the generation AI model MD2. Alternatively, the generation AI model may be equipped on the air conditioner 100. In this case, the information processing method of this disclosure may be implemented using the generation AI model MD1 (see Figure 2) equipped on the air conditioner 100. Furthermore, the information processing method of this disclosure may be implemented by the cooperation of the generation AI model MD1 of the air conditioner 100 and the generation AI model MD3 of the first server 310.

[0034] Furthermore, both the air conditioner 100 and the user terminal 200 may be equipped with generation AI models. In this case, at least two of the generation AI models MD1 of the air conditioner 100, MD2 of the user terminal 200, and MD3 of the first server 310 may work together to realize the information processing method of this disclosure.

[0035] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the air conditioner 100. The air conditioner 100 comprises a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, a sensor unit 104, and a drive unit 110.

[0036] The control unit 101 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The ROM in the control unit 101 stores control programs for controlling the operation of the drive unit 110. The CPU in the control unit 101 executes the control programs stored in the ROM and various computer programs stored in the memory unit 102, and controls the operation of the drive unit 110, thereby making the entire device function as the air conditioner 100 in this disclosure.

[0037] The storage unit 102 is equipped with a storage device such as flash memory. The storage unit 102 stores various computer programs to be executed by the control unit 101, as well as data necessary for the execution of these programs.

[0038] The computer program (program product) stored in the memory unit 102 includes a control program PG1 for realizing the information processing method of this disclosure. The control program PG1 may be a single computer program or a group of programs composed of multiple computer programs. The control program PG1 may be executed collaboratively by multiple computers.

[0039] The computer program, including the control program PG1, is provided, for example, on a non-temporary recording medium RM1 on which the computer program is recorded in a readable format. The recording medium RM1 is a portable memory such as a CD-ROM, USB memory, SD card, microSD card, or CompactFlash®. The control unit 101 reads various computer programs from the recording medium RM1 using a reading device (not shown in the figure) and stores the read computer programs in the storage unit 102. The computer programs stored in the storage unit 102 may also be provided via communication. In this case, the control unit 101 acquires the computer programs via communication through the communication unit 103 and stores the acquired computer programs in the storage unit 102.

[0040] The data stored in the memory unit 102 may include at least one of the following: operation manual, service guide, technical handbook, instruction manual, installation manual, customer information, operation data during trial operation, and operation data after the start of operation.

[0041] When the air conditioner 100 is equipped with a generation AI, the generation AI model MD1 that constructs the generation AI is stored in the memory unit 102. The generation AI model MD1 is a model that generates new content in response to inputs such as text, voice, still images, and videos. The content generated by the generation AI model MD1 includes text, sound such as voice or music, and images such as still images or videos. The generation AI model MD1 is a unique model that has been fine-tuned and / or distilled (lightened) for a specific application from existing models such as GPT (registered trademark), BERT, GAN, Wave Net, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion. The generation AI model MD1 may be a multimodal model, or it may be a unimodal language model that outputs a response (text) in response to the input of a prompt (text).

[0042] The communication unit 103 is equipped with a communication interface for communicating with the user terminal 200 and the like. The communication interface provided by the communication unit 103 can be a communication interface compliant with a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) communication standard such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Alternatively, a communication interface compliant with a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth may be used. In addition to the user terminal 200, the communication unit 103 may be configured to communicate with an air purifier 151, a circulator 152, a diffuser 153, lighting equipment 154, sound equipment 155, and the like.

[0043] The communication unit 103 may further include a communication interface for communicating with the first server 310 or the second server 320. Such a communication interface can be a wireless communication interface such as Wi-Fi®, 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0044] The sensor unit 104 includes one or more sensors that measure various physical quantities in an indoor environment or the state of a user. The sensors included in the sensor unit 104 include sensors that measure at least one of indoor temperature, humidity, heat, CO₂ concentration, and illuminance. The sensor unit 104 may also include sensors that measure the user's movement, facial expressions, and the like.

[0045] The drive unit 110 includes a compressor 111, a four-way switching valve 112, an indoor fan 113, a flap 114, and the like. The compressor 111 is a device for sucking in a constant-temperature low-pressure gaseous refrigerant and compressing the refrigerant into a high-temperature high-pressure gas. During cooling operation, the refrigerant compressed by the compressor 111 returns to the suction side of the compressor 111 via an outdoor heat exchanger, an expansion valve, a first indoor heat exchanger, a solenoid valve, and a second indoor heat exchanger. In this refrigeration cycle, heat is dissipated by the outdoor heat exchanger functioning as a condenser, and indoor air is cooled by the first and second indoor heat exchangers functioning as evaporators to perform cooling. During heating operation, the four-way switching valve 112 switches the flow path, and heating is performed in a cycle reverse to that during cooling operation.

[0046] The indoor fan 113 is a device for uniformly circulating cooled air or heated air throughout the room. The air volume of the indoor fan 113 is controlled by a control command from the control unit 101. By adjusting the air volume of the indoor fan 113, the efficiency of cooling and heating can be improved, and energy consumption can be reduced.

[0047] The flap 114 is a device for adjusting the direction of air blown out from the air conditioner 100. The orientation of the flap 114 is controlled by a control command from the control unit 101. By ensuring an appropriate air flow through the flap 114, the efficiency of cooling and heating can be improved, and energy consumption can be reduced.

[0048] In an embodiment, the air conditioner 100 is one type of air conditioning-related equipment. The air conditioning-related equipment may include auxiliary equipment attached to the air conditioner 100, or cooperative equipment that cooperates with the air conditioner 100. Here, the auxiliary equipment includes humidifiers, dehumidifiers, electric heaters, fans, air filters, air purification units, silencers, and other peripheral equipment installed to assist the functions of the main body of the air conditioner, optimize operation, and improve safety and maintainability. In addition, the cooperative equipment includes a central monitoring device that monitors a plurality of air conditioners 100, sensors that measure temperature and humidity in a room air-conditioned and controlled by the air conditioner 100, fire alarms, disaster prevention equipment such as smoke exhaust equipment, power reception and transformation equipment that converts high-voltage voltage sent from a power plant into a voltage usable in a facility and distributes the power, sanitation equipment for maintaining and sustaining the sanitary environment in the facility, or locking equipment using a card key, etc.

[0049] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the user terminal 200. The user terminal 200 is a terminal device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, or a smart speaker, and includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, a communication unit 203, an imaging unit 204, a voice input unit 205, a voice output unit 206, a positioning unit 207, an operation unit 208, a display unit 209, and the like.

[0050] The control unit 201 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like. The ROM included in the control unit 201 stores a control program and the like for controlling the operation of each hardware part included in the user terminal 200. The CPU in the control unit 201 reads and executes the control program stored in the ROM and the computer program stored in the storage unit 202, and controls the operation of each of the above hardware parts, thereby causing the entire device to function as the user terminal 200 in the present disclosure. The RAM included in the control unit 201 temporarily stores data used during the execution of calculations.

[0051] In this embodiment, the control unit 201 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, and RAM. Alternatively, the control unit 201 may be one or more control circuits or processing circuits, such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), quantum processor, or volatile or non-volatile memory. The control unit 201 may also include functions such as a clock for outputting date and time information, a timer for measuring the elapsed time from the start of measurement to the end of measurement, and a counter for counting numbers.

[0052] The storage unit 202 includes a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage unit 202 stores various computer programs executed by the control unit 201 and various data used by the control unit 201.

[0053] The computer program (program product) stored in the memory unit 202 includes a control program PG2 for realizing the information processing method of the present disclosure. The control program PG2 may be a single computer program or a group of programs composed of multiple computer programs. The control program PG2 may be executed collaboratively by multiple computers. For example, the information processing method of the present disclosure may be realized by the collaboration of a control program PG1 installed in the air conditioner 100 and a control program PG2 installed in the user terminal 200.

[0054] The computer program, including the control program PG2, is provided, for example, on a non-temporary recording medium RM2 on which the computer program is recorded in a readable format. The recording medium RM2 is a portable memory such as a CD-ROM, USB memory, SD card, microSD card, or CompactFlash®. The control unit 201 reads various computer programs from the recording medium RM2 using a reading device (not shown in the figure) and stores the read computer programs in the storage unit 202. The computer programs stored in the storage unit 202 may also be provided via communication. In this case, the control unit 201 acquires the computer programs via communication through the communication unit 203 and stores the acquired computer programs in the storage unit 202.

[0055] The memory unit 202 may include a generation AI model MD2. The generation AI model MD2 is a model that generates new content in response to inputs such as text, voice, still images, and videos. The content generated by the generation AI model MD2 includes text, sound such as voice or music, and images such as still images or videos. The generation AI model MD2 is a unique model that has been distilled (lightened) for a specific purpose from existing models such as GPT®, BERT, GAN, Wave Net, DALL-E, and Stable Diffusion. The generation AI model MD2 may be a multimodal model, or it may be a unimodal language model that outputs a response (text) in response to a prompt (text) input.

[0056] The communication unit 203 is equipped with a communication interface for communicating with the air conditioner 100 and the like. The communication interface provided by the communication unit 203 can be a communication interface compliant with a wireless LAN communication standard such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Alternatively, a communication interface compliant with a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth may be used. In addition to the air conditioner 100, the communication unit 203 may be configured to communicate with an air purifier 151, a circulator 152, a diffuser 153, lighting equipment 154, sound equipment 155, and the like.

[0057] The communication unit 203 further includes a communication interface for communicating with the first server 310 or the second server 320. Such a communication interface can be a wireless communication interface such as Wi-Fi®, 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0058] The imaging unit 204 is equipped with an image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device), and generates an image (still image or video) of the object to be imaged by imaging the object. The imaging unit 204 outputs the image data related to the generated image to the control unit 201. The control unit 201 stores the input image data in the storage unit 202. The control unit 201 may display the image based on the image data on the display unit 209, or transmit it to the outside via the communication unit 203.

[0059] The audio input unit 205 includes a microphone for collecting sound, a processing circuit for converting the collected sound into a digital signal (audio data), and the like. The audio data generated in the audio input unit 205 is sent to the control unit 201, where appropriate processing such as noise reduction is performed. The audio data generated in the audio input unit 205 is also stored in the storage unit 202 or transmitted to the first server 310 via the communication unit 203.

[0060] The audio output unit 206 is equipped with a speaker that outputs sound. The audio output unit 206 reproduces sound based on the audio data provided by the control unit 201. In this embodiment, the audio input unit 205 and the audio output unit 206 are configured to input and output sound, but sounds other than voice (ambient sounds, music, etc.) may be input to the audio input unit 205 and sounds other than voice (ambient sounds, music, etc.) may be output from the audio output unit 206.

[0061] The positioning unit 207, for example, is equipped with a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and receives radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites to determine the current location of the user terminal 200. The positioning unit 207 outputs location information related to the determined current location of the user terminal 200 to the control unit 201.

[0062] The operation unit 208 is equipped with operating devices such as a touch panel, keyboard, and switches, and accepts various inputs and operations from the user. The control unit 201 acquires information input through the operation unit 208 and performs appropriate control based on the various operation information provided by the operation unit 208.

[0063] The display unit 209 is equipped with a display device such as a liquid crystal monitor or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) monitor, and displays information that should be notified to the user in response to instructions from the control unit 201.

[0064] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the first server 310. The first server 310 is a dedicated or general-purpose server computer and includes a control unit 311, a storage unit 312, a communication unit 313, and the like.

[0065] The control unit 311 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The ROM in the control unit 311 stores control programs and the like that control the operation of each hardware component of the first server 310. The CPU in the control unit 311 reads and executes the control programs stored in the ROM and the computer programs stored in the memory unit 312, and controls the operation of each hardware component, thereby making the entire device function as the first server 310 in this disclosure. The RAM in the control unit 311 temporarily stores data used during the execution of calculations.

[0066] In this embodiment, the control unit 311 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, and RAM, but the configuration of the control unit 311 is not limited to the above. The control unit 311 may also include functions such as a clock for outputting date and time information, a timer for measuring the elapsed time from the time a measurement start instruction is given until a measurement end instruction is given, and a counter for counting numbers.

[0067] The storage unit 312 includes a storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The storage unit 312 stores various computer programs executed by the control unit 311, various data acquired through the communication unit 313, and various data used by the control unit 311.

[0068] The computer program (program product) stored in the memory unit 312 may include a control program PG3 for realizing the information processing method of the present disclosure. The control program PG3 may be a single computer program or a group of programs composed of multiple computer programs. The control program PG3 may be executed collaboratively by multiple computers. For example, the control program PG3 may realize the information processing method of the present disclosure by collaborating with a control program PG1 installed in the air conditioner 100 or a control program PG2 installed in the user terminal 200.

[0069] The computer program, including the control program PG3, is provided, for example, on a non-temporary recording medium RM3 on which the computer program is recorded in a readable format. The recording medium RM3 is a portable memory such as a CD-ROM, USB memory, SD card, microSD card, or CompactFlash®. The control unit 311 reads various computer programs from the recording medium RM3 using a reading device (not shown in the figure) and stores the read computer programs in the storage unit 312. The computer programs stored in the storage unit 312 may also be provided via communication. In this case, the control unit 311 acquires the computer programs via communication through the communication unit 313 and stores the acquired computer programs in the storage unit 312.

[0070] The memory unit 312 may include a generation AI model MD3. The generation AI model MD3 is a model that generates new content in response to inputs such as text, voice, still images, and videos. The content generated by the generation AI model MD3 includes text, voice or music, images such as still images or videos, etc. The generation AI model MD3 may be an existing model such as GPT®, BERT, GAN, Wave Net, DALL-E, or Stable Diffusion, or it may be a unique model fine-tuned for a specific application. The generation AI model MD3 may be a multimodal model, or it may be a unimodal language model that outputs a response (text) in response to a prompt (text) input.

[0071] The communication unit 313 is equipped with a communication interface for communicating with a user terminal 200 or the like. The communication interface provided by the communication unit 313 can be a wireless communication interface such as 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0072] The first server 310 may include an operation unit for receiving operations from administrators, a display unit for displaying information to be notified to administrators, etc. The first server 310 may be a single computer, or it may be a computer system composed of multiple computers and peripheral devices.

[0073] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the second server 320. The second server 320 is a dedicated or general-purpose server computer and includes a control unit 321, a storage unit 322, a communication unit 323, and the like.

[0074] The control unit 321 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The ROM in the control unit 321 stores control programs and the like that control the operation of each hardware component of the second server 320. The CPU in the control unit 321 reads and executes the control programs stored in the ROM and the computer programs stored in the memory unit 322, and controls the operation of each hardware component, thereby making the entire device function as the second server 320 in this disclosure. The RAM in the control unit 321 temporarily stores data used during the execution of calculations.

[0075] In this embodiment, the control unit 321 is configured to include a CPU, ROM, and RAM, but the configuration of the control unit 321 is not limited to the above. The control unit 321 may also include functions such as a clock for outputting date and time information, a timer for measuring the elapsed time from the time a measurement start instruction is given until a measurement end instruction is given, and a counter for counting numbers.

[0076] The storage unit 322 includes a storage device such as an HDD or SSD. The storage unit 322 stores various computer programs executed by the control unit 321, various data acquired through the communication unit 323, and various data used by the control unit 321.

[0077] The storage unit 322 may also include a database DB for storing information such as the operation manual, service guide, technical handbook, instruction manual, installation manual for the air conditioner 100, the work performed by each worker, the working time of each worker, the work errors of each worker, customer information, operating data during trial operation, and operating data after the start of operation. The database DB may further register construction information when the air conditioner 100 was installed (installation location of indoor and outdoor units, piping length, floor plan, year of construction), information about the installed air conditioner 100 (model, Ua value, horsepower, etc.), and sales information for each employee.

[0078] The communication unit 323 is equipped with a communication interface for communicating with a user terminal 200 or the like. The communication interface provided by the communication unit 323 can be a wireless communication interface such as 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution).

[0079] The second server 320 may include an operation unit for receiving commands from administrators, a display unit for displaying information to be communicated to administrators, etc. The second server 320 may be a single computer, or it may be a computer system composed of multiple computers and peripheral devices.

[0080] In this embodiment, the user is a worker who performs tasks related to air conditioning equipment. The worker performs tasks such as installation, inspection, repair, and commissioning related to the air conditioning equipment. Below, as an example, the operation of the air conditioning system 1 when a worker performs a commissioning of the air conditioning equipment will be described.

[0081] When an operator performs a trial run of air conditioning equipment, the generating AI model MD2 installed on the user terminal 200 requests the operator to input information that is necessary for the work and is missing from the available related documents. Here, the related documents that the generating AI model MD2 can access include documents such as equipment manuals that are pre-stored on the user terminal 200, technical documents such as operation manuals, service guides, technical handbooks, instruction manuals, and installation manuals stored in the storage unit 322 of the second server 320, customer information, operation data during trial runs, operation data after the start of operation, and documents that can be obtained from general web servers via the communication network NW2.

[0082] The worker collects the information requested by the generating AI model MD2 and inputs it into the user terminal 200. The generating AI model MD2 designates the relevant documents that can be referenced and the information input through the user terminal 200 as reference information, generates instruction information for the work, and outputs the generated instruction information. In one example, the instruction information is information about the content of the work that the worker should perform and the work process. Alternatively, the instruction information may be control commands for air conditioning-related equipment (for example, control commands related to commissioning).

[0083] After outputting instruction information, the generated AI model MD2 creates a trial run work report when the trial run of the air conditioning equipment is completed, and outputs the created work report.

[0084] When an operator starts a trial run of the air conditioner 100, a work support prompt, as shown in Figure 6, is input to the generating AI model MD2 of the user terminal 200 carried by the operator. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a work support prompt. When the control unit 201 of the user terminal 200 receives a work start instruction from the operator, for example, it inputs a work support prompt, as shown in Figure 6, into the generating AI model MD2 and starts dialogue processing with the operator. If the trial run work schedule is stored in the storage unit 202, the control unit 201 may refer to the work schedule in the storage unit 202 and input a work support prompt into the generating AI model MD2 before the start of the trial run to start dialogue processing with the operator.

[0085] The work support prompt contains the role to be assigned to the generated AI model MD2, the commands to be given to the generated AI model MD2, and the reference information to be consulted when executing the processing based on the commands. In the example in Figure 6, the generated AI model MD2 is assigned the role of "worker's assistant." When a work support prompt is input to the generated AI model MD2, it is expected to act as an assistant to help the worker with operations and information retrieval related to the commissioning of the air conditioner 100.

[0086] The work support prompts are configured to instruct the generating AI model MD2 to proceed with the trial run while interacting with the worker, to give instructions to the worker when necessary, and to have the worker initially input the model information of the air conditioner 100, the layout of the installation location, and the location of the equipment. Furthermore, the work support prompts are configured to instruct the generating AI model MD2 to send a report of the trial run results to the worker after the trial run is completed.

[0087] Furthermore, the work support prompt may be configured to instruct the generating AI model MD2 to change the instructions given to the worker during the trial run, based on the work content that the worker had previously forgotten or that is generally prone to being forgotten. Also, when the worker performs the trial run, the generating AI model MD2 may be configured to instruct the generating AI model MD2 to change the trial run procedure (instructions given to the worker) based on the worker's input time (screen dwell time, etc.) and the number of errors, to learn where the worker is prone to making mistakes. In addition, the generating AI model MD2 may suggest revisions to related documents based on the learning results regarding where the worker or other general workers are prone to making mistakes. In this case, the worker support prompt should be configured to instruct the generating AI model MD2 to learn where the worker or other general workers are prone to making mistakes and to suggest revisions to related documents (for example, adding information such as where the worker is prone to making mistakes and how to proceed with the trial run (instructions given to the worker)) based on the learning results. The suggestion to revise related documents may be notified to the terminal device used by the work manager.

[0088] In this work support prompt, the service guide and installation manual are specified as reference information. In addition to the service guide and installation manual, instruction manuals, operation manuals, technical handbooks, customer information, operational data during commissioning, operational data after the start of operation, and documents obtainable from a general web server via the communication network NW2 may also be specified as reference information. Furthermore, the work support prompt specifies information that the worker is asked to input initially (model information of the air conditioner 100, floor plan of the installation location, and information on the location of the equipment), as well as information obtained as answers to questions asked of the worker, as reference information. In addition, information such as tasks that the worker had forgotten in the past, tasks that general workers tend to forget, the worker's input time (time spent on the screen, etc.), and the number of errors may also be specified as reference information.

[0089] The work support prompts shown in Figure 6 are standard phrases and therefore only need to be pre-stored in the memory unit 202 of the user terminal 200. In the work support prompts shown in Figure 6, the commands to the generated AI model MD2 are consolidated into a single prompt. However, they may be divided into multiple prompts, such as a prompt describing commands to collect the information to be entered first from the worker, a prompt describing commands to instruct the worker on operations, and a prompt describing commands to create a report of the trial run results. In this case, the user terminal 200 may execute processing corresponding to each prompt by inputting each prompt to the generated AI model MD2 at an appropriate timing.

[0090] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of processing that the user terminal 200 executes in response to the input of a work start prompt. When the control unit 201 of the user terminal 200 receives an instruction from the worker to start a trial run of the air conditioner 100 via the operation unit 208 (step S101), it reads a work support prompt from the storage unit 202 and inputs the read work support prompt into the generated AI model MD2 (step S102). If a work schedule for the trial run is stored in the storage unit 202, the control unit 201 may read a work support prompt from the storage unit 202 at the timing to start the trial run according to the work schedule stored in the storage unit 202 and input the read work support prompt into the generated AI model MD2.

[0091] The control unit 201 performs the following steps S103 to S112 by executing calculations using the generated AI model MD2.

[0092] The control unit 201 collects information necessary for the commissioning of the air conditioner 100 (step S103). If the service guide and installation manual are specified as reference information in the work support prompt, the control unit 201 accesses the database DB of the second server 320 via the communication unit 203. The control unit 201 obtains the information necessary for the commissioning by referring to the service guide and installation manual stored in the database DB. Even if they are not explicitly specified as reference information in the work support prompt, the control unit 201 may obtain the information necessary for the commissioning by referring to instruction manuals, operation manuals, technical handbooks, etc., registered in the database DB, or it may obtain the information necessary for the commissioning through a general-purpose web server. If the storage unit 202 of the user terminal 200 stores relevant documents such as the service guide and installation manual, the control unit 201 may collect the information necessary for the commissioning from the storage unit 202.

[0093] The control unit 201 requests the worker to input any information necessary for commissioning the air conditioner 100 that is missing from the relevant documents (step S104). Information such as the model of the air conditioner 100, the layout of the installation site, and the location of the equipment is specific to the air conditioner 100 being worked on, or specific to the work site, and is therefore highly likely not to be included in relevant documents such as the service guide and installation manual. For this reason, in step S104, the control unit 201 requests the worker to input any information necessary for commissioning the air conditioner 100 that is missing from the relevant documents. It is preferable that this information be collected before the worker goes to the installation site of the air conditioner 100.

[0094] The control unit 201 receives the information requested by the operator (step S105). The operator inputs the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 through the operation unit 208. The operator may input the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 as an image using the imaging unit 204, or as voice using the voice input unit 205. Alternatively, the operator may acquire the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 by accessing an external device through the communication unit 203.

[0095] The control unit 201 determines whether there is any missing information in the information collected in steps S103 and S105 (step S106). If the trial run consists of multiple work processes, the control unit 201 determines whether there is any missing information by determining whether the necessary information has been acquired for each work process. If it determines that there is a missing piece of information (S106: YES), the control unit 201 requests the worker to input the missing information (step S107). At this time, the control unit 201 may refer to the information stored in the database DB and check the work content that the worker has performed in the past, the work content that other general workers have performed in the past, to identify work content that the worker tends to forget, work content that is generally tended to forget, etc., and notify the worker.

[0096] Furthermore, the control unit 201 may measure the operator's input time (such as screen dwell time) and the number of errors, and register the measured input time and number of errors in the database DB. The control unit 201 may learn the measured input time and number of errors and reflect this in the instructions given to the operator during the next trial run. For example, in the next instructions, the control unit 201 may change the display method, such as making parts that the operator is prone to making mistakes in bold or in red.

[0097] The control unit 201 receives the information requested in step S107 (step S108). The operator inputs the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 through the operation unit 208. At this time, the operator may perform tasks that the operator themselves tends to forget, or tasks that are generally prone to being forgotten, and input the information obtained. The operator may input the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 as an image by using the imaging unit 204, or may input the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 as voice by using the voice input unit 205. Alternatively, the operator may obtain the information requested by the generated AI model MD2 by accessing an external device through the communication unit 203.

[0098] If the control unit 201 determines in step S106 that there are no deficiencies (S106: NO), or if information is entered by the operator in step S108, it generates instruction information for trial operation (step S109). The control unit 201 generates instruction information for the operator regarding operations and tasks that the operator should perform, and if it can directly control the air conditioner 100, it generates instruction information as a control command to the air conditioner 100. If the trial operation consists of multiple work processes, the control unit 201 only needs to generate instruction information for each work process.

[0099] The control unit 201 outputs the generated instruction information (step S110). If the generated instruction information is for an operator, the control unit 201 displays the instruction information on the display unit 209 in character or as an image. Alternatively, the control unit 201 may output the instruction information as voice from the voice output unit 206. If the generated instruction information is a control command to the air conditioner 100, the control unit 201 transmits the generated control command to the air conditioner 100 from the communication unit 203. If the trial run consists of multiple work processes, the control unit 201 only needs to output instruction information for each work process.

[0100] When the trial run of the air conditioner 100 is completed, the control unit 201 generates a trial run work report (step S111). Figure 8 shows an example of a work report for a trial run. The work report has multiple check items, and a check box is provided for each check item. In the example in Figure 8, the work report has check items such as a first check item to confirm whether cold air and hot air are being properly emitted when the air conditioner 100 is operated and whether wind noise is being generated, a second check item to confirm whether any abnormal noises are being generated when the air conditioner 100 is being operated, and a third check item to confirm whether the operation remote control is displayed and whether the operation remote control is connected to the master unit, and a check box is provided for each check item. A circle (○) in the check box means that normal operation has been confirmed, and an X (×) means that normal operation has not been confirmed. The confirmation of normal operation is performed by an operator. Alternatively, the confirmation of normal operation may be performed by the control unit 201 of the user terminal 200. For example, after the control unit 201 transmits a control command (instruction information) to the air conditioner 100 in step S110, it obtains information related to the operating status of the air conditioner 100 via communication, and by specifying the obtained information related to the operating status of the air conditioner 100 as reference information, it can generate a work report including whether or not normal operation has been confirmed using the AI ​​model MD2.

[0101] The control unit 201 outputs the generated work report (step S112). The control unit 201 displays the generated work report on the display unit 209. Alternatively, the control unit 201 may transmit the generated work report to a terminal device carried by the customer (e.g., the homeowner of the private residence where the air conditioner 100 is installed, or the building manager). Alternatively, the worker may confirm the work report displayed on the display unit 209 of the user terminal 200, and then transmit the work report from the user terminal 200 to the customer's terminal device.

[0102] As described above, in this embodiment, the generating AI model MD2 requests information necessary for trial operation from the user, and the generating AI model MD2 can generate instruction information for trial operation based on relevant documents it can refer to and information input by the operator in response to a request. Furthermore, once the trial operation is completed, the generating AI model MD2 can generate a work report. In this embodiment, since the generating AI model MD2 can perform everything from collecting information necessary for trial operation to generating instruction information and generating a work report, it leads to a reduction in man-hours and reduces the workload on the operator.

[0103] In this embodiment, work support during the trial run of the air conditioner 100 has been described. However, the work support method described here can be applied not only to the trial run of the air conditioner 100, but also to the installation and maintenance work (inspection work and repair work) of various air conditioning-related equipment.

[0104] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the system is configured to provide work support to the worker using the generation AI model MD2 installed on the user terminal 200. However, it is also possible to configure the system to provide work support to the worker using the generation AI model MD3 installed on the first server 310. In this case, the work start instruction received by the user terminal 200 is transmitted to the first server 310 via communication. Upon receiving the work start instruction transmitted from the user terminal 200, the first server 310 requests the worker the information necessary for the work from the generation AI model MD3. The request to the worker is made by transmitting it from the first server 310 to the user terminal 200. The first server 310 receives the information necessary for the work from the user terminal 200 in response to the request, and generates instruction information for the work using the generation AI model MD3, which refers to the received information and the relevant documents that can be referenced. The first server 310 can then transmit the generated instruction information to the user terminal 200 or the air conditioner 100 to have the work performed.

[0105] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims, not in the sense described above, and all modifications within the sense and scope equivalent to the claims are intended.

[0106] 100 Air conditioner 200 User terminal 310 First server 320 Second server 101, 201, 311, 321 Control unit 102, 202, 312, 322 Storage unit 103, 203, 313, 323 Communication unit PG1, PG2, PG3 Control program MD1, MD2, MD3 Generated AI model RM1, RM2, RM3 Recording medium

Claims

1. A computer program that causes at least one computer to execute a process that, through a generating AI model that references documents related to air conditioning equipment, requests an operator to input information necessary for work related to the air conditioning equipment that is missing from the related documents, specifies the related documents and the information input by the operator as reference information, generates instruction information for the work using the generating AI model, and outputs the generated instruction information.

2. The computer program according to claim 1, which causes the computer to perform a process to determine whether there is any omission in the information entered by the worker by referring to the aforementioned related documents, and if it is determined that there is any omission in the entered information, to request the worker to enter the missing information.

3. A computer program according to claim 1 or 2, which causes the computer to perform a process of acquiring information on the work performed by the worker or other general worker with respect to the said work, and storing the acquired information on the work as a work history.

4. The computer program according to claim 3, which causes the computer to execute a process of specifying the work history as reference information, generating information to be notified to a worker who will newly perform the work using the generating AI model, and notifying the worker of the generated information.

5. A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which causes the computer to perform a process of learning errors made in work performed by the worker or other general worker, and based on the results of the learning, proposing corrections to the related documents using the generating AI model.

6. A computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which causes the computer to perform the following processes: acquire information relating to the operating status of the air conditioning equipment after the work described above has been performed; specify the acquired information relating to the operating status as reference information; generate a work report for the work described above using the generating AI model; and output the generated work report.

7. The computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the instruction information includes information on the content of the work and the work process of the work to be performed by the worker.

8. The computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the instruction information includes control commands to the air conditioning-related equipment.

9. The computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the air conditioning-related equipment includes an air conditioner, an ancillary device attached to the air conditioner, or a cooperating device that works in conjunction with the air conditioner.

10. The computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the work includes installation, commissioning, or maintenance of the air conditioning-related equipment.

11. The computer program according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the related documents include technical documents such as instruction manuals, installation manuals, and service guides for the air conditioning equipment, data obtained from the air conditioning equipment during work performed in the past, and customer information.

12. An information processing method that, through a generating AI model that references documents related to air conditioning equipment, requests an operator to input information necessary for performing work on the air conditioning equipment that is missing from the documents; specifies the documents and the information input by the operator as reference information; generates instruction information for the work using the generating AI model; and outputs the generated instruction information, all of which are performed by at least one computer.

13. An information processing system comprising at least one computer, wherein the computer, through a generating AI model that references related documents for air conditioning-related equipment, requests the worker to input information necessary for performing work on the air conditioning-related equipment that is missing from the related documents, the generating AI model generates instruction information for the work by designating the related documents and the information input by the worker as reference information, and outputs the generated instruction information.

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