JP2023064922A - Air conditioning system, information processor, device control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an air conditioning system that facilitates setting a device according to the use scene.SOLUTION: An air conditioning system comprises a controller having a control unit, and a device to be operated by the controller. The control unit acquires the current setting information of the device, registers the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device, selects the operation mode, and sends the setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to an air conditioning system, an information processing device, a device control method, and a program.

One or more devices are controlled in accordance with control scene information set in accordance with the user's daily activities (for example, getting up, going to bed, going out, staying at home) and locations (for example, bedroom, study, dining room). A control system is known (see Patent Document 1, for example).

JP 2018-007157 A

In the conventional technology, the user sets each device according to the usage scene, and the setting work is troublesome.

The present disclosure provides an air-conditioning system that facilitates setting equipment according to usage scenes.

An air conditioning system according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is an air conditioning system including a controller having a control unit and equipment operated by the controller, wherein the control unit stores current setting information of the equipment. The acquired setting information is registered as an operation mode of the equipment, the operation mode is selected, and the setting information registered as the selected operation mode is transmitted to the equipment.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the 1st aspect of this indication, the air-conditioning system which makes it easy to set an apparatus according to a use scene can be provided.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to the first aspect, wherein the control unit is capable of registering a plurality of the operation modes, selectably displays the registered operation modes, and When the operation mode is selected, the setting information registered as the selected operation mode is transmitted to the device. This makes it easy for the user to control each device to his or her favorite settings according to various usage scenes.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the control unit transmits the setting information registered as the operation mode to the device in a predetermined state. do not

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the control unit does not register setting information of the device in a predetermined state as the operation mode .

A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is that the predetermined state includes a state different from the normal state of the device controlled by the control unit. As a result, the control unit excludes devices in specific states, such as special operation, high temperature prevention operation, set temperature program operation, or firmware update, from operation mode registration targets or setting targets. can be done.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to the third or fourth aspect, wherein the predetermined state includes a state in which an abnormality has occurred in the device. As a result, the control unit excludes, for example, a device in which an error has occurred, a device that does not respond, or a device that responds abnormally, from the targets for operation mode registration or setting. can do.

A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the controller manages the operation mode for each room or building.

An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the equipment includes a plurality of equipment for air conditioning a room or a building, and the control unit , setting information obtained from the plurality of devices is registered as an operation mode corresponding to the room or building. This makes it easy for the user to register the operation mode for each room and for each building, and collectively set the control contents of each device according to the usage scene for each room and each building.

A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to the eighth aspect, wherein the control unit lists device names and operating states of the plurality of devices when registering the operating mode. displayed. This makes it easier for the user to determine whether or not the current driving state can be registered as the driving mode.

A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the control unit stores information about the operation mode in a terminal device used by a user. This makes it easier for the user to manage the operation mode for each user while sharing information on the building, room, equipment, etc., with family members, for example.

An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is the air conditioning system according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the control unit, before transmitting setting information registered as the operation mode to the device, It is confirmed whether or not the device exists, and the setting information registered as the operation mode is transmitted to the device that exists. As a result, the air conditioning system can prevent erroneous transmission of control information to, for example, a device that has been moved to another room.

An information processing apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus including a control unit that controls a device, wherein the control unit acquires current setting information of the device, and obtains the acquired setting information. is registered as the operation mode of the equipment, the operation mode is selected, and setting information registered as the selected operation mode is transmitted to the equipment.

In a device control method according to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a computer that controls a device acquires current setting information of the device, registers the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device, and A mode is selected, and setting information registered as the selected operation mode is transmitted to the device.

A program according to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure includes a process of acquiring current setting information of the device in a computer that controls the device, a process of registering the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device, A process of selecting the operation mode and a process of transmitting setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device are executed.

It is a figure showing an example of a system configuration of an air-conditioning system concerning one embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of hardware constitutions of a computer concerning one embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of functional composition of an air-conditioning system concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a figure which shows the image of the driving mode information which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 4 is a diagram showing an image of device management information according to the first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of operation mode registration processing according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram (1) showing an example of a display screen according to the first embodiment; FIG. 2B is a diagram (2) showing an example of a display screen according to the first embodiment; 7 is a flowchart showing an example of processing for determining a device to be registered according to the first embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram (3) showing an example of a display screen according to the first embodiment; FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an example of operation mode setting processing according to the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram (4) showing an example of a display screen according to the first embodiment; FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of setting target device confirmation processing according to the second embodiment; FIG. It is a figure showing an example of functional composition of an air-conditioning system concerning a 2nd embodiment. FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of operation mode registration processing according to the second embodiment; FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing an example of operation mode setting processing according to the second embodiment;

Each embodiment will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and drawings, constituent elements having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, thereby omitting redundant description.

<System configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the system configuration of an air conditioning system according to one embodiment. The air conditioning system 1 includes, for example, a terminal device 100, a management server 101, one or more devices 102a, 102b, . . . , 102m, 102n, . , 103m, 103n, . . . In the following description, "equipment 102" is used when indicating an arbitrary equipment among the one or more equipments 102a, 102b, ..., 102m, 102n, .... Similarly, when indicating an arbitrary communication adapter among one or more communication adapters 103a, 103b, . . . , 103m, 103n, .

In FIG. 1, the devices 102a, 102b, . 102. The devices 102 include, but are not limited to, room air conditioners, air cleaners, ventilators, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, circulators, air conditioners for small spaces such as dressing rooms, and water heaters.

A communication adapter 103 is a communication device for adding a communication function to the device 102 . For example, the communication adapter 103a is connected to a communication network 2 such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network) by wireless communication or wired communication. , or can communicate with the terminal device 100 . The management server 101 or the terminal device 100 uses the communication adapter 103a to obtain, for example, the device status of the device 102a and set setting information and the like. Note that the device 102 may have the function (communication function) of the communication adapter 103 . In this case, device 102 is connected to communication network 2 without communication adapter 103 .

The management server 101 is, for example, an information processing device having a computer configuration or a system including a plurality of computers, and is connected to the communication network 2 . The management server 101 can communicate with one or more devices 102 to be managed via the communication network 2, the communication adapter 103, and the like. Also, the management server 101 can communicate with the terminal device 100 via the communication network 2 .

For example, the management server 101 stores and manages information on one or more devices 102 installed in the building 10 in device management information. This equipment management information includes, for example, the building 10, the rooms 11a, 11b, . Information such as the destination is stored.

A terminal device (controller) 100 is an information processing device such as a smart phone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal that can be connected to the communication network 2 by wireless communication or the like, and is mainly used by the user 3 . The terminal device 100 functions, for example, as a controller that controls one or more devices 102 installed in the building 10 by executing an application program (hereinafter referred to as an application) corresponding to the air conditioning system 1 .

The terminal device 100 receives an operation to the application by the user 3, acquires and displays the operating state of one or more devices 102 in each of the rooms 11a, 11b, . . . In addition, the terminal device 100 accepts an application operation by the user 3 and changes the settings of one or more devices 102 in the rooms 11a, 11b, . . .

The terminal device 100 according to the present embodiment also has a function of acquiring current setting information of one or more devices 102 and registering it as the operation mode of the device 102 . For example, in the room 11a in the building 10, the terminal device 100 receives the operation of the application by the user 3, acquires the setting information of the devices 102a, 102b, . . . is registered as the operation mode for user 3.

Further, in the room 11a, the terminal device 100 accepts the operation of the application by the user 3 and calls the selected operation mode, thereby transmitting the setting information registered as the operation mode to the devices 102a, 102b, . Send.

As a specific example, user 3 may, under certain circumstances, request a particular air conditioning setting. For example, when returning home on a hot day, user 3 lowers the set temperature, increases the wind force, and sets the direction of the wind toward the sofa for quick cooling. In this case, the user 3 can name the setting information of the current devices 102a, 102b, . Accordingly, when the user 3 returns home on another hot day, the user 3 can easily set the devices 102a, 102b, . . . can be done. In this embodiment, a combination of setting information of one or more devices 102 according to a usage scene is called an "operating mode". Also, naming and registering a combination of setting information of one or more devices 102 is referred to as "registering as an operation mode".

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide an air conditioning system that facilitates device setting according to usage scenes. Moreover, in this embodiment, the information regarding the driving mode is stored in the terminal device 100 such as a smart phone used by the user 3 . Therefore, in the air-conditioning system 1 according to the present embodiment, it becomes easy to register an operation mode suitable for each user and control the device 102 .

<Hardware configuration>
The terminal device 100 and the management server 101 according to this embodiment have the hardware configuration of a computer 200 as shown in FIG. 2, for example. Alternatively, the management server 101 is composed of multiple computers 200 .

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer according to one embodiment; The computer 200 has, for example, a processor 201, a memory 202, a storage device 203, a communication device 204, a display device 205, an input device 206, a drive device 207, a bus 209 and the like.

The processor 201 is, for example, a computing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that realizes various functions by executing a predetermined program stored in a storage medium such as the storage device 203 or memory 202 . The memory 202 includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory), which is a volatile memory used as a work area of the processor 201, and a ROM (Read Only Memory), which is a non-volatile memory for storing a program for starting the processor 201. Memory), etc. The storage device 203 is a large-capacity storage device that stores an OS (Operating System), programs such as applications, and various data and information. etc.

The communication device 204 is a communication device such as a wireless LAN or a wireless WAN for connecting the computer 200 to the communication network 2 and communicating with other devices. The display device 205 is a display device that displays a display screen. The input device 206 is, for example, an input device such as a touch panel, keyboard, or pointing device that receives input from the outside. Note that the display device 205 and the input device 206 may be an integrated display input device such as a touch panel display.

A drive device 207 is a device for setting a storage medium 208 in the computer 200 . The storage medium 208 here includes media for optically, electrically or magnetically recording information such as CD-ROMs, flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, and the like. The storage medium 208 may also include a semiconductor memory or the like that electrically records information, such as a ROM or a flash memory. A bus 209 is commonly connected to each of the components described above, and transmits, for example, address signals, data signals, and various control signals.

[First embodiment]
In the first embodiment, an example in which the terminal device 100 is used as a controller having a control unit will be described.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the air conditioning system according to the first embodiment;

(Functional configuration of terminal device)
The terminal device (controller) 100 includes, for example, a communication unit 301, a display unit 302, an operation reception unit 303, a storage unit, and the like, when the control unit 300, which is hardware such as the processor 201, executes an application for the air conditioning system 1. 304, an acquisition unit 305, a registration unit 306, a selection unit 307, a transmission unit 308, and the like.

The communication unit 301 connects the terminal device 100 to the communication network 2 using the communication device 204 and the like, and communicates with other devices such as the management server 101 and the like. The display unit 302 uses the display device 205 or the like to display various display screens, which will be described later. The operation reception unit 303 receives an input operation by the user 3 or the like using the input device 206 or the like. The storage unit 304 stores various information in a storage area such as the storage device 203 or the memory 202 .

The acquisition unit 305 acquires current setting information or device status of one or more devices 102 using, for example, the management server 101 (acquisition processing).

The registration unit 306 registers the current setting information of one or more devices 102 acquired by the acquisition unit 305 as the operation mode of the device (registration processing). For example, the registration unit 306 registers information about the driving mode in the driving mode information 400 as shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image of operation mode information according to the first embodiment. In the example of FIG. 4, the operation mode information 400 includes items such as "user ID", "building ID", "building name", "room ID", "room name", "mode ID", and "mode name". , “device ID”, “device name”, and “setting information”.

“User ID” is identification information (ID) that identifies a user. The user ID may be an ID that identifies the user 3, or an ID that identifies a group of users such as a family. In this embodiment, the information about the driving mode is stored in the terminal device 100 used by the user 3, so even if the user ID is shared by family members, etc., different driving modes can be registered for each user. Also, when a user ID is shared by family members, for example, information such as "user ID", "building ID", and "room ID" registered by one family member can be used by other family members. , facilitating app configuration.

“Building ID” is identification information for identifying a building in the air conditioning system 1 . "Building name" is information indicating the name of the building, and is used on the display screen of the application or the like. “Room ID” is identification information for identifying a room in the air conditioning system 1 . "Room name" is information indicating the name of the room, and is used on the display screen of the application and the like.

"Mode ID" is identification information for identifying the operation mode. "Mode name" is information indicating the name of the operation mode. “Device ID” is identification information for identifying each device 102 . “Device name” is information indicating the name of each device 102 .

“Setting information” is setting information indicating the setting state of each device 102 . For example, the “operating state” is information indicating whether the device 102 is in an “on” state in which it is operating, or is in an “off” state in which the device 102 has stopped operating. The “operation type” is information indicating the operation type of the device 102 (for example, “heating”, “cooling”, “dehumidifying”, “humidifying”, “cleaning”, etc.). “Set temperature” is information indicating the set temperature set in the device 102 . “Air volume” is information indicating the air volume set in the device 102 .

Among these pieces of information, the "user ID", "building ID", "room ID", and "equipment ID" are registered in advance in the management server 101 or the like by the user 3 or the administrator. information obtained from the Also, the user 3 can set the "building name", "room name", "mode name", and "equipment name" on the application, for example. For “setting information”, for example, current setting information of one or more devices 102 acquired by the acquiring unit 305 is set.

In the example of FIG. 4, an operation mode with a mode name of "winter good morning" is registered for a building name of "home" and a room name of "living room". Setting information of each device 102 of "purifier A" and "circulator A" is stored. Similarly, a plurality of driving modes can be registered in the driving mode information 400 (a plurality of driving modes can be registered).

The selection unit 307 selects an operation mode to be set from one or more operation modes registered in the operation mode information 400 (selection processing). For example, the selection unit 307 selectably displays a plurality of driving modes registered in the driving mode information 400 on the display screen of the application, and selects the driving mode selected by the user 3 . Alternatively, the selection unit 307 may select the operation mode to be set by, for example, preset timer setting or the like.

The transmission unit 308 transmits the setting information registered as the operation mode selected by the selection unit 307 to each device 102 using, for example, the management server 101 (transmission processing).

(Functional configuration of management server)
The management server 101 implements, for example, a communication unit 311, a device management unit 312, a storage unit 313, and the like, by one or more computers 200 executing a predetermined program.

The communication unit 311 connects the management server 101 to the communication network 2 using the communication device 204 or the like, and communicates with other devices such as the terminal device 100, the communication adapter 103, or the device 102, for example.

The device management unit 312 manages one or more devices registered in the air conditioning system 1 (device management processing). The device management unit 312 stores and manages information on one or more devices 102 registered by the user 3 or an administrator, etc., in device management information 500 shown in FIG. 5, for example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an image of device management information according to the first embodiment. In the example of FIG. 5, the device management information 500 includes items such as "user ID", "building ID", "room ID", "device ID", "model ID", and "destination information". included.

"User ID" is identification information for identifying a user, and corresponds to the user ID described with reference to FIG. "Building ID" is identification information for identifying a building, and corresponds to the building ID described with reference to FIG. "Room ID" is identification information for identifying a room, and corresponds to the room ID described with reference to FIG. "Device ID" is identification information for identifying the device 102, and corresponds to the device ID described with reference to FIG.

“Model ID” is identification information for identifying the model of the device 102 , and is set by the user 3 or the administrator when the device 102 is registered in the management server 101 , for example. “Destination information” is destination information such as an IP (Internet Protocol) address or a MAC (Media Access Control) address used when communicating with the device 102 . The “destination information” is set when the device 102 is registered in the management server 101 by, for example, a user or an administrator.

Using the device ID, model ID, and destination information stored in the device management information 500, the device management unit 312 can transmit and receive various types of information to and from each device 102 in a format corresponding to the model.

The storage unit 313 stores various information such as the device management information 500 in a storage area such as the storage device 203 or the memory 202 .

(Functional configuration of communication adapter)
The communication adapter 103 transfers the request information received from the management server 101 to the device 102 via the communication network 2 . Also, the communication adapter 103 transfers information received from the device 102 to the management server 101 . In this embodiment, the communication adapter 103 may be any device that adds a communication function to the device 102, so detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

(Equipment functional configuration)
The device 102 has a function of transmitting, for example, the device state of the device 102 or setting information to the management server 101 in response to a state acquisition request received from the management server 101 or the like. The device 102 also has a function of setting the setting information received from the management server 101 or the like in the device 102 . Note that, in the present embodiment, an existing device can be used as the device 102, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

Note that the functional configuration of the air conditioning system 1 described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 is an example. For example, the terminal device 100 may have the device management unit 312 of the management server 101 . In this case, the terminal device 100 may communicate with the devices 102a, 102b, . . .

<Process flow>
Next, the flow of processing of the device control method according to the first embodiment will be described.

(Operation mode registration process)
FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of operation mode registration processing according to the first embodiment. For example, in the air conditioning system 1 as shown in FIG. An example of mode registration processing is shown. For example, when returning home on a hot day, user 3 lowers the set temperature, increases the wind force, and sets the direction of the wind toward the sofa for quick cooling. At this time, the user 3 executes the operation mode registration process shown in FIG. It can be registered as a driving mode.

It is assumed that, at the start of the process shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 100 is executing an application corresponding to the air conditioning system 1 and displaying an application screen 710 as shown in FIG. 7(A). . Also, the dashed arrows in FIG. 6 indicate the operations of the application by the user 3 .

In steps S<b>601 and S<b>602 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 transmits a device status acquisition request to the management server 101 upon receiving the device list screen display operation by the user 3 . This device status acquisition request includes, for example, a user ID, a room ID, and the like. For example, when the user 3 selects a device list display button 711 on an application screen 710 as shown in FIG. 7A, the control unit 300 accepts a device list screen display operation.

In steps S603 to S610, when receiving a device status acquisition request from the terminal device 100, the management server 101 refers to, for example, the device management information 500 shown in FIG. The device status is obtained from each device 102 that

For example, in steps S603 and S604, the management server 101 transmits a status acquisition request to the device 102a via the communication adapter 103a. As a result, in steps S605 and S606, the device 102a returns the device status indicating the status of the device 102a to the management server 101 via the communication adapter 103a. The device status includes, for example, setting information of the device 102 and status information (for example, operating state, operating mode, presence/absence of device abnormality, etc.).

Similarly, in steps S607 and S608, the management server 101 transmits a status acquisition request to the device 102b via the communication adapter 103b. As a result, in steps S609 and S610, the device 102b returns the device status indicating the status of the device 102b to the management server 101 via the communication adapter 103b.

Note that if there are three or more devices 102 corresponding to the room ID, the management server 101 similarly acquires status information from other devices 102 as well.

In step S<b>611 , the management server 101 transmits the device status obtained from each device 102 to the terminal device 100 . Accordingly, in step S612, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 temporarily stores the device status received from the management server 101 in the storage unit 304 or the like.

In step S613, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays, for example, a device list screen 720 as shown in FIG. 7B based on the device status of each device 102 received from the management server 101. FIG. In the example of FIG. 7B, the device list screen 720 lists the status of each device 102 installed in the living room.

In steps S614 and S615, when the user 3 selects the "collective operation" button 722 from the device list screen 720 as shown in FIG. A collective operation screen (collective operation window) 811 as shown in A) is displayed on the application screen 810 .

In steps 616 and S617, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100, when the user 3 selects the "save current driving state" button 812 on the collective operation screen 811, for example, as shown in FIG. Executes confirmation processing of the device to be registered.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing for determining a device to be registered according to the first embodiment. This process shows an example of the registration target device confirmation process executed by the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 in step S617 of FIG.

In steps 901 and S902, the control section 300 of the terminal device 100 reads the device status temporarily stored in step S612 of FIG. 6, and determines whether or not there is a device in a predetermined state. Here, the predetermined state is a state that is not subject to the operation mode registration process. state, etc. are included.

For example, states different from the normal state include states such as special operation, high temperature prevention operation, set temperature program operation, and firmware update. The state in which the device 102 has an abnormality includes a state in which an error has occurred in the device 102, a state in which there is no response from the device 102, a state in which the response from the device 102 is abnormal, and the like. Preferably, the predetermined state is a state of the device 102 that is excluded from the operation mode registration process by a designer, administrator, service provider, or the like.

If there is no device in the predetermined state, the control unit 300 shifts the process to step S903. On the other hand, if there is a device in the predetermined state, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S904.

After moving to step S903, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 determines each device 102 that is not in a predetermined state as a device to be registered.

On the other hand, when the process proceeds from step S902 to step S904, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 excludes the device 102 in a predetermined state from the devices to be registered.

After shifting to step S905, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 determines whether or not there is a device 102 that is not in a predetermined state. If there is a device 102 that is not in the predetermined state, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S903. On the other hand, if there is no device 102 that is not in the predetermined state, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S906.

When the process proceeds to step S906, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays a list 1201 of the states of each device on the application screen 1020, for example, as shown in FIG. Abort.

Here, returning to FIG. 6, the description of the sequence diagram is continued. In step S618, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays a name input screen (name input window) 821 as shown in FIG. 8B on the application screen 820, for example. In the example of FIG. 8B, an input field 822 for inputting the name of the operation mode and a current operation state 823 are displayed on the name input screen 821 . Further, in the current operating state 823, the device names and operating states of the plurality of devices 102 are listed and displayed. Thereby, the user 3 can easily determine whether or not to register the current driving state as the driving mode.

On the name input screen 821, the user 3 enters the name to be given to the operation mode in the input field 822 and selects the "Register" button 824 to register the current settings of each device 102 as the operation mode. can be registered.

Note that when the plurality of devices 102 includes devices 102 in a predetermined state, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays, for example, a name input screen (name input window) 1011 as shown in FIG. It is displayed on the application screen 1010 . In the example of FIG. 10A, the state of the device 102 in a predetermined state is displayed as, for example, "cannot be registered". As a result, the user 3 can recognize that there is a device 102 that cannot be registered, and can easily determine whether to register the operation mode as it is or check the device that cannot be registered.

In steps S619 and S620, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 receives the user's name input operation and registration operation, and then executes the processing of steps S630 and S640.

In step S621, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 registers the driving mode. For example, the control unit 300 registers the setting information of the device to be registered in the operating mode information 400 as shown in FIG. At this time, the control unit 300 generates a new mode ID, and adds the generated mode ID, the input name (mode name), and the acquired setting information to the operation mode information 400 in association with each other.

In step S622, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays a registration completion screen indicating that the registration of the driving mode has been completed on the application screen.

Through the above process, the air conditioning system 1 registers the current setting information of, for example, the plurality of devices 102 installed in the living room as the operation mode according to the operation of the terminal device 100 by the user 3 .

(Operating mode setting process)
FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of operation mode setting processing according to the first embodiment. For example, in the air conditioning system 1 as shown in FIG. An example of setting processing is shown. 11, the terminal device 100 is running an application corresponding to the air conditioning system 1, and the application screen 710 as shown in FIG. 7A or the application screen shown in FIG. Assume that the device list screen 720 as shown is displayed. Further, here, a detailed description of the same process as the operation mode registration process described with reference to FIG. 6 will be omitted.

In step S1101, when the user 3 selects the "batch operation" button 722 from the device list screen 720, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays, for example, a batch operation screen ( Batch operation window) 1211 is displayed on the application screen 1210 . When driving modes are registered in the application, a list 1212 of registered driving modes is displayed on the batch operation screen 1211 as shown in FIG. 12(A). The user 3 can select the operation mode “winter good morning” from the operation mode list 1212 by selecting, for example, the “winter good morning” button 1213 .

Preferably, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays a confirmation screen (confirmation window) 1221 as shown in FIG. Display at 1220. In the example of FIG. 12B, a confirmation screen 1221 displays a list 1222 of setting details of each device 102 in the selected operation mode. Thereby, the user 3 can easily confirm the setting contents of the selected operation mode. The user 3 can confirm the selection operation of the driving mode by selecting the “execute” button 1223 on the confirmation screen 1221 .

In steps S<b>1103 and S<b>1104 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 transmits a device status acquisition request to the management server 101 upon receiving the operation mode selection operation by the user 3 . This device status acquisition request includes, for example, a user ID, a room ID, and the like.

In steps S1105 to S1112, the management server 101 acquires the device status from each device 102 corresponding to the room ID included in the acquisition request in the same manner as steps S603 to S610 in FIG.

In step S<b>1113 , the management server 101 transmits the device status obtained from each device 102 to the terminal device 100 .

In step S1114, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 executes, for example, determination processing of the setting target device as shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of setting target device confirmation processing according to the first embodiment. This process shows an example of the setting target device confirmation process executed by the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 in step S1114 of FIG.

In step S<b>1301 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 determines whether or not there is a device 102 registered in the operation mode selected by the user 3 based on the device status received from the management server 101 . For example, the control unit 300 determines that there are devices 102 for which the management server 101 has been able to acquire the device status among the devices 102 registered in the operation mode, determine that it does not exist. If there is a registered device 102, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S1303. On the other hand, if there is a device 102 that does not exist among the registered devices 102, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S1302.

After shifting to step S1302, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 excludes the non-existing device 102 from the setting target devices. Through the processing of steps S1301 and S1302, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 can selectively transmit setting information to existing devices 102. FIG.

After shifting to step S1303, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 determines whether or not there is a device in a predetermined state based on the device state received from the management server 101. FIG. Here, the predetermined state is a state that is not subject to the operation mode setting process. state, etc. are included.

For example, states different from the normal state include states such as special operation, high temperature prevention operation, set temperature program operation, and firmware update. The state in which the device 102 has an abnormality includes a state in which an error has occurred in the device 102, a state in which there is no response from the device 102, a state in which the response from the device 102 is abnormal, and the like. The predetermined state is, for example, a state of the device 102 that is predetermined by a designer, administrator, service provider, or the like, and is a state that is not subject to operation mode setting processing.

If there is no device in the predetermined state, control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S1304. On the other hand, if there is a device in the predetermined state, the control section 300 causes the process to proceed to step S1305.

After moving to step S1304, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 determines each device 102 that is not in a predetermined state as a setting target device.

On the other hand, when the process proceeds from step S1303 to step S1305, the control unit 300 excludes the device 102 in a predetermined state from the setting target devices.

After moving to step S1306, the control unit 300 determines whether or not there is a device 102 that is not in a predetermined state. If there is a device 102 that is not in the predetermined state, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S1304. On the other hand, if there is no device 102 that is not in the predetermined state, the control unit 300 causes the process to proceed to step S1307.

After shifting to step S1307, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays a list of the states of the devices 102 on the application screen, and stops the operation mode setting process.

Here, returning to FIG. 11, the description of the sequence diagram is continued. In steps S1115 to S1126, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 uses the management server 101 to transfer the setting information of each device 102 stored in the operation mode information 400 shown in FIG. set.

For example, when the devices to be set are the devices 102a and 102b, in step S1115, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 issues a setting request for setting the setting information 1-1 to 1-N for the device 102a. , to the management server 101 . Here, N is the number of setting values to be set in the device 102a. This setting request also includes, for example, the device ID of the device 102a.

In steps S1116 and S1117, in response to the setting request received from the terminal device 100, the management server 101 transmits setting information 1-1 to 1-N to the device 102a via the communication adapter 103a.

In steps S1118 and S1119, the device 102a sets the received setting information 1-1 to 1-N in the device 102a, and returns the setting result to the management server 101 via the communication adapter 103a. Also, in step S1120, the management server 101 transmits the received setting result to the terminal device 100 that made the request.

Similarly, in step S1121, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 transmits to the management server 101 a setting request for setting the setting information 1-1 to 1-M for the device 102b. Here, M is the number of setting values to be set in the device 102b. This setting request also includes, for example, the device ID of the device 102b.

In steps S1122 and S1123, the management server 101 transmits setting information 1-1 to 1-M to the device 102b via the communication adapter 103b in response to the setting request received from the terminal device 100. FIG.

In steps S1124 and S1125, the device 102b sets the received setting information 1-1 to 1-M in the device 102b, and returns the setting result to the management server 101 via the communication adapter 103b. Also, in step S1126, the management server 101 transmits the received setting result to the terminal device 100 that made the request.

In step S1127, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays a result display screen (result display window) 1231 as shown in FIG. 12C on the application screen 1230, for example. Preferably, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays, on the result display screen 1231, a message 1232 indicating that there is a device 102 for which the setting has failed, when there is a device to be set for which the setting of the setting information has failed. Note that if the setting information for the setting target device is successfully set, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 omits the process of step S1127 and displays an application screen 710 as shown in FIG. 7A, for example. may

Through the above process, the air conditioning system 1 sets the operation mode registered in the application of the terminal device 100 to the setting target device according to the operation of the terminal device 100 by the user 3 .

In the above-described embodiment, the terminal device 100 registers the setting information obtained from the plurality of devices 102 for air-conditioning one room as the operation mode corresponding to one room. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the terminal device 100 may register, for example, setting information acquired from a plurality of devices 102 for air-conditioning a plurality of rooms as operation modes corresponding to the plurality of rooms. Furthermore, the terminal device 100 may register setting information acquired from a plurality of devices 102 that air-condition one building as an operation mode corresponding to one building.

[Second embodiment]
1st Embodiment demonstrated the example in case the controller which has a control part is the terminal device 100. FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as shown in FIG. In the second embodiment, an example in which the terminal device 100 and the management server 101 work together to form the controller 1410 will be described.

<Functional configuration>
Since the main functional configurations included in the air conditioning system 1 according to the second embodiment are the same as the respective functional configurations included in the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment, here, the air conditioning system 1 according to the first embodiment The description will focus on the differences from the functional configuration of the system 1 .

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an air conditioning system according to the second embodiment;

(Functional configuration of terminal device)
The terminal device 100 includes, for example, a communication unit 301, a display unit 302, an operation reception unit 303, a storage unit 304, and the like, when the control unit 300, which is hardware such as the processor 201, executes an application for the air conditioning system 1. is realized.

The communication unit 301 connects the terminal device 100 to the communication network 2 using the communication device 204 and the like, and communicates with other devices such as the management server 101 and the like. The display unit 302 displays various display screens provided from the management server 101 using the display device 205 or the like. The operation reception unit 303 transmits to the management server 101 operation information indicating an input operation by the user 3 or the like, which is received using the input device 206 or the like. The storage unit 304 stores various information in a storage area such as the storage device 203 or the memory 202 .

(Functional configuration of management server)
The management server 101 realizes a functional configuration as shown in FIG. 14 by the control unit 1400, which is hardware such as the processor 201, executing a predetermined program. For example, the control unit 1400 implements the communication unit 311, the device management unit 312, the storage unit 313, the acquisition unit 305, the registration unit 306, the selection unit 307, the transmission unit 308, the display control unit 1401, and the like.

As with the communication unit 311 according to the first embodiment, the communication unit 311 connects the management server 101 to the communication network 2 and communicates with other devices such as the terminal device 100, the communication adapter 103, or the device 102, for example. connect.

The device management unit 312 manages one or more devices registered in the air conditioning system 1 . Note that the details of the processing executed by the device management unit 312 are the same as those of the device management unit 312 according to the first embodiment, so detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

The storage unit 313 stores various information such as the device management information 500 in a storage area such as the storage device 203 or the memory 202 .

The acquisition unit 305 acquires current setting information or device status of one or more devices 102 using, for example, the device management unit 312 (acquisition processing).

The registration unit 306 registers the current setting information of one or more devices 102 acquired by the acquisition unit 305 in the terminal device 100 as the operation mode of the device (registration process). For example, the registration unit 306 transmits to the terminal device 100 information about the driving mode to be registered in the driving mode information 400 as shown in FIG.

The display control unit 1401 creates, for example, display screens as shown in FIGS. 7, 8, 10, and 12, and causes the terminal device 100 to display them (display control processing).

The selection unit 307 selects an operation mode to be set from one or more operation modes registered in the operation mode information 400 (selection processing). For example, the selection unit 307 selects the operation mode to be set by the user 3 performing a selection operation or the like on the batch operation screen 1211 displayed on the terminal device 100 by the display control unit 14 .

The transmission unit 308 transmits the setting information registered as the operation mode selected by the selection unit 307 to each device 102 using, for example, the device management unit 312 (transmission processing).

Note that the processing of the device 102 and the communication adapter 103 according to the second embodiment may be the same as the processing of the device 102 and the communication adapter 103 according to the first embodiment.

<Process flow>
Next, the process flow of the device control method according to the second embodiment will be described.

(Operation mode registration process)
FIG. 15 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of operation mode registration processing according to the second embodiment. For example, in the air conditioning system 1 as shown in FIG. FIG. 11 shows another example of mode registration processing. FIG. A detailed description of the same processing as in the first embodiment will be omitted here.

In steps S1501 and S1502, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 requests the management server 101 to display the device list screen upon receiving the device list screen display operation by the user 3 . This request includes, for example, the user ID and room ID.

In step S1503, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 acquires the device statuses from the devices 102a, 102b, . .

In step S1504, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 temporarily stores the device status acquired from each device 102 in the storage unit 313 or the like.

In step S1505, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 creates, for example, a device list screen 720 as shown in FIG. do. Accordingly, in step S<b>1510 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays the device list screen 720 received from the management server 101 .

In steps S1507 and S1508, when the user 3 selects the "batch operation" button 722 from the device list screen 720, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 performs an operation indicating that the "batch operation" button 722 has been selected. Information is sent to the management server 101 . Accordingly, in step S1509, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 creates a collective operation screen 811 (or an application screen 810 including the collective operation screen 811) as shown in FIG. Send to device 100 . Accordingly, in step S<b>1510 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays the collective operation screen 811 received from the management server 101 .

In steps S1511 and S1512, when the user 3 selects the "save current driving state" button 812 on the collective operation screen 811, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 indicates that the button has been selected. Operation information is transmitted to the management server 101 .

In step SS1513, for example, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 instead of the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 executes the process of determining the device to be registered as shown in FIG.

In step S1514, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 creates, for example, a name input screen 821 (or an application screen 820 including the name input screen 821) as shown in FIG. do. Accordingly, in step S1515, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays the name input screen 821. FIG.

In steps S 1516 to S 1518 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 receives a name input operation and a registration operation by the user, and transmits operation information regarding the received input operation and registration operation to the management server 101 .

In step S<b>1519 , the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 registers the operation mode in the terminal device 100 by transmitting the setting information of the device to be registered to the terminal device 100 .

In step S1520, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 adds the information about the operation mode received from the management server 101 to the operation mode information 400 as shown in FIG.

In step S<b>1521 , the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 creates a registration completion screen indicating that the registration of the operating mode has been completed, and transmits it to the terminal device 100 . Accordingly, in step S<b>1522 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays the registration completion screen received from the management server 101 .

By the above-described processing, as in the first embodiment, the air-conditioning system 1 changes the current status of the plurality of devices 102 installed in the living room, for example, according to the operation of the terminal device 100 by the user 3 . Setting information can be registered as an operation mode.

(Operating mode setting process)
FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of operation mode setting processing according to the second embodiment. For example, in the air conditioning system 1 as shown in FIG. 4 shows another example of setting processing. A detailed description of the same processing as in the first embodiment will be omitted here.

In steps S1601 and S1602, when the user 3 selects a "batch operation" button 722 from the device list screen 720 as shown in FIG. Operation information is transmitted to the management server 101 .

In step S1603, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 creates a collective operation screen 1211 (or an application screen 1210 including the collective operation screen 1211) as shown in FIG. do. Accordingly, in step S1604, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays the batch operation screen 1211. FIG.

In steps S<b>1605 and S<b>1606 , the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 transmits to the management server 101 a setting request requesting setting of the selected operation mode upon receiving the operation mode selection operation by the user 3 . This setting request includes, for example, operating mode information regarding the selected operating mode. For example, in the operation mode information 400 as shown in FIG. 4, when the operation mode with the mode name "good morning in winter" is selected, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 selects the device ID corresponding to the operation mode, each device A setting request including setting information corresponding to the ID is transmitted to the management server 101 .

In step S1607, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 executes device status acquisition processing, for example, as shown in steps S1105 to S1112 in FIG. 11 in response to the setting request from the terminal device 100. Thereby, the control unit 1400 can acquire the device status from the devices 102a, 102b, . . .

In step S1608, for example, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 instead of the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 executes the setting target device confirmation processing as shown in FIG.

In steps S1609 to S1616, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 sets setting information for the setting target device based on the operation mode information received from the terminal device 100 in step S1606.

For example, when the devices to be set are the device 102a and the device 102b, in steps S1609 and S1610, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 sends the setting information 1-1 to 1-N to the device 102a via the communication adapter 103a. to send. Here, N is the number of setting values to be set in the device 102a.

In steps S1611 and S1612, the device 102a sets the received setting information 1-1 to 1-N in the device 102a, and returns the setting result to the management server 101 via the communication adapter 103a.

Similarly, in steps S1613 and S1614, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 transmits setting information 1-1 to 1-M to the device 102b via the communication adapter 103b. Here, M is the number of setting values to be set in the device 102b.

In steps S1615 and S1616, the device 102b sets the received setting information 1-1 to 1-M in the device 102b, and returns the setting result to the management server 101 via the communication adapter 103b.

In step S1617, the control unit 1400 of the management server 101 creates, for example, a result display screen 1231 (or an application screen 1230 including the result display screen 1231) as shown in FIG. do. Accordingly, in step S1618, the control unit 300 of the terminal device 100 displays the result display screen 1231. FIG.

Through the above processing, the air conditioning system 1 sets the operating mode registered in the application of the terminal device 100 to the device to be set in accordance with the operation of the terminal device 100 by the user 3, as in the first embodiment. do.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide the air conditioning system 1 that facilitates the setting of the device 102 according to the usage scene.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 can register a plurality of operation modes, displays the registered operation modes in a selectable manner, and selects when the operation mode is selected. The setting information registered as the operation mode is transmitted to the device 102 . This makes it easier for the user 3 to control each device 102 to his/her favorite settings according to various usage scenes.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 does not transmit the setting information registered as the operation mode to the device 102 in a specific state or to the device 102 in which an abnormality has occurred. . As a result, the air conditioning system 1 can exclude the equipment 102 in a specific state or the equipment 102 in which an abnormality has occurred from the operation mode setting targets.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 does not register the setting information of the device 102 in a specific state or the device 102 in which an abnormality has occurred as the operation mode. As a result, the air conditioning system 1 can exclude the setting information of the device 102 in a specific state or the device 102 in which an abnormality has occurred from the operation mode registration targets.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 manages the operation mode for each room 11 or building 10. FIG. Further, preferably, the devices 102 of the air conditioning system 1 include a plurality of devices 102 that air-condition the room 11 or the building 10, and the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) uses settings obtained from the plurality of devices 102. Information is registered as the operating mode corresponding to the room 11 or building 10 . Thereby, the user 3 can register the operation mode for each room 11 and each building 10, and collectively set the control contents of each device 102 suitable for the usage scene for each room 11 and each building 10.例文帳に追加becomes easier.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 lists and displays the device names and operating states of the plurality of devices 102 when the operating mode is registered. This makes it easier for the user 3 to determine whether or not the current driving state may be registered as the driving mode.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 stores information about the operation mode in the terminal device 100 used by the user 3. This makes it easier for the user 3 to manage the operation mode for each user 3 while sharing information on the building, room, equipment, etc. with his or her family.

Preferably, the control unit 300 (or the control unit 1400) of the air conditioning system 1 confirms whether the device 102 exists before transmitting the setting information registered as the operation mode to the device 102, and the existing device 102 Send the setting information registered as the operation mode. As a result, the air conditioning system 1 can prevent erroneous transmission of control information to, for example, a device that has been moved to another room.

Other aspects of the present disclosure are realized by, for example, an information processing device such as the terminal device 100 or the management server 101, a device control method executed by a computer, a program executed by a computer, or the like.

Although the embodiments have been described above, it will be appreciated that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims.

For example, in the system configuration of the air conditioning system 1 shown in FIG. 1 , if the device 102 has a communication function, the device 102 may be connected to the communication network 2 without the communication adapter 103 . The management server 101 may be divided into multiple servers. The air conditioning system 1 may have a plurality of terminal devices 100 sharing the same user ID, or may have terminal devices 100 with different user IDs. The configuration of the communication network 2 may be any configuration including, for example, a wireless section or a wired section. The terminal device 100 is not limited to a general-purpose information terminal, and may be a dedicated terminal device or the like.

1 air conditioning system 10 building 11a, 11b room 100 terminal device (controller, information processing device)
101 management server (information processing device)
102, 102a, 101b, 102m, 102n Equipment 103, 103a, 103b, 103m, 103n Communication adapter 300, 1400 Control section 1410 Controller

Claims (14)

An air conditioning system comprising a controller having a control unit and equipment operated by the controller,
The control unit
obtaining current configuration information of the device;
Registering the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device,
select the driving mode;
transmitting setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device;
air conditioning system. The control unit
A plurality of the operation modes can be registered,
Displaying the registered operation modes in a selectable manner,
When the operation mode is selected, transmitting setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device;
The air conditioning system of Claim 1. 3. The air conditioning system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit does not transmit setting information registered as said operation mode to said device in a predetermined state. 4. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said control unit does not register setting information of said device in a predetermined state as said operation mode. 5. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined state includes a state different from a normal state of said equipment controlled by said control unit. 5. The air conditioning system according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined state includes a state in which said device has an abnormality. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said control unit manages said operation mode for each room or building. The equipment includes a plurality of equipment for air conditioning a room or building,
The control unit registers the setting information acquired from the plurality of devices as an operation mode corresponding to the room or building.
8. Air conditioning system according to any one of the preceding claims. 9. The air-conditioning system according to claim 8, wherein said control unit lists and displays device names and operating states of said plurality of devices when said operating mode is registered. 10. The air conditioning system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said control unit stores information about said operation mode in a terminal device used by a user. The control unit
Before sending the setting information registered as the operation mode to the device, confirming whether the device exists;
Sending the setting information registered as the operation mode to the existing equipment,
11. Air conditioning system according to any one of the preceding claims. An information processing device having a control unit that controls a device,
The control unit
obtaining current configuration information of the device;
Registering the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device,
select the driving mode;
transmitting setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device;
Information processing equipment. The computer that controls the equipment
obtaining current configuration information of the device;
Registering the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device,
select the driving mode;
transmitting setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device;
Equipment control method. to the computer that controls the equipment,
a process of obtaining current setting information of the device;
a process of registering the acquired setting information as an operation mode of the device;
a process of selecting the operation mode;
a process of transmitting setting information registered as the selected operation mode to the device;
The program that causes the to run.

Images