Air-conditioning apparatus support system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822991-B2
Application number	US-201414651082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

An air-conditioning apparatus support system has a smartphone including a GPS, a camera, a communication unit that communicates with a center computer, a screen, and a control unit. When the control unit is activated at a location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, the control unit executes a step of assuming a location detected by the GPS to be the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed and causing the center computer to register the location, and, after registration has been made, when the control unit is activated at the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in the case where the air-conditioning apparatus is registered in the center computer, the control unit causes the screen to display information about the air-conditioning apparatus.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An air-conditioning apparatus support system that supports an air-conditioning apparatus, comprising:
a multifunctional mobile communication device connected to Internet that includes
a global positioning system that detects a location of the multifunctional mobile communication device;
an image capturing unit that captures an image of surroundings;
a communication unit that communicates with a center computer connected to the Internet;
a display unit that displays a character and an image; and
a control unit configured to receive input of information of the location detected by the global positioning system and control the image capturing unit, the communication unit, and the display unit, wherein

when the control unit of the multifunctional mobile communication device is activated at a location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is not registered in the center computer, the control unit assumes the location detected by the global positioning system to be the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed and causes the center computer to register the location,
when the control unit is activated at the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is registered in the center computer, the control unit causes the display unit to display information about the air-conditioning apparatus,
when a plurality of menu options for selecting information about the air-conditioning apparatus are displayed on the display unit and a specific menu option is selected from among the plurality of menu options, the control unit receives information about the specific menu option from the center computer and causes the display unit to display the information, and
when a state-inquiry menu option for inquiring about a less-frequently occurring state that occurs during normal operation is prepared in the plurality of menu options and the state-inquiry menu option is selected, the control unit receives a character or image describing a state of the air-conditioning apparatus about the state-inquiry menu option from the center computer and causes the display unit to display the character or image.

2. The air-conditioning apparatus support system of claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional mobile communication device includes an altimeter that detects a height that is a vertical location of the multifunctional mobile communication device, and
wherein the control unit causes the center computer to register the location detected by the global positioning system and assumed to be the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, and also assumes the height detected by the altimeter to be a height at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed and causes the center computer to register the height.

3. The air-conditioning apparatus support system of claim 1 , wherein, in a case where a model of the air-conditioning apparatus is not identified, when the control unit is activated at the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, the control unit causes the display unit to display a display prompting taking an image of the air-conditioning apparatus or identification provided on the air-conditioning apparatus with the image capturing unit, assumes the location detected by the global positioning system to be the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, and causes the center computer to register the location, and also causes the center computer to register the model of the air-conditioning apparatus identified by using the image taken with the image capturing unit.

4. An air-conditioning apparatus support system that supports an air-conditioning apparatus, comprising
a multifunctional mobile communication device connected to Internet that includes
a global positioning system that detects a location of the multifunctional mobile communication device;
an image capturing unit that captures an image of surroundings;
a communication unit that communicates with a center computer connected to the Internet;
a display unit that displays a character and an image; and
a control unit configured to receive input of information of the location detected by the global positioning system and control the image capturing unit, the communication unit, and the display unit, wherein

when the control unit of the multifunctional mobile communication device is activated at a location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is not registered in the center computer, the control unit assumes the location detected by the global positioning system to be the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed and causes the center computer to register the location,
when the control unit is activated at the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is registered in the center computer, the control unit causes the display unit to display information about the air-conditioning apparatus,
when a plurality of menu options for selecting information about the air-conditioning apparatus are displayed on the display unit and a specific menu option is selected from among the plurality of menu options, the control unit receives information about the specific menu option from the center computer and causes the display unit to display the information,
a removable component is removably installed in the air-conditioning apparatus, and
when a removal-inquiry menu option for inquiring about the removable component is prepared in the plurality of menu options and the removal-inquiry menu option is selected, the control unit causes the display unit to display a display prompting taking an image of the removable component with the image capturing unit, and causes the center computer to determine, by using the image taken with the image capturing unit, whether or not the removable component is installed in a correct position, and, in a case where it is determined that the removable component is not installed in the correct position, the control unit receives a name or schematic diagram of a part being not installed in a correct position from the center computer and causes the display unit to display the name or schematic diagram.

5. An air-conditioning apparatus support system that supports an air-conditioning apparatus, comprising:
a multifunctional mobile communication device connected to Internet that includes
a global positioning system that detects a location of the multifunctional mobile communication device;
an image capturing unit that captures an image of surroundings;
a communication unit that communicates with a center computer connected to the Internet;
a display unit that displays a character and an image; and
a control unit configured to receive input of information of the location detected by the global positioning system and control the image capturing unit, the communication unit, and the display unit, wherein

when the control unit of the multifunctional mobile communication device is activated at a location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is not registered in the center computer, the control unit assumes the location detected by the global positioning system to be the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed and causes the center computer to register the location,
when the control unit is activated at the location at which the air-conditioning apparatus is installed, in a case where the air-conditioning apparatus is registered in the center computer, the control unit causes the display unit to display

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Matsumoto Takashi

Classifications

• G05B2219/25168

  Domotique, access through internet protocols · CPC title

• F24F11/32

  Responding to malfunctions or emergencies · CPC title

• G05B2219/24048

  Remote test, monitoring, diagnostic · CPC title

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title

• F24F11/62

  characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values · CPC title