Data provision method using air conditioner log information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9933180-B2
Application number	US-201414780128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 18, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

A data providing method is carried out by a computer ( 460 ) built in a data processing system ( 1 ) which is designed to collect log information from electronic devices through a network ( 30 ) and provide services based on that log information for authenticated users. The data providing method includes: receiving an air conditioner ( 102 a, 102 b )'s log information through the network; generating display data by reference to pieces of information which are included in the air conditioner's log information and which indicate (i) a preset temperature of the air conditioner, (ii) an outdoor temperature outside a living space in which the air conditioner is installed, and (iii) an indoor temperature of the living space in which the air conditioner is installed, the display data representing a trend of change of a turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature; and providing the display data for an authenticated user's display terminal ( 130 a, 130 b ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A data providing method to be carried out by a computer built in a data processing system which is designed to collect log information from electronic devices through a network and provide services based on that log information for authenticated users, the method comprising:
receiving an air conditioner's log information through the network;
generating display data by reference to pieces of information which are included in the air conditioner's log information and which indicate (i) a preset temperature of the air conditioner, (ii) an outdoor temperature outside a living space in which the air conditioner is installed, and (iii) an indoor temperature of the living space in which the air conditioner is installed, the display data representing a trend of change of a turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature; and
providing the display data for an authenticated user's display terminal,

wherein:
the air conditioner has a filter;
the display data represents the trend of change of the turnaround time, using sample data that are collected at three or more points in time representing the turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature of the air conditioner in a situation where the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature maintain a constant relation;
the display data includes information about cleaning history of the filter of the air conditioner during a predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner wherein the information is associated with a power consumption at each of the three or more points in time; and
for past points in time from among the three or more points in time, the information about cleaning history represents information when the filter cleaning was done, whereas for a current point in time from among the three or more points in time, the information about cleaning history represents whether the filter cleaning is required at the current point in time.

2. The data providing method according to claim 1 , wherein the display data represents the trend of change of the turnaround time using at least three sets of sample data.

3. The data providing method according to claim 1 , wherein the display data represents the trend of change of the turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature in a situation where the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature maintain a constant relation.

4. The data providing method according to claim 2 , wherein each of the at least three sets of sample data is a set of data which has been gotten at the same indoor temperature and at the same outdoor temperature and which is based on the air conditioner's log information.

5. The data providing method according to claim 2 , wherein:
the air conditioner has a filter; and
the at least three sets of sample data include information about cleaning history of the filter during a predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner.

6. A data providing method to be carried out by a computer built in a data processing system which is designed to collect log information from electronic devices through a network and provide services based on that log information for authenticated users, the method comprising:
receiving an air conditioner's log information through the network;
generating display data by reference to pieces of information which are included in the air conditioner's log information and which indicate (i) a preset temperature of the air conditioner, (ii) an outdoor temperature outside a living space in which the air conditioner is installed, and (iii) an indoor temperature of the living space in which the air conditioner is installed, the display data representing a trend of change of a turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature;
providing the display data for an authenticated user's display terminal; and
if the turnaround time has exceeded a predetermined amount of time, further providing maintenance information about the air conditioner's maintenance for the display terminal,

wherein:
the air conditioner has a filter;
the display data represents the trend of change of the turnaround time, using sample data that are collected at three or more points in time representing the turnaround time that indicates how long it takes from when the air conditioner starts operating until the indoor temperature reaches the preset temperature of the air conditioner in a situation where the outdoor temperature and the indoor temperature maintain a constant relation;
the display data includes information about cleaning history of the filter of the air conditioner during a predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner wherein the information is associated with a power consumption at each of the three or more points in time;
for past points in time from among the three or more points in time, the information about cleaning history represents information when the filter cleaning was done, whereas for a current point in time from among the three or more points in time, the information about cleaning history represents whether the filter cleaning is required at the current point in time; and
the maintenance information includes a message about the filter cleaning if the turnaround time has exceeded a predetermined amount of time and if the cleaning history indicates that the filter has not been cleaned for the predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner.

7. The data providing method according to claim 6 , wherein:
the air conditioner has a filter;
the display data includes information about cleaning history of the filter during a predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner; and
the maintenance information includes a message about the filter cleaning.

8. The data providing method according to claim 6 , wherein:
the air conditioner has a filter;
the display data includes information about cleaning history of the filter during a predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner; and
the maintenance information includes a message about the filter cleaning if the turnaround time has exceeded a predetermined amount of time and if the information about cleaning history indicates that the filter has not been cleaned for the predetermined period of time before the start of operation of the air conditioner.

9. The data providing method according to claim 6 , wherein if the turnaround time is increasing compared to past history included in the air conditioner's log information and if the turnaround time has exceeded the predetermined amount of time, the maintenance information is further provided for the display terminal.

10. The data providing method according to claim 9 , comprising:
finding at least one more air conditioner which has been manufactured in the same lot as the air conditioner by reference to a database in which information about air conditioners' defects is accumulated on a lot-by-lot basis;
further spotting another air conditioner, in which the turnaround time exceeds the predetermined amount of time, from the at least one more air conditioner that has been found; and
providing maintenance information associated with informat

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Corp America

Inventors

• Haga Tomoyuki
• Ohmori Motoji
• Matsuzaki Natsume
• Futa Yuichi

Classifications

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• F24F11/0086

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24F2011/0068

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• G06Q50/00

  Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism (healthcare informatics G16H) · CPC title

• F24F2011/0091

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic