JP6656093B2 - Information provision system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing system.

  Regarding various devices such as air conditioners installed in houses, manufacturers often disclose performance values such as rated capacity and rated COP. These pieces of information are used, for example, as a guide for selecting a product at the time of replacement of a device, or used as a guide for estimating a utility cost when the device is used. In recent years, as described in Patent Document 1, for example, a system has been proposed that automatically introduces a product suitable for a user from a group of products stored in a database in consideration of the usage tendency of a device. Consideration has been given to convenience.

JP-A-2002-92410

  Here, the above published performance values are only what can be expected under the specified conditions, and if various conditions such as how to handle equipment, building specifications, location, etc. are different from the applicable conditions, actual Can deviate from published performance values. Furthermore, the difference between the published performance and the actually exhibited performance may become so large that it cannot be ignored depending on the usage tendency of the device. In other words, even if information is provided to the user using the system described in Patent Document 1 or the like, there is a concern that advice on appropriate selection and use of devices will not function properly due to low reliability. Is done. As described above, in order to improve the convenience of the user, there is still room for improvement in the configuration related to the provision of information to the user.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its main object to provide an information providing system capable of suitably providing information on device selection and use.

  Hereinafter, effective means for solving the above-described problems will be described while showing effects and the like as necessary. In the following, for easy understanding, corresponding configurations in the embodiments of the present invention are appropriately shown in parentheses and the like, but are not limited to the specific configurations shown in parentheses and the like.

Means 1. User terminals (for example, home server 25) used on the user side of a plurality of houses (houses 10);
An information providing system comprising a management server (overall management device 51 of an information management center 50) capable of communicating with the user terminal,
The user terminal collects device use information (for example, power consumption) related to the use status of a predetermined device (for example, the air conditioner 21) installed in each of a plurality of houses, and actual information (for example, a changed heat amount or COP) related to a use result. Having information collecting means (information obtaining function in the home server 25);
The management server,
Performance curve creation means for creating a performance curve showing performance values for each use condition of the device based on information collected in a plurality of houses by the information collection means (performance curve creation function in the general management device 51) When,
Comparison means (comparison function in the general management device 51) for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in a predetermined house with the performance curve;
An information providing unit (a function of displaying comparison information on the display unit 47) for providing information on a result of comparison by the comparing unit to the user terminal of the predetermined house; system.

  Performance values published by manufacturers and the like are often limited only to specific reference conditions. For this reason, a difference between the published performance value and the actual performance value occurs depending on the usage status of the device. Here, as shown in this means, by collecting information (actual results) on the usage status and usage result of each device and creating a performance curve based on the collected information, for example, the usage status deviates from the above standard. To understand how much performance will be exhibited. By providing information to the user based on the result of comparing the performance curve with the device usage information, the provided information can be more reliably compared to the case where only pinpoint data such as rated capacity and rated COP is used. You can increase the likelihood. This is the reliability of the information when teaching, for example, whether or not the device is suitable for the user's usage tendency or teaching how to use the device in a suitable manner. It is preferable in aiming at the improvement of.

Means 2. The information collecting unit has a unit (a function of grasping a temperature difference) for collecting information on a use environment (for example, a temperature difference between indoor and outdoor) of the device together with the device use information and the result information,
The use environment is classified into a plurality,
The performance curve creating means has means for creating the performance curve for each classified use environment,
The comparing means has means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house with the performance curve corresponding to a usage environment when the device usage information is collected. The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein:

  The performance curves described above may be affected by the environment in which the device is used. Therefore, there is a concern that the accuracy of the created performance curve will be reduced if the information collected from various houses is simply summarized. Therefore, by creating a performance curve for each of the classified use environments, it is possible to improve the accuracy of comparison. This makes it possible to suitably improve the reliability of the information when providing the user with the information on the comparison result.

Means 3. The equipment includes a plurality of types (for example, air conditioners SA1 to SA3) having different specifications.
The information collecting means is configured to collect the device usage information and the performance information from the various devices,
The performance curve creating means is configured to create each of the performance curves for each type of the device,
The comparing means comprises:
Means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house, and a performance curve corresponding to the device installed in the predetermined house among the performance curves,
Means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house with a performance curve corresponding to the device of another house among the performance curves. The information providing system according to the first or second means.

  According to the means 3, it is possible to give advice based on the user's usage tendency even for other devices that are not actually used. Since a performance curve is created for each device type (model) based on the results, information such as advice provided to the user can be highly reliable. For example, a configuration may be provided in which the user is provided with information indicating how much difference occurs when the device being used is replaced with another device, and information specifying which device is optimal for the user.

Means 4. The equipment includes a plurality of types (for example, air conditioners SA1 to SA3) having different specifications.
The information collecting unit is configured to collect the device usage information and the performance information from the various devices, and collects information on a usage environment of the device (for example, a temperature difference between indoor and outdoor) (temperature Function to grasp the difference)
The use environment is classified into a plurality,
The performance curve creating means is configured to create the performance curve according to the type of the device and the use environment,
The comparing means is configured to compare the device usage information and the performance curve in which the use environment is in the same classification,
The comparing means comprises:
Means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house, and a performance curve corresponding to the device installed in the predetermined house among the performance curves,
Means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house with a performance curve corresponding to the device of another house among the performance curves. The information providing system according to the first or second means.

  According to the means 4, it is possible to give advice based on the usage tendency of the user for other devices that are not actually used. Since a performance curve is created for each device type (model) based on the results, information such as advice provided to the user can be highly reliable. For example, a configuration may be provided in which the user is provided with information indicating how much difference occurs when the device being used is replaced with another device, and information specifying which device is optimal for the user.

  Also, the performance curve may be affected by the environment when the device is used. Therefore, there is a concern that the accuracy of the created performance curve will be reduced if the information collected from various houses is simply summarized. Therefore, by creating a performance curve for each of the classified use environments, it is possible to improve the accuracy of comparison. This makes it possible to suitably improve the reliability of the information when providing the user with the information on the comparison result.

Means 5. The management server, when replacing the device currently used in the predetermined house with another device, a device that has higher energy efficiency than the device being used is included in the comparison result by the comparing unit. Having a specific means for specifying based on
5. The information providing system according to claim 3, wherein the information providing means has means for teaching the device specified by the specifying means.

  In teaching a device with high energy efficiency as shown in the means 5, its reliability is important. In this regard, the reliability of the advice can be suitably improved by assuming a case in which the current device is replaced with another device based on the usage tendency of the device currently used.

  In addition, the configuration shown in this means is that "the management server has a lower utility cost than the equipment used when the equipment currently used in the predetermined house is replaced with another equipment. Means 3 or means, further comprising specifying means for specifying a device based on a result of comparison by the comparing means, wherein the information providing means has means for teaching the device specified by the specifying means. 4. The information providing system according to item 4.

Means 6. The user terminal has an input unit (input unit 46) for inputting the number of years of using the device,
The management server calculates, based on the number of years input to the input unit and the comparison result, at least one of an energy consumption and a utility bill when the various devices are used in the same manner as a current state. Home server 25).
The information providing system according to any one of means 3 to 5, wherein the information providing unit includes a display unit (display unit 47) for displaying a calculation result by the calculation unit.

  According to the means 6, by calculating and displaying the energy consumption and the utility cost in the case where another device is used based on the years of use, advice on replacement of the device can be suitably provided.

Means 7. The management server has a use method grasping unit that grasps a use method that is more efficient than the current situation based on a comparison result by the comparing unit,
The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information providing unit includes a unit for instructing a user on a usage method grasped by the use method grasping unit.

  According to the means 7, the user can be instructed on an efficient use method of the device based on the characteristics of the device and the usage tendency of the user, so that it is possible to promote the reduction of the utility cost and the like.

Means 8. The management server,
A storage unit (for example, a usage result information storage unit 53) that stores the performance curve created by the performance curve creation unit;
Updating means for updating the performance curve stored in the storage unit based on the newly collected device usage information and the performance information (performance curve updating function in the central management device 51); The information providing system according to any one of means 1 to 7, characterized in that:

  If usage trends or environmental conditions change, the collected device usage information and performance information may also change. Therefore, after the performance curve is created, the performance curve is updated based on the newly collected device usage information and performance information, thereby not only improving the accuracy of the performance curve but also supporting the above-described comparison. Can be expanded.

Means 9. The user terminal includes a first terminal (for example, home server 25X) and a second terminal (for example, tablet terminal 45X) separate from the first terminal,
The first terminal includes the information collecting unit,
9. The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal is configured to receive information on the comparison result from the information providing unit.

  If the first terminal for transmitting information that transmits collected information to the management server and the second terminal for receiving information that receives information from the management server are used in combination to separate functions, for example, the second terminal Can be reduced in size. Thereby, it is possible to contribute to further improvement of the convenience of the user.

The schematic diagram which shows the various facilities provided in the house. (A) Schematic diagram showing an outline of an information providing system, (b) Schematic diagram showing specifications of various air conditioners. 9A is a flowchart illustrating information acquisition processing executed by the home server, and FIG. 9B is a flowchart illustrating performance curve processing executed by the general management device. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state of creating a performance curve. The schematic diagram which shows the performance curve for every environmental condition. 9A is a flowchart illustrating a product introduction process executed by the home server, and FIG. 9B is a flowchart illustrating a product comparison process executed by the general management device. (A) Schematic which shows the power consumption for every time, (b) Schematic which shows a mode of comparison with another air conditioner. The schematic diagram which shows the display content of a comparison result. FIG. 4A is a flowchart illustrating a process for checking power consumption executed by the overall management device, and FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram illustrating information such as power consumption displayed on a display unit. The schematic diagram which shows the modification of an information provision system.

<First embodiment>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2A. In the present embodiment, product information provided with a plurality of houses having various facility devices and home servers that integrally control the facility devices, and an integrated management device that collects information about the facility devices through the home server of each house The information providing system is embodied by a center, and is provided with an information providing system for providing information on the equipment to the user by the equipment, the home server, and the overall management device. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining equipment provided in a house, and FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram for explaining an information providing system.

  Each house constituting the information source of the information providing system is not uniform, and there are differences in the specifications of the building, the presence or absence of equipment, and the type of equipment installed. Hereinafter, one house (specifically, equipment) constituting the information providing system will be exemplified.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the house 10 is provided with an air conditioner 21 for adjusting indoor temperature and a hot water supply device 22 for supplying hot water to a bathroom, a kitchen, and the like, as equipment attached to the building body. . The air conditioner 21 and the hot water supply device 22 are connected to the home server 25, and the home server 25 can monitor the operation status and the like of the various devices 21 and 22. For example, the home server 25 knows the power consumption of the air conditioner 21, the gas consumption of the hot water supply device 22, and the like.

  The home server 25 can mutually communicate with the central control device 51 provided in the product information center 50, and transmits information acquired from the various devices 21 and 22 according to a command from the central control device 51 and the like. This is transmitted to the general management device 51 as needed. Although details will be described later, the home server 25 is configured to receive information on the various devices 21 and 22 from the central management device 51 according to the situation and provide the information to a resident (user).

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2A, the configuration of the product information center 50 and the relationship between the house group (equipment group) and the product information center 50 will be described.

  The general management device 51 of the product information center 50 has a product information storage unit 52 for storing product information such as the names of registered products and sales periods. The general management device 51 is connected to each house (home server) in which the registered product is installed, and relates to the equipment usage information on the usage status of the equipment installed in each home and the usage result of the equipment. Collect performance information. The collected device use information and the result information (hereinafter, referred to as use result information) are stored in the use result information storage unit 53 in a state where the information is associated with the type and model (product type) of the equipment. You. Although details will be described later, the overall management device 51 calculates a performance curve for each equipment device based on the usage result information and the like stored in the usage result information storage unit 53, and based on the calculated performance curve. It is configured to provide advice on replacement of equipment and the like.

  In FIG. 2A, SA1 to SA3 and SB1 to SB3 appear as the equipments included in each house 10. This is because the house has a plurality of equipments, and the equipments of the same type are provided. Also schematically shows that there is a difference in specifications and the like for each product. The equipments SA1 to SA3 indicate the air conditioner 21, and the equipments SB1 to SB3 indicate the hot water supply device 22.

  With respect to the air conditioner 21, the amount of heat to be supplied or removed changes according to the power consumption (operating state). The value obtained by dividing the amount of change heat by the amount of power consumption is a so-called coefficient of performance (COP) indicating the operating efficiency of the air conditioner 21, and the power consumption and COP when the air conditioner 21 is in the most efficient operation state are “ "Rated capacity" and "rated COP". In a catalog of a maker or the like, these performance values such as the rated capacity and the rated COP are generally displayed as a guide indicating the performance of the air conditioner. In addition, since the COP of the air conditioner differs depending on which of the cooling mode and the heating mode is operated, the “rated capacity” and the “rated COP” are also often displayed for each mode. Hereinafter, with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. 2B, the performance of the air conditioners SA1 to SA2 will be supplementarily described based on “rated capacity” and “rated COP”.

  For example, in the air conditioner SA1, the rated capacity during cooling is 2.2 kW and the rated COP is 5.4, and the rated capacity during heating is 2.5 kW and the rated COP is 5.8. In the air conditioner SA2, the rated capacity during cooling is 2.2 kW and the rated COP is 5.2, and the rated capacity during heating is 2.5 kW and the rated COP is 5.6. In the air conditioner SA3, the rated capacity during cooling is 2.4 kW and the rated COP is 5.2, and the rated capacity during heating is 2.6 kW and the rated COP is 6.0.

  When the air conditioners SA1 to SA3 are compared only with the values near the rated capacity, the air conditioners SA3 <air conditioner SA2 <air conditioner SA1 during cooling, and the air conditioner SA2 <air conditioner SA3 and air conditioner SA1 during heating. Looks good. However, when the air conditioners SA1 to SA3 are actually used, the operation is not always performed so that the efficiency is maximized, and the operation state (power consumption) changes according to the room temperature or the like. Therefore, it is difficult for the user to determine which air conditioner matches his or her own usage tendency or the like by looking only at the published rated capacity or rated COP. In other words, if the air conditioner is always operated near the rated capacity, it is more likely that the superiority will be judged even if the superiority is judged by referring to the published values (rated capacity or rated COP) of the manufacturer, but the state is mainly out of the rated capacity. In the case of operating the air conditioner, there is a concern that the likelihood of the judgment being low when judging superiority or inferiority based on the published value of the manufacturer is reduced.

  Here, if the manufacturer tries to grasp the performance value of the air conditioner in consideration of every situation, the cost and time required for that will be enormous, and furthermore, the manufacturer will be required to provide a value other than the rated capacity and rated COP. There is no obligation to publish performance values. For these reasons, it is actually difficult for a user to select a product in consideration of performance values other than the rated capacity and the rated COP. One of the features of the information providing system described in the present embodiment is that measures against such a problem are taken. Hereinafter, the specific configuration of the air conditioner 21 will be described as an example.

  The air conditioner 21 is configured such that the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected via a refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant circulates between the outdoor unit and the indoor unit. In the piping, as a configuration for measuring the calorific value of the refrigerant, a pre-input refrigerant temperature sensor 31 for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant immediately before flowing into the indoor unit and an input for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant immediately after flowing out of the indoor unit A rear refrigerant temperature sensor 32 and a refrigerant flow rate sensor 33 for detecting the flow velocity of the refrigerant moving in the pipe are provided. These sensors 31 to 33 are connected to the CPU 35, and the CPU 35 calculates the amount of heat of change of the refrigerant based on the detection information from the sensors 31 to 33. Specifically, the amount of change is calculated based on the temperature difference before and after introduction, the flow rate of the refrigerant, the specific heat of the refrigerant, the density of the refrigerant, the cross-sectional area of the pipe (pipe line), and the product of time.

  Further, the air conditioner 21 is provided with a power sensor 34 for detecting the power supplied to the air conditioner 21. The power sensor 34 is connected to the CPU 35, and the CPU 35 calculates the power consumption of the air conditioner 21 based on the detection information from the power sensor 34.

  The calculated power consumption and the changed heat are transmitted from the CPU 35 to the home server 25. The home server 25 calculates the COP based on these pieces of information, and transmits the calculated COP to the overall management device 51 of the product information center 50. Here, the information acquisition processing executed by the home server 25 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The information acquisition process is a process that is periodically executed by the home server 25.

  In the information acquisition process, first, in step S101, it is determined whether the target device (the air conditioner 21) is operating (operating). If a negative determination is made in step S101, the present information acquisition process ends. When an affirmative determination is made in step S101, the process proceeds to step S102. In step S102, it is determined whether information has been received from the target device. If a negative determination is made in step S102, the present data acquisition process ends. When an affirmative determination is made in step S102, the process proceeds to step S103.

  In step S103, the power consumption (corresponding to “device use information”) and the amount of change heat (corresponding to “actual information”) are acquired from the target device, and the acquired information is stored in the acquired information storage unit 41. After storing the information, a COP (corresponding to “actual information”) calculation process is performed in step S104. Specifically, the COP is calculated by dividing the amount of change heat of the refrigerant by the amount of power consumption, and the calculated COP is stored in the acquired information storage unit 41. Thereafter, the calculated COP, the power consumption corresponding to the COP, product information indicating the type of the air conditioner 21 and the like are transmitted to the product information center 50 (step S105).

  In the general management device 51 of the product information center 50, information transmitted from each home is aggregated to create a performance curve (approximate curve) of the product, specifically, a chart in which the horizontal axis represents power and the vertical axis represents COP. I do. Here, the performance curve processing executed by the overall management device 51 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the performance curve processing, first, it is determined whether or not use result information (power consumption and COP) has been received from the home server 25 in step S201. If a negative determination is made in step S201, the performance curve process ends. When an affirmative determination is made in step S201, the process proceeds to step S202. In step S202, the received use result information is stored in the use result information storage unit 53. Then, in the following step S203, performance curve creation / update processing is executed based on the usage record information received this time.

  Specifically, when the information necessary for creating the performance curve has not been secured, for example, when the number of houses from which the information has been acquired does not reach a predetermined number, the processing is performed without creating the performance curve. finish. When information necessary for creating a performance curve is collected, a performance curve is created, and the performance curve is stored in the performance curve storage unit 54. If the performance curve has already been created, the performance curve stored in the performance curve storage unit 54 is called, the performance curve is corrected based on the newly received information, and the corrected performance curve is replaced with the performance curve. Overwrite in the storage unit 54.

  In the present embodiment, an air conditioner SA1 is installed in, for example, houses A to C (see FIG. 2A). As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, when creating a performance curve corresponding to the air conditioner SA <b> 1, usage record information collected from those houses (for example, houses A to C) in which the air conditioner SA <b> 1 is installed. Use Even if the same air conditioner SA1 is installed due to differences in environmental conditions and usage trends, a certain bias may occur in information obtained from each house. Therefore, it is possible to compensate for the shortage of the information amount by collecting the use result information from a plurality of houses having different conditions.

  For example, compared to the house B, the house A and the house C have a structure excellent in heat insulation. Under such circumstances, the power consumption in the low load operation in the house A and the house C is smaller than that in the house B. Immediately after the operation of the air conditioner 21 is started, a high-load operation is likely to occur. When the home A is compared with the home B and the home C, the climate in the area to which the home A belongs is milder, and the home A, the home B, and the home C have lower power consumption during high-load driving. There is a difference. As described above, information is diversified due to differences in power consumption and COP due to differences in building specifications and environmental conditions, and the corresponding range is expanded by reflecting such information in a performance curve.

  Here, the performance curve does not always become the same curve, and a deviation occurs depending on the environment (environmental condition) in which the target device is used. For example, in the case of the air conditioner 21, the performance increases as the difference between the indoor temperature (specifically, the temperature of the room where the indoor unit is installed) and the external temperature (specifically, the temperature of the location where the outdoor unit is installed) increases. The curve is shifted toward the low efficiency side as a whole.

  These environmental conditions are not necessarily reflected in the above-mentioned rated capacity and rated COP. Therefore, even if these rated capacities and rated COPs are referred to, the same performance is not necessarily exhibited. That is, in consideration of the influence of environmental conditions and the like, it is not always preferable to select a product having an excellent rated capacity and rated COP. In the present embodiment, a device is devised in view of such circumstances.

  An indoor temperature sensor 23 for detecting the room temperature and an outdoor temperature sensor 24 for detecting the outside air temperature are connected to the home server 25 of each house, and the indoor and outdoor temperature sensors based on information from these sensors. It is possible to grasp. Then, the temperature information is transmitted to the overall management device 51 via the home server 25 together with the usage result information.

  The indoor / outdoor temperature is associated with the usage result information stored in the general management device 51, and the indoor / outdoor temperature at the time when each usage result information is acquired can be specified. The general management device 51 stores the usage result information in a plurality of groups according to the temperature difference. Specifically, a group having a relatively small temperature difference (10 ° C. or less), a group having a medium temperature difference (11 ° C. to 15 ° C.), and a group having a relatively large temperature difference (16 ° C. or more) Classify into. Thereby, three performance curves are created for each of the air conditioners SA1 to SA3 (see the schematic diagram of FIG. 5).

  The displacement amount for each group is not always constant, and varies depending on the specifications of the air conditioner and the like. For example, when comparing the air conditioner SA1 with the air conditioner SA2, the latter has a smaller COP shift (difference in height) between groups than the former, and is less affected by environmental conditions. It is a characteristic. Under such circumstances, creating a performance curve for each environmental condition has technical significance in improving the certainty of the performance curve.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the present embodiment, performance curves are created not only for the air conditioner SA1 but also for other air conditioners (such as the air conditioners SA2 and SA3). By using these performance curves together, it is possible to provide the user with comparative information on other products, such as the merits of replacing the air conditioner with another product. Hereinafter, the configuration related to this information provision will be described.

  The home server 25 is provided with a power consumption display mode for displaying power consumption and a product comparison mode for comparing with other products as a display mode of information on the air conditioner. It is possible to switch to the mode. When the above mode is the product comparison mode, the home server 25 executes the product introduction process shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  In the present embodiment, when the home server 25 makes an inquiry to the product information center 50, various kinds of information such as product comparison information are transmitted from the product information center 50 to the home server 25. . In the product introduction process, first, in step S301, it is determined whether information is waiting (receiving) from the product information center 50 or not. If a negative determination is made in step S301, the process proceeds to step S302. In step S32, it is determined whether the product introduction condition is satisfied. More specifically, when it is time to replace a preset product or when a user gives an instruction for product comparison, an affirmative determination is made in step S302.

  When an affirmative determination is made in step S302, the process proceeds to step S303. In step S303, a process of transmitting various information to the product information center 50 is performed. Specifically, product comparison instruction information, information specifying the product being used (model information), information indicating the operation time for each COP, information specifying a performance curve to be referred to (indoor and outdoor during operation) (Average of the temperature difference) is transmitted to the product information center 50. Thereafter, in step S304, a standby process is performed so as to wait for a response from the product information center 50, and then the present product introduction process ends. The product information center 50 (the general management device 51) executes various processes for comparing products based on the occurrence of an inquiry from the home server 25. Here, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6B, the product comparison process executed by the overall management device 51 will be described.

  In the product comparison process, first, it is determined whether an inquiry has been issued from the home server 25 in step S401. Specifically, it is determined whether or not instruction information for product comparison has been received. If a negative determination is made in step S401, the product comparison process ends. When an affirmative determination is made in step S401, the model information, the information indicating the operation time for each COP, and the average value of the indoor and outdoor temperature differences during operation transmitted from the home server 25 in step S402 are obtained. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S403.

  In step S403, a process of estimating (calculating) the power consumption of each air conditioner registered in the central management device 51 is performed. Here, the flow of estimating the power consumption will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. FIG. 7A is a schematic diagram showing the usage status of the air conditioner in the house where the inquiry was made, and FIG. 7B is a schematic diagram comparing the performance curves of the air conditioners SA1 to SA3. FIG. 7 illustrates a case where the air conditioner SA1 is used in the house where the inquiry is made. By the way, when performing the above estimation, processing is performed in consideration of both cooling and heating.However, since the flow of estimation is the same between cooling and heating, the cooling time will be described here. The description of the time is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the air conditioner SA1 performs a high-load operation for about 30 minutes on a daily average and a low-load operation for about 6 hours. In the high load operation, the COP is 5.4 and the power consumption is 2.2 kW. In the low load operation, the COP is 2.0 and the power consumption is 1.0 kW. Here, the air conditioners SA1 to SA3 are compared under the same conditions. As shown in FIG. 7B, in the high-load operation, the power consumption can be suppressed when the air conditioner SA1 is used, as compared with the case where the air conditioners SA2 and SA3 are used. On the other hand, in the low load operation, although the air conditioner SA1 is operated more efficiently than the air conditioner SA3, the efficiency is lower than that of the air conditioner SA2. That is, the efficiency of the air conditioner SA1 is excellent in the high load operation, whereas the efficiency of the air conditioner SA2 is excellent in the low load operation. Here, when comparing products, the cumulative power consumption (estimated value) during high load operation is calculated for each of the air conditioners SA1 to SA3, and the cumulative power consumption (estimated value) during low load operation is calculated for the air conditioner SA1. To each of the air conditioners SA3, and based on the sum of the calculated power consumptions, calculate the estimated value of the power consumption (annual power consumption) when each of the air conditioners SA1 to SA3 is used for one year. .

  After calculating the power consumption, the process proceeds to step S404 to narrow down candidates. FIG. 7B illustrates the air conditioners SA1 to SA3, but various types of air conditioners are registered in the product information center 50, and the power consumption of all the air conditioners is calculated. By comparing the results, the models that are proposed as replacement candidates are narrowed down. Specifically, a list of air conditioners that consume less power than currently used air conditioners is listed. Thereafter, the listed candidates are transmitted to the home server 25 that has been inquired together with the comparison information (the estimated value of power consumption and product information for each candidate) (step S405).

  The home server 25 performs a process of presenting the comparison information to the user. More specifically, returning to the description of step S301 in FIG. 6A, if an affirmative determination is made in step S301, the process proceeds to step S305. In step S305, it is determined whether the comparison information has been received from the product information center 50. If a negative determination is made in step S305, the product introduction process ends. If an affirmative determination is made in step S305, display processing of comparison information is executed in step S3066, and then the product introduction processing ends.

  By executing the display processing of the comparison information, the comparison information of the product is displayed on the terminal 45 (display unit 47) of the home server 25. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8A, a product in use and its annual power consumption, another product recommended as a replacement candidate and its annual power consumption are displayed. At this time, candidate products are displayed side by side such that products that are more suitable for the user are positioned higher.

  Also, by inputting the expected years of use of the newly purchased product and the contract details of the electricity bill from the operation unit 46 of the terminal 45, the utility cost (cost) is displayed for each product (see FIG. 8B). ). Since the user can examine the replacement candidate based on this information, it is possible to make a selection more suited to the actual situation than when referring to the rated capacity or the rated COP published by the manufacturer.

  According to the embodiment described in detail above, the following excellent effects can be obtained.

  Performance values published by manufacturers and the like are often limited only to specific reference conditions. For this reason, a difference between the published performance value and the actual performance value may occur depending on the usage status of the equipment. Here, as shown in the embodiment, by collecting information (actual results) on the usage status and usage results of each facility device and creating a performance curve based on the collected information, for example, You can understand how much performance will be exhibited if the standard is not met. By providing information to the user based on the result of comparing the performance curve with the device usage information, the provided information can be more reliably compared to the case where only pinpoint data such as rated capacity and rated COP is used. You can increase the likelihood.

  The above-mentioned performance curve may be affected by the environment when the equipment is used. Therefore, there is a concern that the accuracy of the created performance curve will be reduced if the information collected from various houses is simply summarized. Therefore, by creating a performance curve for each of the classified use environments, it is possible to improve the accuracy of comparison. This makes it possible to suitably improve the reliability of the information when providing the user with the information on the comparison result.

  When considering replacement of equipment, use the product comparison mode to obtain information on how much difference will occur if the equipment being used is replaced with other equipment, and which equipment will be used. The user is provided with information specifying whether or not is optimal for the user. Since a performance curve based on the performance is created for each type (model) of the equipment, information such as advice provided to the user can be made highly reliable.

  As described above, the reliability is important in indicating the suitability (more preferable product) of a product. In this regard, the reliability of the advice can be suitably improved by assuming a case in which the equipment is replaced with another equipment based on the usage tendency of the equipment currently used.

  If usage trends or environmental conditions change, the collected device usage information and performance information may also change. Therefore, after the performance curve is created, the performance curve is updated based on the newly collected device usage information and performance information, thereby not only improving the accuracy of the performance curve but also supporting the above-described comparison. Can be expanded.

<Second embodiment>
In the first embodiment, the replacement of the product is advised by referring to the chart (performance curve) created by the product information center 50. In the present embodiment, the chart (performance curve) is used. ) Is different from that of the first embodiment in that it is configured to give advice on how to use the product currently used with reference to FIG. Specifically, when the home server 25 is switched to the power consumption display mode, a process for confirming power consumption is executed, and the overall management device 51 that has received the power consumption confirmation instruction has a high product efficiency. One of the features is that a process for proposing a usage method is executed. Hereinafter, the process for checking power consumption, which is executed by the central management apparatus 51, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In the process for checking power consumption, first, in step S501, it is determined whether an inquiry about power consumption has been received from the home server. If a negative determination is made in step S501, the present confirmation processing ends. If an affirmative determination is made in step S501, the process proceeds to step S502. In step S502, a process of acquiring model use information such as air conditioner use record information and power consumption from the home server 25 is performed. After executing the processing of step S502, the process proceeds to step S503. In step S503, the performance curve is compared with the acquired device usage information group, and a change in power consumption when the usage status is changed is confirmed. Then, in the following step S504, information about the power saving method is transmitted to the home server 25, and the confirmation processing ends. The home server 25 displays information related to the power saving method on the display unit 47 based on the information from the overall management device 51.

  For example, if the air conditioner used is excellent in the rated capacity and the rated COP but is not good at low load operation, the drop in efficiency under the condition of low load operation becomes large. In such a configuration, there is a possibility that the total power consumption can be reduced as a result of heavy use of the high load operation. For example, when the time period during which air conditioning does not need to be used is short, turning off the power during the time period rather than continuously operating the air conditioner over this time period reduces the total power consumption. In some cases, it can be reduced. If such a case is confirmed, the message "Effective use can be saved to save electricity by turning off the power frequently" is displayed on the display unit 47 as a message indicating an effective use method for power saving. (See FIG. 9B).

  Contrary to the above case, if the drop in efficiency during low load operation is small, if the time when air conditioning is not required is short, the air conditioner is not turned off In some cases, the total power consumption can be reduced. If it is confirmed that this is the case, a message indicating effective use for saving power is displayed on the display unit 47 as "The power bill can be saved by refraining from frequently turning the power on / off." Is displayed.

  As described above in detail, by teaching the user how to use the equipment efficiently, based on the characteristics of the equipment and the usage tendency of the user, it is possible to promote a reduction in energy costs.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the content described in each of the above-described embodiments, and may be implemented as follows, for example. Incidentally, the following different configurations may be applied individually to the configurations in the above embodiments, or may be applied in combination with each other.

  (1) In the above-described embodiment, the case where the performance curve of the air conditioner 21 is created based on the usage result information (power consumption and COP) according to the use of the air conditioner 21 has been described as an example. Not something. It is also possible to apply the same technical idea to other equipment such as the hot water supply device 22 and the whole building air conditioner.

  For example, the above-described hot water supply device 22 is a household fuel cell cogeneration system, and includes a fuel cell unit, a hot water storage tank, and a backup boiler. The fuel cell unit heats water (water supply) using waste heat generated by power generation, and the heated water is stored in a hot water storage tank as hot water. In such a configuration, the coefficient of performance (coefficient obtained by dividing the amount of power generation by the amount of gas consumption) may change depending on the frequency of switching on / off of the hot water supply device 22. Therefore, in order to discriminate between a product that is good at frequent on / off and a product that is not good at frequent on / off, it is necessary to collect information on the frequency of on / off switching when calculating the COP. Good to do.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the change in the amount of heat by the air conditioner 21 is calculated from the temperature difference of the refrigerant and the flow rate of the refrigerant. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration may be employed in which a change in calorific value is calculated based on detection information (change in room temperature) from a room temperature sensor.

  However, when calculating the change in the amount of heat from the change in the room temperature, it is assumed that the change in the amount of heat is affected by the floor plan, the insulation specification of the building, and the like. That is, in such a configuration, the performance curve to be created is affected by the floor plan and the like. In order to improve the certainty of the performance curve, it is preferable to form the performance curve for each variation parameter (floor layout, heat insulation specification, etc.) that affects the change in the amount of heat.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the home server 25 provided in each house 10 calculates the coefficient of performance (COP). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the home server 25 transmits power consumption (corresponding to “device use information”) and changed heat quantity (corresponding to “actual information”) to the central management device 51, and the central management device 51 calculates the COP. It is also possible.

  That is, the home server 25 is sufficient if it has a function of collecting information from at least devices installed in the home, and does not require an arithmetic function such as calculation of a coefficient of performance. Instead of the configuration in which the home server 25 provided in each house 10 calculates the coefficient of performance (COP) (see step S104 in FIG. 3A), the process is collectively performed by the central management device 51. It is also possible to use

  (4) The mode of the home server 25 described in the above embodiment can be switched between the power consumption display mode and the product comparison mode. It is sufficient if at least one of these two modes is provided, and the other can be omitted. However, these two modes are used at different times. For example, immediately after a new air conditioner is installed, it is unlikely that a comparison with other products will be made compared to the confirmation of power consumption. It is assumed that comparison with other products is easier to make than confirmation. For the above reasons, it is technically significant to adopt a configuration having both of these two functions.

  (5) It is not necessary for both the home server 25 and the overall management device 51 to store the device usage information and the result information, etc., and it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which one of them stores the information.

  (6) In the above embodiment, the power consumption is estimated based on the COP and the operation time corresponding to the COP. However, in the case of estimating the power consumption, how much the power consumption is changed from the current state is described. It is sufficient if it can be shown, and a specific estimation method is arbitrary. For example, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which power consumption is calculated (calculated) based on the average value and the deviation of the COP.

  (7) Although it is preferable that the home server 25 and the central management device 51 can communicate in both directions, it is sufficient if at least information can be transmitted from the home server 25 to the central management device 51. It does not require the communication function in. In such a configuration, an information transmission path for providing information from the central management device 51 to a user's mobile terminal or the like may be provided separately.

  (8) In the above embodiment, the collected information is transmitted from the home server 25 (corresponding to “user terminal”) to the central management device 51 (corresponding to “management server”) of the product information management center 50, and the central management device Although the home server 25 receives the information that has been compared and examined in 51, the information can be changed as follows. As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 10, a portable information terminal (tablet terminal 45X: for example, a mobile phone owned by a user) capable of communicating with the product information center 50 as a terminal different from the home server 25X (corresponding to the “first terminal”) ) Is provided, and information from the product information center 50 is transmitted to the tablet terminal 45.

  In addition, various operations such as switching of the above-described confirmation mode and the like and setting of the number of years of use can be input through the input unit 46 of the tablet terminal 45X, and information from the product information center 50 is displayed on the display unit 47 of the tablet terminal 45X. It is good to adopt a configuration. This is a preferable configuration in which the operation / display functions are integrated into a tablet terminal having excellent portability and user convenience is improved. Note that whether or not the tablet terminal 45X can communicate with the home server 25X is optional.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... House, 21 ... Air conditioner, 22 ... Hot water supply device, 23 ... Indoor temperature sensor, 24 ... Outdoor temperature sensor, 25 ... Home server, 31 ... Refrigerant temperature sensor before injection, 32 ... Refrigerant temperature sensor after injection, 33 ... flow rate sensor, 34 ... power sensor, 41 ... acquisition information storage unit, 45 ... operation terminal, 46 ... input unit, 47 ... display unit, 50 ... product information center, 51 ... overall management device, 52 ... product information storage unit 53: use result information storage unit; 54: performance curve storage unit.

Claims (7)

User terminals each used on the user side of the plurality of houses,
An information providing system having a management server communicable with the user terminal,
The user terminal has an information collecting unit that collects device usage information on the usage status of predetermined devices installed in a plurality of houses and performance information on usage results,
The management server,
Performance curve creating means for creating a performance curve indicating a relationship between energy consumption and energy efficiency as a performance value for each use condition in the device, based on information collected in a plurality of houses by the information collecting means,
Comparison means for comparing the device usage information and the performance curve of the device installed in a predetermined house,
Information on a comparison result by the comparison means, have a information providing means for providing to the user terminal of the predetermined housing,
The device has a plurality of types having different specifications,
The information collecting means is configured to collect the device usage information and the performance information from the various devices,
The performance curve creating means is configured to create each of the performance curves for each type of the device,
The comparing means comprises:
Means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house, and a performance curve corresponding to the device installed in the predetermined house among the performance curves,
The device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house is compared with a performance curve corresponding to another device having a different specification from the device set in the predetermined house among the performance curves. Means
Has,
The management server, when the device currently used in the predetermined house is replaced with the other device, a device that has higher energy efficiency than the device used is compared by the comparison unit. Having a specifying means for specifying based on
An information providing system, characterized in that the information providing means has means for teaching a device specified by the specifying means . User terminals each used on the user side of the plurality of houses,
A management server capable of communicating with the user terminal;
An information providing system having
The user terminal has device collection information for collecting device usage information on the usage status of a predetermined device installed in each of a plurality of houses, performance information on usage results, and information on the usage environment of the device,
The use environment is classified into a plurality,
The management server,
Based on the information collected in a plurality of houses by the information collecting means, a performance curve indicating the relationship between energy consumption and energy efficiency is created for each classified use environment as a performance value for each use condition in the device. Means for creating a performance curve,
Comparison means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in a predetermined house and the performance curve corresponding to a use environment when the device usage information is collected,
Information providing means for providing information on the comparison result by the comparing means to the user terminal of the predetermined house;
Has,
The device has a plurality of types having different specifications,
The information collecting means is configured to collect the device usage information, the performance information, and information on the usage environment of the device from the various devices,
The performance curve creating means is configured to create each of the performance curves according to the type of the device and the use environment,
The comparing means comprises:
The device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house, and the device set in the predetermined house among performance curves corresponding to the device installed in the predetermined house among the performance curves. And a means for comparing a performance curve in which the use environment is the same classification,
The device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house, and the performance curve corresponding to another device having a different specification from the device set in the predetermined house out of the performance curves, Means for comparing the equipment set in the house and the performance curve in which the use environment is in the same classification
Has,
The management server, when the device currently used in the predetermined house is replaced with the other device, a device that has higher energy efficiency than the device used is compared by the comparison unit. Having a specifying means for specifying based on
An information providing system, characterized in that the information providing means has means for teaching a device specified by the specifying means. The user terminal has an input unit for inputting the number of years of using the device,
The management server, based on the number of years input to the input unit and the comparison result, calculating means for calculating at least one of an energy consumption and a utility bill when the various devices are used in the same manner as a current state. Have
Wherein the information providing means, the information providing system according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a display means for displaying the calculated result of said calculation means. User terminals each used on the user side of the plurality of houses,
A management server capable of communicating with the user terminal;
An information providing system having
The user terminal has an information collecting unit that collects device usage information on the usage status of predetermined devices installed in a plurality of houses and performance information on usage results,
The management server,
Performance curve creating means for creating a performance curve indicating a relationship between energy consumption and energy efficiency as a performance value for each use condition in the device, based on information collected in a plurality of houses by the information collecting means,
Comparison means for comparing the device usage information and the performance curve of the device installed in a predetermined house,
Information providing means for providing information on the comparison result by the comparing means to the user terminal of the predetermined house;
Has,
The device has a plurality of types having different specifications,
The information collecting means is configured to collect the device usage information and the performance information from the various devices,
The performance curve creating means is configured to create each of the performance curves for each type of the device,
The comparing means includes means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house with a performance curve corresponding to the device installed in the predetermined house among the performance curves. And
The management server has a use method grasping means for grasping a use method with higher energy efficiency than the current situation based on a comparison result by the comparing means,
The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein said information providing means includes means for instructing a user on a use method grasped by said use method grasping means. User terminals each used on the user side of the plurality of houses,
A management server capable of communicating with the user terminal;
An information providing system having
The user terminal has device collection information for collecting device usage information on the usage status of a predetermined device installed in each of a plurality of houses, performance information on usage results, and information on the usage environment of the device,
The use environment is classified into a plurality,
The management server,
Based on the information collected in a plurality of houses by the information collecting means, a performance curve indicating the relationship between energy consumption and energy efficiency is created for each classified use environment as a performance value for each use condition in the device. Means for creating a performance curve,
Comparison means for comparing the device usage information of the device installed in a predetermined house and the performance curve corresponding to a use environment when the device usage information is collected,
Information providing means for providing information on the comparison result by the comparing means to the user terminal of the predetermined house;
Has,
The device has a plurality of types having different specifications,
The information collecting means is configured to collect the device usage information, the performance information, and information on the usage environment of the device from the various devices,
The performance curve creating means is configured to create each of the performance curves according to the type of the device and the use environment,
The comparing means may include the device usage information of the device installed in the predetermined house and the performance curve corresponding to the device installed in the predetermined house among the performance curves. Means for comparing the set device and a performance curve in which the use environment is the same classification,
The management server has a use method grasping means for grasping a use method with higher energy efficiency than the current situation based on a comparison result by the comparing means,
The information providing system according to claim 1, wherein said information providing means includes means for instructing a user on a use method grasped by said use method grasping means. The management server,
A storage unit that stores the performance curve created by the performance curve creation unit,
Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it has an updating means for said performance curves stored in the storage unit, updates based on the newly collected the device usage information and the record information The information providing system according to any one of the above. The user terminal has a first terminal and a second terminal separate from the first terminal,
The first terminal includes the information collecting unit,
It said second terminal, the information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is configured to receive information on the comparison result from said information providing means.

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