JP7773477B2 - Status notification device, program, and status notification method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a status notification device, a program, and a status notification method. This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-190068, filed in Japan on November 16, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Conventionally, refrigerator control systems that include a refrigerator and a sensor that acquires status information related to the status of food inside the refrigerator are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, the sensor acquires status information such as the food's temperature, weight, recommended storage period, expiration date, and amount of gas generated. The refrigerator control system provides the user with information related to the expiration date of the food based on the status information acquired by the sensor.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-133825

However, the system described in Patent Document 1 was unable to provide users with information about the status of the refrigerator. For example, it was unable to provide users with information about malfunctions such as breakdowns or deterioration over time. As a result, users were unable to recognize that a malfunction had occurred in their refrigerator.

One of the purposes of this disclosure is to provide a status notification device, program, and status notification method that can notify a user of the status of a refrigerator.

A status notification device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator and power information corresponding to the power consumption of the refrigerator; a status determination unit that determines the status of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information; and a notification unit that outputs the result of the determination of the status of the refrigerator by the status determination unit.

A program according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a program that causes a computer to notify the result of a determination of the state of a refrigerator, and causes the computer to acquire environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator, acquire power information corresponding to the power consumption of the refrigerator, determine the state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information, and output the determination result of the state of the refrigerator.

A status notification method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a status notification method for notifying the result of a determination of the status of a refrigerator, which acquires environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator, acquires power information corresponding to the power consumption of the refrigerator, determines the status of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information, and outputs the determination result of the status of the refrigerator.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a status notification system including a status notification device according to an embodiment. 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of environmental information and power information stored in a storage unit of a power tap. 1 is a graph showing an example of changes in power consumption and power factor of a refrigerator. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a driving state of a heater. 4 is a diagram showing an example of environmental information, operating status, and status information stored in a storage unit of a status notification device. FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a status notification process performed by a status notification device. 10 is a graph showing an example of a relationship between a refrigerator and an ambient temperature according to Modification 1. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a status notification system including a status notification device according to a second modification. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a status notification system including a status notification device according to a third modification.

The embodiments and modifications described below are merely examples of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and modifications. Various modifications other than these embodiments and modifications are possible depending on the design, etc., as long as they do not deviate from the technical concept of the present disclosure.

(Overview of the status notification system)
An embodiment of a status notification device, a status notification program, and a status notification method will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. The status notification system 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a power strip 20 and a server device 30. The status notification system 10 outputs a notification regarding the status of a refrigerator 50. The power strip 20 detects environmental information regarding the environment around the refrigerator 50 (including at least one of temperature and humidity) and power information regarding the power consumption of the refrigerator 50, and transmits the environmental information and power information in association with each other to the server device 30. The server device 30 includes a status notification device 32. The status notification device 32 determines the status of the refrigerator 50 based on the environmental information and power information, and outputs a notification according to the determination result. The power strip 20 receives the notification output by the status notification device 32 and outputs it in a format that can be recognized by the user.

(Refrigerator configuration)
Refrigerator 50 includes cooling device 51, defroster 52, and a storage compartment (not shown) for storing items. Refrigerator 50 is powered by AC power supplied from power supply 40 via power tap 20, and cools items stored in the storage compartment. Power supply 40 is, for example, a single-phase three-wire commercial power supply, and outputs AC power at a frequency of 50 Hz or 60 Hz.

The cooling device 51 includes, for example, a compressor, a condenser, a capillary tube, and an evaporator, and cools the interior of the refrigerator. In the cooling device 51, high-temperature, high-pressure gas refrigerant compressed by the compressor is converted into low-temperature, low-pressure liquid refrigerant by the condenser and capillary tube, and then sent to the evaporator. The evaporator cools the surrounding air by absorbing heat from the liquid refrigerant. The gas refrigerant vaporized by absorbing heat in the evaporator is sent to the compressor.

The defroster 52 includes a heater and a temperature sensor, and removes frost that has formed on the evaporator, for example. The heater is, for example, a quartz tube heater consisting of an electric heating wire (resistor) disposed inside a quartz tube. The heater is arranged along the evaporator and defrosts the evaporator by melting the frost that has formed on the evaporator. The temperature sensor has, for example, a thermistor whose resistance value changes with temperature and detects the temperature around the evaporator. Whether defrosting is complete can be determined based on the temperature around the evaporator detected by the temperature sensor. The defroster 52, for example, periodically energizes the heater and stops energizing when defrosting is complete or when a preset maximum continuous operating time has elapsed. Note that the greater the amount of frost that has adhered to the evaporator, the longer the time required for defrosting, i.e., the longer the operating time of the defroster 52.

The amount of power consumed by the refrigerator 50 varies depending on the surrounding environment (e.g., temperature and humidity). For example, the higher the ambient temperature and humidity, such as in summer, the more likely it is that the humidity inside the refrigerator 50 will increase when the refrigerator 50 is opened and closed, making it more likely that frost will form. The greater the amount of frost, the longer the operating time of the defroster 52, resulting in increased power consumption. Furthermore, when the ambient temperature is high, the operating time of the cooling device 51 will be longer, increasing the amount of power consumed by the refrigerator 50.

(Power strip configuration)
The power tap 20 electrically connects the power source 40 and the refrigerator 50. The power tap 20 includes a current detection unit 201, a voltage detection unit 202, a temperature sensor 203, a humidity sensor 204, a memory unit 205, an output unit 206, a communication unit 207, and a control unit 208.

The current detection unit 201 detects the current between the power source 40 and the refrigerator 50 (hereinafter also simply referred to as the current of the refrigerator 50). That is, the current detection unit 201 detects the current, which is one type of power information. The current detection unit 201 is configured to include various circuits, such as a current transformer that outputs a value (current value) corresponding to the magnitude of the current flowing through the electric wire, an amplifier that amplifies the current value, and an ADC (Analog-to-digital converter) that converts an analog signal corresponding to the amplified current value into a digital signal.

The voltage detection unit 202 detects the voltage applied to the refrigerator 50. That is, the voltage detection unit 202 detects the voltage, which is one piece of power information. The voltage detection unit 202 is configured to include various circuits, such as a resistor for voltage drop and an ADC that converts an analog signal corresponding to the voltage across the resistor into a digital signal.

The temperature sensor 203 detects the ambient temperature. The temperature sensor 203 has, for example, a thermistor whose resistance value changes depending on the temperature. The power tap 20 is placed near the refrigerator 50. Therefore, the temperature sensor 203 detects the ambient temperature of the refrigerator 50 as one piece of environmental information about the refrigerator 50. The temperature sensor 203 detects the temperature at a predetermined timing. For example, the temperature sensor 203 detects the temperature at a predetermined interval, such as every few hours. Furthermore, if time information can be acquired, the temperature sensor 203 may detect the temperature at a predetermined time.

The humidity sensor 204 detects the ambient humidity. The humidity sensor 204 has, for example, a capacitance element whose capacitance changes depending on the humidity. The humidity sensor 204 detects the humidity around the refrigerator as one piece of environmental information around the refrigerator 50. Like the temperature sensor 203, the humidity sensor 204 detects the humidity at a predetermined timing. For example, the humidity sensor 204 detects the humidity at the same timing as the temperature sensor 203.

The memory unit 205 stores power information and environmental information. The memory unit 205 is, for example, a readable and writable memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory). Figure 2 shows an example of environmental information and power information stored in the memory unit 205. For example, as shown in Figure 2, environmental information and power information are stored in association with the date and time of detection. Temperature and humidity detected at the same time are associated as environmental information. Current and voltage detected at the same time are associated as power information. Power information and environmental information are also stored in association with each other. For example, power information is associated with the most recent environmental information detected. In the example shown in Figure 2, currents A1...A2 and voltages V1...V2 are associated as power information with temperature T1 and humidity H1 (environmental information). Note that environmental information and power information may always be detected at the same time. In this case, environmental information and power information detected at the same time are stored in association with each other.

The output unit 206 outputs a notification regarding the status of the refrigerator (hereinafter also referred to as a status notification) in a format that can be recognized by the user. The output unit 206 is, for example, a speaker, a lamp, a display, etc., and is configured to be able to output a status notification in at least one format such as sound, light, or an image.

The communication unit 207 is a communication interface and is connected to the network via a router, gateway, etc. The communication unit 207 transmits and receives data to and from other devices (e.g., server device 30) that are connected and capable of communicating via the network.

The control unit 208 includes a processor and memory, and controls each component 201-207 of the power tap 20. For example, the control unit 208 associates the detected power information and environmental information as described above and stores them in the memory unit 205. The control unit 208 also controls the communication unit 207 to transmit the power information and environmental information to the server device 30 at a predetermined timing. Examples of the predetermined timing include when the current exceeds a predetermined value in response to the operation of the defroster 52, when a predetermined time has passed since the previous transmission, or when a predetermined time has arrived. Furthermore, when the control unit 208 receives a status notification from the server device 30, it controls the output unit 206 to output the status notification.

The control unit 208 may calculate the product of the detected current (instantaneous current) and voltage (instantaneous voltage), i.e., the instantaneous power of the refrigerator 50, as the power information. The control unit 208 may also calculate the power factor of the refrigerator 50 as the power information based on the detected current and voltage.

(Configuration of server device 30)
The server device 30 includes a communication unit 31 and a status notification device 32 .

The communication unit 31 is a communication interface and is connected to the network via a router, gateway, etc. The communication unit 31 sends and receives data to and from other devices (e.g., power strip 20) that are connected and capable of communicating via the network.

The status notification device 32 has, for example, a microcomputer including a processor and memory. The processor executes a program stored in the memory, causing the microcomputer to function as an information acquisition unit 321, a status determination unit 322, a storage unit 323, and a notification unit 324. The program executed by the processor is pre-recorded in the microcomputer's memory here, but it may also be recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card and provided, or may be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet. Furthermore, the status notification device 32 may be configured such that multiple functions are distributed across multiple microcomputers.

The information acquisition unit 321 acquires environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator 50, and power information corresponding to the power consumption of the refrigerator 50. In this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 321 acquires the environmental information and power information (see Figure 2) transmitted from the power tap 20 via the communication unit 31. Note that if the power information does not include the power factor, the information acquisition unit 321 calculates the power factor of the refrigerator 50 based on the acquired voltage and current measurement values.

The state determination unit 322 determines the state of the refrigerator 50 based on the environmental information and the power information. In this embodiment, the state determination unit 322 determines the state of the refrigerator 50 by comparing the operating state of the refrigerator 50 according to the power information with a reference operating state, which is an operating state for comparison according to the environmental information. The state determination unit 322 estimates the operating state of the refrigerator 50 based on the power information. The operating state of the refrigerator 50 includes, for example, the operating state of the heater provided in the defroster 52. The reference operating state also includes an operating state according to power information previously acquired. In other words, the state determination unit 322 compares the previous operating state (first operating state) with the operating state (second operating state) estimated based on the power information to determine the state of the refrigerator 50. The processing by the state determination unit 322 will be described later.

The memory unit 323 stores the environmental information and power information acquired by the information acquisition unit 321. The memory unit 323 stores the operating state of the refrigerator 50 estimated by the state determination unit 322 and the determination result (state information) regarding the state of the refrigerator 50. The memory unit 323 may be provided external to the state notification device 32. For example, the memory unit 323 may be provided inside the server device 30 so as to be able to communicate with the state notification device 32, or may be provided in another device connected so as to be able to communicate with the server device 30.

The notification unit 324 outputs a notification based on the result of the determination of the status of the refrigerator 50 by the status determination unit 322.

(Estimation of driving state by state determination unit 322)
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of changes in power consumption and power factor of refrigerator 50. The power consumption of refrigerator 50 changes depending on the drive states of cooling device 51 and defroster 52. Specifically, the drive states of refrigerator 50 are roughly classified into three states: a state in which cooling device 51 is driven and defroster 52 is not driven (M1 in FIG. 3 ); a state in which cooling device 51 is not driven and defroster 52 is driven (M2 in FIG. 3 ); and a state in which neither is driven. State determination unit 322 estimates the drive states of cooling device 51 and defroster 52 based on power information of refrigerator 50.

The state determination unit 322 estimates the operating state of the refrigerator 50, for example, the operating state of the heater provided in the defroster 52, based on the power information. As shown in FIG. 3, the power consumption of the defroster 52 is approximately constant, and the cooling device 51 is not operated while the defroster 52 is operating, making it easy to estimate the operating state of the defroster 52. Therefore, by estimating the operating state of the defroster 52 (M2 in FIG. 3) based on the power information, the state determination unit 322 can improve the accuracy of estimating the operating state of the refrigerator 50 compared to, for example, estimating the operating state of the cooling device 51.

The state determination unit 322 preferably estimates the operating state of the heater provided in the defroster 52 based on the power factor of the refrigerator 50. The power consumption of the defroster 52 is approximately the power consumption of the heater (resistance wire) described above. Because the reactance component of a heater is very small relative to the resistance component, the power factor is higher than, for example, the compressor of the cooling unit 51. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the power factor of the defroster 52 is approximately 99%. On the other hand, the power factor of the cooling unit 51 is 70-80%, which is lower than that of the defroster 52. Therefore, estimating the operating state based on the power factor makes it possible to more appropriately distinguish between states M1 and M2 than when estimating based on power consumption. In other words, estimating the operating state of the heater based on the power factor improves the accuracy of the state determination unit 322's estimation of the operating state of the refrigerator 50.

The state determination unit 322 estimates the defrost time as the heater drive state. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of the heater drive state. As shown in Figure 4, the defrost times ta1 and ta2 are the heater drive times from when the heater is turned on until it is turned off.

The state determination unit 322 may also estimate the defrost interval as the heater drive state. As shown in FIG. 4, the defrost intervals tb1 and tb2 are the elapsed time from when the heater is turned off until the heater is next turned on. Note that when estimating the drive state, if the state determination unit 322 does not detect that the heater is turned on after the heater was last turned off, it may use the elapsed time since the heater was last turned off as a provisional defrost interval.

As shown in Figure 5, the state determination unit 322 associates the estimated operating state with environmental information and stores it in the memory unit 323. For example, when multiple pieces of environmental information are associated with the power information used to estimate the operating state, the state determination unit 322 associates representative values such as the average, maximum, and minimum values of these pieces of environmental information with the operating state as environmental information.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the defrost time ta1 and defrost interval tb1 (first operating state) are associated with the temperature Ta1 and humidity Ha1 (first environmental information). The defrost time ta2 and defrost interval tb2 (second operating state) are associated with the temperature Ta2 and humidity Ha2 (second environmental information). Note that in the example shown in FIG. 5, the defrost time ta2 and defrost interval tb2 (second operating state) are estimated based on the power information shown in FIG. 2. The temperature Ta2 is, for example, the average value of the temperatures T1 to T3 shown in FIG. 2. The humidity Ha2 is, for example, the average value of the humidities H1 to H3 shown in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the first environmental information was acquired at the same time in the previous year as the second environmental information was acquired. The absolute value of the difference between the temperatures Ta1 and Ta2 is less than a predetermined value. Similarly, the absolute value of the difference between the humidity Ha1 and humidity Ha2 is less than a predetermined value.

(Determination of the state of the refrigerator 50 by the state determination unit 322)
State determination unit 322 compares the operating state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operating state, which is an operating state for comparison according to the environmental information, to determine the state of the refrigerator. The reference operating state includes an operating state according to power information acquired earlier than the power information corresponding to the operating state to be compared. State determination unit 322 compares the past operating state of refrigerator 50 with the current operating state of refrigerator 50 to determine the current state of refrigerator 50. This can prevent a decrease in the accuracy of determining the state of refrigerator 50 due to the influence of the usage state or characteristics of refrigerator 50.

The reference operating state may be data relating to the operating state of refrigerator 50 obtained through simulation, experiment, etc. The reference operating state may also be a past operating state of another refrigerator of the same model as refrigerator 50. For example, even if sufficient past environmental information and power information has not been accumulated for refrigerator 50 to make an appropriate state determination, the state of refrigerator 50 can still be determined.

The state determination unit 322 compares two operating states when they are operating states based on power information acquired in similar ambient environments. An example of a similar ambient environment is when the absolute value of the difference between the two pieces of environmental information is less than a predetermined value. The state determination unit 322 selects, as the reference operating state, an operating state that has been judged to be "good" from among past operating states acquired in similar ambient environments to the operating state being compared. Because the state determination unit 322 can determine the state of the refrigerator 50 based on past operating states in similar ambient environments, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of determining the state of the refrigerator 50 due to changes in power consumption depending on the ambient environment.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, when determining the state of the refrigerator 50 based on the second operating state (defrost time ta2, defrost interval tb2), the state determination unit 322 determines whether to use the first operating state (defrost time ta1, defrost interval tb1) as the reference operating state based on the first environmental information (temperature Ta1, humidity Ha1) and the second environmental information (temperature Ta2, humidity Ha2). As described above, since the absolute value of the difference between the first environmental information and the second environmental information is less than the predetermined value, the state determination unit 322 uses the first operating state (defrost time ta1, defrost interval tb1) as the reference operating state.

The state determination unit 322 determines the state of the refrigerator 50 based on, for example, the defrost time as the operating state. For example, if the defrost time ta2 (second operating state) is longer than the defrost time ta1 (first operating state and reference operating state) by more than the allowable value, the state determination unit 322 determines the state of the refrigerator 50 as poor (long defrost time). For example, if poor sealing occurs in the refrigerator 50, the amount of frost that adheres to the evaporator is likely to increase, which may result in a longer operating time (defrost time) for the defroster 52. Therefore, if the defrost time ta2 is longer than the allowable value compared to the defrost time ta1 (reference operating state) under a similar environment in the past, it is possible that poor sealing exists. Note that the allowable value may be changed based on environmental information.

The state determination unit 322 may also determine the state of the refrigerator 50 based on the defrost interval as the operating state. For example, if the difference between the defrost interval tb1 (first operating state and reference operating state) and the defrost interval tb2 (second operating state) exceeds an allowable value, the state determination unit 322 determines that the state of the refrigerator 50 is poor with respect to the defrost interval. For example, if the defroster 52 is malfunctioning, the defroster 52 may not operate at the preset timing, such as not turning on even when the defrost interval exceeds the allowable value. Therefore, if the defrost interval tb2 is significantly shorter than the defrost interval tb1 (reference operating state) under a similar environment in the past, it can be determined that the defroster 52 may be malfunctioning.

(Status Notification Processing by Status Notification System 10)
The following describes the status notification process performed by status notification system 10. As described above, power tap 20 detects environmental information and power information and stores them in storage unit 205. Power tap 20 transmits the environmental information and power information to server device 30 at a predetermined timing (for example, when the heater of defroster 52 is on or at a predetermined time). Server device 30 receives the environmental information and power information and determines the status of refrigerator 50 based on the environmental information and power information.

As illustrated in Figure 6, the information acquisition unit 321 receives power information and environmental information (see Figure 2) transmitted from the power tap 20 (step S1). The information acquisition unit 321 associates the environmental information with the power information and stores them in the memory unit 323.

The state determination unit 322 estimates the operating state of the refrigerator 50 based on the power information acquired by the information acquisition unit 321 (step S2). The state determination unit 322 estimates the operating state of the heater of the defroster 52 (the defrosting time ta2 and the defrosting interval tb2 shown in FIG. 4) based on, for example, the power information (see FIG. 2). The state determination unit 322 associates the estimated operating state with environmental information and stores them in the memory unit 323 (see FIG. 5).

The state determination unit 322 acquires a reference operating state corresponding to the environmental information (step S3). The reference operating state includes an operating state corresponding to power information acquired earlier than the power information corresponding to the operating state to be compared (acquired in step S2). The state determination unit 322 references the environmental information stored in the memory unit 323 and acquires the first operating state (defrost time ta1, defrost interval tb1) associated with first environmental information (temperature Ta1, humidity Ha1) similar to the second environmental information (temperature Ta2, humidity Ha2) as the reference operating state for the second operating state (defrost time ta2, defrost interval tb2). Note that, at this time, it is preferable to exclude operating states with poor status information (see Figure 5) from the reference operating state. Furthermore, if there are multiple pieces of environmental information similar to the second environmental information, the state determination unit 322 may, for example, acquire the operating state associated with the environmental information closest to the second environmental information, or it may acquire the most recent operating state.

The state determination unit 322 compares the drive state to be determined with the reference drive state to determine the state of the refrigerator 50 (step S4). For example, when determining the state of the refrigerator 50 according to the second drive state (defrost time ta2, defrost interval tb2), the state determination unit 322 compares the first drive state (defrost time ta1, defrost interval tb1) with the second drive state. The state determination unit 322 performs a determination for each of the defrost time and defrost interval, and stores the determination results in the memory unit 323 in association with the second drive state.

The notification unit 324 performs notification processing to output a notification according to the judgment result of step S4 (step S5). For example, if the judgment result in step S4 indicates a poor condition, the notification unit 324 outputs a notification indicating a poor condition (status notification). The output status notification is sent to the power tap 20 via the communication unit 31. Based on the received status notification, the power tap 20 outputs a notification indicating that a poor condition has been detected from the output unit 206.

For example, if a poor condition due to a long defrosting time is detected, the notification unit 324 outputs a notification indicating that a sealing defect may have occurred. Furthermore, if a poor condition due to a short or long defrosting interval is detected, the notification unit 324 outputs a notification indicating that the defroster 52 (heater) may be malfunctioning. Note that a long defrosting time also includes a case where the defroster 52 is not turned on and the elapsed time since it was turned off exceeds the allowable defrosting interval, i.e., the defroster 52 does not operate even when the allowable defrosting interval is exceeded.

If the same poor condition is detected multiple times in succession, the notification unit 324 may output a status notification notifying that a poor condition has been detected. Furthermore, if the same poor condition is detected after outputting the status notification, the notification unit 324 may notify a warning corresponding to the poor condition.

In the above embodiment, the defrost interval of the refrigerator 50 is set to a constant value. However, the refrigerator 50 may be configured to shorten the defrost interval in situations where frost is likely to form on the evaporator. For example, if poor sealing or a decline in the performance of the cooling device 51 occurs due to aging or other reasons, the operating time (continuous operating time or operating rate) of the cooling device 51 may increase. The longer the operating time of the cooling device 51, the more likely it is that frost will form on the evaporator, so the defrost interval may be set to a shorter value. For example, if the defrost interval tb2 is significantly shorter than the defrost interval tb1 (reference operating state) under a similar environment in the past, the state determination unit 322 determines that the state of the refrigerator 50 with respect to the defrost interval is poor (possibly due to aging).

In the above example, the status notification device 32 estimates the defrost time and defrost interval as the operating status of the refrigerator 50, but it may estimate only one of them. For example, the status notification device 32 may estimate only the defrost time as the operating status. As described above, the defrost time varies depending on the amount of frost adhering to the evaporator, so even when only the defrost time is estimated, the status determination unit 322 can determine the status of the refrigerator 50.

The status notification device 32 estimated the operating status of the defroster 52 as the operating status of the refrigerator 50, but it may also estimate the operating status of the cooling device 51 (compressor). For example, if the storage compartment becomes poorly sealed due to aging of the refrigerator 50, the cooling efficiency may decrease, resulting in a longer operating time for the cooling device 51. Therefore, the status of the refrigerator 50 can be determined based on the operating time of the cooling device 51 and the amount of power consumed by the cooling device 51.

The status notification device 32 acquires the current, voltage, and power factor as power information, but if the operating state of the refrigerator 50 is estimated based on the power factor, it may acquire only the power factor as power information. In this case, the power tap 20 may transmit only the power factor as power information.

(Variation 1)
In the above embodiment, the status notification device 32 estimates the operating state of the refrigerator 50 by estimating the operating state (defrosting time and defrosting interval) of the defrosting device 52 and the operating time of the cooling device 51 based on the power factor of the refrigerator 50. In addition to estimating the operating state of the refrigerator 50 based on the power factor, the status notification device 32 may also estimate the operating state based on, for example, power consumption. That is, the status determination unit 322 estimates the operating state of the refrigerator 50 based on the amount of power consumed by the refrigerator 50 and environmental information. Note that in the above embodiment, the status notification device 32 acquires the power factor of the refrigerator 50. However, if the operating state is not estimated based on the power factor, the power factor does not need to be acquired as power information. For example, the status notification device 32 may acquire only the current and voltage, or only the power consumption, as power information from the power strip 20.

Figure 7 shows an example of the relationship between the amount of power consumed between defrosts in the refrigerator 50 and the ambient temperature. As shown in Figure 7, the amount of power consumed between defrosts increases as the ambient temperature increases. The state determination unit 322 may use the amount of power consumed between defrosts as power information. This allows the state determination unit 322 to suppress fluctuations in power consumption depending on the number of defrosts during the period for determining the operating state, thereby suppressing a decrease in the accuracy of the state determination. For example, if the defroster 52 is set to operate once every two days and the interval for determining the state of the refrigerator 50 is set to once a day, there will be periods for which the number of defrosts is zero and one. As such, if the number of defrosts varies, the amount of power consumed will vary depending on the number of defrosts, which may reduce the accuracy of the state determination. In contrast, by using the amount of power consumed between defrosts, for example, the amount of power consumed from the end of a defrost to the start of the next defrost (i.e., the amount of power consumed by the cooling device 51) or the amount of power consumed from the start of a defrost to the start of the next defrost (i.e., the amount of power consumed including one defrost), the decrease in the accuracy of the state determination depending on the number of defrosts can be suppressed.

(Variation 2)
8 shows a status notification system 10A according to Modification 2. Status notification system 10A differs from the above embodiment in that it acquires information relating to the usage status of refrigerator 50A (hereinafter also referred to as usage information) from refrigerator 50A and uses the usage information to determine the status of refrigerator 50A.

In variant 2, refrigerator 50A further includes an interior sensor 53 and a communication unit 54. Interior sensor 53 acquires usage information about refrigerator 50A. Interior sensor 53 is, for example, a temperature sensor that measures the interior temperature, a humidity sensor that measures the interior humidity, and an illuminance sensor that detects whether the door is open. Communication unit 54 is a communication interface and is connected to the network via a router, gateway, etc. Refrigerator 50A transmits the usage information acquired by interior sensor 53 to server device 30. Refrigerator 50A may also transmit the usage information to server device 30 via power strip 20.

The status notification device 32 acquires usage information from the refrigerator 50A and uses it to determine the status of the refrigerator 50A. The status determination unit 322 changes the determination conditions for determining the status of the refrigerator 50A depending on the usage information. This allows the status notification device 32 to determine the status of the refrigerator 50A depending on the usage status of the refrigerator 50A, improving the accuracy of the status determination.

For example, if the door is open for a longer period than a preset reference value during the period covered by the state determination, the operating time of the cooling device 51 or the defrosting device 52 may be longer. Furthermore, if the door is open for a longer period, the defrosting interval may be shorter. Therefore, the state determination unit 322 may, for example, set the allowable defrosting time longer than the reference value, set the allowable defrosting interval shorter than the reference value, or set the allowable operating time (cooling time) of the cooling device 51 longer than the reference value.

For example, if the internal temperature is higher than a preset reference value during the period for which status determination is performed, the operating time of the cooling device 51 may be extended. Therefore, the status determination unit 322 sets the allowable operating time (cooling time) of the cooling device 51 to be longer than the reference value, for example.

For example, if the humidity inside the refrigerator is higher than a preset reference value during the period for which the status is to be determined, the operating time of the defroster 52 may be extended. Furthermore, if the humidity inside the refrigerator is high, the defrost interval may be shortened. Therefore, the status determination unit 322 may, for example, set the allowable defrost time longer than the reference value, or the allowable defrost interval shorter than the reference value.

The status notification device 32 may also be configured to output a notification to the output unit 206 of the power tap 20 when the illuminance sensor included in the interior sensor 53 detects that the door has been opened. This allows the power tap 20 to output a notification when the user is near the power tap 20.

(Variation 3)
9 shows a status notification system 10B according to Modification 3. The status notification system 10B includes a power strip 20, a server device 30, and an internal storage module. The status notification system 10B differs from the above embodiment in that it acquires usage information of the refrigerator 50 from an internal storage module 60 and uses the usage information to determine the status of the refrigerator 50.

The internal storage module 60 is placed inside the refrigerator and acquires usage information about the refrigerator 50. The internal storage module 60 includes an internal sensor 61 and a communication unit 62. The internal sensor 61 is configured similarly to the internal sensor 53 in Variant 2 and acquires usage information about the refrigerator 50. The communication unit 62 is a communication interface and is configured to be able to communicate with the communication unit 207 of the power strip 20. The internal storage module 60 transmits information to the server device 30 via the power strip 20. In this case, the communication unit 62 can be configured using short-range wireless communication means such as Bluetooth, thereby reducing the power consumption of the internal storage module. The communication unit 62 may be connected to a network via a router, gateway, etc., and transmit the acquired usage information to the server device 30.

The status notification device 32 acquires usage information from the internal storage module 60 and uses it to determine the status of the refrigerator 50. The status determination unit 322 changes the determination conditions for determining the status of the refrigerator 50 depending on the usage information. This allows the status notification device 32 to determine the status of the refrigerator 50 depending on the usage status of the refrigerator 50, thereby improving the accuracy of the status determination.

When the interior storage module 60 is battery-powered, it may output a battery level notification to notify that the remaining battery level has fallen below a predetermined level. When the power tap 20 receives the battery level notification, it outputs a notification corresponding to the battery level notification from the output unit 206. The power tap 20 may also output a notification corresponding to the battery level notification when the illuminance sensor included in the interior sensor 61 detects that the door has been opened. This allows the power tap 20 to output a notification when the user is near the power tap 20.

(Other Modifications)
Below, other variations of the status notification system including the status notification device 32 are listed. The variations described below can be applied in appropriate combination with the above-described embodiment and each variation.

In the above example, the status notification device 32 determined the status of the refrigerator based on the operating status corresponding to the power information and the past operating status selected according to the environmental information, but this is not limited to this. When determining the status of the refrigerator 50 based on the operating status corresponding to the power information, the status notification device 32 may use determination conditions corresponding to the environmental information. For example, when comparing the operating status corresponding to the power information with a reference status, the status notification device 32 may calculate the reference status according to the environmental information, or may correct the operating status (defrost time, defrost interval) according to the environmental information.

In the above example, the status notification device 32 acquired temperature and humidity as environmental information, but it may acquire only either temperature or humidity. Also, the status notification device 32 acquired current and voltage as power information, but it may acquire only power consumption or only power factor.

In the above example, the notification unit 324 of the status notification device 32 notified the power strip 20 of the status, but it may also notify another electronic device, such as a mobile terminal pre-registered by the user. Furthermore, if the user has registered for a remote maintenance service for the refrigerator 50, the notification unit 324 may also notify the operator of the maintenance service (e.g., a terminal managed by the operator). In such a case, even if the user using the refrigerator 50 is unfamiliar with dealing with malfunctions, the user who owns the mobile terminal or the operator of the maintenance service can grasp the status of the refrigerator 50 and take action, such as urging the refrigerator to be inspected, by telephone, etc.

In the above example, the status notification device 32 was provided in the server device 30 connected to the power tap 20 via a network, but it may also be provided in the power tap 20. In this case, the power tap 20 does not need to be equipped with a communication unit 207.

In the above example, the power tap 20 was provided separately from the refrigerator 50, but the functions of the power tap 20 may also be included in the refrigerator 50. In this case, the control unit 208 can receive signals from the control device of the refrigerator 50, allowing for more accurate determination of the refrigerator's status.

In the above example, status notification device 32 determines the status of a refrigerator and notifies the user of the determination result, but status notification device 32 may also determine the status of an electronic device other than a refrigerator. For example, status notification device 32 can determine the status of an electronic device even if the power consumption of the electronic device changes depending on the surrounding environment.

Claims (7)

an information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information including at least one of an ambient temperature and humidity of the refrigerator and power information according to power consumption of the refrigerator;
a state determination unit that determines a state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information;
a notification unit that outputs a determination result of the state of the refrigerator by the state determination unit; and
Equipped with
the state determination unit compares an operation state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operation state which is an operation state for comparison according to the environmental information, and determines a state of the refrigerator;
the environmental information includes first environmental information and second environmental information acquired after the first environmental information;
the driving state includes a first driving state associated with the first environmental information and a second driving state associated with the second environmental information,
The state determination unit, when determining the state of the refrigerator based on the second driving state, determines whether to use the first driving state as the reference driving state for the second driving state, based on the first environmental information and the second environmental information . an information acquisition unit that acquires environmental information including at least one of an ambient temperature and humidity of the refrigerator and power information according to power consumption of the refrigerator;
a state determination unit that determines a state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information;
a notification unit that outputs a determination result of the state of the refrigerator by the state determination unit; and
Equipped with
the state determination unit compares an operation state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operation state which is an operation state for comparison according to the environmental information, and determines a state of the refrigerator;
The refrigerator includes a heater for defrosting,
the state determination unit estimates an operation state of the heater as an operation state of the refrigerator based on the power information,
the power information includes a power factor of the refrigerator,
The state determination unit estimates the driving state of the heater based on the power factor . the reference driving state includes the driving state corresponding to the power information acquired earlier than the power information corresponding to the driving state to be compared with the reference driving state;
3. The status notification device according to claim 1 or 2. A program for causing a computer to notify a result of a determination of a refrigerator state,
The computer,
acquiring environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator;
acquiring power information according to the power consumption of the refrigerator;
determining a state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information;
outputting a determination result of the state of the refrigerator;
Processing is provided,
the process of determining includes comparing an operating state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operating state which is an operating state for comparison according to the environmental information, and determining a state of the refrigerator;
the environmental information includes first environmental information and second environmental information acquired after the first environmental information;
the driving state includes a first driving state associated with the first environmental information and a second driving state associated with the second environmental information,
When determining the state of the refrigerator based on the second driving state, determining whether or not to use the first driving state as the reference driving state for the second driving state based on the first environmental information and the second environmental information.
program. A program for causing a computer to notify a result of a determination of a refrigerator state,
The computer,
acquiring environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator;
acquiring power information according to the power consumption of the refrigerator;
determining a state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information;
outputting a determination result of the state of the refrigerator;
Processing is provided,
the process of determining includes comparing an operating state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operating state which is an operating state for comparison according to the environmental information, and determining a state of the refrigerator;
The refrigerator includes a heater for defrosting,
the determining process includes estimating an operation state of the heater as an operation state of the refrigerator based on the power information;
the power information includes a power factor of the refrigerator,
the estimation process estimates the driving state of the heater based on the power factor;
Program. A status notification method for notifying a result of a determination of a refrigerator status,
acquire environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator;
acquiring power information according to the power consumption of the refrigerator;
determining a state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information;
outputting the determination result of the state of the refrigerator;
Processing is provided,
the determining process includes comparing an operating state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operating state which is an operating state for comparison according to the environmental information to determine the state of the refrigerator;
the environmental information includes first environmental information and second environmental information acquired after the first environmental information;
the driving state includes a first driving state associated with the first environmental information and a second driving state associated with the second environmental information,
a state notification method for determining, when determining the state of the refrigerator based on the second driving state, whether to use the first driving state as the reference driving state for the second driving state, based on the first environmental information and the second environmental information . A status notification method for notifying a result of a determination of a refrigerator status,
acquire environmental information including at least one of the temperature and humidity around the refrigerator;
acquiring power information according to the power consumption of the refrigerator;
determining a state of the refrigerator based on the environmental information and the power information;
outputting the determination result of the state of the refrigerator;
Processing is provided,
the determining process includes comparing an operating state of the refrigerator according to the power information with a reference operating state which is an operating state for comparison according to the environmental information to determine the state of the refrigerator;
The refrigerator includes a heater for defrosting,
the determining process includes estimating an operation state of the heater as an operation state of the refrigerator based on the power information;
the power information includes a power factor of the refrigerator,
The estimation process estimates the driving state of the heater based on the power factor.