Facility operating method and apparatus, facility operating system, managing method and apparatus, and facility

• US 20040035125A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Imada, Nobuhiro, Nakagawa, Yoshihiro, Nagashima, Kenji, Nakane, Hidetaka, Yamamoto, Mitsuhiko, Ishida, Koichi, Takenaka, Naofumi, Murai, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,784,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/132
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/52 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/00 Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/10 Weather information or forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A facility working apparatus includes objects (1), a management apparatus (2), and an exterior information source (3) such as a weather company, a power company or the like. Each object (1) and the management apparatus (2), the exterior information source (3) and the management apparatus (2) are connected via a network. Each object (1) includes a facility (1a) such as a heat storage air conditioner, power storage air conditioner or the like, and a controlling apparatus (1b) for working and controlling the facility (1a) and for extracting facility information of the facility (1a) and user determination information. The management apparatus (2) includes a database (2a) and a data processing section (2b). The data processing section (2b) in the management apparatus (2) carries out processing based upon facility information, user determination data, and exterior information, and generates working and controlling information. The information is transferred to corresponding controlling apparatus (1b). Performance required for the control apparatus for controlling each facility can be suppressed to be low performance, and sufficient working accuracy of each facility can be maintained.

Claims

1. A working method for facility is a method which includes a plurality of facilities and a management apparatus, and which extracts information of each facility, transfers the extracted facility information to the management apparatus via a network, generates facility working information by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior in the management apparatus and transfers the facility working information to corresponding facility via the network.

3. A working method for facility as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, the method generates facility working information by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior in the management apparatus.

4. A working method for facility as set forth in claim 3, the method employs a heat storage air conditioner or power storage air conditioner, as the facility, and generates estimation values of air conditioning load by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior in the management apparatus.

7. A working method for facility as set forth in one of claims 1, 2, 5, 6, the method calculates a difference between a working cost under a condition that a facility is worked without using facility working information and a working cost under a condition that a facility is worked using facility working information, and lays a charge which is a predetermined percentage with respect to the calculated difference.

2. A working method for facility is a method which includes a plurality of facilities and a management apparatus, and which controls each facility using corresponding controlling apparatus, extracts information of each facility using the controlling apparatus, transfers the facility information extracted by the controlling apparatus to the management apparatus via a network, the facility information being added discrimination information, generates facility working information by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior in the management apparatus and transfers the facility working information to corresponding facility via the network.

5. A working method for facility as set forth in claim 2, the method works a plurality of facilities using the controlling apparatus, and transfers necessary facility working controlling software to corresponding controlling apparatus via the network by carrying out processing based upon the facility information in the management apparatus.

6. A working method for facility as set forth in claim 2, the method manages power of at least one facility using the controlling apparatus, generates power management software by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and user determination information in the management apparatus, and transfers the power management software to corresponding controlling apparatus.

8. A working apparatus for facility is an apparatus which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and a management apparatus (2), and a network which transfers facility information to the management apparatus (2) and transfers facility working information to corresponding facility (1a) from the management apparatus (2), and which employs an apparatus for generating facility working information by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior as the management apparatus (2).

10. A working apparatus for facility as set forth in claim 8 or claim 9, the apparatus employs an apparatus for generating facility working information by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior as the management apparatus (2).

11. A working apparatus for facility as set forth in claim 10, the apparatus employs a heat storage air conditioner or power storage air conditioner as the facility (1a), and employs an apparatus for generating estimation values of air conditioning load by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior as the management apparatus (2).

14. A working apparatus for facility as set forth in claim 8, the apparatus employs an apparatus for calculating a difference between a working cost under a condition that a facility is worked without using facility working information and a working cost under a condition that a facility is worked using facility working information, and for laying a charge which is a predetermined percentage with respect to the calculated difference as the management apparatus (2).

9. A working apparatus for facility is an apparatus which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and a management apparatus (2), and a controlling apparatus (1b) for controlling each facility (1a) and extracting information of each facility (1a), and a network for transferring the facility information extracted by the controlling apparatus (1b) to the management apparatus (2) via a network, the facility information being added discrimination information, and for transferring the facility working information to corresponding facility (1a) from the management apparatus (2), and which employs an apparatus for generating facility working information by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and external information given from exterior as the management apparatus (2).

12. A working apparatus for facility as set forth in claim 9, the apparatus employs an apparatus for working and controlling a plurality of facilities as the controlling apparatus (1b), and employs an apparatus for transferring necessary facility working controlling software to corresponding controlling apparatus (1b) via the network by carrying out processing based upon the facility information as the management apparatus (2).

13. A working apparatus for facility as set forth in claim 9, the apparatus employs an apparatus for managing power of at least one facility (1a) as the controlling apparatus (1b), and employs an apparatus for generating power management software by carrying out processing based upon the facility information and user determination information, and for transferring the power management software to corresponding controlling apparatus (1b) as the management apparatus (2).

15. A facility working system is a system which includes facilities (1a) and management apparatus (2), and which transfers facility information of each facility (1a) to the management apparatus (2) from the facility (1a), carries out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information, and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to the facility (1a) from the management apparatus (2).

21. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs a facility (1a) comprising controlling apparatus (1b) for controlling the facility (1a) itself, as the facility (1a).

22. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs an air conditioner, as the facility (1a).

23. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs a heat storage air conditioner or power storage air conditioner, as the facility (1a), and employs information relevant to load of air conditioner, as the facility working information.

24. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs a facility (1a) comprising controlling apparatus (1b) for controlling the facility (1a) itself and a memory device for storing received facility working information and being controlled by the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon the facility working information stored in the memory device, as the facility (1a).

25. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs a facility (1a) comprising a memory device and controlling apparatus (1b) and being driven and controlled by the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon the memory of the memory device, as the facility (1a), and employs a memory device for storing facility working information by carrying out rewriting based upon the received facility working information, as the memory device.

26. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs a facility working controlling software as the facility working information, and employs a facility (1a) which carries out self driving and controlling by the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon the facility working controlling software, as the facility (1a).

27. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs information transferred to the management apparatus (2) via the controlling apparatus (1b) for driving and controlling the facility (1a), as the facility information.

28. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs information transferred to the controlling apparatus (1b) for driving and controlling the facility (1a), as the facility information.

29. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs an apparatus for carrying out processing based upon the facility information and exterior information given from the exterior, and for transferring facility working information based upon the processing to the facility (1a), as the management apparatus (2).

30. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs an apparatus for selecting facility working information among a plurality of facility working information stored in the management apparatus (2), as the management apparatus (2).

31. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system lays a charge corresponding to a difference between a working cost under a condition that a facility (1a) is worked without using facility working information and a working cost under a condition that a facility (1a) is worked using facility working information.

32. A facility working system as set forth in one of claims 15-20, the system employs information necessary for judgement of maintenance time of the facility, as the facility information, employs processing for judging a maintenance time from the facility information, as the processing, and employs information relative to a maintenance time of the facility (1a), as the facility working information.

33. A facility working system as set forth in claim 32, the system employs information obtained by calculating integration driving time from facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a), and transferred to the facility (1a) in response to a condition that the integration driving time reaches a determined time, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

34. A facility working system as set forth in claim 32, the system employs information obtained from facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) and the standard data of individual kind of facility (1a), as the information relative to a maintenance time.

35. A facility working system as set forth in claim 32, the system employs information obtained based upon a difference between an initial facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) under an initial condition and a facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) at each timing, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

36. A facility working system as set forth in claim 32, the system employs information representative of a filter cleaning time and obtained based upon a pressure difference between in front and in rear of a filter, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

16. A facility working system is a system which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and management apparatus (2), and which transfers facility information of each facility (1a) to the management apparatus (2) from a part of the facilities (1a), carries out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information of the part of the facilities (1a), and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to at least other part of facilities (1a) from the management apparatus (2).

17. A facility working system is a system which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and management apparatus (2), and which transfers facility information of each facility (1a) to the management apparatus (2) from two or more facilities (1a), carries out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information of the two or more facilities (1a), and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to at least a part of facilities (1a) from the management apparatus (2).

18. A facility working system is a system which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and management apparatus (2), and which transfers facility information of each facility (1a) to the management apparatus (2) from the facility (1a), the facility information of each facility (1a) being added discrimination information of every of each facility (1a), carries out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information, and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to the facility (1a) from the management apparatus (2).

19. A facility working system is a system which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and management apparatus (2), and which transfers facility information of each facility (1a) to the management apparatus (2) from the facility (1a), the facility information of each facility (1a) being added discrimination information of every of each facility (1a), carries out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information, and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing from the management apparatus (2) to the facility (1a) which corresponds to the discrimination information.

20. A facility working system is a system which includes a plurality of facilities (1a) and management apparatus (2), and which transfers facility information of each facility (1a) to the management apparatus (2) from the facility (1a), the facility information of each facility (1a) being added discrimination information of every of each facility (1a), carries out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information, and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing from the management apparatus (2) to the facility (1a) which is added discrimination information other than the discrimination information.

37. A management apparatus is an apparatus which receives facility information of a facility (1a), carries out processing based upon the received facility information, and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to the facility (1a), for managing a facility (1a).

43. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, the apparatus employs an air conditioner as the facility (1a) managed by the management apparatus (2).

44. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, the apparatus employs facility information of a heat storage air conditioner or a power storage air conditioner as the facility (1a), as the facility information received by the management apparatus (2), and employs information relative to an air conditioning load as the facility working information.

45. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, the apparatus employs facility working and controlling software as the facility working information.

46. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, the apparatus receives facility information and exterior information given from the exterior, carries out processing based upon the received facility information and exterior information, and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to a facility (1a).

47. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, the apparatus employs processing for selecting any facility working information among the plurality of stored facility working information, as the processing.

48. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, further comprising a calculation means for calculating a difference between a working cost under a condition that a facility (1a) is worked without using facility working information and a working cost under a condition that a facility (1a) is worked using facility working information.

49. A management apparatus as set forth in one of claims 37-42, the apparatus employs information necessary for judging a maintenance time of a facility (1a), as the facility information, employs processing for judging a maintenance time from the facility information, as the processing, and employs information relative to the maintenance time for the facility (1a), as the facility working information.

50. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 49, the apparatus employs information transferred to a facility (1a) in response to that an integration driving time reaches a determined time which integration driving time is calculated from facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a), as the information relative to a maintenance time.

51. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 49, the apparatus employs information obtained from the facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) and the standard data for individual kind of facility (1a), as the information relative to a maintenance time.

52. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 49, the apparatus employs information obtained based upon a difference between an initial facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) under an initial condition and a facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) at each timing, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

53. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 49, the apparatus employs information representative of a filter cleaning time and obtained based upon a pressure difference between in front and in rear of a filter, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

38. A management apparatus is an apparatus which receives facility information of a part of facilities (1a), carries out processing based upon the received facility information of the part of facilities (1a), and transfers the facility working information based upon the processing to other part of facilities (1a), for managing a plurality of facilities (1a).

39. A management apparatus is an apparatus which receives facility information of a plurality of facilities (1a), carries out processing based upon the received facility information of the plurality of facilities (1a), and transfers common facility working information based upon the processing to at least a part of facilities (1a), for managing a plurality of facilities (1a).

40. A management apparatus is an apparatus which receives facility information of a facility (1a), the facility information being added discrimination information of every each facility (1a), carries out processing based upon the received facility information, and transfers the facility information based upon the processing to a facility (1a), for managing a plurality of facilities (1a).

41. A management apparatus is an apparatus which receives facility information of a facility (1a), the facility information being added discrimination information of every each facility (1a), carries out processing based upon the received facility information, and transfers the facility information based upon the processing to facilities (1a) corresponding to the discrimination information, for managing a plurality of facilities (1a).

42. A management apparatus is an apparatus which receives facility information of a facility (1a), the facility information being added discrimination information of every each facility (1a), carries out processing based upon the received facility information, and transfers the facility information based upon the processing to facilities (1a) each added a discrimination information other than the discrimination information, for managing a plurality of facilities (1a).

54. A facility is a facility which transfers facility information to a management apparatus (2), and receives facility working information from the management apparatus (2) obtained by carrying out processing based upon the facility information.

56. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, further comprising a controlling apparatus (1b) for controlling the facility itself.

57. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility includes an air conditioner.

58. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility includes a heat storage air conditioner or power storage air conditioner, and employs information relative to an air conditioning load, as the facility working information.

59. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility comprises a controlling apparatus for controlling the facility (1a) itself and a memory device for storing received facility working information, and is controlled by the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon the facility working information stored in the memory device.

60. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility comprises a memory device and controlling apparatus (1b), and is driven and controlled by the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon the memory of the memory device, and employs a memory device for storing facility working information by carrying out rewriting based upon the received facility working information, as the memory device.

61. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility employs a facility working controlling software as the facility working information, and carries out self driving and controlling based upon the facility working controlling software.

62. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility comprises a controlling apparatus (1b) for controlling the facility (1a) itself, and employs information transferred from the controlling apparatus to the management apparatus, as the facility information.

63. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility comprises a controlling apparatus (1b) for controlling the facility (1a) itself, and employs information received by the controlling apparatus, as the facility information.

64. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, further comprises a calculation means for calculating a difference between a working cost under a condition that a facility (1a) is worked without using facility working information and a working cost under a condition that a facility (1a) is worked using facility working information.

65. A facility as set forth in claim 54 or claim 55, the facility employs information necessary for judging a maintenance time of a facility (1a), as the facility information, employs information relative to the maintenance time for the facility (1a) obtained by judging a maintenance time from the facility information, as the facility working information.

66. A facility as set forth in claim 65, the facility employs information generated in response to that an integration driving time reaches a determined time which integration driving time is calculated from facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a), as the information relative to a maintenance time.

67. A facility as set forth in claim 65, the facility employs information obtained from the facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) and the standard data for individual kind of facility (1a), as the information relative to a maintenance time.

68. A facility as set forth in claim 65, the facility employs information obtained based upon a difference between an initial facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) under an initial condition and a facility driving information representative of driving condition of the facility (1a) at each timing, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

69. A facility as set forth in claim 65, the facility employs information representative of a filter cleaning time and obtained based upon a pressure difference between in front and in rear of a filter, as the information relative to a maintenance time.

55. A facility is a facility which transfers facility information to a management apparatus (2), the facility information being added self discrimination information, and receives facility working information from the management apparatus (2) obtained by carrying out processing based upon the facility information.

70. A facility working method comprising a step for transferring facility information from a facility (1a) to a management apparatus (2), a step for carrying out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information, and a step for transferring the facility working information from the management apparatus (2) to the facility (1a).

71. A facility working method comprising a step for transferring facility information to a management apparatus (2) from a part of facilities (1a) among a plurality of facilities (1a), a step for carrying out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information of the part of facilities (1a), and a step for transferring the facility working information from the management apparatus (2) to other part of facilities (1a).

72. A facility working method comprising a step for transferring facility information to a management apparatus (2) from two or more facilities (1a) among a plurality of facilities (1a), a step for carrying out processing in the management apparatus (2) based upon the facility information of the two or more facilities (1a), and a step for transferring the facility working information from the management apparatus (2) to at least a part of facilities (1a).

73. A management method is a method for managing a facility (1a) using a management apparatus (2), the method comprises a step for receiving facility information of a facility (1a), a step for carrying out processing based upon the received facility information, and a step for transferring facility working information based upon the processing to the facility (1a).

74. A management method is a method for managing a plurality of facilities (1a) using a management apparatus (2), the method comprises a step for receiving facility information of a part of facilities (1a), a step for carrying out processing based upon the received facility information of the part of facilities (1a), and a step for transferring facility working information based upon the processing to at least other part of facilities (1a).

75. A management method is a method for managing a plurality of facilities (1a) using a management apparatus (2), the method comprises a step for receiving facility information of a plurality of facilities (1a), a step for carrying out processing based upon the received facility information of the plurality of facilities (1a), and a step for transferring common facility working information based upon the processing to at least a part of facilities (1a).

76. A facility working method is a method for working a facility (1a) which is managed using a management apparatus (2), the method comprises a step for transferring facility information to the management apparatus (2), and a step for receiving facility working information from the management apparatus (2), the facility working information being obtained by carrying out processing based upon the facility information.

77. A facility working system is a system which includes a facility (1a) comprising a memory device and a controlling apparatus (1b), and a management apparatus (2) for managing the facility (1a), and which employs an apparatus for transferring facility working information from the management apparatus (2) to the facility (1a), as the management apparatus (2), and employs a facility (1a) driven and controlled using the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon facility working information stored in the memory device, as the facility (1a), the facility working information being received from the management apparatus (2) and being stored in the memory device.

78. A facility working system as set forth in claim 77, the system employs a memory device for storing facility working information by carrying out rewriting based upon received facility working information, as the memory device.

79. A facility working system as set forth in claim 77 or claim 78, the system employs software for facility working and controlling, as the facility working information.

80. A facility working system as set forth in claim 77 or claim 78, the system employs an air conditioner as the facility (1a).

81. A management apparatus is an apparatus which manages a facility (1a) comprising a memory device for storing facility information received from a management apparatus (2) and a controlling apparatus (1b) for driving and controlling based upon the facility working information stored in the memory device, and which transfers facility working information to the facility (1a).

82. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 81, the apparatus employs a memory device for storing facility working information by carrying out rewriting based upon received facility working information, as the memory device.

83. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 81 or claim 82, the apparatus employs software for facility working and controlling, as the facility working information.

84. A management apparatus as set forth in claim 81 or claim 82, the apparatus employs an air conditioner as the facility (1a).

85. A facility is a facility which is managed using a management apparatus (2), and which comprises a memory device for storing facility working information received from the management apparatus (2) and a controlling apparatus (1b) for driving and controlling based upon the facility working information stored in the memory device.

86. A facility as set forth in claim 85, the facility employs a memory device for storing facility working information by carrying out rewriting based upon received facility working information, as the memory device.

87. A facility as set forth in claim 85 or claim 86, the facility employs software for facility working and controlling, as the facility working information.

88. A facility as set forth in claim 85 or claim 86, the facility includes an air conditioner.

89. A facility working method is a method which includes a facility (1a) comprising a memory device and a controlling apparatus (1b), and a management apparatus (2) for managing the facility (1a), and which comprises a step for transferring facility working information to the facility (1a) from the management apparatus (2), a step for storing facility working information in the memory device in the facility (1a), the facility working information being received from the management apparatus (2), and a step for driving and controlling using the controlling apparatus (1b) based upon facility working information stored in the memory device.

90. A management method comprising a step for transferring facility working information when a facility (1a) is managed, the facility (1a) comprising a memory device for storing facility working information received from a management apparatus (2), and a controlling apparatus (1b) for carrying out driving and controlling based upon the facility working information stored in the memory device.

91. A facility working method comprising a step for storing facility working information received from a management apparatus (2), and a step for carrying out driving and controlling based upon the facility working information stored in a memory device.