Service system for air conditioner and server system for monitoring center

• US 6,823,288 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi America Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ito, Makoto, Ito, Yukio, Taira, Tomotsune, Takai, Tadashi, Takagi, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Nghiem, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/655,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 702/34, 702/35, 702/81, 702/82, 702/84, 702/182, 702/184, 702/185, 702/188, 700/204, 700/276, 700/300
• US Class Current: 702/184
• 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 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/57 using telephone networks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication

Abstract

A service system which includes the monitoring center which has a customer database, an operation information database for storing operation information of the air conditioners for each customer, and a device information database 203 having device information on the air conditioners related with each customer of the customer database. When the system decides that there is anomaly in the operation information, the monitoring center sends to the cellular phone over the Internet information representing the content of the anomaly and customer and device information associated with the operation information which was judged abnormal.

Claims

1. A service system for air conditioners that monitors the operating condition of the air conditioners and performs their maintenance in an anomaly, the service system comprising:

a monitoring center for determining an anomaly or sign of anomaly based on operation information of the air conditioners to provide anomaly information through an Internet home page; and

a cellular phone capable of accessing said home page,

wherein said cellular phone sends information of actions with respect to the anomaly or sign of anomaly to said monitoring center, and

wherein the information of actions with respect to the anomaly or sign of anomaly includes information of whether the serviceman has arrived at the site.

2. A service system for air conditioners according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring center confirms current situation of maintenance service based on actions with respect to the anomaly or sign of anomaly sent from said cellular phone.

3. A service system for air conditioners which remotely monitors the operating condition of the air conditioners for maintenance and inspection, the service system comprising:

a monitoring center having a device information database having device information on each type of air conditioner, a failure code database for storing, for each failure code, information representing a content of anomaly and its possible cause, and a parts information database having maintenance parts information related with the devices in the device information database and with the failure codes, said monitoring center being adapted to check for any anomaly or sign of anomaly of the air conditioners and post the failure code on an Internet home page; and

a terminal device capable of accessing the monitoring center over the Internet and sending information of maintenance actions performed by a service person concerning the failure code,

wherein the monitoring center takes statistics of a failure code and maintenance service for respective types of air conditioners and posts the statistics on the home page so that they can be browsed.

4. A monitoring server for monitoring and maintaining air conditioners, comprising:

a device information database having device information on each type of air conditioner;

a failure code database for storing, for each failure code, information representing a content of anomaly and its possible cause;

a parts information database having maintenance parts information related with the devices in the device information database and with the failure codes;

said monitoring center being adapted to check for any anomaly or sign of anomaly of the air conditioners and post the failure code on an Internet home page; and

an element connected to said device information database, said failure code database, and said parts information database for checking for any anomaly or sign of anomaly of the air conditioners, posting the failure code on an Internet home page, receiving maintenance actions performed by a service person concerning the failure code,

wherein the element takes statistics of a failure code and maintenance service for respective types of air conditioners and posts the statistics on the home page so that they can be browsed.