Group management apparatus and group management system

• US 8,571,717 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Original Assignee: Daikin Industries Ltd
• Inventors: Nishino, Atsushi, Miki, Toshiyuki, Kai, Takashige, Hashimoto, Satoshi, Omoto, Shigesada
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US13/054,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20110130880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276
• US Class Current: 700/277
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• 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 2110/10 Temperature

Abstract

A group management apparatus is configured to manage a plurality of air conditioning facilities installed in a plurality of buildings as a plurality of groups. The group management apparatus includes an obtaining section configured to obtain operational data of the air conditioning facilities through a plurality of control units disposed in the buildings on a one-to-one basis, and an extracting section configured to extract one or more groups satisfying predetermined conditions from the groups based on a plurality of assessment perspectives. The control units are configured to control the air conditioning facilities within the buildings. A group management system includes the group management apparatus and the control units.

Claims

1. A group management apparatus configured to manage a plurality of air conditioning facilities installed in a plurality of buildings as a plurality of groups, the group management apparatus comprising:

an obtaining section configured to obtain operational data of the air conditioning facilities through a plurality of control units disposed in the buildings on a one-to-one basis, the control units being configured to control the air conditioning facilities within the buildings;

an extracting section configured to extract one or more groups satisfying predetermined conditions from the groups based on a plurality of assessment perspectives, and

a screen generating section configured to generate screens displaying a result extracted by the extracting section,

the extracting section being further configured to extract said one or more groups satisfying the predetermined conditions from the groups based on at least one of

a result of comparing an individual operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to one of the groups with an individual operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to another one of the groups, and

a result of comparing a group operational data of one of the groups used as an entire operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to the one of the groups with a group operational data of another one of the groups,

the screen generating section being configured to generate the screens showing the result in an order of the magnitude of trouble with respect to the plurality of assessment perspectives.

2. The group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the assessment perspectives include at least one of energy consumption, time operation, and reduction in comfort.

3. The group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the screen generating section is configured to generate a first screen and a second screen,

the first screen displaying a first result as the result extracted based on the result of comparing between the individual operational data, and

the second screen displaying a second result as the result extracted based on the result of comparing between the group operational data.

4. The group management apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

an operational data storage area configured to store the operational data of the air conditioning facilities; and

a threshold value setting section configured to set a threshold value based on the operational data stored in the operational data storage area,

the operational data and the threshold value being comparably displayed on respective screens on an operational time basis.

5. The group management apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the screen generating section is further configured to generate a single screen switchably displaying one or more groups extracted based on the respective assessment perspectives.

6. A group management apparatus configured to manage a plurality of air conditioning facilities installed in a plurality of buildings as a plurality of groups, the group management apparatus comprising:

an obtaining section configured to obtain operational data of the air conditioning facilities through a plurality of control units disposed in the buildings on a one-to-one basis, the control units being configured to control the air conditioning facilities within the buildings; and

an extracting section configured to extract one or more groups satisfying predetermined conditions from the groups based on a plurality of assessment perspectives,

the extracting section being further configured to extract said one or more groups satisfying the predetermined conditions from the groups based on at least one of

a result of comparing an individual operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to one of the groups with an individual operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to another one of the groups, and

a result of comparing a group operational data of one of the groups used as an entire operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to the one of the groups with a group operational data of another one of the groups,

said one or more groups satisfying the predetermined conditions being one or more of the air conditioning facilities having a trouble regarding one of the assessment perspectives, and

the extracting section being further configured to extract said one or more groups having a trouble based on both the result of comparing between the individual operational data and the result of comparing between the group operational data.

7. The group management apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a screen generating section configured to generate screens displaying a result extracted by the extracting section,

the screen generating section being configured to generate a first screen and a second screen,

the first screen displaying a first result as the result extracted based on the result of comparing between the individual operational data, and

the second screen displaying a second result as the result extracted based on the result of comparing between the group operational data.

8. The group management apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

an operational data storage area configured to store the operational data of the air conditioning facilities; and

a threshold value setting section configured to set a threshold value based on the operational data stored in the operational data storage area,

the operational data and the threshold value being comparably displayed on respective screens on an operational time basis.

9. The group management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the screen generating section is further configured to generate a single screen switchably displaying one or more groups extracted based on the respective assessment perspectives.

10. The group management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the assessment perspectives include at least one of energy consumption, time operation, and reduction in comfort.

11. A group management system configured to manage a plurality of air conditioning facilities respectively installed in a plurality of buildings as a plurality of groups, the group management system comprising:

a plurality of control units disposed in the buildings on a one-to-one basis, the control units being configured to control the air conditioning facilities within the buildings; and

a group management apparatus connected to the control units, the group management apparatus being configured to manage the air conditioning facilities as a plurality of groups through the control units, the group management apparatus including

an obtaining section configured to obtain operational data of the air conditioning facilities;

an extracting section configured to extract one or more groups satisfying predetermined conditions from the groups respectively including the air conditioning facilities based on a plurality of assessment perspectives; and

a screen generating section configured to generate screens displaying a result extracted by the extracting section,

the extracting section being further configured to extract said one or more groups satisfying the predetermined conditions from the groups based on at least one of

a result of comparing an individual operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to one of the groups with an individual operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to another one of the groups, and

a result of comparing a group operational data of one of the groups used as an entire operational data of the air conditioning facilities belonging to the one of the groups with a group operational data of another one of the groups,

the screen generating section being configured to generate the screens showing the result in an order of the magnitude of trouble with respect to the plurality of assessment perspectives.