Air conditioning management apparatus and air conditioning management system

• US 8,635,320 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Ishizaka, Taichi
• Primary Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/866,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20100325270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-224, 713/173, 700/276
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• 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

Abstract

An air conditioning management apparatus is provided which can remotely monitor and control air conditioning equipment with ease of viewing a home page while securing security. The air conditioning management apparatus includes a facility equipment interface (230) connected to the air conditioning equipment, a remote interface (240) connected to a network, a facility equipment communication management unit (251) for communicating with the air conditioning equipment through the facility equipment interface (230) and obtaining operating state data showing an operating state of the air conditioning equipment, and a remote communication management unit (253) for creating an operating state file based on the contents of the operating state data and transmitting the operating state file to a destination on the network through a remote interface (240).

Claims

1. An air conditioning management apparatus for controlling an operation of air conditioning equipment, comprising:

a facility equipment interface connected to the air conditioning equipment;

a remote interface connected to a network;

a facility equipment communication management unit for communicating with the air conditioning equipment through the facility equipment interface and obtaining operating state data showing an operating state of the air conditioning equipment; and

a remote communication management unit for

converting the operating state data representing each operating state to an operating state file at a timing at which the operating state data is to be transmitted to a predetermined destination on the network and updated,

encrypting the operating state, and

transmitting the encrypted operating state file to the predetermined destination on the network through the remote interface.

2. The air conditioning management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote communication management unit requests the destination through the remote interface to transmit a control command file in which a control command to the air conditioning equipment is described, and when receiving the control command file, the remote communication management unit executes the control command described in the control command file and controls the air conditioning equipment.

3. The air conditioning management apparatus of claim 2, wherein the remote communication management unit requests the destination to transmit the control command file using FTP.

4. The air conditioning management apparatus of claim 1, wherein the remote communication management unit transmits the operating state file to the destination using FTP.

5. An air conditioning management system comprising:

the air conditioning management apparatus of claim 1;

a server having memory means for storing the operating state file; and

a remote monitor terminal for remotely monitoring the air conditioning equipment through the server, wherein;

the air conditioning management apparatus is connected to the server through the remote interface;

the remote communication management unit transmits the operating state file to the server; and

the remote monitor terminal comprises a screen display unit for displaying information on a display, requests the server to transmit the operating state file, receives the operating state file, and displays the operating state file using the screen display unit.

6. The air conditioning management system of claim 5, wherein:

the remote monitor terminal transmits a control command file in which a control command to the air conditioning equipment is described to the server; and

the remote communication management unit requests the server through the remote interface to transmit the control command file.

7. The air conditioning management system of claim 6, wherein the remote monitor terminal encrypts the control command file using an encryption key calculated based on a value specific to the air conditioning management apparatus and transmits the control command file to the server.

8. The air conditioning management system of claim 6, wherein the remote monitor terminal transmits login information for authentication to the server, encrypts the control command file using the login information, and transmits the control command file to the server;

the air conditioning management apparatus comprises memory means in which predetermined authentication information is stored; and

when the remote communication management unit receives the control command file from the server, the remote communication management unit decrypts the control command file using the authentication information.

9. The air conditioning management system of claim 5, wherein:

the remote monitor terminal transmits login information for authentication to the server;

the air conditioning management apparatus comprises memory means in which predetermined authentication information is stored; and

the remote communication management unit obtains login information transmitted by the remote monitor terminal through the server and communicate with the server only when the login information agrees with the authentication information.

10. The air conditioning management system of claim 6, wherein the remote monitor terminal comprises a monitor control program for transmitting the control command file by communicating with the server.

11. The air conditioning management system of claim 5, wherein the remote monitor terminal comprises a monitor control program for obtaining the operating state file by communicating with the server;

and

the monitor control program obtains the operating state file from the server, analyzes the operating state file, and displays an operating state of the air conditioning equipment using the screen display unit.

12. The air conditioning management system of claim 10, wherein the monitor control program is configured as a program executed on a Web browser.

13. The air conditioning management system of claim 5, wherein the server is a Web server provided by an Internet provider.

14. The air conditioning management apparatus of claim 2, wherein the remote communication management unit transmits the operating state file to the destination using FTP.

15. The air conditioning management apparatus of claim 3, wherein the remote communication management unit transmits the operating state file to the destination using FTP.

16. The air conditioning management system of claim 7, wherein the remote monitor terminal transmits login information for authentication to the server, encrypts the control command file using the login information, and transmits the control command file to the server;

the air conditioning management apparatus comprises memory means in which predetermined authentication information is stored; and

when the remote communication management unit receives the control command file from the server, the remote communication management unit decrypts the control command file using the authentication information.