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EP-3876551-B2 - REMOTE MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND REMOTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

EP3876551B2EP 3876551 B2EP3876551 B2EP 3876551B2EP-3876551-B2

Inventors

  • NOGAMI, DAISUKE

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20191025

Claims (10)

  1. A remote management apparatus (140) for remotely managing one or more devices (120) via a communication device (130) which is to be incorporated in each of the one or more devices, wherein, after establishing communication with the communication device (130) via a network (150), the remote management apparatus is configured to identify, based on information received from the communication device, a model of each of the one or more devices and a property (110) in which the device is to be installed, characterized in that : the remote management apparatus is configured to store in advance, for each type of property, property setting information that includes initial setting information of the device corresponding to the type of property; and the remote management apparatus is further configured to select, on the basis of the property that is identified, the property setting information corresponding to the type of the property, select, on the basis of the property setting information that is selected, the initial setting information of the device whose model is identified, and transmit the initial setting information of the device that is selected, to the communication device.
  2. The remote management apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the initial setting information includes at least one of identification information of the device, information concerning an installation location of the device, and information specific to an environment in which the device is to be installed.
  3. The remote management apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the remote management apparatus is configured to determine, based on an identification result of the property, whether to transmit initial setting information of each of the one or more devices to each of the one or more devices via the communication device.
  4. The remote management apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the one or more devices includes at least one of an air conditioner, a ventilator, and a refrigerator.
  5. A remote management system (100) for remotely managing one or more devices (20), comprising: a control terminal (30) to be connected to each of the one or more devices (20); and a management apparatus (40) which is to be connected to the control terminal via a network (50) and configured to remotely manage the device via the control terminal, wherein, after establishing communication with the control terminal, the management apparatus is configured to identify, based on information received from the control terminal, a property (10) in which the device is to be installed, and the control terminal is configured to identify a model of each of the one or more devices based on information received from each of the one or more devices, characterized in that : the management apparatus is configured to store in advance, for each type of property, property setting information that includes initial setting information of the device corresponding to the type of property; the management apparatus is further configured to select, on the basis of the property that is identified, the property setting information corresponding to the type of the property, and transmit the property setting information that is selected, to the control terminal; and the control terminal is further configured to identify each of the devices on the basis of the identified model of the device, and transmit, on the basis of the property setting information received from the management apparatus, the initial setting information of the device, to each of the devices that are identified.
  6. The remote management system according to Claim 5, wherein the management apparatus is configured to determine, based on an identification result of the property, whether to transmit initial setting information of each of the one or more devices to the control terminal or each of the one or more devices.
  7. The remote management system according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the initial setting information includes at least one of identification information of the device, information concerning an installation location of the device, and information specific to an environment in which the device is to be installed.
  8. The remote management system according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, wherein each of the one or more devices includes at least one of an air conditioner, a ventilator, and a refrigerator.
  9. The remote management system according to any one of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the management apparatus is configured to transmit operation setting information of each of the one or more devices to the control terminal or each of the one or more devices, and the operation setting information includes at least one of information concerning a schedule of operating the device, information concerning permission and prohibition of operation of the device, and a parameter related to operation of the device.
  10. The remote management system according to any one of Claims 5 to 9, wherein the management apparatus is configured to present, for each property, at least information concerning whether a person in charge needs to visit the property.

Description

Technical Field A remote management apparatus and a remote management system for remotely managing one or more devices Background Art As disclosed in PTL 1 ( Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-184068 ), a system of the related art is known in which setting information for the operation of devices installed in customers' properties can be registered at a remote location via a network. US 2016/215996 A1 discloses a remote management apparatus for remotely managing one or more devices via a communication device which is to be incorporated in each of the one or more devices, wherein, after establishing communication with the communication device via a network, the remote management apparatus is configured to identify, based on information received from the communication device, a model of each of the one or more devices and a property in which the device is to be installed. US 2010/083356 A1 discloses a remote management apparatus for remotely managing one or more devices via a communication device which is to be incorporated in each of the one or more devices, wherein, after establishing communication with the communication device via a network, the remote management apparatus is configured to identify, based on information received from the communication device, a model of each of the one or more devices. Technical Problem When the initial setting of devices, which is performed when the devices are installed in customers' properties, is performed manually by a person in charge visiting each property, there is a problem in that man-hours required for the person in charge increase. Solution to Problem The technical problem is solved by a remote management apparatus according to claim 1 and a remote management system according to claim 5. Further aspects of the invention are outlined in the dependent claims. Brief Description of Drawings [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an air conditioning control system 100 according to a first embodiment.[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the remote management system 100 according to the first embodiment.[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a flowchart of a test operation of a control terminal 30 according to the first embodiment.[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of a remote management system 200 according to a second embodiment.[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a flowchart of a test operation of a device 120 according to the second embodiment.[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 illustrates an example of property management information displayed on a display of a management apparatus 40 according to modification G. Description of Embodiments - First Embodiment - (1) Configuration A remote management system 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the remote management system 100. The remote management system 100 is a system for remotely managing a device 20 installed in a property 10 by using a management apparatus 40. As illustrated in Fig. 1, in a case where the remote management system 100 manages devices 20 installed in a plurality of properties 10, the management apparatus 40 manages the devices 20 in units of properties 10. The following describes a case where the remote management system 100 manages devices 20 installed in a certain property 10. Fig. 2 is a detailed configuration diagram of the remote management system 100. Fig. 2 illustrates only one property 10 in which a plurality of devices 20 are installed. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the remote management system 100 mainly includes the devices 20, a control terminal 30, the management apparatus 40, and a network 50. The devices 20 and the control terminal 30 are installed in the property 10. The management apparatus 40 is installed outside the property 10. The management apparatus 40 is an apparatus for remotely managing the devices 20 via the control terminal 30. In each property 10, the devices 20 and the control terminal 30 are capable of communicating with each other via lines or the like installed in the property 10. The management apparatus 40 and the control terminal 30 in each property 10 are capable of communicating with each other via the network 50. However, the management apparatus 40 and the devices 20 in each property 10 are incapable of directly communicating with each other. The property 10 is relatively small and operated uniformly. The property 10 is, for example, a franchise store such as a convenience store. In a case where the remote management system 100 manages a plurality of properties 10, the properties 10 are often the same or substantially the same in size, layout, the number of devices 20 installed, the installation positions of the devices 20, and so on. Next, the components of the remote management system 100 will be described. (1-1) Device In this embodiment, each of the devices 20 is an air conditioner. In this case, the device 20 mainly includes one outdoor unit, a plurality