Patent Publication Number: US-2004049298-A1

Title: Remote management system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The present invention relates to a remote management system which manages the states of various facilities at geographically distant places via a communication line such as the Internet.  
       BACKGROUND ART  
       [0002] In a conventional remote management system of this type, a facility management apparatus is installed in each area (e.g., a building), and the states of various facilities within the area are managed. Such facility management apparatuses are connected to the central monitor of the center via a communication line such as the Internet, and information is exchanged between the facility management apparatuses and the central monitor.  
       [0003] More specifically, facility management apparatuses monitor various facility states such as air-conditioning, illumination, heat source, and crime prevention in areas A and B, and execute operations such as the start/stop of operations of these facilities. The central monitor accumulates pieces of information from the facility management apparatuses in areas A and B, analyzes and displays the pieces of information, and sends operation instructions to the facility management apparatuses in areas A and B.  
       [0004] For example, assume that a given air-conditioner fails in an air-conditioning facility in area A due to the blower. In this case, the center displays a list of air-conditioning facilities in all the monitored areas on the display of the central monitor. The list of air-conditioning facilities is searched for air-conditioners which use blowers of the same type (e.g., the same manufacturer) as the failed air-conditioner. It is determined that these air-conditioners may also fail because of the same reason. Then, the center notifies the managers of areas where these air-conditioners are used of the possibility of the same failure. The managers who have received the notifications prevent any trouble by managing or exchanging the air-conditioners so as to change the environmental conditions of the air-conditioners from those of the troubled air-conditioner.  
       [0005] In the prior art, the manager searches the list of air-conditioning facilities in all the areas for ones using blowers of the same type as that of the failed air-conditioner while confirming accumulated data. This work takes much labor and time.  
       DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION  
       [0006] The present invention has been made to overcome the conventional drawbacks, and has as its object to provide a remote management system capable of easily searching for the component of a facility which may cause the same event.  
       [0007] To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, first to Nth facility management apparatuses comprise facility model generation means (means for generating element models for various components of a facility on the basis of environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, and facility character information, defining a set of element models as a facility model, and generating facility models for various facilities), and a central monitor comprises similar element model group generation means (means for picking up the facility models of various facilities from the first to Nth facility management apparatuses, extracting similar element models from the facility models, and defining a set of extracted element models as a similar element model group).  
       [0008] According to the present invention, the first to Nth facility management apparatuses generate element models for each facility on the basis of environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, and facility character information, define a set of element models as a facility model, and generate facility models for various facilities. The central monitor picks up the facility models of various facilities from the first to Nth facility management apparatuses, extracts similar element models from the facility models, and defines a set of extracted element models as a similar element model group. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0009]FIG. 1A is a view showing the main arrangement of a facility management apparatus shown in FIG. 2;  
     [0010]FIG. 1B is a view showing the main arrangement of a central monitor shown in FIG. 2;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a view showing the system configuration of a remote management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
     [0012]FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of the element model of an air-conditioning facility. 
    
    
     BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION  
     [0013] The present invention will be described in detail below on the basis of an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view showing the system configuration of a remote management system according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral  1 A denotes a facility management apparatus in area A;  1 B, a facility management apparatus in area B;  2 , a central monitor at the center; and  3 , a communication line (Internet).  
     [0014] The facility management apparatuses  1 A and  1 B and the central monitor  2  are connected via the Internet  3 . The facility management apparatus  1 A monitors the states of various facilities such as an air-conditioning facility  4 A, illumination facility  5 A, heat source facility  6 A, and crime prevention facility  7 A in area A, and performs operations such as the start/stop of operations of these facilities.  
     [0015] The facility management apparatus  1 B monitors the states of various facilities such as an air-conditioning facility  4 B, illumination facility  5 B, heat source facility  6 B, and crime prevention facility  7 B in area B, and performs operations such as the start/stop of operations of these facilities.  
     [0016] The central monitor  2  accumulates pieces of information from the facility management apparatuses  1 A and  1 B, analyzes and displays the pieces of information, and sends operation instructions to the facility management apparatuses  1 A and  1 B.  
     [0017]FIG. 1A shows the main arrangement of the facility management apparatus  1 A. The facility management apparatus  1 A comprises a control section  1 A 1 , display section  1 A 2 , and storage section  1 A 3 . The control section  1 A 1  receives environmental data such as the temperature, humidity, and pressure, and measurement data (operation data and working data) such as the flow rate, current, voltage, frequency, rotational speed, availability, working time, and the number of works from environment measurement sensors (not shown) installed in the air-conditioning facility  4 A, illumination facility  5 A, heat source facility  6 A, and crime prevention facility  7 A. For each facility, the control section  1 A 1  receives data inherent to the facility such as the design specifications (product name, manufacturer name, and the like), production specifications, material, shape, performance, precision, and position information, and facility character information such as the use purpose, installation purpose, target, comings and goings of people, and the possibility of manual operation. Outputs such as the performance and function are generated as a result of operating the facility on the basis of the pieces of input information. Outputs such as a failure are generated upon changes over time or depending on the environment or the like. These outputs are considered to be inherent to the facility or the like.  
     [0018] The control section  1 A 1  generates element models for various components of a facility based on environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, and facility character information, and defines a set of element models as a facility model of the facility. The control section  1 A 1  generates facility models for various facilities, and stores them in the storage section  1 A 3 . That is, the control section  1 A 1  performs modeling of finding out a predetermined rule for the relationship between input information such as environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, and facility character information, and outputs such as the performance, function, and failure as a result of operating the facility. For example, as for an air-conditioner, the outside air temperature and humidity and a target setting temperature are input, and an electric heater or the like is so controlled as to achieve the target temperature. As the ability of the air-conditioner degrades, the setting value can be maintained only by an output of 80% upon changes over time though the target temperature can be achieved by an output of 50% under the same conditions at the beginning. In this situation, the performance is considered to degrade. Modeling finds out a predetermined rule of causing such degradation upon reception of an input or upon changes over time in a given situation. Modeling is executed using a neural network, TCBM (Topological Case-Based Modeling), or the like, and the present invention can adopt any means. Modeling is performed for various components of a facility to generate element models. A set of element models is defined as a facility model of the facility. Facility models are generated for various facilities and stored in the storage section  1 A 3 .  
     [0019] For example, as for the air-conditioning facility  4 A, the air-conditioning facility  4 A comprises many air-conditioners. These air-conditioners “air-conditioner  1 ” to “air-conditioner n” are respectively made up of blowers, dampers, coils, and the like. The control section  1 A 1  sets “air-conditioner  1 ” to “air-conditioner n” and the blowers, dampers, coils, and the like of the “air-conditioner  1 ” to “air-conditioner n” as components of the air-conditioning facility  4 A. The control section  1 A 1  generates attributes and log information on the basis of environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, and facility character information of the air-conditioning facility  4 A. The control section  1 A 1  associates the attribute and log information with each component to generate an element model EM A1  (see FIG. 3). The control section  1 A 1  defines a set of element model EM A1  as an air-conditioning facility model MA 1 , which is stored in the storage section  1 A 3 .  
     [0020] Similarly, the control section  1 A 1  generates an illumination facility model MA 2  as a set of element models EMA 2  of the illumination facility  5 A, a heat source facility model MA 3  as a set of element models EMA 3  of the heat source facility  6 A, and a crime prevention facility model MA 4  as a set of element models EMA 4  of the crime prevention facility  7 A. The facility models MA 2 , MA 3 , and MA 4  are stored in the storage section  1 A 3 .  
     [0021] The facility management apparatus  1 B comprises a control section  1 B 1 , display section  1 B 2 , and storage section  1 B 3 , similar to the facility management apparatus  1 A. The control section  1 B 1  generates an air-conditioning facility model MB 1  as a set of element models EM B1  of the air-conditioning facility  4 B, an illumination facility model MB 2  as a set of element models EMB 2  of the illumination facility  5 B, a heat source facility model MB 3  as a set of element models EM B3  of the heat source facility  6 B, and a crime prevention facility model MB 4  as a set of element models EM B4  of the crime prevention facility  7 B. The facility models MB 1 , MB 2 , MB 3 , and MB 4  are stored in the storage section  1 B 3 .  
     [0022]FIG. 1B shows the main arrangement of the central monitor  2 . The central monitor  2  comprises a control section  21 , display section  22 , storage section (first storage section)  23 , and storage section (second storage section)  24 . The control section  21  periodically accesses the facility management apparatus  1 A in area A and the facility management apparatus  1 B in area B via the Internet  3 . The control section  21  picks up the air-conditioning facility models MA 1  and MB 1 , illumination facility models MA 2  and MB 2 , heat source facility models MA 3  and MB 3 , and crime prevention facility models MA 4  and MB 4  which are stored in the storage sections  1 A 3  and  1 B 3 . Then, the control section  21  temporarily stores these models in the storage section  23 .  
     [0023] The control section  21  extracts similar element models from the air-conditioning facility models MA 1  and MB 1 , illumination facility models MA 2  and MB 2 , heat source facility models MA 3  and MB 3 , and crime prevention facility models MA 4  and MB 4  which are stored in the storage section  23 . The control section  21  stores a set of extracted element models as a similar element model group in the storage section  24 .  
     [0024] For example, as for the air-conditioning facility models MA 1  and MB 1 , the element models of air-conditioners of the same manufacturer are extracted from the element models EM A1  and EM B1  of the air-conditioning facility models MA 1  and MB 1 . The extracted air-conditioner element models are gathered into a similar element model group GK 1 , which is then stored in the storage section  24 . Similarly, the element models of blowers of the same manufacturer are gathered into an element model group GK 2 ; the element models of dampers of the same manufacturer, into an element model group GK 3 ; and the element models of coils of the same manufacturer, into an element model group GK 4 . In this manner, similar element model groups are generated and stored in the storage section  24 .  
     [0025] Assume that “air-conditioner  1 ” fails in the air-conditioning facility  4 A in area A owing to the blower. In this case, the manager at the center inputs failure information “‘air-conditioner  1 ’ has failed owing to its blower.” to the control section  21  of the central monitor  2 . That is, “the blower of ‘air-conditioner  1 ’” is designated as a failed component. After “the blower of ‘air-conditioner  1 ’” is designated as a failed component, the control section  21  of the central monitor  2  searches similar element model groups stored in the storage section  24  for a similar element model group which includes “the blower of ‘air-conditioner  1 ’”, and displays the element models of the similar element model group on the display section  22 .  
     [0026] If the similar element model group GK 2  includes the element model of “the blower of ‘air-conditioner  1 ’”, element models in the similar element model group GK 2  are displayed on the display section  22 . In other words, when “the blower of ‘air-conditioner  1 ’” is designated as a failed component, all the element models of blowers of the same manufacturer as that of the failed blower are displayed on the display section  2 . Hence, the manager can immediately grasp blowers which may cause the same failure in areas A and B, and can quickly notify the managers of areas where air-conditioners having the blowers are used of the possibility of the same failure.  
     [0027] The control section  21  may be given a function of automatically announcing the possibility of the same event. When a component which has caused a failure is designated, the control section  21  searches the storage section  24  for a similar element model group including the element model of the component, and notifies, of the possibility of the same failure, a facility management apparatus which has generated the facility model including the element model in the similar element model group.  
     [0028] In this embodiment, the central monitor  2  periodically accesses the facility management apparatuses  1 A and  1 B, and picks up the facility models of various facilities stored in the storage sections  1 A 3  and  1 B 3 . In the central monitor  2 , similar element models are periodically grouped based on the latest data. If environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, or facility character information changes in the facility management apparatus  1 A or  1 B, an element model changes, and the similarity determination criterion shifts from the previous one, the changed element model is included in another similar element model group.  
     [0029] In the above-described embodiment, the manufacturer is employed as a similarly determination criterion. The similarly determination criterion may be the working time or the number of works. Similar element model groups in the storage section  24  can be searched for a component whose working time has exceeded a predetermined time or a component in which the number of works has exceeded a predetermined number of works, thus prompting the maintenance.  
     [0030] In the above-described embodiment, the central monitor  2  comprises the storage section  23 , and the storage section  23  temporarily stores the air-conditioning facility models MA 1  and MB 1 , illumination facility models MA 2  and MB 2 , heat source facility models MA 3  and MB 3 , and crime prevention facility models MA 4  and MB 4  which are picked up from the facility management apparatuses  1 A and  1 B. Instead of storing the facility models, similar element models may be immediately grouped and stored in the storage section  24 .  
     [0031] In the above-described embodiment, facilities are an air-conditioning facility, illumination facility, heat source facility, and crime prevention facility, but are not limited to them. For example, the facilities may be various ones in a factory or plant, or ones at a convenience store. The present invention can be applied to any field.  
     [0032] As has been described above, according to the present invention, the first to Nth facility management apparatuses comprise facility model generation means (means for generating element models for various components of a facility on the basis of environmental data, measurement data, facility-inherent data, and facility character information, defining a set of element models as a facility model, and generating facility models for various facilities). The central monitor comprises similar element model group generation (means for picking up the facility models of various facilities from the first to Nth facility management apparatuses, extracting similar element models from the facility models, and defining a set of extracted element models as a similar element model group). When a component is designated upon occurrence of a given event, a similar element model group including the element model of the component is searched for. Accordingly, a facility component which may cause the same event can be easily found out.  
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY  
     [0033] As described above, the remote management system according to the present invention is suitable for remote management of an air-conditioning facility, an illumination facility, a heat source facility, a crime prevention facility, various facilities in a factory, plant, or research facility, facilities at a convenience store, and the like.