Patent Description:
An air conditioning device (an air conditioner) includes user-side devices and a heat-source-side device. Typically, the user-side devices are installed in an indoor environment, and the heat-source-side device is installed in an outdoor environment. Further, in buildings, facilities, and the like, a large number of air conditioning devices are generally installed, and many user-side devices are installed in various areas of a building.

After air conditioning devices are installed in a building, an installer needs to configure the initial settings of the air conditioning devices.

Patent Document <NUM> describes an air conditioning system comprising indoor units and outdoor units. an air conditioner management screen for monitoring and operating is displayed by a smartphone.

Patent Document <NUM> describes an air-conditioning system in which a plurality of indoor units are connected to one or a plurality of outdoor units. A display unit of a remote controller displays the addresses of the indoor units.

Patent Document <NUM> describes an air-conditioning remote controller allowing a user to intuitively grasp a setting status of an air-conditioner and to use the controller commonly between a plurality of models of the main body of the air-conditioners.

The present disclosure proposes a technique by which an air conditioning device can be efficiently set up.

According to the above aspect, an air conditioning device can be efficiently set up. That is, the drive indicator is displayed on the same screen as the identification information and the setting item. Thus, the user of the application can drive the user-side device or the heat-source-side device without transitioning from the setting screen, and can identify the user-side device or the heat-source-side device that is being driven.

The setting screen may include identification information of a plurality of user-side devices and a plurality of heat-source-side devices, setting items of the user-side devices and the heat-source-side devices, and drive indicators of the user-side devices and the heat-source-side devices.

The user-side devices and the heat-source-side devices may be provided with the respective drive indicators. The program may further cause the terminal to execute a process of, in response to a drive indicator of a second device being set to an on state while a drive indicator of a first device is already set to an on state, driving, by the application, a fan of the second device, and stopping, by the application, a fan of the first device.

A plurality of air conditioning devices can be efficiently set up.

An airflow direction and an address can be set for an air conditioning device.

The program may further cause the terminal to execute a process of setting, by the application, the drive indicator to an off state in a case where the terminal is not operated for a predetermined period of time after the drive indicator is set to an on state.

The program may further cause the terminal to execute a process of transmitting, by the application, both setting information relating to the setting item of the user-side device or the heat-source-side device and a drive command for driving an actuator of the user-side device or of the heat-source-side device to a remote controller, and stopping, by the application, the driving of the actuator in response to a predetermined period of time elapsing after communication with the remote controller is disconnected.

A situation in which the installer forgets to turn off the actuator after being turned on can be avoided.

The drive indicator may instruct an actuator of the user-side device or of the heat-source-side device to be driven in a visually recognizable manner by an installer.

The drive indicator may instruct a fan of the user-side device or of the heat-source-side device to be driven.

The installer can identify an air conditioning device whose fan is being driven.

According to the above, the air conditioning device can be efficiently set up. That is, the drive indicator is displayed on the same screen as the identification information and the setting item. Thus, the user of the application can drive the user-side device or the heat-source-side device without transitioning from the setting screen, and can identify the user-side device or the heat-source-side device that is being driven.

In the following, embodiments will be described.

In the following embodiments of the present disclosure, a control system that uses a remote controller and a terminal, such as a smartphone or a tablet, to set and control an air conditioning device is disclosed. The remote controller controls the air conditioning device, and the terminal sets the air conditioning device through the remote controller.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a control system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of air conditioning devices (air conditioners) <NUM>, remote controllers <NUM> that control the air conditioning devices <NUM>, and a terminal <NUM> that uses a pre-installed application <NUM> to set and control the plurality of air conditioning devices <NUM> through the remote controllers <NUM>. The terminal <NUM> and the remote controllers <NUM>, which are communicatively connected, are used by an installer, i.e., a person who performs installations, to configure the initial settings of the air conditioning devices <NUM> when the air conditioning devices <NUM> are installed. After the air conditioning devices <NUM> are installed, the terminal <NUM> and the remote controllers <NUM> are used by an administrator who manages the air conditioning devices <NUM>. For example, when the air conditioning devices <NUM> are installed, the installer configures the initial settings such as addresses of user-side devices (indoor units) <NUM> and heat-source-side devices (outdoor units) <NUM> and airflow directions suitable for the installation locations of the user-side devices <NUM>.

Note that the following embodiments focus on setting and controlling the air conditioning devices <NUM> by the terminal <NUM> and the remote controllers <NUM>; however, the control system <NUM> according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and may be applied to any other embodiment in which two or more control apparatuses, which are connected in a wired or wireless manner, work together to set and control the air conditioning devices <NUM>.

In the control system <NUM> according to the following embodiments, the application <NUM> running on the terminal <NUM> controls the user-side devices <NUM> or the heat-source-side devices <NUM> of the air conditioning devices <NUM> through the remote controllers <NUM> that are communicatively connected to the terminal <NUM>. When the installer installs the air conditioning devices <NUM>, the installer operates the application <NUM>, and sets and controls the air conditioning devices <NUM> by using setting screens displayed on the terminal <NUM>. The setting screens include identification information, setting items (such as airflow directions and addresses), and drive indicators (such as icons and switches for on/off control) of the user-side devices <NUM> or the heat-source-side devices <NUM>.

Specifically, for example, from among the plurality of air conditioning devices <NUM> installed in a specific area (for example, a floor or a section that is a setting target area by the installer) and to which addresses are not assigned, the installer can cause a given air conditioning device <NUM> to operate its actuator by operating a setting screen, displayed as a single screen on the terminal <NUM>, and pressing a corresponding drive indicator or the like, thereby allowing the installer to check the position of the given air conditioning device <NUM>. Accordingly, while checking the position of each of the air conditioning devices <NUM>, the installer can configure the initial settings of each of the air conditioning devices <NUM> without a screen transition.

Each of the terminal <NUM> and a remote controller <NUM> may have a hardware configuration as illustrated in <FIG>, for example. That is, each of the terminal <NUM> and the remote controller <NUM> may include an input device <NUM>, a display device <NUM>, an external interface (I/F) <NUM>, a random-access memory (RAM) <NUM>, a read-only memory (ROM) <NUM>, a central processing unit (CPU) <NUM>, a communication interface (I/F) <NUM>, and a hard disk drive (HDD) <NUM>, which are connected to each other via a bus B. Further, the input device <NUM> and the display device <NUM> may be connected to the bus B when necessary.

The input device <NUM> includes a touch panel, operation keys, buttons, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and is used by a user to input various signals. The display device <NUM> includes a display such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display for displaying a screen, a speaker for outputting sound data such as sound and music. The communication I/F <NUM> is an interface that connects the terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM> to a network. With this configuration, the terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM> can perform data communication via the communication I/F <NUM>.

The HDD <NUM> is an example of a nonvolatile storage device that stores programs and data. Examples of the programs and the data stored in the HDD <NUM> include an operating system (OS), which is basic software controlling the entirety of the terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM>, and applications running on the OS and providing various functions.

Note that instead of the HDD <NUM>, the terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM> may use a drive device (e.g., a solid state drive (SSD)) that uses a flash memory as a storage medium.

The external I/F <NUM> is an interface with an external device. The external device may be a recording medium 503a or the like. With this configuration, the terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM> can read from and write to the recording medium 503a via the external I/F <NUM>. Examples of the recording medium 503a include a flexible disk, a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), a SD memory card, and a universal serial bus (USB) memory.

The ROM <NUM> is an example of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (a storage device) that can retain programs and data even when the power is turned off. The ROM <NUM> stores programs and data such as a basic input/output system (BIOS), which is executed when the terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM> is started, OS settings, and network settings. The RAM <NUM> is an example of a volatile semiconductor memory (storage device) that temporarily stores programs and data.

The CPU <NUM> is an arithmetic unit that implements control and functions of the entirety of terminal <NUM> or the remote controller <NUM> by reading programs and data from a storage device such as the ROM <NUM> or the HDD <NUM> into the RAM <NUM> and performing processes.

However, each of the terminal <NUM> and the remote controller <NUM> does not necessarily have the above-described hardware configuration, and may have any other hardware configuration such as an appropriate circuit.

Next, the application <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The application <NUM> controls the user-side devices <NUM> or the heat-source-side devices <NUM> of the air conditioning devices <NUM>. The application <NUM> is executed by the CPU <NUM> of the terminal <NUM>. Note that the application <NUM> may be executed by a processor such as an MPU.

The application <NUM> displays, on the display device of the terminal <NUM>, a setting screen that includes identification information, setting items, and drive indicators of the user-side devices <NUM> or the heat-source-side devices <NUM>. Specifically, upon the installer starting the application <NUM> on the terminal <NUM> in order to configure the initial settings of the air conditioning devices <NUM> installed in a building or the like, the application <NUM> displays, on the display device of the terminal <NUM>, a setting screen for setting items such as addresses or airflow directions of the air conditioning devices <NUM>. In response to an operation performed by the installer on the setting screen, the application <NUM> obtains details of the operation performed by the installer.

The application <NUM> transmits the details of the operation performed on the setting screen to the remote controller <NUM>. Specifically, in response to an operation being performed by the installer on the setting screen, such as pressing a button, operating a toggle switch, or selecting a selection menu on the setting screen, the application <NUM> transmits details of the operation to the remote controller <NUM>.

Next, referring to <FIG>, an address setting screen according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. <FIG> are diagrams illustrating an example transition of an address setting screen.

For example, in order for the installer to set addresses of the air conditioning devices <NUM> that have been installed, the application <NUM> first displays a setting screen, as illustrated in <FIG>, on the display device of the terminal <NUM>. The setting screen illustrated in <FIG> displays drive indicators for turning fans on or off, identification information for identifying the user-side devices <NUM> and the heat-source-side devices <NUM>, and buttons for setting addresses of the air conditioning devices <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, each of the air conditioning devices <NUM> includes user-side devices <NUM>, such as indoor units, and a heat-source-side device <NUM>, such as an outdoor unit, that supplies conditioned air to the user-side devices <NUM>. At the time of shipment from a factory, identification information is individually assigned to each of the air conditioning devices <NUM>, which includes the user-side devices <NUM>, the heat-source-side device <NUM>, and the like, and the identification information is transmitted from each of the installed air conditioning devices <NUM> to a controller such as a remote controller <NUM>.

In the specific example illustrated in <FIG>, identification information "Unit <NUM>" to identification information "Unit <NUM>" assigned to eleven respective air conditioning devices <NUM> are displayed. The identification information of the air conditioning devices <NUM> are not initially associated with the actual installation positions of the air conditioning devices <NUM>. Therefore, it is common to set addresses of the air conditioning devices <NUM> for management before the air conditioning devices <NUM> are operated. For example, a plurality of air conditioning devices <NUM> installed in a given area may be classified into a group, and addresses that can identify both the group and the individual air conditioning devices <NUM> may be set.

In the example of the setting screen illustrated in <FIG>, addresses "<NUM>-<NUM>", "<NUM>-<NUM>, and the like are pre-assigned to the air conditioning devices <NUM> in advance. However, the setting screen according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the address fields may be initially blank and the installer may set specific addresses.

Typically, at the time of the initial settings after the air conditioning devices <NUM> are installed, the installer is assumed to be unable to identify which identification information is assigned to which air conditioning device <NUM>. Therefore, the installer causes an air conditioning device <NUM> to start an operation that is visually recognizable by the installer, such as turning on a fan, turning on an LED lamp, or moving a flap. In this manner, the installer identifies the correspondence between the started air conditioning device <NUM> and identification information. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, in order to identify which air conditioning device <NUM> corresponds to "Unit <NUM>", the installer presses a corresponding drive indicator "fan" icon to set the drive indicator to an on state. In response to the installer pressing the "fan" icon, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to start a fan of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>". In response to the instruction, the remote controller <NUM> causes the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" to start the fan. In this manner, the installer can identify the air conditioning device <NUM> whose fan has been started, and can confirm that the identified air conditioning device <NUM> corresponds to "Unit <NUM>".

Upon identifying the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>", as illustrated in <FIG>, the installer presses a popup button to set an address of "Unit <NUM>", and the application <NUM> displays a selection screen on which the installer selects an address that can be set for the air conditioning device <NUM>.

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, when the installer selects an address of "<NUM>-<NUM>" on the selection screen and presses an "apply" button, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to set the address of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" to "<NUM>-<NUM>". Upon receiving the address setting instruction, the remote controller <NUM> sets the address of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" to "<NUM>-<NUM>".

Similarly, the installer can set addresses of the other air conditioning devices <NUM> in accordance with the above-described procedure. For example, if a drive indicator of an air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" is set to an on state while the drive indicator of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" is already set to an on state, the application <NUM> may drive a fan of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>", and may stop the fan of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>". With this configuration, the installer can set the address of the next air conditioning device <NUM> without switching the fan of the immediately-previously-set air conditioning device <NUM> to an off state.

Further, if the terminal <NUM> is not operated for a predetermined period of time after a drive indicator is set to an on state, the application <NUM> may set the drive indicator to an off state. That is, upon a drive indicator being set to an on state by the installer, the application <NUM> may start counting a predetermined period of time, and if no operation is performed by the installer on the terminal <NUM> for the predetermined period of time, the application <NUM> may switch the drive indicator to an off state. In this case, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to set an actuator such as a fan, which is being driven, to an off state. Accordingly, a situation in which the installer forgets to turn off the fan or the like can be avoided.

According to the above-described embodiment, the installer can cause an air conditioning device <NUM>, to which an address is not assigned, to perform a recognizable operation by operating the setting screen, displayed on the terminal <NUM> as a single screen, and by pressing a drive indicator "fan" or the like. Accordingly, while checking the installation position of the air conditioning device <NUM>, the installer can set the address of the air conditioning device <NUM> without a screen transition.

Further, for example, the installer can group a plurality of air conditioning devices <NUM> installed in the same section of an area, and set a group address and a device address for each of the air conditioning devices <NUM> (for example, in the above-described address "<NUM>-<NUM>", "<NUM>" may represent a group address and "<NUM>" may represent a device address.

Next, referring to <FIG>, an airflow direction setting screen according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. <FIG> are diagrams illustrating an example transition of an airflow direction setting screen.

For example, in order for the installer to set addresses of air conditioning devices <NUM> that have been installed, the application <NUM> first displays a setting screen, as illustrated in <FIG>, on the display device of the terminal <NUM>. The setting screen illustrated in <FIG> displays drive indicators for turning fans on or off of the air conditioning devices <NUM> and blank fields for setting airflow directions.

In the example of the setting screen illustrated in <FIG>, airflow directions of the air conditioning devices <NUM> are not assigned. However, the setting screen according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and default airflow directions may be initially displayed.

Typically, at the time of the initial settings after the air conditioning devices <NUM> are installed, the installer causes an air conditioning device <NUM> to start an operation that is visually recognizable by the installer, such as turning on a fan, turning on an LED lamp, or moving a flap. In this manner, the installer can check the correspondence between the started air conditioning device <NUM> and identification information. For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, in order to identify which air conditioning device <NUM> corresponds to "Unit <NUM>", the installer presses a corresponding drive indicator "fan" icon to set the drive indicator to an on state. In response to the installer pressing the "fan" icon, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to start a fan of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>". In response to the instruction, the remote controller <NUM> causes the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" to start the fan. In this manner, the installer can identify the air conditioning device <NUM> whose fan has been started, and can confirm that the identified air conditioning device <NUM> corresponds to "Unit <NUM>".

Further, in response the "fan" icon being pressed by the installer, as illustrated in <FIG>, the application <NUM> displays a selection screen on which the installer selects an airflow direction of "Unit <NUM>".

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, upon the installer selecting an airflow direction of "<NUM> degrees" and pressing an "apply" button, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to set the airflow direction of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" to "<NUM> degrees". In response to receiving the airflow direction setting instruction, the remote controller <NUM> sets the airflow direction of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" to "<NUM> degrees".

Similarly, the installer can set airflow directions of the other air conditioning devices <NUM> in accordance with the above-described procedure. For example, if a drive indicator of an air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" is set to an on state while the drive indicator of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" is already set to an on state, the application <NUM> may drive a fan of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>", and may stop the fan of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>". With this configuration, the installer can set the airflow direction of the next air conditioning device <NUM> without switching the fan of the immediately-previously-set air conditioning device <NUM> to an off state.

Further, if the terminal <NUM> is not operated for a predetermined period of time after a drive indicator is set to an on state, the application <NUM> may set the drive indicator to an off state. That is, upon a drive indicator being set to an on state by the installer, the application <NUM> may start counting a predetermined period of time, and if no operation is performed by the installer on the terminal <NUM> for the predetermined period of time, the application <NUM> may switch the drive indicator to an off state. In this case, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to set an actuator such as a fan, which is being driven, to an off state. Accordingly, a situation in which the installer forgets to turn off the fan can be avoided.

According to the above-described embodiment, the installer can cause an air conditioning device <NUM> for which an airflow direction is not set, to perform a recognizable operation by operating the setting screen, displayed on the terminal <NUM> as a single screen, and pressing a drive indicator "fan" or the like. Accordingly, while checking the installation position of the air conditioning device <NUM>, the installer can set the airflow direction of the air conditioning device <NUM> without a screen transition.

Next, referring to <FIG>, a control process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. The control process is executed by the terminal <NUM> and the remote controller <NUM> of the above-described control system <NUM>. More specifically, the control process is executed by processors of the terminal <NUM> and of the remote controller <NUM>.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram illustrating a control process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in <FIG>, in step S101, the terminal <NUM> displays a setting screen for air conditioning devices <NUM>. Specifically, upon the installer logging into the application <NUM> and selecting a setting item for air conditioning devices <NUM>, the application <NUM> displays a setting screen for setting the selected setting item. The setting screen includes identification information, setting items, and drive indicators of user-side devices <NUM> or heat-source-side devices <NUM>. For example, upon the installer selecting an address as a setting item, a setting screen as illustrated in <FIG> may first be displayed by the application <NUM>. Further, upon the installer selecting an airflow direction as a setting item, a setting screen as illustrated in <FIG> may first be displayed by the application <NUM>.

In step S102, upon the installer selecting "fan" of any of the air conditioning devices <NUM> (for example, a given user-side device <NUM>) displayed on the setting screen and setting the drive indicator to an on state, the application <NUM> receives the selection of the drive indicator "fan" of the user-side device <NUM>.

In step S103, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to transmit a fan-on signal to the selected user-side device <NUM>. If a fan-on signal was transmitted to any other user-side device <NUM> at the previous time, the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to transmit a fan-off signal to the other user-side device <NUM>.

In step S104, the remote controller <NUM> transmits the fan-on signal to the user-side device <NUM> selected by the installer. Further, in step S105, the remote controller <NUM> transmits the fan-off signal to the other user-side device <NUM> selected by the installer at the previous time.

In step S106, the application <NUM> receives a setting operation performed by the installer on the setting screen. For example, if the installer sets the address of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" on the address setting screen, the application <NUM> receives the setting operation.

In step S107, the terminal <NUM> transmits a setting signal corresponding to the received setting operation to the remote controller <NUM>. For example, the terminal <NUM> transmits a setting signal for setting an address specified by the installer for the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>", which corresponds to the received address setting operation, to the remote controller <NUM>.

In step S108, the remote controller <NUM> set the specified address of the air conditioning device <NUM> in accordance with the received setting signal.

In step S109, the application <NUM> determines whether any further setting operation is performed. If the application <NUM> does not receive a further setting operation, the application <NUM> determines that the settings of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" have been completed (YES in S109), and causes the process to proceed to step S110. Conversely, if the application <NUM> receives a further setting operation, the application <NUM> determines that the settings of the air conditioning device <NUM> with "Unit <NUM>" have not been completed (NO in S109), causes the process to return to step S106, and repeats the above-described steps.

In step S110, the application <NUM> determines whether the next air conditioning device <NUM> is selected by the installer. If the next air conditioning device <NUM> is selected by the installer (YES in S110), the application <NUM> causes the process to return to step S102 and repeats the above-described steps. Conversely, if the next air conditioning device <NUM> is not selected by the installer (NO in S110), in step S111, the application <NUM> determines whether a fan-off signal is transmitted to the selected user-side device <NUM> before a predetermined period of time elapses after the fan-on signal is transmitted in step S103. If a fan-off signal is transmitted to the selected user-side device <NUM> before a predetermined period of time elapses after the fan-on signal is transmitted (YES in S111), the application <NUM> determines whether setting work by the installer is completed in step S115. If setting work for the air conditioning devices <NUM> by the installer is completed (YES in S114), the application <NUM> ends the control process. Conversely, if the setting work for the air conditioning devices <NUM> by the installer is not completed (NO in S114), the application <NUM> causes the process to return to step S102 and repeats the above-described steps.

Conversely, if a fan-off signal is not transmitted to the selected user-side device <NUM> before a predetermined period of time elapses after the fan-on signal is transmitted (NO in S111), the application <NUM> instructs the remote controller <NUM> to transmit a fan-off signal to the user-side device <NUM> in step S112. Upon receiving the instruction, in step S113, the remote controller <NUM> transmits the fan-off signal to the user-side device <NUM> that remains in an on state.

Although the embodiments have been described above, it will be understood that various modifications may be made to the configurations and details without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claim 1:
A program for implementing, on a terminal (<NUM>), an application (<NUM>) that controls a user-side device or a heat-source-side device of an air conditioning device (<NUM>), the program causing the terminal (<NUM>) to execute a process comprising:
displaying (S101), by the application (<NUM>), a setting screen on the terminal, the setting screen including identification information of the user-side device or the heat-source-side device, a setting item of the user-side device or the heat-source-side device, and a drive indicator of the user-side device or the heat-source-side device such that the identification information, the setting item, and the drive indicator related to another user-side device or another heat-source-side device are also displayed as a single screen, wherein
the setting item is an airflow direction of the user-side device or an address of the user-side device or of the heat-source-side device, and
the drive indicator is an icon or a switch for on/off control,
wherein the program comprises at least one of the following features A) and B):
A) the setting screen includes identification information of a plurality of user-side devices and a plurality of heat-source-side devices, setting items of the user-side devices and the heat-source-side devices, and drive indicators of the user-side devices and the heat-source-side devices, the user-side devices and the heat-source-side devices are provided with the respective drive indicators, and the program further causes the terminal to execute a process of, in response to a drive indicator of a second device being set to an on state while a drive indicator of a first device is already set to an on state, driving, by the application, a fan of the second device, and stopping, by the application, a fan of the first device, and/or
B) the program further causes the terminal to execute a process of transmitting, by the application, both setting information relating to the setting item of the user-side device or the heat-source-side device and a drive command for driving an actuator of the user-side device or of the heat-source-side device to a remote controller, and stopping, by the application, the driving of the actuator in response to a predetermined period of time elapsing after communication with the remote controller is disconnected.