Patent Application
20190196430
The present disclosure relates generally to a method and apparatus for controlling an appliance based on failure prediction, and more particularly, to artificial intelligence (AI) systems that may mimic the human brain's capabilities of perception or determination by using machine learning algorithms and their applications.
The Internet is evolving from a human-centered connection network, where information is produced and consumed, to an Internet-of-things (IoT) network, where information is communicated and processed among distributed components. Internet of everything (IoE) technology is a combination of big data processing technology and IoT technology, such as through a connection with a cloud server.
Implementing the IoT requires technical elements, such as sensing technology, wired/wireless communication and network infrastructure, service interface, and security technologies. Recent ongoing research for thing-to-thing connection is related to techniques for sensor networking, machine-to-machine (M2M), or machine-type communication (MTC).
Within the IoT environment may be offered intelligent Internet technology services that collect and analyze the data generated by the interconnected things in order to create a new value of human life. The IoT may have various applications, such as a smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, smart grid, health-care, smart appliance industry, or state-of-art medical services, through the conversion or integration of existing Internet technologies and various industries.
A home network system enables control of appliances by wiredly or wirelessly linking the appliances. Advanced home network systems offer various Internet-related services by connecting appliances to an external public data network, such as the Internet protocol (IP) network, directly or via home gateways or customer premises equipment (CPE). Advanced home network systems may also enable their users to directly or indirectly control and manage appliances while interworking with the users' terminals. Such a home network system may offer services desired by users by controlling the appliances according to the users' request.
In developing appliances used in home network systems, manufacturers place significant effort towards quality warranty and customer services. Current quality warranty systems predict a failure in an appliance before it occurs, enabling cost-effective operation and enhanced reliability. Manufacturers offer home visit services for automated failure diagnosis and repair, contributing to cost savings and more satisfaction.
Human intelligence-class AI systems are being utilized in various industry sectors, and learn on their own and become smarter, unlike existing rule-based smart systems. The more used, the more precisely AI systems may perceive and understand users' preferences. Thus, legacy rule-based smart systems are being gradually replaced with deep learning-based AI systems.
AI technology consists of machine learning (e.g., deep learning) and machine learning-based component technology.
Machine learning is an algorithm technique that may classify and learn the features of input data. Component technology is for mimicking the perception and decision capabilities of the human brain by using a machine learning algorithm, such as deep learning, and may be divided into several technical fields, such as linguistic understanding, visual understanding, inference/prediction, knowledge expression, and operation control.
The following are examples of AI applications. Linguistic understanding is for recognizing and applying/processing a human being's language or text, and encompasses natural language processing, machine translation, dialog system, answering inquiries, and speech recognition/synthesis. Visual understanding is for perceiving and processing things as human eyes do, and encompasses object recognition, object tracing, image search, human recognition, scene recognition, space understanding, and image enhancement. Inference prediction is for determining and logically inferring and predicting information, encompassing knowledge/probability-based inference, optimization prediction, preference-based planning, and recommendation. Knowledge expression is for automatically processing human experience information, covering knowledge buildup (data production/classification) and knowledge management (data utilization). Operation control is for controlling the motion of robots and driverless car driving, and encompasses movement control (navigation, collision, driving) and maneuvering control (behavior control).
With recent technological developments and diversified user demand, however, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus to both efficiently provide a customer visit service for repairing failures of appliances and to maintain normal operations of the appliances by considering a user's use pattern and a schedule based on the predicted failures of the appliances.
An aspect of the disclosure is to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosure is to embodiment provide a method and apparatus for controlling an appliance based on failure prediction.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for maintaining the normal operation of an appliance if a failure is predicted.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for delaying the occurrence of a failure in an appliance.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for fixing a predicted derivative failure when an engineer visits to repair a failure of an appliance.
Another aspect of the disclosure is to provide a method and apparatus for fixing both a predicted failure of another appliance and a failure of an appliance concurrently, i.e., in the same visit, when an engineer visits to repair the failure of the appliance.
In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a method of an appliance includes receiving prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance, obtaining a schedule for which use of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure based on the prediction information is available, transmitting a signal for requesting maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance if the obtained schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, receiving the maintenance information, and operating based on the maintenance information.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method of a user terminal includes receiving prediction information indicating a predicted failure of an appliance, obtaining a schedule for which use of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure based on the prediction information is available, transmitting a signal for requesting maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance if the obtained schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, receiving the maintenance information, and transmitting the maintenance information to the appliance.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, an appliance includes an executing unit, a communication unit configured to receive prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance, to transmit a signal for requesting maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance, and to receive the maintenance information, and a controller configured to obtain a schedule for which use of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure based on the prediction information is available, to generate the signal if the obtained schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, and to control the executing unit to operate based on the maintenance information.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a user terminal includes a communication unit configured to receive prediction information indicating a predicted failure of an appliance, to transmit a signal for requesting maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance, to receive the maintenance information, and to transmit the maintenance information to the appliance, and a controller configured to obtain a schedule for which use of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure based on the prediction information is available, and to generate the signal if the obtained schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information.
The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals will be understood to refer to like parts, components, and structures.
Hereinafter, embodiments are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Descriptions of well-known functions and/or configurations will be omitted for the sake of clarity and conciseness.
For the same reasons, some elements may be exaggerated or schematically shown. The size of each element does not necessarily reflect the actual size of the element. The same reference numeral is used to refer to the same element throughout the drawings and detailed description.
Advantages and features of the disclosure, and methods for achieving the same may be understood through the embodiments to be described below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, and various changes may be made thereto. The embodiments disclosed herein are provided only to inform one of ordinary skill in the art of the category of the disclosure, as defined only by the appended claims.
It should be appreciated that the blocks in each flowchart and combinations of the flowcharts may be performed by computer program instructions equipped in a processor of a general-use computer, a special-use computer or other programmable data processing devices. The instructions generate means for performing the functions described in connection with a block(s) of each flowchart. Since the computer program instructions may be stored in a computer-available or computer-readable memory that may be oriented to a computer or other programmable data processing devices to implement a function in a specified manner, the instructions may produce a product including an instruction means for performing the functions described in connection with blocks in each flowchart. Since the computer program instructions may be equipped in a computer or other programmable data processing devices, instructions that generate a process executed by a computer as a series of operational steps are performed over the computer or other programmable data processing devices, and operating the computer or other programmable data processing devices may provide steps for executing the functions described in connection with blocks in each flowchart.
Each block may represent a module, segment, or part of a code including one or more executable instructions for executing a specified logical function(s). In some replacement execution examples, the functions mentioned in the blocks may occur in different orders. For example, two blocks that are consecutively shown may be performed substantially simultaneously or in a reverse order depending on corresponding functions.
As used herein, the term “unit” indicates a software element or a hardware element, such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Although a unit plays a certain role, the term “unit” is not limited to indicating a software or hardware element, and may be configured in a storage medium that may be addressed or configured to reproduce one or more processors. Accordingly, a “unit” may include elements, such as software elements, object-oriented software elements, class elements, and task elements, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program codes, drivers, firmware, microcodes, circuits, data, databases, data architectures, tables, arrays, and variables. A function provided in an element or a “unit” may be combined with additional elements, may be split into sub elements or sub units, and may be implemented to reproduce one or more central processing units (CPUs) in a device or a security multimedia card.
Although the description of embodiments herein mentions various particular systems and signal standards, the subject matter of the disclosure may also be applicable to other systems or services having similar technical backgrounds without departing from the scope of the disclosure, and this may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art.
According to an embodiment, a user terminal may be an electronic device equipped with a communication feature, may provide a user interface (UI) to the user of the user terminal, and may communicate with at least one server over an external network and at least one appliance over a home network directly or via at least one network node, such as a home gateway, CPE, or router. The electronic device may be a portable electronic device, wearable electronic device, or mountable electronic device, for example.
The portable electronic device may include, but is not limited to, at least one of a smartphone, feature phone, tablet PC, laptop computer, video phone, electronic book reader, portable digital assistant (PDA), portable media player (PMP), moving picture experts group (MPEG) layer audio 3 (MP3) player, mobile medical device, electronic dictionary, electronic key, camcorder, or camera.
The wearable electronic device may include, but is not limited to, at least one of an accessory-type device, such as a watch, ring, bracelet, anklet, necklace, glasses, contact lenses, or head-mounted device (HMD), a fabric- or clothes-integrated device, such as electronic clothes or exercise clothing, a body attaching-type device, such as a skin pad or tattoo, or a body implantable device, such as an implantable circuit.
According to embodiments, the electronic device may be one or a combination of the above-listed devices, and may be a flexible electronic device. The electronic device disclosed herein is not limited to the above-listed devices and may include new electronic devices depending on the development of technology.
Various terms and expressions as used herein may be defined as follows.
The disclosure describes techniques for extending the state at which an appliance normally operates by delaying a failure of the appliance based on a predicted failure of the appliance.
The disclosure provides a provision of a home visit repair service which may repair a failure occurring in an appliance or a predicted failure of the appliance and a derivative failure related to the failure occurring in the appliance or the predicted failure of the appliance through one visit.
The disclosure provides a provision of a home visit repair service which may repair a failure occurring in an appliance or a predicted failure of the appliance and a failure which is predicted for another appliance within the same home as the appliance through one visit.
As used herein, the term “user” may denote a human or an artificial intelligent electronic device using the electronic device.
Referring to
The appliances 102, 104, and 106 may be configured to receive control commands from the user terminal 120 or the managing server 110, operated as per the control commands, and to transmit requested information and/or operation data to the user terminal 120 or the managing server 110. For example, the appliances 102, 104, and 106 may receive failure predication information and/or normal operation maintenance information from the managing server 110 through the user terminal 120 or directly from the managing server 110, and operate in one of at least one normal operation maintenance mode defined by the normal operation maintenance information. The appliances 102, 104, and 106 may have a user interface to receive user input about whether to execute a normal operation maintenance mode, display the at least one normal operation maintenance mode defined by the normal operation maintenance information, and request of a user to select a normal operation maintenance mode preferred by the user.
The managing server 110 has a failure prediction knowledge DB 114 which stores information that may be used for predicting failures of the appliances 102, 104, and 106 and a failure prediction engine 112 for predicting failures which may occur in the appliances 102, 104, and 106 based on the failure prediction knowledge DB 114. The managing server 110 may generate failure prediction information for the appliances 102, 104, and 106 and normal operation maintenance information according to the failure prediction information using the failure prediction knowledge DB 114 and the failure prediction engine 112, and provide the appliances 102, 104, and 106 with the failure prediction information and/or the normal operation maintenance information.
It will be described herein that the managing server 110 may further store and manage information related to a home visit repair service for the appliances 102, 104, and 106, a failure history, and failure repair history. However, a customer service (CS) server, which is a separate network entity for gathering, storing, and managing the information related to the home repair service for the appliances 102, 104, and 106, the failure history, and failure repair history information, may be configured to communicate with the managing server 110 according to an implementation. In other words, the managing server 110 may be implemented with one or more logical/physical entities, may manage at least one user terminal 130 that is registered in association with the appliances 102, 104, and 106, and may communicate the information related to the appliances 102, 104, and 106 to the registered user terminal 120.
The user terminal 120 may communicate with the one or more appliances 102, 104, and 106 which may be located at the same home or at different homes directly or through a home gateway or a CPE, and may receive failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance mode information for at least one of the appliances 102, 104, and 106 from the managing server 110 to transmit the information to a corresponding appliance. The user terminal 120 may gather operation data from the appliances 102, 104, and 106, and transmit the gathered operation data to the managing server 110. The user terminal 120 may receive user input about whether to execute a normal operation maintenance mode through a user interface, display information about at least one normal operation maintenance mode defined by the normal operation maintenance information, and request of a user to select a normal operation maintenance mode preferred by the user among the displayed at least one normal operation maintenance mode.
The native function executing unit 210 includes software and hardware components for executing the native functions of the appliance. In examples, when the appliance is an air conditioner, the native function executing unit 210 may include a fan, compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, and various sensors for gathering data. When the appliance is a washer, the native function executing unit 210 may include a door, light, power source, tub, speed changer, motor, pump, heater, temperature adjuster, and various sensors. When the appliance is a refrigerator, the native function executing unit 210 may include a door, light, power source, fan, evaporator, condenser, compressor, defrost circuit (e.g., a defrost sensor, heater, or timer), and various sensors. The native function executing unit 210 may receive control values for operation parameters necessary to operate the components from the controller 220 and may operate each component using the operation parameters.
The controller 220 may manage operation data of an appliance, gather sensor data by monitoring the operation history of the native function executing unit 210, and transmit the operation data to a managing server and/or a user terminal through the communication unit 230. The operation data may include at least one of the operation history and sensor data gathered from at least one sensor within the native function executing unit 210. The operation history denotes data in which an operation of the native function executing unit 210 is recorded, and may include at least one of run time, operation mode, operation cycle, and operation count. The controller 220 may receive failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance information from the managing server to control an operation of the native function executing unit 210 according to the received information.
The communication unit 230 includes a communication interface that supports the controller 220 to be able to communicate with the user terminal and/or the managing server over the Internet. As an example, the communication unit 230 may include a wired communication module and/or a wireless communication module that supports at least one of Wi-Fi, zigbee®, bluetooth®, NFC, and z-wave and may access the managing server and/or user terminal directly or via a home gateway or CPE.
The storage unit 240 may include a read-only memory (ROM), which stores a control program to operate the appliance, and a random-access memory (RAM), which stores signals or data input from outside of the appliance or is used as a storage area for tasks performed on the appliance. In examples, the storage unit 240 stores operation data related to the appliance, such as sensor data and operation history gathered through the actual operation of the native function executing unit 210, and stores normal operation maintenance information used for controlling the native function executing unit 210.
The UI unit 250 may provide failure prediction information, normal operation maintenance information, and home visit repair service schedule, delivered from the controller 220 to the user or may receive a user input and deliver the input to the controller 220. To that end, the UI unit 250 may include a display, a touchscreen, at least one physical button, at least one light emitting diode (LED), a microphone, and/or a speaker.
While the native function executing unit 210, controller 220, communication unit 230, storage unit 240, and UI unit 250 are described in the appliance as separate units in
Each of the native function executing unit 210, the controller 220, the communication unit 230, the storage unit 240, and the UI unit 250 may be implemented with at least one processor. The appliance may also be implemented with at least one processor.
The communication unit 310 includes a communication interface that supports the controller 320 to enable communication through the Internet with at least one appliance, user terminal, and/or at least one network entity. The network entity may be, such as a CS server that manages the CS for the appliance.
The controller 320 predicts a failure of an appliance based on operation data of at least one appliance received from the communication unit 310, and generates failure prediction information indicating the predicted failure. The controller 320 may generate normal operation maintenance information required for maintaining the normal operation of the appliance by delaying the predicted failure related to the failure prediction information. The failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance information may be transmitted to a corresponding appliance and/or user terminal through the communication unit 310. The controller 320 may communicate with a CS server that manages the repair service through the communication unit 310, send a request for the repair service to the CS server, and receive, through the communication unit 310, information related to the repair service, the failure history, and failure repair history, from the CS server. The controller 320 may deliver, to the CS server, information available for the repair service, such as operation data, failure history, failure repair history, manufacture information, environment information about the environment (mean temperature, mean humidity, or installation height) where the appliance is installed, and customer profile information. If there is a predicted failure for a corresponding appliance, the controller 320 may further provide the CS server with failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance information.
The storage unit 330 may include a ROM, which stores a control program to operate the managing server, and a RAM, which stores signals or data input from outside of the managing server or is used as a storage area for tasks performed on the managing server. The storage unit 330 further includes a failure prediction knowledge DB 332 that stores information available for predicting a failure in at least one appliance. The failure prediction knowledge DB 332 may store at least one of operation data, failure histories, control methods for delaying failure, failure repair histories, manufacture information, environment information, and customer profile information. The storage unit 330, the failure prediction knowledge DB 332, or a separate storage space may store failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance information generated by the controller 320 for each appliance.
While the communication unit 310, the controller 320, and the storage unit 330 are described in the managing server as separate units in
The controller 420 may receive failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance information for an appliance from a managing server through the communication unit 420, and transmit the failure prediction information and/or normal operation maintenance information to the appliance. In examples, the controller 420 may transmit, to the appliance, information about at least one normal operation maintenance mode which a user selects through the UI unit 440 from among a plurality of normal operation maintenance modes defined by the normal operation maintenance information, or may gather operation data from the appliance and transmit the gathered operation data to the managing server.
The storage unit 430 may include a ROM, which stores a control program to operate the user terminal, and a RAM, which stores signals or data input from outside of the user terminal or is used as a storage area for tasks performed on the user terminal. The storage unit 430 may store the normal operation maintenance information to be used for controlling the appliance.
The UI unit 440 may provide information, such as failure prediction information, normal operation maintenance information, or a repair service schedule, delivered from the controller 420 to the user or may receive a user input and deliver the input to the controller 420. To that end, the UI unit 440 may include a display, a touchscreen, at least one physical button, at least one light emitting diode (LED), a microphone, and/or a speaker.
While the communication unit 410, the controller 420, the storage unit 430, and the UI unit 440 are described in the user terminal as separate units in
At least one of the controllers 220, 320, and 420 of
The appliance receives failure prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance from the managing server in step 510. The failure prediction information is generated by the managing server if the managing server determines that a failure of the appliance is predicted based on operation data gathered from the appliance. The failure prediction information may include at least one of a failure item of the predicted failure, and a predicated failure time point, such as at least one date when a failure may occur or the first date and the last date when the failure may occur. The appliance may receive recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service to repair the predicated failure along with the failure prediction information, and indicating the schedule of an engineer who may visit to provide the repair service and at least one recommended time point/item determined by considering the predicted failure time point.
The appliance determines whether a repair service for repairing the predicted failure is available before it reaches the predicated failure time point included in the failure prediction information in step 515. For this, the appliance may display the failure prediction information and receive user input for whether the user may use the repair service before the predicated failure time point. For example, the appliance may determine a service availability schedule indicating a time point or duration at which a user may use the repair service for repairing the predicted failure by user input, and compare the determined service availability schedule with the predicted failure time point. If the user input indicating that a user uses the repair service before the predicted failure time point is received, that is, if the determined service availability schedule is before the predicted failure time point, the appliance may transmit a request signal for the repair service to the managing server in step 540. For example, the request signal may include a date and time, which are determined based on the recommended schedule information provided from the managing server.
If the user input indicating that the user does not use the repair service before the predicted failure time point is received, that is, if the determined service availability schedule is after the predicted failure time point, the appliance transmits a request signal for normal operation maintenance information required for maintaining the normal operation state to the managing server in step 520. The request signal may include information about a user preference criterion which the user requests for an operation of the appliance. The user preference criterion defines an operation pattern of the appliance which the user requests or prefers, such as at least one of the performance of the appliance or the failure delay availability time, which the user requests. A user preference criterion for an air conditioner may include at least one of a minimum set temperature and minimum run time. A user preference criterion for a washer may include at least one of operation counts per week, an operation date, a minimum load, a minimum dehydration level, and a minimum dry level.
The appliance receives, from the managing server, the normal operation maintenance information required for maintaining the normal operation state of the appliance in response to the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information in step 525. The normal operation maintenance information may define at least one normal operation maintenance mode, and each normal operation maintenance mode defined by the normal operation maintenance information may include at least one of a failure item of a predicted failure, an operation per time of the appliance and an operation pattern indicating a control value of an operation parameter for each operation, normal operation time information (or a delayed failure time point) indicating a time duration during which it is predicted that normal operation is possible if a corresponding normal operation maintenance mode is applied, and information about at least one peripheral device which will be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance.
The appliance displays information of at least one normal operation maintenance mode defined by the normal operation maintenance information and receives user input for selecting a normal operation maintenance mode which is applied to the appliance based on the at least one normal operation maintenance mode in step 530. The appliance executes a native function of the appliance according to a normal operation maintenance mode selected by the user input in step 535. The appliance operates according to the normal operation maintenance mode, so the appliance may delay the occurrence of a failure to a time point after a predicted failure time point and a user may more leisurely use a repair service.
Although
The managing server determines whether there is a predicted failure of the appliance using the failure prediction knowledge DB in step 610. If there is the predicted failure, the managing server generates failure prediction information indicating the predicted failure and transmits the failure prediction information to the appliance in step 615.
The managing server determines whether a request signal for normal operation maintenance information is received from an appliance related to the predicted failure in step 620. If the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information is not received, the managing server returns to step 605.
If the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information is received, the managing server generates normal operation maintenance information required for maintaining the normal operation state of the appliance by delaying the predicted failure in step 625. For example, the normal operation maintenance information may indicate at least one normal operation maintenance mode which may delay the predicted failure and which may include at least one of a failure item of a predicted failure, an operation per time of the appliance and an operation pattern indicating a control value of an operation parameter for each operation, normal operation time information (or a delayed failure time point) indicating a time duration during which it is predicted that normal operation is possible if corresponding normal operation maintenance information is applied, and information about at least one peripheral device which will be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance.
The managing server transmits the generated normal operation maintenance information to the appliance in step 630. At this time, failure prediction information related to the generated normal operation maintenance information may be transmitted to the appliance along with the generated normal operation maintenance information.
Although
The user terminal determines whether the repair service for repairing the predicted failure is available before it reaches the predicated failure time point included in the failure prediction information in step 710. For this, the user terminal may display the failure prediction information and receive, from the user, user input for whether the user may use the repair service before the predicated failure time point. If a user input indicating that the user will use the repair service before the predicted failure time point is received, the user terminal may transmit a request signal for the repair service to the managing server in step 715. The request signal may include a date and time, which are determined based on the recommended schedule information provided from the managing server.
If a user input indicating that the user will not use the repair service before the predicted failure time point is received, the user terminal transmits a request signal for normal operation maintenance information required for maintaining the normal operation state to the managing server in step 720. For example, the request signal may include information about a user preference criterion which the user requests for an operation of the appliance and which defines at least one of performance and failure delay availability time of the appliance which the user requests or prefers.
The user terminal receives, from the managing server, the normal operation maintenance information in response to the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information in step 725. The normal operation maintenance information may define at least one normal operation maintenance mode including at least one of a failure item of the predicted failure, an operation per time of the appliance and an operation pattern indicating a control value of an operation parameter for each operation, normal operation time information (or a delayed failure time point) indicating a time duration during which it is predicted that normal operation is possible if the normal operation maintenance mode is applied, and information about at least one peripheral device which will be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance.
The user terminal displays information of at least one normal operation maintenance mode defined by the normal operation maintenance information and receives user input for selecting a normal operation maintenance mode which will be applied to the appliance based on the at least one normal operation maintenance mode in step 730. The user terminal controls the appliance according to a normal operation maintenance mode selected by the user input in step 735. The user terminal may transmit information about the operation pattern to the appliance for controlling the appliance such that the appliance operates according to an operation pattern which is based on the selected normal operation maintenance mode. For example, the information about the operation pattern includes at least one of an operation per time and a control value of an operation parameter for each operation. The user terminal may transmit, to at least one peripheral device which will be used for replacing at least part of functions of an appliance for which a failure is predicted, a control command including at least one of an operation per time (e.g., on/off or an operation mode) and control values of operation parameters of each operation. Occurrence of a failure of the appliance may be delayed after the predicted failure time point by controlling the appliance to operate according to the normal operation maintenance mode, to enable a user to more leisurely use a repair service.
Although
The appliance operates in the normal operation maintenance mode according to at least one of the operation per time and the control value of the operation parameter for each operation indicated by the information about the operation pattern in step 815.
Although
As described above, an appliance may delay the occurrence of a failure after a predicted failure time point by operating according to a normal operation maintenance mode, to enable a user to more leisurely use a repair service. The managing server may determine the normal operation maintenance mode which may be applied to the appliance by considering a predicted failure, and operation data and an operation pattern of the appliance.
Referring to
The managing server generates one or more virtual operation patterns which may delay a predicted failure of an appliance by considering an operation history of the appliance in step 910. Each virtual operation pattern may include an operation required per time and a control value(s) of an operation parameter(s) for a corresponding operation of the appliance. In examples, a virtual operation pattern for an air conditioner includes at least one of run time, such as in hours per day, an operation mode, such as strong wind, medium wind, weak wind, or dehumidification, and a set temperature. A virtual operation pattern for a washer includes at least one of run time, such as in days per week, load weight, an operation mode, such as washing, dehydration, or dry, and an operation level.
The managing server generates failure prediction information according to each virtual operation pattern in step 915. That is, the managing server predicts a failure which may occur when the appliance operates according to each virtual operation pattern, and generates the failure prediction information including an occurrence time point and the degree of risk of the predicted failure.
The managing server transmits, to a user terminal, candidate information indicating at least one candidate of a normal operation maintenance mode which corresponds to each virtual operation pattern in step 920, and receives, from the user terminal, user preference criterion information indicating an operation pattern which a user requests for the appliance or which the user prefers in step 925. That is, the user preference criterion information indicates an operation pattern in which the user requests the appliance to operate at a minimum. In examples, a user preference criterion for an air conditioner may include at least one of a minimum set temperature and minimum run time. A user preference criterion for a washer may include at least one of operation counts per week, an operation date, a minimum load, a minimum dehydration level, and a minimum dry level. The user preference criterion information may be generated based on each candidate of a normal operation maintenance mode indicated by the candidate information received from the managing server, and may further include information about a time duration, such as three days, five days, or seven days, during which it is desired that the normal operation of the appliance is possible.
The managing server determines whether each candidate of the normal operation maintenance mode determined in step 920 according to the user preference criterion information received in step 925 or step 905 satisfies the user preference criterion in step 930. If there is no candidate of the normal operation maintenance mode which satisfies the user preference criterion, the managing server returns to step 910. If there is a candidate of the normal operation maintenance mode which satisfies the user preference criterion, the managing server generates normal operation maintenance information indicating the normal operation maintenance mode which satisfies the user preference criterion in step 935. If there is one or more normal operation maintenance modes which satisfy the user preference criterion, the normal operation maintenance information may indicate the one or more normal operation maintenance modes, such as by further including information indicating a normal operation maintenance mode which is recommended among the one or more normal operation maintenance modes.
The managing server transmits, in step 940, the generated normal operation maintenance information to an appliance or a user terminal which transmits the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information in step 905. For example, the managing server may transmit failure prediction information which corresponds to each normal operation maintenance mode to a corresponding appliance or user terminal along with the normal operation maintenance information.
Although
Referring to
Although
Embodiments and scenarios for delaying a predicted failure of an appliance and in which a user terminal communicates with a managing server to maintain a normal operation of an appliance will be described below; however, it will be noted that a similar description may be applied to a case when the appliance, not the user terminal, communicates with the managing server to maintain the normal operation of the appliance.
Referring to
If user input indicating that the user will not use the repair service within “5 days” is received, the user terminal 1102 may display normal operation maintenance information received from the managing server to delay the predicted failure, in a phrase 1115 which inquires of the user whether to use a normal operation maintenance mode. If user input indicating that the user will use the normal operation maintenance mode is received, the user terminal 1102 displays information of one or more normal operation maintenance modes 1120 obtained through the normal operation maintenance information. In
If user input is received selecting one of the displayed normal operation maintenance modes 1120, such as a normal operation maintenance mode 2 (1125), the user terminal 1102 transmits information about normal operation maintenance mode 2 to an air conditioner 1100, enabling the air conditioner 1100 to operate in normal operation maintenance mode 2. The normal operation maintenance mode 2 includes an operation pattern of the air conditioner 1100 which is determined such that a refrigerant amount of the air conditioner 1100 will be maintained at 20% or more after 5 days.
Referring to
If user input is received selecting one of the displayed normal operation maintenance modes 1215, such as a normal operation maintenance mode 2, the user terminal 1202 displays information 1220 about an operation pattern of normal operation maintenance mode 2, and displays a phrase 1225 which inquires whether to accept automatic control according to the normal operation maintenance mode 2. If user input indicating acceptance of the automatic control according to the normal operation maintenance mode 2 is received, the user terminal 1202 transmits information about normal operation maintenance mode 2 to a washer 1200, enabling the washer 1200 to operate in normal operation maintenance mode 2 (1230) in an automatic control. Normal operation maintenance mode 2 includes an operation pattern such as laundry 5 kg, dehydration level 3, and dry level 3, and the washer 1200 which operates in normal operation maintenance mode 2 limits the load, dehydration level, and dry level according to the operation pattern of laundry weighing 5 kg, dehydration level 3, and dry level 3.
Referring to
If user input is received selecting one of the displayed normal operation maintenance modes 1315, such as a normal operation maintenance mode 2, the user terminal 1302 transmits information about the normal operation maintenance mode 2 to an air conditioner 1300, enabling the air conditioner 1300 to operate in normal operation maintenance mode 2 (1320) including control values of a compressor frequency and/or electronic expansion valve (EEV) opening, among operation parameters for the air conditioner 1300.
Referring to
Referring to
A normal operation maintenance mode, which may be applied to the predicted failure, may include control values of compressor frequency and/or an EEV opening. The managing server provides the air conditioner 1300 with normal operation maintenance information indicating at least one normal operation maintenance mode including control values of compressor frequency and/or an EEV opening through the user terminal 1302, such that the air conditioner 1300 may operate according to these control values to delay the occurrence of a failure such as leakage of refrigerant or damage to a compressor.
Referring to
If user input is received selecting one of the displayed normal operation maintenance modes 1415, such as a normal operation maintenance mode 2, the user terminal 1402 transmits information about normal operation maintenance mode 2 to the refrigerator 1400 to operate the refrigerator 1400 in normal operation maintenance mode 2 (1420), which includes a control value of a defrost cycle among operation parameters for the refrigerator 1400. As such, the refrigerator 1400 operates in normal operation maintenance mode 2 according to the control value of the defrost cycle.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The user terminal 1502 may display information 1510 which inquires of a user whether to use a normal operation maintenance mode in order to delay the predicted failure. The user terminal 1502 displays information of one or more normal operation maintenance modes 1515 according to normal operation maintenance information received from a managing server in order to delay the predicted failure, as mode 1: +3 days, mode 2: 7 days, and mode 3: +8 days. In this manner, each normal operation maintenance mode may include information about how long the predicted failure may be delayed.
If user input is received selecting one of the displayed normal operation maintenance modes 1515, such as a normal operation maintenance mode 2 including information for automatic control of at least one specific peripheral device, the user terminal 1502 may display information 1525 of a peripheral device which may be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance 1500. The user terminal 1502 displays a phrase 1520 which inquires whether to accept the automatic control for the peripheral device. In
If user input which accepts automatic control for at least one peripheral device according to whether the information 1525 of the peripheral device is received, the user terminal 1502 transmits a control command 1530a for requesting an operation to a corresponding peripheral device 1525a, enabling the peripheral device 1525a to operate while replacing or supplementing the appliance 1500. For example, if the appliance 1500 is an air conditioner, the peripheral device 1525a may be an air circulator or an air purifier. The user terminal 1502 may transmit a control command 1530 to the appliance 1500 for requesting the operation to stop.
Referring to
The managing server 1610 may have a failure prediction knowledge DB 1610a which stores information which may be used for predicting a failure of the appliances 1602, 1604, and 1606, predicts a failure which may occur in the appliances 1602, 1604, and 1606 based on the failure prediction knowledge DB 1610a, determines a schedule for a repair service for repairing the failure through a communication with the user terminal 1620, and transmits schedule information for the repair service and information about the predicted failure to an engineer's terminal 1630.
If a primary failure is predicted at the appliance 1602, the managing server 1610 may additionally predict a secondary failure which may be derived from the primary failure. For example, the managing server 1610 stores and manages a failure history and a failure repair history of the plurality of appliances 1602, 1604, and 1606. If the primary failure is predicted at the appliance 1602, the managing server 1610 may additionally predict whether there is a secondary failure (i.e., derivative failure) which is predicted to additionally occur by the primary failure based on the failure history and the failure repair history of the plurality of appliances 1602, 1604, and 1606, which are the same or similar types. If the derivative failure is predicted, the managing server 1610 may fix both the predicted failure and the derivative failure in one repair service.
The user terminal 1620 may receive information about a plurality of predicted failures of an appliance from the managing server 1610, and request to fix the plurality of predicted failures concurrently, i.e., through one repair service, to the managing server 1610 through user input.
Embodiments in which a user terminal communicates with a managing server to request a repair service for fixing a plurality of failures of an appliance concurrently will be described below, however, it will be noted that a similar description may be applied to when the appliance, not the user terminal, communicates with the managing server to request the repair service for fixing the plurality of failures concurrently.
The user terminal receives, from the managing server, derivative failure information about a derivative failure which is predicted for the appliance in step 1710. The derivative failure information indicates the derivative failure which is determined by the managing server that may be derived due to the primary failure in the appliance, and includes at least one of a failure item, a predicted failure time point, the degree of risk of the derivative failure similar to failure prediction information of the primary failure, and information about the primary failure which derives the derivative failure and at least one recommended treatment scheme related to the primary failure and the derivative failure. The recommended treatment scheme refers to information used for repairing or solving each failure.
The user terminal displays the derivative failure information in step 1715, by displaying at least one of the failure prediction information for the primary failure and schedule information of the repair service.
Although
Referring to
The user terminal 1820 may display information 1830 which inquires of a user a treatment scheme which a user desires along with the derivative failure information 1825, and which includes a diagnosis of only predicted primary failure and diagnosis of primary failure & derivative failure. Alternatively, the information 1830 which inquires of the user the treatment scheme which the user desires may include the first, the second, and the third recommended treatment schemes provided by the derivative failure information 1825. Alternatively, the user terminal 1820 may receive, from the user, information about a schedule of a repair service in which the primary failure and the derivative failure may be concurrently fixed.
If user input indicating a treatment scheme and/or schedule of a repair service which the user wants is received, the user terminal 1820 may transmit, to the managing server, information about the treatment scheme and/or schedule indicated by the user input.
The managing server determines whether there is a derivative failure which may be derived from the primary failure, and generates derivative failure information indicating the derivative failure if there is a derivative failure in step 1910. For example, the managing server may search for the derivative failure related to the primary failure from a failure prediction knowledge DB which stores such information as operation data, failure history, the control method for failure delay, failure repair history, manufacture information, environment information, and a customer profile, for a plurality of appliances.
The managing server transmits the derivative failure information to the user terminal in step 1915, including at least one of a failure time, a predicted failure time point, the degree of risk of the derivative failure similar to the failure prediction information of the primary failure, information about the primary failure which derives the derivative failure, and information about at least one recommended treatment scheme related to the primary failure and the derivative failure. The user terminal may select whether to fix the primary failure and the derivative failure concurrently through one repair service by receiving the derivative failure information.
Although
The managing server generates primary failure prediction information indicating a primary failure according to the generated virtual operation pattern in step 2010. The managing server predicts the primary failure which may occur if the appliance operates according to the generated virtual operation pattern, and generates the primary failure prediction information including an occurrence time point and the degree of risk of the predicted primary failure.
The managing server compares the generated virtual operation pattern with a current operation pattern of the appliance in step 2015. The current operation pattern may include an operation per time according to the actual operation of the appliance and a control value(s) of an operation parameter(s) for a corresponding operation. The managing server determines whether the degree of similarity between the generated virtual operation pattern and the current operation pattern is greater than a threshold value in step 2020. If the degree of similarity is not greater than the threshold value, the managing server determines that the generated virtual operation pattern is not similar to the current operation pattern, and returns to step 2005. If the degree of similarity is greater than the threshold value, the managing server determines that the generated virtual operation pattern is similar to the current operation pattern, and proceeds to step 2025, in which the managing server searches for a derivative failure related to the primary failure prediction information.
Specifically, the managing server may search for the derivative failure in a failure prediction knowledge DB which stores operation data, failure history, the control method for failure delay, failure repair history, manufacture information, environment information, and a customer profile for a plurality of appliances in step 2025. For example, the managing server may search for the derivative failure related to the primary failure prediction information based on the failure history and the failure repair history for a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or similar to the appliance related to the primary failure prediction information. The managing server may search for whether there is a secondary failure which occurs within a predetermined threshold duration from a time point at which the primary failure occurs indicated by the primary failure prediction information in the plurality of appliances which are the same or similar types. If the number of times the secondary failure occurs during the threshold duration after occurrence of the primary failure is greater than a predetermined threshold value in the plurality of appliances, the secondary failure is determined as a derivative failure for the primary failure.
The managing server determines whether there is a derivative failure related to the primary failure indicated by the primary failure prediction information in step 2030. If there is no derivative failure, the managing server terminates the operation. If there is a derivative failure, the managing server may generate derivative failure information including a failure item, a predicted failure time point, and the degree of risk for the derivative failure in step 2035. The derivative failure information may be transmitted from the managing server to a corresponding appliance or a user terminal.
Although
The failure prediction knowledge DB 2120 includes failure prediction knowledge information 2124 for a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the appliance 2102. The failure prediction knowledge information 2124 includes manufacturing date: June, 2013, manufacturing factory: factory in Suzhou, China, operation type: rotary type, installation type: room air conditioner, failure history 1 (i.e., diagnosis): refrigerant leakage, failure history 2 (i.e., diagnosis): compressor damage, failure repair history: add refrigerant and repair compressor.
The managing server 2110 predicts refrigerant leakage as the primary failure of the appliance 2102, and searches for another failure related to the refrigerant leakage from the failure prediction knowledge information 2124 for the plurality of appliances. If compressor damage as the secondary failure related to the refrigerant leakage is searched, the managing server 2110 determines that there is compressor damage as the secondary failure related to the refrigerant leakage of the appliance 2102. For example, if difference between a time point at which refrigerant leakage occurs in the plurality of appliances and a time point at which compressor damage occurs is within a predetermined threshold duration, and/or the number of times compressor damage occurs after refrigerant leakage occurs is greater than a predetermined threshold count, the managing server 2110 may determine the compressor damage as a derivative failure.
As described in embodiments, an additional future failure which may be derived in an appliance of which a failure is predicted and the failure are repaired concurrently through one repair service, thereby minimizing a user inconvenience due to an unnecessary additional repair service and maintaining a normal operation state of the appliance.
The managing server 2210 may have a failure prediction knowledge DB 2210a which stores information which may be used for predicting a failure of appliances 2202, 2204, and 2206, and predicts a failure which may occur in the appliances 2202, 2204, and 2206 based on the failure prediction knowledge DB 2210a, determines a schedule of a repair service for repairing the failure through a communication with the user terminal 2220, and transmits schedule information for the repair service and information about the predicted failure to an engineer's terminal 2230.
If the first failure is predicted in the first appliance 2202 in the home 2200, the managing server 2210 may additionally predict the second failure which may occur in the second appliance 2204 within the same home 2200. For example, a failure prediction knowledge DB 2210a of the managing server 2210 stores and manages operation data, failure history, the control method for failure delay, failure repair history, manufacture information, environment information, and customer profile information of the plurality of appliances 2202, 2204, and 2206, and the environment information or the customer profile information may include an address of a home or an office where the plurality of appliances 2202, 2204, and 2206 are installed. If the first failure is predicted in the first appliance 2202, the managing server 2210 may additionally predict whether there is the second failure which may occur in the appliances 2204 and 2206 based on a failure history and a failure repair history of the appliances 2204 and 2206 which are located on the same premises and which are the same or similar type. The same premises space may denote, for example, a space which is identified with the same address such as a home or an office. If the second failure is predicted, the managing server 2210 may fix the first failure of the first appliance 2202 and the second failure of the second appliance 2205 or 2206 concurrently through one repair service.
The user terminal 2220 may receive information about a plurality of predicted failures of the first and the second appliances from the managing server 2210, and request to fix the plurality of predicted failures concurrently through one repair service to the managing server 2210 through user input.
Embodiments in which a user terminal communicates with a managing server to request a repair service for fixing a plurality of failures of appliances concurrently will be described below. However, it will be noted that a similar description may be applied to when an arbitrary appliance, not the user terminal, communicates with the managing server to request the repair service for fixing the plurality of failures.
The user terminal receives, from the managing server, failure prediction information for the second failure which is predicted for the second appliance and recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service for fixing the first and the second appliances concurrently in step 2310. The failure prediction information may include at least one of a failure item, a predicted failure time point, and the degree of risk of the second failure. The recommended schedule information indicates a schedule of a repair service which may fix the first failure of the first appliance and the second failure of the second appliance concurrently.
The user terminal displays derivative failure information and recommended schedule information for the second failure and determines a new schedule of the repair service for fixing the first and the second failures concurrently in step 2315. The user terminal transmits information about the determined new schedule to the managing server in step 2320.
Although
The user terminal 2420 may determine a schedule of a repair service for fixing the first and the second failures concurrently through user input by considering the recommended schedule information within the information 2410 related to the second failure. Failure prediction information for the second failure is generated by the managing server by monitoring operation data gathered for the refrigerator 2415, such as a power pattern 2415a. For example, the managing server may predict a failure for at least one another appliance which is located within the same home as the first appliance 2400 and determine the second failure of the second appliance which may be fixed along with the first failure of the first appliance 2400.
The information 2410 related to the second failure may be transmitted from the managing server to an engineer 2430 in charge of a repair service. The engineer 2430 may fix the first failure of the first appliance and the second failure of the second appliance through one repair service using failure prediction information for the first failure which has already been provided and the information 2410 related to the second failure. Further, the engineer 2430 may send a message 2431 after fix the first failure of the first appliance and the second failure of the second appliance.
Referring to
Further, the information 2455 related to the predicted failure and the predicted reason may be transmitted to an engineer 2475 in charge of a repair service. The engineer 2475 may transmit a message 2480 indicating a solution for the failure of the appliance using the information 2455 related to the predicted failure and the predicted reason.
The managing server predicts the second failure of the second appliance based on a failure history and a failure repair history of appliances which are located on the same premises as the first appliance by using an address of a home or an office where the first appliance is installed, and generates failure prediction information for the second failure in step 2510. In examples, the managing server may generate the failure prediction information for the second failure if the difference between the predicted failure time point of the first failure and a predicted failure time point of the second failure is less than a predetermined threshold value. The managing server may generate the failure prediction information for the second failure if the second failure of the second appliance is predicted and the difference between a time point at which the warranty duration of the second appliance expires and a schedule of a repair service for repairing the first failure is less than a predetermined threshold value.
The managing server transmits, to a user terminal, the failure prediction information for the second failure and recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service for fixing the first failure and the second failure concurrently in step 2515. The failure prediction information may include at least one of a failure item, a predicted failure time point, and the degree of risk of the second failure. The recommended schedule information indicates a schedule of a repair service which may fix the first failure of the first appliance and the second failure of the second appliance concurrently.
The managing server may receive, from the user terminal, information about a new schedule of the repair service for fixing the first failure and the second failure concurrently in step 2520, and may transmit, to an engineer in charge of the repair server, the information about the new schedule of the repair service and failure prediction information for the first failure and the second failure. The managing server may provide the engineer with information about a method which may be used for fixing (i.e., repairing) the first failure and the second failure.
Although
The managing server generates failure prediction information indicating the second failure of the second appliance in step 2615. The managing server may generate recommended schedule information of a repair service for fixing the first failure and the second failure concurrently, such as by considering an engineer's schedule. The failure prediction information and the recommended schedule information of the second failure may be transmitted from the managing server to a corresponding appliance or user terminal.
Although
According to embodiments, a method for controlling an appliance based on failure prediction includes receiving, from a managing server, failure prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance, determining a service available schedule indicating a time point at which a repair service for repairing the predicted failure is available based on the failure prediction information according to user input, transmitting, to the managing server, a request signal for normal operation maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance if the determined service available schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, receiving, from the managing server, the normal operation maintenance information, and controlling the appliance to operate according to the normal operation maintenance information.
The method further includes inputting, from a user, a user preference criterion including at least one of performance and a duration for which a failure is capable of being delayed, which are provided in a normal operation maintenance mode indicated by the normal operation maintenance information, before transmitting, to the managing server, the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information, wherein the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information includes information related to the user preference criterion.
The normal operation maintenance information includes an operation pattern indicating an operation per time and a control value of an operation parameter for each operation of the appliance, information of at least one replacement part or replacement device to be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance for delaying the predicted failure of the appliance, and/or normal operation time information indicating a predicted time duration for which the normal operation of the appliance is possible if the operation pattern or the at least one replacement part or replacement device is used.
The method further includes transmitting, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, receiving, from the managing server, derivative failure information indicating a derivative failure which is predicted to additionally occur in the appliance in connection with the predicted failure, and displaying the derivative failure information.
The derivative failure is predicted by the managing server based on operation data gathered from a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance and a failure history of the plurality of appliances.
The derivative failure information is generated by the managing server based on the predicted failure time point of the predicted failure, a predicted failure time point of the derivative failure, and/or a number of times the derivative failure occurs in a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to a type of the appliance.
The method further includes transmitting, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, receiving, from the managing server, first failure prediction information indicating a second failure which is predicted to occur in a second appliance which is located on the same premises as the appliance and recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure and the second failure concurrently, and displaying the first failure prediction information and the recommended schedule information.
According to embodiments, a method for controlling an appliance based on failure prediction by a user terminal includes receiving, from a managing server, failure prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance, determining a service available schedule indicating a time point at which a repair service for repairing the predicted failure is available based on the failure prediction information according to user input, transmitting, to the managing server, a request signal for normal operation maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance if the determined service available schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, receiving, from the managing server, the normal operation maintenance information, and transmitting, to the appliance, the normal operation maintenance information.
The normal operation maintenance information includes an operation pattern indicating an operation per time and a control value of an operation parameter for each operation of the appliance, information of at least one replacement part or replacement device to be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance for delaying the predicted failure of the appliance, and/or normal operation time information indicating a predicted time duration for which the normal operation of the appliance is possible if the operation pattern or the at least one replacement part or replacement device is used.
The method further includes transmitting, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, receiving, from the managing server, derivative failure information indicating a derivative failure which is predicted to additionally occur in the appliance in connection with the predicted failure, and displaying the derivative failure information.
The derivative failure is predicted by the managing server based on operation data gathered from a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance and a failure history of the plurality of appliances.
The derivative failure information is generated by the managing server based on the predicted failure time point of the predicted failure, a predicted failure time point of the derivative failure, and/or a number of times the derivative failure occurs in a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance.
The method further includes transmitting, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, receiving, from the managing server, first failure prediction information indicating a second failure which is predicted to occur in a second appliance which is located on the same premises as the appliance and recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure and the second failure concurrently, and displaying the first failure prediction information and the recommended schedule information.
According to embodiments, an apparatus of an appliance controlled based on failure prediction includes a native function executing unit, a communication unit configured to receive, from a managing server, failure prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance, to transmit, to the managing server, a request signal for normal operation maintenance information, and to receive, from the managing server, the normal operation maintenance information, and a controller configured to determine a service available schedule indicating a time point at which a repair service for repairing the predicted failure is available based on the failure prediction information according to user input, to generate the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance if the determined service available schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, and to control the native function executing unit to operate according to the normal operation maintenance information.
The request signal for the normal operation maintenance information further includes information about a user preference criterion indicating at least one of performance and a duration for which a failure is capable of being delayed, which are provided in a normal operation maintenance mode indicated by the normal operation maintenance information.
The normal operation maintenance information includes an operation pattern indicating an operation per time and a control value of an operation parameter for each operation of the appliance, information of at least one replacement part or replacement device to be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance for delaying the predicted failure of the appliance, and/or normal operation time information indicating a predicted time duration for which the normal operation of the appliance is possible if the operation pattern or the at least one replacement part or replacement device is used.
The controller is configured to transmit, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service through the communication unit if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, to receive, from the managing server, derivative failure information indicating a derivative failure which is predicted to additionally occur in the appliance in connection with the predicted failure through the communication unit, and to display the derivative failure information.
The derivative failure is predicted by the managing server based on operation data gathered from a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance and a failure history of the plurality of appliances.
The derivative failure information is generated by the managing server based on the predicted failure time point of the predicted failure, a predicted failure time point of the derivative failure, and/or a number of times the derivative failure occurs in a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance.
The controller is configured to transmit, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service through the communication unit if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, to receive, from the managing server, first failure prediction information indicating a second failure which is predicted to occur in a second appliance which is located on the same premises as the appliance and recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure and the second failure concurrently through the communication unit, and to display the first failure prediction information and the recommended schedule information.
According to embodiments, an apparatus of a user terminal for controlling an appliance based on failure prediction includes a communication unit configured to receive, from a managing server, failure prediction information indicating a predicted failure of the appliance, to transmit, to the managing server, a request signal for normal operation maintenance information, to receive, from the managing server, the normal operation maintenance information, and to transmit, to the appliance, the normal operation maintenance information, and a controller configured to determine a service available schedule indicating a time point at which a repair service for repairing the predicted failure is available based on the failure prediction information according to user input, and to generate the request signal for the normal operation maintenance information used to delay the predicted failure and maintain the normal operation of the appliance if the determined service available schedule is after a predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information.
The normal operation maintenance information includes an operation pattern indicating an operation per time and a control value of an operation parameter for each operation of the appliance, information of at least one replacement part or replacement device to be used for replacing or supplementing the appliance for delaying the predicted failure of the appliance, and/or normal operation time information indicating a predicted time duration for which the normal operation of the appliance is possible if the operation pattern or the at least one replacement part or replacement device is used.
The controller is configured to transmit, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service through the communication unit if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the failure prediction information, to receive, from the managing server, derivative failure information indicating a derivative failure which is predicted to additionally occur in the appliance in connection with the predicted failure through the communication unit, and to display the derivative failure information.
The derivative failure is predicted by the managing server based on operation data gathered from a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance and a failure history of the plurality of appliances.
The derivative failure information is generated by the managing server based on the predicted failure time point of the predicted failure, a predicted failure time point of the derivative failure, and/or a number of times the derivative failure occurs in a plurality of appliances which are the same type as or a similar type to the type of the appliance.
The controller is configured to transmit, to the managing server, a request signal for the repair service through the communication unit if the determined service available schedule is before the predicted failure time point indicated by the prediction information, to receive, from the managing server, first failure prediction information indicating a second failure which is predicted to occur in a second appliance which is located on the same premises as the appliance and recommended schedule information indicating a recommended schedule of a repair service for repairing the predicted failure and the second failure concurrently through the communication unit, and to display the first failure prediction information and the recommended schedule information.
As described above, a plurality of predicted failures of a plurality of appliances which are located on the same premises, such as a home or an office, are repaired concurrently through one repair service, which reduces a user's inconvenience due to an unnecessary additional repair service and maintains a normal operation state of the appliance.
Embodiments may be implemented as computer readable code in a computer readable recording medium in a specific perspective. The computer readable recording medium is a data storage device that may store data readable by a computer system, such as read only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and data transmission over the Internet. The computer readable recording medium may be distributed by computer systems over a network, and accordingly, the computer readable codes may be stored and executed in a distributed manner. Functional programs, codes, and code segments to attain embodiments may be readily interpreted by skilled programmers in the art to which the disclosure pertains.
The apparatuses and methods according to embodiments may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. Such software may be stored in a volatile or non-volatile storage device such as a ROM or other storage devices, a memory, such as RAM, a memory chip, a device or an integrated circuit, or a storage medium, such as a compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), magnetic disk, or magnetic tape, which enables optical or magnetic recording while simultaneously read out by a machine (e.g., a computer). The methods according to embodiments may be implemented by a computer or a portable terminal including a controller and a memory, and the memory may be a machine-readable storage medium that may properly retain program(s) containing instructions for implementing the embodiments.
Accordingly, the disclosure encompasses a program containing codes for implementing the device or method set forth in the claims of this disclosure and a machine (e.g., computer)-readable storage medium storing the program. The program may be electronically transferred via any media such as communication signals transmitted through a wired or wireless connection and the disclosure includes the equivalents thereof.
The apparatuses according to embodiments may receive the program from a program providing device wiredly or wirelessly connected thereto and store the program. The program providing apparatus may include a memory for storing a program including instructions enabling a program processing apparatus to perform a method according to an embodiment and data necessary for a method according to an embodiment, a communication unit for performing wired or wireless communication with a graphic processing apparatus, and a controller transmitting the program to the graphic processing apparatus automatically or as requested by the graphic processing apparatus.
A method according to embodiments may be provided in a computer program product, which may include software (S/W) programs or computer-readable storage media storing the S/W programs or products traded between the seller and the buyer. For example, the computer program products may include S/W program-type products (e.g., downloadable applications (apps)) that are electronically distributed through the device 10 or the manufacturer of the device 10 or electronic market. For electronic distribution, at least part of the S/W programs may be stored in storage media or temporarily generated. In this case, the storage media may be storage media of the manufacturer's or electronic market's server or the relay server.
While the present disclosure has been shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2017-0178395 | Dec 2017 | KR | national |
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2017-0178395, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
