JP2019205120A - Remote operation system and program for hot water equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the operability of a portable terminal in a hot water device that can be remotely operated by using a portable terminal.SOLUTION: A remote operation system 1 includes a hot water device 100 and a portable terminal 400 capable of wireless communication with the hot water device 100. The hot water device 100 includes a water heater 110 that supplies hot water to a hot water supply destination, and remote controllers 120 and 130 for operating the water heater 110. The portable terminal 400 is configured to be able to remotely operate the water heater 110. The portable terminal 400 includes a display unit 405 that displays an operation screen for the hot water device 100. The portable terminal 400 changes the display content of the operation screen of the hot water device 100 on the basis of the information related to a user operation history in the remote controllers 120 and 130 and/or the portable terminal 400.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present disclosure relates to a remote operation system and program for hot water equipment, and more particularly to a technique for improving the operability of a portable terminal for remotely operating a hot water equipment.

  There is known a system capable of remotely operating a hot water device in a house from the outdoors using a portable terminal. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-156598 (Patent Document 1), a remote operation signal transmitted from a mobile terminal via a public line is received by a communication processing device, and a remote operation signal is sent to a controller of a water heater. The structure which outputs the control command based on this is described.

JP2015-156598A JP 2003-309984 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-23487

  Recent hot water equipment has many functions such as automatic hot water function for bathtubs and timer operation function for floor heating, as well as hot water supply temperature adjustment function. doing. For this reason, in a small device such as a portable terminal in which the display area is limited, it is necessary to dispose the operation supplies on a plurality of operation screens. If it does so, when performing remote operation of a hot water apparatus using a portable terminal, it will be necessary to switch and operate according to the function to be used. Depending on the function used, many operations are required to display a desired operation screen, and the operability of the user may be impaired.

  The present disclosure has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present disclosure is to improve the operability of the portable terminal in a hot water apparatus that can be remotely operated using the portable terminal. That is.

  A remote control system according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a system for performing remote control on a hot water device. The remote operation system includes a hot water device and a portable terminal that can wirelessly communicate with the hot water device. The hot water device includes a water heater for supplying hot water to a hot water supply destination and an operation device for operating the water heater. The portable terminal is configured to be able to remotely operate the water heater. The portable terminal includes a first display unit for displaying an operation screen for the hot water device. A portable terminal changes the display content about the operation screen of a hot water apparatus based on the information regarding the user operation history in at least one of an operation apparatus and a portable terminal.

  With this configuration, in the system configured to remotely operate the hot water device from the mobile terminal, the display content of the operation screen for the hot water device on the mobile terminal is the user operation on the operating device and / or the mobile terminal. Changed based on history. That is, since the remote operation screen on the mobile terminal is changed to display contents reflecting the user's operation history, the user's operability can be improved.

  Preferably, an operation application for operating the hot water device is installed in the portable terminal. A portable terminal changes the display content when starting the application for operation according to the use frequency for every function of the water heater by user operation.

  With such a configuration, when an operation application is activated on the mobile terminal, it is possible to preferentially display a display relating to a function frequently used by the user. Therefore, the user can easily operate frequently used functions after starting the operation application.

  Preferably, an operation screen is set for each function of the water heater in the portable terminal. The portable terminal displays an operation screen for a function having the highest use frequency on the first display unit when the operation application is activated.

  With such a configuration, when the user activates the operation application, the operation screen for the function having the highest use frequency is displayed first. This eliminates the need to search for an operation screen having the most frequently used function when the operation application is activated, thereby improving user operability.

  Preferably, the portable terminal is set with an operation screen capable of displaying operation supplies for a plurality of functions of the water heater. When the operation application is activated, the portable terminal changes the display position of the operation article on the operation screen according to the use frequency for each function of the water heater by the user operation.

  By adopting such a configuration, when operation articles having a plurality of functions of the water heater are displayed on the operation screen, a frequently used function can be displayed at a position that is easy for the user to use. Thereby, user operability can be improved.

  Preferably, the portable terminal is set with a menu screen on which selection buttons for selecting an operation screen for each function of the water heater are arranged. When the mobile terminal displays the menu screen, the display mode of the selection button on the menu screen is changed according to the usage frequency for each function of the water heater by a user operation.

  With this configuration, the display mode of the selection button for selecting the operation screen for the frequently used function is changed on the menu screen for selecting the operation screen for each function. This makes it easier for the user to select the selection button, so that the user's operability can be improved.

  Preferably, on the menu screen, the portable terminal displays a selection button for a frequently used function larger than a selection button for a low usage frequency.

  By adopting such a configuration, a selection button for a frequently used function is displayed in a large size, so that the user can easily recognize the selection button on the menu screen. Therefore, user operability can be improved.

  Preferably, the portable terminal arranges the selection buttons in the order of the frequently used functions on the menu screen.

  By adopting such a configuration, selection buttons for frequently used functions are preferentially arranged at positions where the user can easily recognize them. Therefore, user operability can be improved.

  Preferably, the menu screen has a plurality of sub-screens assigned to different levels of hierarchy. The portable terminal arranges a selection button for a frequently used function on a sub-screen in a higher hierarchy than a selection button for a low usage frequency.

  With such a configuration, selection buttons for frequently used functions are arranged on the screen of a higher hierarchy. If a selection button is placed on a lower-level screen, many operations are required to reach the selection button. However, if the selection button is placed on a higher-level screen, a desired operation can be performed with relatively few operations. A select button can be reached. Therefore, user operability can be improved.

  Preferably, the remote operation system detects the use frequency for each function of the water heater based on the information related to the user operation history in the operation device, and sets the priority information according to the use frequency for each function of the water heater to the portable terminal. And further comprising detecting means configured to transmit to. A portable terminal changes the display content about the operation screen of a hot-water apparatus based on the priority information from a detection means.

  Preferably, the remote control system is configured to be able to communicate with the hot water device and the portable terminal, and further includes a server including a detection unit.

  Preferably, the hot water device includes a communication adapter that performs communication with the mobile terminal. The detection means is included in any of the water heater, the operating device, and the communication adapter.

  The detection for determining the priority of the operation screen for the hot water device can be executed by either the external server or the hot water heater, the operation device, or the communication adapter in the hot water device.

  Preferably, the operating device includes a first remote controller installed in the bathroom and a second remote controller installed outside the bathroom.

  By adopting such a configuration, the priority of the operation screen can be determined by reflecting the operation history of the remote control installed in the bathroom and the remote control installed outside the bathroom such as a kitchen. it can.

  Preferably, a server configured to be able to communicate with the hot water device and the portable terminal is further provided. The operation application can be downloaded from the server to the mobile terminal.

  With such a configuration, the user can easily obtain an operation application used in the mobile terminal, and the version of the application can be easily upgraded.

  Preferably, the operating device includes an operation unit, a second display unit, and a control unit. A control part changes the display content of the 2nd display part when starting an operating device according to the usage frequency for every function of the water heater in an operation part.

  Depending on the location of the remote controller, the operation status of the remote controller may not be correctly represented by the operation history of another remote controller and the operation history of the mobile terminal. By adopting such a configuration, the display content of the remote controller display is changed to reflect the user operation performed by the remote controller, so that the user operability can be improved.

  Preferably, the portable terminal changes the display content of the operation screen of the hot water device when the change is permitted by the user.

  Some users do not like changing the display contents regardless of their intentions. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the user's operability from being deteriorated by changing the display contents only when the user has given permission.

  A program according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a program for remotely operating a hot water device using a mobile terminal. The hot water device includes a water heater for supplying hot water to a hot water supply destination and an operation device for operating the water heater. The portable terminal is configured to wirelessly communicate with the hot water device and to display an operation screen for the hot water device. The program stores, in a processor mounted on the portable terminal, i) information on usage frequency for each function of the water heater in at least one of the operating device and the portable terminal, and ii) an operation screen for the hot water device. And iii) a step of changing the display content of the operation screen of the hot water device according to the use frequency.

  According to the present disclosure, in a system in which a hot water device can be remotely operated using a mobile terminal, based on information on an operation device (remote controller) included in the hot water device and / or a user operation history of the mobile terminal, The display content of the operation screen can be changed. Thereby, the display content of the operation screen of a portable terminal can be changed into the content reflecting the operation result of the user in a remote control and / or a portable terminal. That is, since the operation screen of the mobile terminal can be set to display contents that match the user's needs, the operability of the user on the mobile terminal can be improved.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the remote control system of the hot water apparatus according to embodiment. It is a functional block diagram of the hot water apparatus in FIG. It is a functional block diagram of the server in FIG. It is a sequence diagram for demonstrating the operation screen change function in embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation history of the remote control installed in the bathroom. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation history of the remote control installed in the kitchen. It is a figure which shows an example of the operation history of a portable terminal. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the detail of control in a server. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the detail of control in a portable terminal and a remote control. It is a figure for demonstrating the change of the initial screen of the portable terminal by the operation screen change function in Example 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a display area of a mobile terminal according to a second embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the change of the initial screen of a portable terminal by the operation screen change function of Example 2. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a display area of a menu screen in the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a hierarchy of menu screens in Example 4. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation screen change function about the remote control in Example 5. FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will not be repeated.

[Configuration of remote control system]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a remote operation system 1 for hot water equipment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to FIG. 1, the remote control system 1 is comprised including the hot water apparatus 100, the server 300, and the portable terminals 400 and 410 represented by the smart phone.

  Hot water apparatus 100 includes a water heater 110, remote controllers 120 and 130, and a communication adapter 140. The water heater 110 is constituted by a fuel combustion type such as gas or a heat pump type, and heats room temperature tap water to generate hot water. Hot water generated by the water heater 110 is supplied to hot water supply destinations such as a bathtub, a shower, a currant, a bathroom heater / dryer, and a floor heater via a hot water supply pipe (not shown).

  The water heater 110 is operated in accordance with an operation command from the remote controllers 120 and 130. The remote controller 120 is connected to the water heater 110 by a communication line 126. The remote controller 130 is connected to the water heater 110 by a communication line 136. As the communication lines 126 and 136, for example, a two-core communication line is used. Communication between the water heater 110 and the remote controllers 120 and 130 may be in accordance with any known standard, and may be wired or wireless.

  The remote controller 120 is disposed on the wall surface of the bathroom. Hereinafter, the remote controller 120 is also referred to as “bathroom remote controller 120”. Bathroom remote controller 120 includes an operation switch for turning on and off operation of water heater 110, an operation switch, and a display unit. The operation switch and the operation switch can be typically configured by push buttons or touch buttons. The display unit can be typically constituted by a liquid crystal panel.

  The remote controller 130 is located outside the bathroom, for example, on the wall of the kitchen. Hereinafter, the remote controller 130 is also referred to as “kitchen remote controller 130”. Similarly to the bathroom remote controller 120, the kitchen remote controller 130 includes an operation switch, an operation switch, and a display unit.

  The kitchen remote control 130 is connected to the communication adapter 140 via a communication path 141 by wireless communication. The communication adapter 140 is a communication interface for enabling communication via a wireless LAN (Local Area Network). The communication adapter 140 is configured to be able to communicate with the wireless router 200 via a wireless LAN. In FIG. 1, the communication adapter 140 is individually provided, but the function of the communication adapter 140 may be included in another device of the hot water device 100 such as the kitchen remote controller 130.

  The wireless router 200 is configured to be accessible to a server 300 disposed in the management center 30 via the communication network 10 represented by the Internet. Therefore, the kitchen remote control 130 can communicate bidirectionally with the server 300 via the communication adapter 140 and the wireless router 200.

  The mobile terminals 400 and 410 are typically small communication terminals such as smartphones, tablets, and mobile phones. The mobile terminals 400 and 410 can communicate bidirectionally with the server 300 via the communication network 10 by communicating with the wireless router 200 via a wireless LAN. Alternatively, the mobile terminals 400 and 410 can access the communication network 10 by communicating with the base station 20 using a mobile phone line. The portable terminals 400 and 410 can communicate bidirectionally with the hot water device 100 via a wireless LAN and / or a cellular phone line.

  Portable terminals 400 and 410 include touch panels 405 and 415 in which a display unit and an operation unit are integrated. The user of the portable terminals 400 and 410 can download an operation application (program) for performing remote operation of the hot water device 100 from the server 300 via the communication network 10. The user activates the operation application downloaded to the portable terminals 400 and 410 and operates the operation supplies displayed on the touch panels 405 and 415 to set various parameters of the hot water device 100 and An operation command can be given. Since the operation application can be downloaded from the server 300, the operation application can be easily acquired and upgraded.

  FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the hot water device 100 in FIG. Referring to FIG. 2, water heater 110 includes a control unit 111, a memory 112, a communication unit 113, devices 114, and a sensor 115.

  The devices 114 include a burner (combustion unit) and a fan for generating hot water, a pump and a valve for supplying hot water, etc., which are not shown. The sensor 115 includes a temperature sensor for detecting the water temperature or the temperature in the bathroom, and a water level sensor for detecting the water level in the bathtub.

  The memory 112 stores parameters such as a hot water supply temperature, a hot water level, a floor heating setting temperature, a timer operation setting time, and a program executed by the processor of the control unit 111.

  Communication unit 113 is a communication interface for communicating with bathroom remote controller 120 and kitchen remote controller 130. The communication unit 113 can also communicate with the server and the mobile terminals 400 and 410 via the kitchen remote control 130 and the communication adapter 140.

  The communication unit 113 receives information from the bathroom remote control 120, the kitchen remote control 130, and the portable terminals 400 and 410 and outputs the information to the control unit 111. In addition, the communication unit 113 outputs information such as the detection value detected by the sensor 115 and the setting parameter stored in the memory 112 to the bathroom remote controller 120, the kitchen remote controller 130, and the portable terminals 400 and 410.

  The control unit 111 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that is a processor, and controls the devices 114 based on signals detected by the sensor 115 and various parameters stored in the memory 112.

  The bathroom remote control 120 includes a control unit 121, a memory 122, a communication unit 123, a display unit 124, and an operation unit 125. Communication unit 123 is a communication interface for performing bidirectional communication with water heater 110.

  The operation unit 125 is typically configured by a push button or a software switch on a touch panel. When the electric signal is input to the control unit 121 according to the operation of the operation unit 125 by the user, the control unit 121 can detect the operation command of the user.

  The display unit 124 can be configured by, for example, a fluorescent display tube or a liquid crystal panel. The display unit 124 visually displays information such as the state of the water heater 110 and the state of various parameters in accordance with control from the control unit 121. When a touch panel is used for the display unit 124, a part or all of the operation unit 125 can be a soft switch displayed on the touch panel by software processing.

  The control unit 121 is typically configured by a microcomputer. The control unit 121 outputs a signal indicating an operation command corresponding to the operation of the operation unit 125 to the water heater 110 via the communication unit 123 by software processing by executing a program stored in the memory 122. Further, the control unit 121 controls the display content of the display unit 124.

  The kitchen remote control 130 includes a control unit 131, a memory 132, a communication unit 133, a display unit 134, and an operation unit 135. Communication unit 133 is a communication interface for performing bidirectional communication with water heater 110. The communication unit 133 is also configured to be able to communicate with the communication adapter 140, and can communicate with the communication network 10 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 via the communication adapter 140.

  Since the basic configuration of the control unit 131, the memory 132, the display unit 134, and the operation unit 135 in the kitchen remote control 130 is the same as the control unit 121, the memory 122, the display unit 124, and the operation unit 125 in the bathroom remote control 120 described above. The description of each element will not be repeated.

  FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the server 300 arranged in the management center 30. Referring to FIG. 3, server 300 includes a control unit 310 including a CPU, a memory 320, and a communication unit 330. The server 300 can communicate with the hot water device 100 installed in each customer such as a home or an accommodation facility via the communication unit 330 and the communication network 10. The server 300 collects various types of information on each customer's hot water device 100 via the communication network 10 every predetermined time (for example, every hour) and stores the information in the memory 320. The server 300 manages the collected information and analyzes the information to provide additional information to the hot water device 100 and the portable terminals 400 and 410.

  The server 300 also has a function as an application server. For example, the server 300 provides a dedicated application for remote operation from the portable terminals 400 and 410, and controls used in the water heater 110 and the remote controllers 120 and 130. Upgrade the program version.

  The recent hot water apparatus 100 has many functions such as an automatic hot water function for a bathtub or a timer operation function for floor heating, as well as a hot water temperature adjustment function. Along with this, there is a tendency for operation items and parameter setting items for each function to increase. On the other hand, since there are restrictions on the display areas on the remote controllers 120 and 130 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 for operating the hot water device 100, operation items (buttons and icons) are distributed and used on a plurality of screens. It is necessary to switch the operation screen according to the function to be used. Then, depending on the function used, many operations may be required to display a desired operation screen, and the user's operability may be impaired.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, an operation screen changing function for changing the display mode of the display screen of the remote control and the mobile terminal based on the operation history of the remote control and / or the mobile terminal by the user is adopted. Specifically, the priority order of the operation screens or the arrangement of the operation supplies on the display screen is changed according to the frequency of use of each screen and function in the most recent predetermined period. As a result, it is possible to reduce the time until the operation screen for the frequently used function and the number of operations can be reduced, so that the operability for the user can be improved.

[Explanation of operation screen change function]
FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation screen changing function in the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 4, each of the remote controllers 120 and 130 of the hot water device 100 receives information (operation screen information, operation function information, etc.) related to the operation when the user operates the operation unit. To the server 300 (P10). Also, in portable terminals 400 and 410, information related to the screen operation in the remote operation application for hot water device 100 is transmitted to server 300 (P30).

  In the server 300, the operation information received from the hot water device 100 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 is stored in the memory 320 as operation history information together with the operation date (and operation time) when each operation is executed (P20). The server 300 determines the priority for the operation screen and the function from the stored operation history information (P22). Specifically, the frequency of use of each operation screen and each function in the most recent predetermined period (for example, one week) is detected, and the priority is determined so that the priority of the operation screen and function having a high use frequency becomes high. . Then, the server 300 transmits information on the determined priority (priority information) to the hot water device 100 and the mobile terminals 400 and 410 via the communication network 10 (P24).

  The hot water device 100 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 store the priority information received from the server 300 in their respective memories (P12 and P32). Then, at the next activation of the remote control and the activation of the operation application in the portable terminals 400 and 410, the remote controllers 120 and 130 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 display the operation screen changed according to the stored priority information. (P14, P34).

  Here, with regard to the priority determination in the server 300, a common priority may be set based on the usage frequency of the entire remote controller and the portable terminal, or the priority is determined independently for each individual device. May be set. It is also possible to set the priority for the mobile terminal based on the usage frequency of the remote control, or to set the priority for the remote control based on the usage frequency of the mobile terminal. Note that operation items that are frequently used on the remote control may differ from operation items that are frequently used on the mobile terminal, so the priority of the corresponding device should be set according to the frequency of use of each individual device. Is more preferable. In the following description, an example will be described in which priority is set for the remote controller based on the frequency of use of the remote controller, and priority is set for the mobile terminal based on the frequency of use of the mobile terminal.

  5 to 7 are diagrams illustrating examples of operation histories of the bathroom remote controller 120, the kitchen remote controller 130, and the portable terminals 400 and 410 stored in the server 300, respectively.

  First, referring to FIG. 5, in the case of bathroom remote controller 120, the operation of equipment in the bathroom is mainly performed. Therefore, for example, in the example of FIG. 5, the number of operations such as bathing the bath, setting the hot water temperature of the currant and shower, and setting the water level of the bathtub is increased.

  Next, referring to FIG. 6, the kitchen remote controller 130 is installed in a place where residents often come and go, so that not only the kitchen but also the operations in the living room and bathroom are increased. For example, in the example of FIG. 6, the number of operations for floor heating installed in the living room is the largest. In addition, the operation frequency of the kitchen remote controller 130 is also increased for the automatic operation of the bathroom.

  In addition, since the example of FIG. 6 is an operation history in the case of November (winter season), the number of floor heating operations is increased, but in the summer season such as July or August, floor heating is performed. Is expected to be almost inoperable.

  FIG. 7 shows the operation history of the portable terminals 400 and 410, but in the case of FIG. 7, there are many operations relating to floor heating and operations for reserving a bath timer. The example of FIG. 7 is an example in which the user operates the device from the outside, and the operation is performed so that the preparation of the bath is completed when the user returns home or the room is warmed by the time of returning home. is there.

  Note that the portable terminals 400 and 410 can be used as a mobile remote controller not only when the device is operated from the outside, but also at home. When the user is in the living room or in the bedroom, such as when the user is away from the remote control 120 or 130 in the home, the device is operated using the portable terminals 400 and 410, so that the remote control is installed. The device can be operated without moving to a place.

  Therefore, when the portable terminals 400 and 410 are used as a remote control in the house, the operation history of the portable terminals 400 and 410 may be similar to the kitchen remote control 130 in FIG.

  The server 300 stores the operation information from the remote controllers 120 and 130 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 as the operation history information as shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, and determines the priority of each function based on the operation history information. To do.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining details of control in the server 300. The flowchart shown in FIG. 8 is executed by the control unit 310 of the server 300 at a predetermined timing. Specifically, for example, it is executed at a timing at which operation information is received from the hot water device 100 or the portable terminals 400 and 410 and at a timing for each predetermined period such as one hour or one day.

  Referring to FIG. 8, control unit 310 receives operation information transmitted from hot water device 100 and / or portable terminals 400 and 410 at step (hereinafter, step is abbreviated as S) 100, and records operation history. Is stored in the memory 320. If the control is executed at a timing other than the operation information reception timing, the process of S100 is skipped.

  Thereafter, in S110, control unit 310 learns the usage frequency from the stored operation history information. Specifically, the usage frequency for each operation screen, function, and operation article in the most recent predetermined period (for example, one week) in the operation history information is calculated. Here, the operation article includes a hardware push button and a software switch displayed on the touch panel.

  In S120, control unit 310 determines priorities for each operation screen, function, and operation article according to the use frequency calculated in S110. At this time, priorities are individually determined for each of the bathroom remote controller 120, the kitchen remote controller 130, and the portable terminals 400 and 410. Thereafter, in S130, control unit 310 transmits the determined priority information to hot water device 100 and each portable terminal.

  Next, control executed in each device of the remote controllers 120 and 130 and the portable terminals 400 and 410 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9 is executed at the timing when priority information is received from the server 300 in the control unit included in each device.

  Referring to FIG. 9, when receiving the priority information transmitted from server 300 in S200, the control unit of each device advances the process to S210 and stores the priority information as display change information on the operation screen. To remember.

  In S220, mobile terminal 400, 410 determines whether a dedicated remote operation application is activated, and remote controllers 120, 130 determine whether the remote control is activated by the operation switch. The

  If the operation application and the remote control are not activated (NO in S220), the process returns to S220. If the operation application is activated and the remote controller is activated (YES in S220), the process proceeds to S230, in which each control unit permits a change in display mode according to the priority. A message about whether or not to change is displayed on the display unit, and the user is inquired about whether or not the change is necessary.

  If the user agrees to change the screen display mode (YES in S230), the process proceeds to S240, and each control unit changes the display mode according to the priority stored in S210 to display the display unit. Display the screen. On the other hand, if the user does not agree to change the screen display mode (NO in S230), the process proceeds to S250, and the screen is displayed in the same display mode as the previous time.

[Description of screen display mode]
An example of changing the screen display mode in the operation screen changing function of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 14 (Embodiment 1 to Embodiment 4), an example of a screen change for the mobile terminals 400 and 410 will be described, and for FIG. 15 (Embodiment 5), a screen change for the remote controller 130 will be described. An example will be described.

Example 1
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a change in the initial screen of the portable terminals 400 and 410 by the operation screen change function in the first embodiment. Referring to FIG. 10, FIG. 10A is a default initial screen before the change, and FIG. 10B is an initial screen after the change based on the priority.

  On the default screen, for example, an operation screen for a hot water supply function is displayed on the display unit. On the operation screen of the hot water supply function, the set temperature of hot water supplied from a curan such as a kitchen and operation buttons (soft switches) for changing the settings are displayed in the center area of the touch panels 405 and 415. As for the floor heating function and bathing function, only the display of the current set temperature can be monitored in the left and right areas of the touch panels 405 and 415. In addition, operation buttons for displaying the entire menu screen are displayed in the lower part of the display units 405 and 415.

  For example, when the priority for the floor heating function is set high based on the operation history shown in FIG. 7, the next operation application is activated as shown in FIG. 10B. The operation screen for floor heating is displayed as the initial screen. In the operation screen for floor heating, the current setting temperature of floor heating and the operation button for changing the setting temperature are displayed in the center area of the touch panels 405 and 415. On the other hand, regarding the hot water supply function and bathing function, only the current set temperature is displayed in the left and right areas of the touch panels 405 and 415. In addition, an operation button for switching to a reservation setting screen for floor heating and an operation button for starting floor heating are displayed in the lower part of the touch panels 405 and 415 together with operation buttons for menu screen display.

  When a default screen is always displayed as the initial screen, an operation for switching to a desired operation screen is required for each frequently used function. On the other hand, by displaying the operation screen for frequently used functions as an initial screen as in the present embodiment, the operation for switching to the operation screen for the frequently used function can be omitted when the remote operation application is activated. Therefore, user operability and convenience can be improved.

(Example 2)
In the first embodiment, the case where the entire screen to be displayed is changed according to the priority has been described. In the second embodiment, a case where the display area is changed according to the priority in the display unit of the mobile terminal will be described.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining display areas of the portable terminals 400 and 410 according to the second embodiment. In the second embodiment, three display areas 500 to 520 are set on the initial screen, and the state and operation supplies for each function are displayed in each display area.

  The three display areas 500 to 520 have different display areas, and the area of the display area 500 indicated by “A” is the same as that of the display areas 510 and 520 indicated by “B” and “C”. It is larger than the area. In the second embodiment, the function with the highest use frequency is displayed on the display area 500 having the wide display area, the function with the second highest use frequency is displayed on the display area 510, and the function with the third highest use frequency is displayed. Display in area 520.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a change in the initial screen of the portable terminals 400 and 410 by the operation screen changing function of the second embodiment. FIG. 12A is an example of a default initial screen before the change, and FIG. 12B is an example of an initial screen when the priority of the floor heating function is the highest. FIG. 12C shows an example of the initial screen when the bath function has the highest priority.

  In the default screen of FIG. 12A, the hot water supply function screen is displayed in the display area 500 having the largest area, the floor heating function is displayed in the display area 510, and the bath function screen is displayed in the display area 520. Has been. On the hot water supply function screen, the current hot water supply set temperature and operation buttons for changing the set temperature are displayed. On the floor heating function screen, a current set temperature, an operation button for changing the set temperature, and an operation button for starting heating are displayed. On the bathing function screen, a current set temperature for the hot water temperature in the bathtub and an operation button for starting an automatic hot water operation are displayed.

  In the initial screen when the priority of the floor heating function in FIG. 12B is the highest, a screen regarding the floor heating function is displayed in the display area 500, the hot water supply function is displayed in the display area 510, and the display area 520 is displayed. The bath screen is displayed. On the floor heating function screen in the display area 500, in addition to the display contents in FIG. 12A, a button for switching to the setting screen for timer reserved operation and floor heating are arranged in a plurality of areas (rooms). In this case, a selection button for an area to be used is displayed.

  In addition, in the initial screen when the priority of the bath function in FIG. 12C is the highest, a screen regarding the bath function is displayed in the display area 500, and the floor heating function and display area 520 are displayed in the display area 510. Has a hot water supply function screen. In the bathing function screen of the display area 500, in addition to the display content in FIG. 12 (a), a button for switching to the setting screen for the timer reserved operation and the water level setting screen in the bathtub when hot water is applied. A switch button is displayed.

  As described above, by displaying the screen for the frequently used function in a wide area in the display unit, the frequently used function can be easily operated. Further, in the wide area, operability of frequently used functions can be further improved by displaying more display items and operation supplies than in the case of being displayed in other areas.

Example 3
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the case has been described in which the operation screen displayed on the initial screen when the operation application is activated and the display position of the display part are changed according to the use frequency.

  In the third embodiment, an example will be described in which the display of the menu screen for selecting the operation screen of each function of the hot water device 100 is changed according to the use frequency.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the display area of the menu screen in the third embodiment. When the operation button for displaying the menu screen on the initial screen shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is operated, a plurality of icons (operations for selecting an operation screen for each function are displayed on the display unit of the mobile terminals 400 and 410. Button) is arranged. At this time, on the menu screen, icons for functions that are frequently used are displayed larger than icons for functions that are less frequently used. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, a large icon is displayed in the display area 550, a medium icon is displayed in the display area 551, and a small icon is displayed in the display area 552. Further, in each display area, icons are displayed from right to left and from top to bottom in order of frequency of use.

  Many icons are displayed on the menu screen. By changing the size and display position of the icons according to the frequency of use, it is possible to make it easier to select icons for frequently used functions. The operability can be improved.

  Note that the number of icons displayed on the menu screen and the size of the icons may be other than the example of FIG.

Example 4
When there are a large number of selectable icons on the menu screen, there may be a case where all icons cannot be displayed at once on the display unit. In such a case, it can be considered that the menu screen is composed of sub-screens divided into a plurality of layers at different levels, and icons are arranged on each sub-screen. At this time, if an icon of a frequently used function is arranged on a sub-screen of a lower hierarchy, a plurality of operations are required each time to search for the icon, and the operability for the user may be reduced.

  In the fourth embodiment, when the menu screen is composed of sub-screens of a plurality of hierarchies, the icon corresponding to the frequently used function is higher than the icon corresponding to the less frequently used function. Place on the sub screen of the hierarchy. This makes it easy to search for icons of frequently used functions on the menu screen, and can reduce the number of user operations until a desired icon is selected. Therefore, user operability can be improved.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the hierarchy of the menu screen in the fourth embodiment. In the example of FIG. 14, the menu screen includes a first menu screen 600 that is displayed first when an operation button on the menu screen is operated, and a second menu that can be further selected from the first menu screen 600. The screen is composed of a screen 610 to a fourth menu screen 630. That is, the first menu screen 600 corresponds to the upper hierarchy sub-screen, and the second menu screen 610 to the fourth menu screen 630 correspond to the lower hierarchy sub-screen. Each menu screen has a plurality of icons for selecting an operation screen for each function.

  At this time, the icons of the top six functions that are frequently used are arranged on the first menu screen 600 of the upper layer. The icons of functions that are less frequently used are arranged in any of the second menu screen 610 to the fourth menu screen 630 in the lower hierarchy according to the use frequency. By doing so, when the display of the menu screen is selected, the icon corresponding to the frequently used function is preferentially displayed, so that the icon can be easily searched. Therefore, user operability can be improved.

  In the fourth embodiment, the case of the menu screen in the mobile terminal has been described. However, when the remote controller has a menu screen divided into a plurality of layers, the same function as described above can be applied. is there.

(Example 5)
In Examples 1-4, the structure which changes the display mode in a portable terminal according to use frequency was demonstrated. In the fifth embodiment, an example of changing the display mode in the remote controllers 120 and 130 will be described.

  In general, the remote controllers 120 and 130 often display a monitoring screen for monitoring the state of the hot water device 100 while the hot water device 100 is being used. In this case, it is possible to start a specific function or set various parameters by selecting a predetermined operation screen from the menu screen and switching the display.

  In addition, depending on the remote controller, operation buttons for some functions are arranged on the monitoring screen, and the function can be selected without going through the menu screen. In the fifth embodiment, in a configuration in which operation buttons can be arranged on the monitoring screen, the operation buttons for the frequently used functions are assigned to the operation button area on the monitoring screen to improve the user operability.

  FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining an operation screen changing function for the remote controller according to the fifth embodiment. In FIG. 15, the kitchen remote controller 130 will be described as an example, but the same function can be applied to the bathroom remote controller 120.

  In FIG. 15, a state where a monitoring screen is displayed on the display unit 134 of the kitchen remote control 130 is shown. On the monitoring screen, three operation buttons 651 to 653 are arranged in a lower area 650. The control unit 131 of the kitchen remote control 130 changes the function assigned to the operation buttons 651 to 653 in accordance with the use frequency of each function in the kitchen remote control 130.

  For example, in the case where the operation history of the kitchen remote control 130 is as shown in FIG. 6, the operation button for the most frequently used floor heating is assigned to the operation button 651, and the second most frequently used bathing automatic operation is performed. The button is assigned to the operation button 652, and the operation button for setting the hot water supply temperature, which is the third most frequently used, is assigned to the operation button 653. As a result, the operation screen of the frequently used function can be directly selected from the monitoring screen without going through the menu screen.

  For example, floor heating is mainly used in winter, and is therefore assigned to a monitoring screen in winter when the frequency of use is high. On the other hand, since the use of floor heating is almost lost during the summer, other frequently used operation buttons are assigned to the monitoring screen instead of floor heating. Thereby, a user's operativity increases.

  As described above, by applying the operation screen change function in the present embodiment, the usage frequency of each function is determined based on the daily operation of the user, and the mobile terminal and / or the Alternatively, the display mode of the remote control is automatically changed. As a result, operation screens for frequently used functions or icons for selecting the operation screens are preferentially displayed, which makes it easier for the user to operate these functions and improves user operability. Can do.

  In the above description, the case where the detection means for detecting the usage frequency of each function in the portable terminals 400 and 410 and the remote controls 120 and 130 is the server 300 is described as an example. The detection means for detecting does not necessarily have to be provided in the server 300. For example, such a detection means may be provided in the water heater 110, the remote controllers 120 and 130, or the communication adapter 140.

  Moreover, in the example which changes the screen display of the portable terminals 400 and 410 shown in the first to fourth embodiments, the processing in step S230 (user change permission) in FIG. 9 may be omitted.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is shown not by the above description of the embodiments but by the scope of claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims.

  1 remote operation system, 10 communication network, 20 base station, 30 management center, 100 hot water equipment, 110 water heater, 111, 121, 131, 310 control unit, 112, 122, 132, 320 memory, 113, 123, 133 330 communication unit, 114 equipment, 115 sensor, 120, 130 remote controller, 124, 134 display unit, 125, 135 operation unit, 126, 136 communication line, 140 communication adapter, 141 communication path, 200 wireless router, 300 server, 400, 410 mobile terminal, 405, 415 touch panel, 500, 510, 520, 550-552, 650 area, 600-630 menu screen, 651, 652, 653 operation buttons.

Claims (16)

A hot water supply device including a water heater for supplying hot water to a hot water supply destination and an operation device for operating the water heater;
It is possible to wirelessly communicate with the hot water device, and includes a portable terminal configured to be able to remotely operate the water heater,
The portable terminal includes a first display unit for displaying an operation screen for the hot water device,
The mobile terminal is configured to change the display content of the operation screen of the hot water device based on information related to a user operation history in at least one of the operating device and the mobile terminal. system. An operation application for operating the hot water device is installed in the portable terminal,
The said portable terminal is a remote operation system of the hot water apparatus of Claim 1 which changes the display content when starting the said application for operation according to the usage frequency for every function of the said water heater by user operation. In the portable terminal, an operation screen is set for each function of the water heater,
The remote operation system for hot water equipment according to claim 2, wherein the portable terminal displays an operation screen for a function having the highest use frequency on the first display unit when the operation application is activated. The mobile terminal is set with an operation screen capable of displaying operation supplies for a plurality of functions of the water heater,
The said portable terminal changes the display position of the said operation article in the screen for operation according to the usage frequency for every function of the said water heater by user operation, when the said application for operation is started. Remote control system for hot water equipment. The portable terminal is set with a menu screen on which selection buttons for selecting an operation screen for each function of the water heater are arranged,
The said portable terminal changes the display mode of the said selection button in the said menu screen according to the usage frequency for every function of the said water heater by user operation, when the said menu screen is displayed. Remote operation system for hot water equipment.   The remote control system for hot water equipment according to claim 5, wherein the portable terminal displays a selection button for a frequently used function larger than a selection button for a low usage frequency on the menu screen.   The remote control system for hot water equipment according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the portable terminal arranges selection buttons in order of functions used frequently on the menu screen. The menu screen has a plurality of sub-screens assigned to different levels of hierarchy,
The remote control of a hot water apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the portable terminal arranges a selection button for a frequently used function on a sub-screen in a higher hierarchy than a selection button for a low usage frequency. Operation system. The remote operation system detects the use frequency for each function of the water heater based on the information about the user operation history in the operation device, and the priority information according to the use frequency for each function of the water heater Further comprising detection means configured to transmit to the mobile terminal;
The said portable terminal changes the display content about the operation screen of the said hot water apparatus based on the said priority information from the said detection means, The remote of the hot water apparatus of any one of Claims 1-8 Operation system.   The remote operation system of the hot water device according to claim 9, further comprising a server configured to be able to communicate with the hot water device and the portable terminal and including the detecting means. The hot water device includes a communication adapter for communicating with the mobile terminal,
The remote operation system for hot water equipment according to claim 9, wherein the detection means is included in any of the water heater, the operation equipment, or the communication adapter.   The remote operation system for hot water equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the operating device includes a first remote controller installed in a bathroom and a second remote controller installed outside the bathroom. A server configured to be able to communicate with the hot water device and the portable terminal;
The remote operation system for hot water equipment according to claim 2, wherein the operation application can be downloaded from the server to the portable terminal. The operating device includes an operation unit, a second display unit, and a control unit,
The hot water device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit changes a display content of the second display unit when the operation device is activated according to a use frequency for each function of the water heater in the operation unit. Remote control system.   The remote operation system for a hot water device according to claim 1, wherein the portable terminal changes the display content of the operation screen for the hot water device when a change permission is received from a user. A program for remotely operating a hot water device with a portable terminal,
The hot water device includes a water heater for supplying hot water to a hot water supply destination and an operating device for operating the water heater,
The mobile terminal is configured to wirelessly communicate with the hot water device and to display an operation screen of the hot water device,
The program is stored in a processor installed in the mobile terminal.
Obtaining information on the use frequency for each function of the water heater in at least one of the operating device and the portable terminal;
Displaying an operation screen of the hot water device on the portable terminal;
The program which performs the step which changes the display content of the operation screen of the said hot water apparatus according to the said usage frequency.

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