Air-conditioner control system, information processing apparatus and air-conditioner control method

Abstract

An air-conditioner control system includes a control unit configured to control an air conditioner. In this air-conditioner control system, the control unit is configured to perform a refrigerant leakage prediction based on first refrigerant detection control for the air conditioner every predetermined period, and the control unit is configured to execute second refrigerant detection control when a result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the first refrigerant detection control indicates that there is a possibility of a refrigerant leakage, the second refrigerant detection control including performing a refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner while running the air conditioner in a refrigerant leakage detection mode.

1 . An air-conditioner control system comprising a control unit configured to control an air conditioner,
 wherein the control unit is configured to perform a refrigerant leakage prediction based on first refrigerant detection control for the air conditioner every predetermined period, and   wherein the control unit is configured to execute second refrigerant detection control when a result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the first refrigerant detection control indicates a possibility of a refrigerant leakage, the second refrigerant detection control including performing a refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner while running the air conditioner in a refrigerant leakage detection mode.   
     
     
         2 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first refrigerant detection control includes predicting the refrigerant leakage based on a pressure of a refrigerant while the air conditioner is not running. 
     
     
         3 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control includes performing the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner based on a state of a refrigerant for the air conditioner while the air conditioner is running under a load that is greater than or equal to a predetermined load. 
     
     
         4 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control includes performing the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner based on a state of a refrigerant for the air conditioner while the air conditioner is running under a load that is 70% or more of a capacity of the air conditioner. 
     
     
         5 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control includes performing the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner based on the state of the refrigerant for the air conditioner after the refrigerant for the air conditioner becomes stable upon running the air conditioner under the load for a predetermined time period or longer. 
     
     
         6 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 3 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control includes performing the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner by using a number of items greater than a number of items used in the refrigerant leakage prediction that is performed based on the first refrigerant detection control. 
     
     
         7 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first refrigerant detection control is performed such that the refrigerant leakage prediction is performed by running an outer unit of the air conditioner and not running an inner unit of the air conditioner. 
     
     
         8 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first refrigerant detection control is executed such that the refrigerant leakage prediction is performed based on a state of a refrigerant for the air conditioner observed after running the air conditioner under a load for a predetermined number of minutes. 
     
     
         9 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control is executed such that the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner is performed based on a state of a refrigerant for the air conditioner while running the air-conditioner under a load of 70% or more. 
     
     
         10 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control is executed such that the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner is performed based on the state of the refrigerant for the air conditioner observed after the refrigerant for the air conditioner becomes stable upon running the air conditioner under the load for a predetermined time period or longer. 
     
     
         11 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 9 , wherein the second refrigerant detection control includes performing the refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner by using a number of items greater than a number of items used in the refrigerant leakage prediction that is performed based on the first refrigerant detection control. 
     
     
         12 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 7 , wherein the first refrigerant detection control includes performing the refrigerant leakage detection by running an outer unit of the air conditioner in a middle of night. 
     
     
         13 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether or not the second refrigerant detection control for the air conditioner needs to be executed, and to execute control for asking a user about execution of the second refrigerant detection control when the control unit determines that the second refrigerant detection control needs to be executed. 
     
     
         14 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to execute control such that the air conditioner performs the first refrigerant detection control, and such that the result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the first refrigerant detection control is transmitted to a server device. 
     
     
         15 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined period is one day. 
     
     
         16 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to execute control such that, when a result of the second refrigerant detection control indicates that the refrigerant is leaking, an indication of the refrigerant leakage or a suggestion for an inspection of the air conditioner is sent to a predetermined destination. 
     
     
         17 . The air-conditioner control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to execute control such that, when an event consecutively occurs in which the result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the first refrigerant detection control indicates that the refrigerant is leaking and a result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the second refrigerant detection control indicates that the refrigerant is not leaking, a suggestion for an inspection of the air conditioner is sent to a predetermined destination. 
     
     
         18 . An information processing apparatus comprising a control unit configured to control an air conditioner,
 wherein the control unit is configured to perform a refrigerant leakage prediction based on first refrigerant detection control for the air conditioner every predetermined period, and   wherein the control unit is configured to execute second refrigerant detection control when a result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the first refrigerant detection control indicates that there is a possibility of a refrigerant leakage, the second refrigerant detection control including performing a refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner while running the air conditioner in a refrigerant leakage detection mode.   
     
     
         19 . An air-conditioner control method to be executed by a control unit included in an air-conditioner control system, the control unit being configured to control an air conditioner, the method comprising:
 performing a refrigerant leakage prediction based on first refrigerant detection control for the air conditioner every predetermined period, and   executing second refrigerant detection control when a result of the refrigerant leakage prediction based on the first refrigerant detection control indicates that there is a possibility of a refrigerant leakage, the second refrigerant detection control including performing a refrigerant leakage detection for the air conditioner while running the air conditioner in a refrigerant leakage detection mode.