Remote maintenance server, total maintenance system including the remote maintenance server and method thereof

A maintenance system for remotely maintaining at least one maintenance point provided with an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units performing air conditioning and at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units to drive the indoor units, the system comprising:

• a local controller at the least one maintenance point for executing a control command that sets at least one of the operation rate, the temperature and the compression capacity;
• a power meter for collecting power consumption information from the air conditioner at the least one maintenance point;
• and
• a display unit configured to display a maintenance screen for maintaining the at least one maintenance point;
• and
• a remote maintenance server including:
• a remote controller configured to control at least one of an operation rate for the plurality of indoor units, a set temperature for the maintenance point, and a compression capacity for a compressor contained in the outdoor unit with a control command, and control the display unit to display control information, which is information associated with at least one of a control status and a control result for the control setting value, for one of the operation rate, the temperature and the compression in a first region on the maintenance screen, and
• a communication unit, wherein the communication unit receives a demand response control (DR) request for the at least one maintenance point from a power maintenance system over a wired or wireless network,
• wherein the remote controller activates a DR control mode when the DR control request is received, and generates the control command to adjust the set temperature for at least one maintenance point based on a DR control rate when the DR control mode is activated,
• wherein the DR control mode is activated during a DR time period, and
• wherein the remote controller calculates a predicted amount of power consumption corresponding to the at least one maintenance point during the DR time period, and multiplies an amount of power consumption consumed by the at least one maintenance point from a time point at which the DR control mode is activated to a specific previous time point with the DR control rate to calculate an amount of DR power, and calculates an alternate operation rate based on the predicted amount of power consumption and the amount of DR power.

A remote maintenance method by a remote maintenance server for remotely maintaining at least one maintenance point provided with an air conditioner having a plurality of indoor units performing air conditioning and at least one outdoor unit connected to the indoor units to drive the indoor units, the method comprising:

• a local controller at the least one maintenance point for executing a control command that sets at least one of the operation rate, the temperature and the compression capacity;
• collecting power consumption information from a power meter at the air conditioner at the least one maintenance point in a remote maintenance server;
• display control information, which is information associated with at least one of a control status and a control result for the control setting value, for one of the operation rate, the temperature and the compression in the remote maintenance server;
• generating a control command for setting at least one of the operation rate, the temperature and the compression capacity in the remoter maintenance server;
• transmitting the control command to a local controller at the at least one maintenance point;
• and
• executing the control command at the local controller by setting the at least one of the operation rate, the temperature and the compression capacity,
• wherein the remote maintenance server further comprises:
• a communication unit, wherein the communication unit receives a demand response control (DR) request for the at least one maintenance point from a power maintenance system over a wired or wireless network,
• wherein the remote controller activates a DR control mode when the DR control request is received, and generates the control command to adjust the set temperature for at least one maintenance point based on a DR control rate when the DR control mode is activated,
• wherein the DR control mode is activated during a DR time period, and
• wherein the remote controller calculates a predicted amount of power consumption corresponding to the at least one maintenance point during the DR time period, and multiplies an amount of power consumption consumed by the at least one maintenance point from a time point at which the DR control mode is activated to a specific previous time point with the DR control rate to calculate an amount of DR power, and calculates an alternate operation rate based on the predicted amount of power consumption and the amount of DR power.