Noritz Corporation

Yasunori Imi

Naoki Tawada

Takahito Hashimoto

Takahiro Maeda

Daisuke Hirota

Takeshi Sugie

A hot water supply device () is provided with: a first device (for example, a kitchen remote controller ()) for performing control relating to hot water supply; a second device (for example, a water heater ()) that is communicably connected to the first device and performs control relating to hot water supply; and a communication unit that is provided in the first device and can be connected to an external communication network. The first device divides data of control software of the second device acquired from an external device (for example, a server ()) via the communication unit, into a plurality of parts, and transmits to the second device.

Hot water supply device and hot water supply system

When a process of writing an update program distributed from a management center ends normally during a program update process, a communication adapter executes a restart process by the update program, while retaining a program executed before the program update process. A process of verifying communication between the communication adapter and the management center is automatically executed in a state in which the update program is in execution. When the communication is normal, the program update process is ended.

Communication adapter and program update method for communication adapter

A relay device and a hot water supply device are provided. A communication adapter downloads an update program for software update of the constituent devices of a hot water supply system from a management center via a communication network (the Internet). The downloaded update program is stored in a storage part in the communication adapter. When there is more than one software update target device, the communication adapter sequentially selects one of the target devices and sequentially transmits the update program stored in the storage part to the devices one by one via a communication line.

Relay device and hot water supply device

To curb deterioration of user convenience due to software update of a water warmer in a communication system between a management server and the water warmer through a relay device. A communication adaptor executes first communication for inquiring of the water warmer whether or not software update accompanying writing of an update program is capable of being started. The water warmer gives a notification for obtaining a user's consent to occurrence of an unavailable period of the water warmer due to the software update in response to the first communication, and executes second communication on the communication adaptor in a case in which the user's consent is obtained with respect to the notification. The communication adaptor transmits the update program received from a server to the water warmer in response to the second communication, and the water warmer executes the software update using the received update program.

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Kakogawa, Japan

Yasunori Imi