Abstract: Network connectable household electric appliances in general home, such as refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, air conditioners and lighting fixtures and a workstation of a service center are connected to permit communication therebetween. The workstation transmits a password and a running information request signal to a household electric appliance at intervals of a constant period, reads the running information stored in the household electric appliance and compares the running information with a reference value stored in appliance data so as to perform periodic inspection of the appliance. Not only in case a fault or abnormality occurs but also in case no fault or abnormality is detected, the result of inspection is informed to the user.

Abstract: Network connectable household electric appliances in general home, such as refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, air conditioners and lighting fixtures and a workstation of a service center are connected to permit communication therebetween. The workstation transmits a password and a running information request signal to a household electric appliance at intervals of a constant period, reads the running information stored in the household electric appliance and compares the running information with a reference value stored in appliance data so as to perform periodic inspection of the appliance. Not only in case a fault or abnormality occurs but also in case no fault or abnormality is detected, the result of inspection is informed to the user.