JP2022139816A - Sensor, communication terminal, method for controlling sensor, and control program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a sensor that allows a user to know the operational state and the communication state of the sensor by visually confirming a light emitting unit.SOLUTION: A sensor (10) includes: a sensing unit (11) for detecting or measuring the state of the outside; a communication unit (12) for wirelessly communicating with an external smartphone (20); a light emitting unit (14); and a light emission control unit (13) for controlling the light emission of the light emission unit. The light emission control unit controls the light emission unit according to the operational state of the sensing unit and also controls the light emission unit according to the communication state of the communication unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for identifying a sensor that communicates with a communication terminal among a plurality of sensors.

FA (Factory Automation) is progressing in production sites such as factories, and many sensors are used in work sites and production equipment. In recent years, in order to reduce the floor area, there has been a demand for downsizing of production equipment, and sensors themselves have also been downsizing.

There are many sensors that need to set parameters, and a display unit such as a 7-segment LED (Light Emitting Diode), liquid crystal, or organic EL, an input unit such as a switch used for display switching and setting input, Due to the existence of , there was a limit to miniaturization of the sensor itself naturally.

Therefore, due to the recent IoT (Internet Of Things), sensors are increasingly equipped with communication functions. In particular, sensors compatible with wireless communication standards have been introduced instead of conventional wired communication functions such as field networks or serial communication.

In particular, in a sensor compatible with wireless communication standards, parameters can be set by wireless communication, so the above-mentioned input unit and display unit are removed, and wiring for communication is not required, so the size of the sensor can be reduced. can be done.

Here, since a large number of sensors are often used simultaneously in production equipment, if a large number of sensors are compatible with wireless communication standards, it becomes unclear which sensor is communicating with, making sensor adjustment difficult. There is a problem of difficulty. On the other hand, Patent Literature 1, which will be described later, discloses a technique in which both a measuring device and an information terminal emit light in a predetermined pattern perceivable by humans at the same time. Accordingly, it is possible to perform device registration after easily confirming whether or not the device that the user intends to register matches the device that is the target of device registration in the information terminal.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020-160620

Industrial sensors are generally equipped with indicator lights that indicate normality/abnormality of measured values, and it is desirable to be able to determine this state even during operation. The technology described in Patent Document 1 above does not take into consideration display related to this state determination.

Accordingly, it is an object of one embodiment of the present invention to provide a sensor that allows a user to recognize the operating state and communication state of the sensor only by visually recognizing the light-emitting portion.

In order to solve the above problems, a sensor according to an aspect of the present invention includes a sensing unit that detects or measures the state of a target, a communication unit that performs wireless communication with an external communication terminal, a state notification light emitting unit, and a light emission control unit for controlling light emission of the state notification light emitting unit, wherein the light emission control unit controls the state notification light emitting unit according to the operating state of the sensing unit, and the communication state of the communication unit. Accordingly, the state notification light emitting unit is controlled.

According to the above configuration, the state in which the operating state and the communication state are put together can be expressed by controlling the state notification light emitting section by the light emission control section. Therefore, the user can recognize the operating state and communication state of the sensor only by visually recognizing the state notification light emitting unit.

The light emission control section may change the light emission of the state notification light emission section according to the external communication terminal with which communication has been established.

According to the above configuration, by controlling the state notification light emitting unit by the light emission control unit, it is possible to not only notify the user of the communication state but also clearly display which user is communicating with the sensor. Therefore, even in a situation where a plurality of users are working, it is possible to prevent users from picking up the wrong sensor to work on.

The state notification light emitting unit may include a plurality of indicator lights, and the light emission control unit may control a certain indicator light according to the operating state and control other indicator lights according to the communication state. .

According to the above configuration, the operating state and the communication state can also be displayed by providing respective indicator lamps. Therefore, since the operating state and the communication state can be displayed at the same time, each state can be expressed without impairing the real-time performance of the sensor.

The state notification light emitting unit includes a plurality of indicator lights, the sensing unit acquires a first measured value and a second measured value, and the light emission control unit responds to the operating state related to the first measured value. controlling the light emission color or light intensity of a certain indicator lamp, controlling the light emission color or light intensity of other indicator lamps according to the operating state related to the second measurement value, and controlling the light emission state time of each light emission state according to the communication state You may change a change pattern.

According to the above configuration, when the sensor can acquire a plurality of measured values, it is possible to notify the user of each operating state and communication state.

The state notification light emitting section may include a single indicator light, and the light emission control section may change the light emission color and the light emission state of the single indicator light.

According to the above configuration, as the control of the status notification light emitting part by the light emission control part, the operating state and the communication state of the sensor can be expressed by changing the light emission color of the indicator lamp and the time-varying pattern of the light emission state. can. Therefore, various states can be represented within the limited state of light emission from a single indicator lamp.

The light emission control section may control at least one of a blinking time change pattern and a light emission color time change pattern as the light emission state time change pattern.

According to the above configuration, both the time change of blinking and the time change of emission color can be applied as the time change pattern of the light emitting state. Therefore, in addition to the expression by repeating lighting and extinguishing such as general blinking, it is possible to include lighting patterns with a plurality of luminescent colors in the time change pattern of the luminous state, and to define a large number of states.

The light emission control unit may change a light emission color according to the operating state, and may change a time change pattern of the light emission state according to the communication state.

According to the above configuration, as one method of expressing the operating state and the communication state, it is possible to express the operating state with a luminescent color and express the communication state with a time-varying pattern of the luminescent state. Therefore, simply by checking a single indicator light, it is possible to uniquely identify the operating state and communication state of the sensor, making it easy for the user to make adjustments. , the effect of cost reduction can be expected.

The light emission control unit may change a light emission color according to the communication state, and may change a time change pattern of the light emission state according to the operation state.

According to the above configuration, as one method of expressing the operating state and the communication state, it is possible to express the communication state with a luminescent color, and express the operating state with a time-varying pattern of the luminescent state. Therefore, simply by checking a single indicator light, it is possible to uniquely identify the operating state and communication state of the sensor, making it easy for the user to make adjustments. , the effect of cost reduction can be expected.

The communication terminal may include a display control section that displays a time-varying pattern of the light emission state of the state notification light emission section of the sensor during communication.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to prevent the wrong sensor from being picked up by checking the temporal change pattern of the light emission state displayed on the communication terminal.

The communication terminal may include a camera, and a state determination section that recognizes the light emitting state of the state notification light emitting section by the camera and determines whether or not the sensor is communicating with the communication terminal. .

According to the above configuration, the camera of the communication terminal captures the status notification light-emitting portion of the sensor as a moving image, and the communication terminal recognizes the time-varying pattern of the light emission state of the sensor, thereby preventing misidentification of the sensor. can be done.

A method of controlling a sensor according to another aspect of the present invention is a method of controlling a sensor including a state notification light emitting unit, comprising a sensing step of detecting or measuring an external state, and performing wireless communication with an external communication terminal. and a light emission control step of controlling light emission of the state notification light emitting unit, wherein the light emission control step changes the light emission state of the state notification light emitting unit according to the operating state obtained by the sensing step, The light emission state of the state notification light emitting unit is changed according to the communication state obtained by the communication step.

The communication terminal according to each aspect of the present invention may be realized by a computer. In this case, the communication terminal is realized by the computer by operating the computer as each part (software element) included in the communication terminal. A display control program for a communication terminal and a computer-readable recording medium recording it are also included in the scope of the present invention.

According to one aspect of the present invention, in a work site provided with a plurality of sensors, a sensor communicating with a communication terminal can be identified and adjusted from among the plurality of sensors.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of main parts of the sensor system; 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a main part of an information processing system; FIG. 5 is a table showing a first time-varying pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a table showing a second time-varying pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to the first embodiment. 4 is a table showing a third time-varying pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a sensor adjustment procedure in the sensor system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a situation in which sensors are adjusted in the sensor system according to Embodiment 1; 9 is a flowchart showing a sensor adjustment procedure in a sensor system according to a modification; FIG. 11 is a table showing a fourth time-varying pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to the second embodiment; FIG. 14 is a table showing a fifth time change pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to Embodiment 3. FIG. 14 is a table showing emission colors of a plurality of indicator lamps according to Embodiment 4. FIG.

[Embodiment 1]
Hereinafter, an embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as "this embodiment") according to one aspect of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. The same or corresponding parts in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

§1. APPLICATION EXAMPLE FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main part of the information processing system 100. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2 , the information processing system 100 includes a management device 40 , a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) 41 , an input unit 42 , a sensor 10 and a smart phone (communication terminal) 20 .

As shown in FIG. 2, even when a plurality of users with a plurality of sensors 10 and smartphones 20 are working at the same work site, it is necessary to prevent the user from taking the wrong sensor 10 as a work target.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of essential parts of the sensor system 1. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1 , the sensor system 1 is a system in which a single sensor 10 and a smart phone 20 communicate via Bluetooth 30 .

For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 1, a sensor 10 provided with a light-emitting section (state notification light-emitting section) 14 having a single indicator lamp is designed to detect a time-varying pattern of light emission state representing the operating state and communication state of the sensor. By preparing a plurality of sensors and checking a single indicator lamp, it is possible to determine whether or not the sensor is an object.

§2. Configuration example (configuration of information processing system)
The management device 40 is a device that centrally manages the information processing system 100 that is configured by a PC (Personal Computer) or the like.

The PLC 41 is a control device connected to the management device 40 via Ethernet (registered trademark) 50 , and a plurality of PLCs 41 may be connected to one management device 40 . The Ethernet 50 is not limited to Ethernet, and may be any communication standard that allows connection between an arbitrary management device 40 and the PLC 41 and the input unit 42 .

The input unit 42 is an I/O (Input/Output) unit that is bus-connected 51 to the PLC 41 , and a plurality of input units 42 may be connected to one PLC 41 . The bus connection 51 connects the PLC and the I/O units, which are not limited to bus connections, but any field network such as DeviceNet®, EtherCAT®, and Ethernet/IP®. Any communication standard may be used.

The sensor 10 is a sensor (or device) connected to the input unit 42 via the field network 52 , and multiple sensors 10 may be connected to one input unit 42 . The field network 52 is not limited to a field network, and may be wired wiring. Through communication, the sensor 10 can edit internal parameters and adjust its behavior as a sensor.

The smartphone 20 is a communication terminal possessed by a user who manages the information processing system 100 , and the information processing system 100 may be provided with a plurality of smartphones 20 . The smartphone 20 can communicate with any sensor 10 by wireless communication using Bluetooth (registered trademark) 30 . Bluetooth 30 is not limited to Bluetooth, and may be any wireless communication standard, such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and Zigbee (registered trademark).

Among these systems, a sensor system 1 is a part of the information processing system 100 configured by the sensor 10 and the smart phone 20 of the information processing system 100 .

(Failure Occurring in Sensor System 1 in Information Processing System 100)
Assume that pairing is required for communication between the sensor 10 and the smartphone 20 . In a work site where a large number of sensors 10 and a large number of smartphones 20 are present as shown in FIG. There is also the possibility of pairing with another sensor. In particular, when the smartphone 20 has been paired with another sensor 10 in the past and the history remains, or when a plurality of unique IDs identifying the sensor 10 exist in the same work site. For this reason, erroneous connection is likely to occur.

For example, suppose a work site has a line consisting of two identical groups of equipment, and there are two users at the work site. When the first user tries to communicate with the first sensor 10 mounted on a certain device on the first line with a certain smartphone 20, the first user mistakenly 2 sensors 10 may be erroneously established. Conversely, when trying to communicate with another smartphone 20 with the second sensor 10 mounted on a device on the second line, the first sensor mounted on a device on the first line is mistakenly 10 by mistake.

A method for realizing a configuration in which the user can confirm the communication destination at the start of communication in response to such a situation will be described below.

(Structure of sensor system 1)
The sensor 10 includes a sensing section 11 , a communication section 12 , a light emission control section 13 and a light emission section 14 . The smartphone 20 includes a display control section 21 , a camera 22 and a state determination section 23 .

(Structure of sensor 10)
The sensing unit 11 is a functional block for the sensor 10 to measure physical quantities or detect objects. The sensing unit 11 outputs the measured physical quantity or the operating state indicating the presence or absence of the detected object to the light emission control unit 13 . The sensing unit 11 also stores parameters for adjusting the behavior of the sensor 10 and has a function of changing the parameters according to commands from the communication unit 12 . The operating state has two values of normal and abnormal, and is classified by parameters.

The communication unit 12 has a function of communicating with an external communication terminal such as the smart phone 20 . Also, the communication unit 12 has a function of outputting an instruction issued from an external communication terminal to the sensing unit. Further, the communication unit 12 outputs to the light emission control unit 13 a communication state indicating whether or not communication with an external communication terminal is established. The communication state has two values: normal when communication is not established, and when communication is established. Further, when communication is established, information for identifying an external communication terminal with which communication is established is also output to the light emission control section 13 .

When the sensor 10 communicates with Bluetooth, the communication unit 12 performs a pairing operation in response to a communication request from the smartphone 20 in order to establish communication. Here, the smartphone 20 selects the pairing partner sensor 10 by the ID unique to the sensor 10 and transmits a communication request. Further, the communication unit 12 may perform the pairing operation by input of a switch provided in the sensor 10 , input of the external I/O of the sensor 10 , or a command from the PLC 41 to the sensor 10 .

The light emission control unit 13 controls lighting of a single indicator lamp provided in the light emission unit 14 in consideration of the input operation state and communication state. The single indicator light on the light emitting section 14 is a full color LED. The light emission control unit 13 controls the time change pattern of the light emission color and the light emission state of the indicator light of the light emission unit 14 so that the state of the sensor 10 can be identified. Here, the light-emitting unit 14 is not limited to a full-color LED, and may be any indicator lamp that emits light of at least one color. In this case, the configuration of the light emitting unit 14 can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced.

(Configuration of smart phone 20)
The display control unit 21 is a functional block that controls the display screen displayed on the display provided in the smartphone 20 . In addition, the display control unit 21 displays the time change pattern of the light emission color and the light emission state for identifying the sensor 10 with which the smartphone 20 has established communication. The display control unit 21 outputs the time change pattern of the luminescent color and the luminescent state to the state determination unit 23 .

A camera 22 is a camera provided in the smartphone 20 . A camera 22 captures an image of the light emitting section 14 of the sensor 10 . The camera 22 also outputs the captured moving image to the state determination unit 23 .

The state determination unit 23 collates the moving image captured by the camera 22 with the time change pattern of the luminescent color and the luminescent state input from the display control unit 21, and determines whether the sensor 10 is the target sensor 10. judge.

At this time, the display control unit 21 may display only whether or not the sensor 10 is the target sensor. Further, the display control unit 21 may display the time-change pattern of the luminescence color and luminescence state that the target sensor would originally emit.

§3. Operation Example Before explaining the operation example of the sensor system 1, three behaviors of the light emission control unit 13 in each operation state and communication state will be described.

(First time change pattern)
FIG. 3 is a table showing a first temporal change pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to the first embodiment. The table shown in FIG. 3 is a table in which the horizontal axis represents the operating state and the vertical axis represents the communication state.

For example, assume that the lighting color of a single indicator light is green and red for normal and abnormal operating states, respectively. The communication state is represented by the blinking of a single indicator lamp. Normally, the indicator lamp remains lit without being extinguished.

Specifically, when the normal state is normal, the green light is turned on without turning off the light, and when the normal state is abnormal, the red light is turned on without turning off the light. On the other hand, when communication is established and normal, the LED blinks green every second, and when communication is established and abnormal, the LED blinks red every second. Although FIG. 3 shows an example in which the period of blinking is constant, the present invention is not limited to this, and the timing of blinking may change periodically like Morse code.

With the first time change pattern, the operating state and communication state can be clearly discriminated. In addition, since the emitted colors are limited to two colors, there is an advantage that the operating state can be easily understood.

(Second time change pattern)
FIG. 4 is a table showing second time-varying patterns of emission colors and emission states of indicator lamps according to the first embodiment. The table shown in FIG. 4 is a table in which the horizontal axis represents the operating state and the vertical axis represents the communication state and communication target.

For example, assume that the lighting color of a single indicator light is green and red for normal and abnormal operating states, respectively. The communication state is represented by the blinking of a single indicator lamp. Normally, the indicator lamp remains lit without being extinguished. By changing the blinking interval for each communication target, the communication target can be identified.

Specifically, when the normal state is normal, the green light is turned on without turning off the light, and when the normal state is abnormal, the red light is turned on without turning off the light. On the other hand, if there are two users, the green blinks every second when communication is established with user A, and the red blinks every second when communication with user A is abnormal. Flashes. When communication is established with user B and is normal, the LED blinks green every two seconds, and when communication with user B is abnormal when communication is established, red blinks every two seconds. Although FIG. 4 shows an example in which the period of blinking is constant, the present invention is not limited to this, and the timing of blinking may change periodically like Morse code, for example.

With the second time change pattern, the operating state, communication state, and communication target can be clearly determined. In particular, the communication target can be clearly identified by varying the time-varying pattern of blinking of the light emitting unit 14 . In addition, since the emitted colors are limited to two colors, there is an advantage that the operating state can be easily understood. In addition to the communication state, it is also possible to determine the communication target.

(Third time change pattern)
FIG. 5 is a table showing a third time-varying pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of the indicator lamp according to the first embodiment. The table shown in FIG. 5 is a table in which the horizontal axis represents the operating state and the vertical axis represents the communication state and communication target.

For example, assume that the lighting color of a single indicator light is green and red for normal and abnormal operating states, respectively. The communication status is indicated by a change in the color of the light emitted from the indicator light. Normally, the color of the light does not change and it continues to light in the color of the operating state. , repeats lighting in a unique emission color that indicates the communication target. The emission color unique to each communication target is associated with each color, for example, blue for user A, orange for user B, and the like.

As a specific example, a case will be described in which the peculiar luminescent colors of user A and user B are blue and orange, respectively. When normal and normal, the green light is turned on without turning off the light, and when the normal time is abnormal, the red light is turned on without turning off the light. When communication is established with user A and normal, green and blue are alternately lit, and when communication is established with user A and abnormal, red and blue are alternately lit. When communication is established with user B and normal, green and orange are alternately lit, and when communication is established with user B and abnormal, red and orange are alternately lit.

In the third time change pattern, the operating state, communication state, and communication target can be clearly determined. In particular, the communication target can be clearly identified by varying the time-varying pattern of the light emitting state of the light emitting unit 14 . Moreover, since a large number of luminescent colors can be provided, a large number of users can work at the same work site.

(Adjustment of sensor 10 in sensor system 1)
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the procedure for adjusting the sensor 10 in the sensor system 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a situation in which the sensor 10 is adjusted in the sensor system 1 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, a procedure for capturing an image of the light emitting unit 14 of the sensor 10 with the camera 22 of the smartphone 20 and searching for the corresponding sensor 10 from among a plurality of sensors will be described.

In S<b>11 , the communication unit 12 in the sensor 10 performs pairing with the smartphone 20 . For pairing, the communication unit 12 requires an input from a switch provided on the sensor 10 , an input from the external I/O of the sensor 10 , or a command from the PLC 41 to the sensor 10 . The communication unit 12 may always wait for communication without being limited to these inputs. When the sensor 10 completes preparation for pairing, the smartphone 20 becomes able to detect the sensor 10 and starts wireless communication with the sensor 10 . At this time, it is also possible to select a sensor to communicate with on the smartphone 20 side.

At this time, the smartphone 20 is not limited to pairing with a single sensor 30 . That is, the smartphone 20 may select multiple sensors 30 and perform pairing with the multiple sensors 30 at the same time.

In S<b>12 , the communication unit 12 performs pairing and outputs a communication state indicating when communication is established to the light emission control unit 13 . At this time, information for identifying the communication target may also be output. As a result, the light emission control unit 13 causes the light emission unit 14 to emit light in the light emission state when communication is established. Also, at this time, the display control unit 21 outputs the time change pattern of the light emission state of the sensor 10 corresponding to the state determination unit 23 .

In S<b>13 , the camera 22 of the smartphone 20 captures an image of the light emitting unit 14 of the sensor 10 .

In S<b>14 , the state determination unit 23 compares the input moving image, which is the imaging result of the camera 22 , with the time change pattern of the light emission state. If the collation results do not match, the process proceeds to S15, and if the collation results match, the process proceeds to S16.

In S<b>15 , it is found that the sensor 10 being imaged by the camera 22 is not the corresponding sensor 10 , so the target is changed to another sensor 10 . The steps from S13 to S15 are repeated until the corresponding sensor appears. If no corresponding sensor is found, the collation process is stopped after executing the prescribed repetition process.

In S16, the display control unit 21 displays a screen as shown in FIG. On this screen, model information, sensing values, and operating states, which are specific information of the sensor 10 that matches the matching result, are displayed. The model information includes a model and a sensor name (sensor type), and may also include a serial number. Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the screen includes "parameter change" for changing the parameter of the sensor 10, "history check" for checking the history of the parameter of the sensor 10, and "pairing end" for ending the pairing. It is a screen that allows you to select

The user changes the parameters of the sensor 10 using the smartphone 20 while checking the status of the light emitting unit 14 of the sensor 10 . At this time, when there is a parameter change input, the communication unit 12 notifies the sensing unit 11 of the parameter and changes the parameter of the sensing unit 11 .

In S<b>17 , the smartphone 20 terminates pairing.

In S<b>18 , the communication unit 12 terminates the pairing and outputs the communication state indicating the normal state to the light emission control unit 13 . As a result, the light emission control unit 13 causes the light emission unit 14 to emit light in the normal light emission state.

§4. Actions/Effects A user can be notified of the operating state, communication state, and communication target information of the sensor 10 by the time-change pattern of the light emission color and light emission state of the single indicator light of the light emitting unit 14 . In other words, the state of the sensor 10 can be clearly recognized by changing the color of the emitted light according to the operating state and changing the time-varying pattern of the light emitting state according to the communication state.

The time-varying pattern of the light-emitting state can be configured by at least one of the time-varying blinking and the time-varying color of the emitted light, increasing the types of information that can be expressed by a single indicator lamp.

By capturing an image of the notification to the user with the camera 22 of the smartphone 20, the user can recognize the target sensor and can prevent the sensor 10 from being mistakenly taken.

Since the operating state and communication state can be sufficiently notified with only a single indicator lamp, the size of the light emitting unit 14 can be reduced, and as a result, the size of the sensor 10 can be reduced.

[Modification 1]
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the adjustment procedure of the sensor 10 in the sensor system 1 according to the modification. In FIG. 8, the process changes from S13 to S15 in FIG. 6, and the process of S21 is performed.

In S21, the display control unit 21 displays the time change pattern of the light emitting state of the light emitting unit 14 on the display as shown in FIG. The user confirms the time change pattern of the displayed light emission state and identifies the corresponding sensor.

By displaying information indicating the sensor 10 to be communicated with on the smartphone 20 during communication, the user can be prevented from picking up the wrong sensor.

[Modification 2]
In the first embodiment, the sensor 10 performs wireless communication with the smart phone 20 by pairing, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sensor 10 has a wireless server, and from a QR (Quick Response) code written on a part of the sensor 10, a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that can uniquely identify the sensor from a plurality of sensors is acquired, A mode in which communication is performed from the smartphone 20 is also possible.

[Embodiment 2]
Other embodiments of the invention are described below. For convenience of description, members having the same functions as those of the members described in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

(Fourth time change pattern)
FIG. 9 is a table showing a fourth time change pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to the second embodiment. The table shown in FIG. 9 is a table in which the horizontal axis represents the operating state, and the vertical axis represents the communication state and communication target.

The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that a single indicator lamp is provided as the light emitting unit 14 . However, in the second embodiment, different from the first embodiment, emission colors are defined to represent different operating states for each user.

Specifically, when there are two users, green lighting is performed when normal operation is performed, and red lighting is performed when normal operation is abnormal. On the other hand, when communication is established with user A and is normal, it is lit in blue, and when communication is established with user A and is abnormal, it is lit in orange. When communication is established with user B and normal, it lights up in purple, and when communication with user B is established and there is an abnormality, it lights in yellow.

With the fourth time change pattern according to the second embodiment, the operating state, communication state, and communication target can be clearly determined. In addition, in the fourth time change pattern, since the indicator lamp is always lit regardless of the operating state or communication state, the indicator lamp is never turned off. .

[Embodiment 3]
Other embodiments of the invention are described below. For convenience of description, members having the same functions as those of the members described in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

(Fifth time change pattern)
FIG. 10 is a table showing a fifth time change pattern of light emission colors and light emission states of indicator lamps according to the third embodiment. In the table shown in FIG. 10, the horizontal axis represents the operating state, and the vertical axis represents the communication state and communication target.

The third embodiment is similar to the first embodiment in that a single indicator lamp is provided as the light emitting unit 14 . However, the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the color of the light emitted indicates the communication state, and the time change pattern of the light emission state indicates the operating state. That is, it lights when the operating state is normal, and blinks when the operating state is abnormal.

More specifically, when there are two users, the LED lights in green when normal and blinks in green when abnormal. On the other hand, when communication is established with user A and normal, it lights up in red, and when communication with user A is established and abnormal, it blinks in red. When communication is established with user B and normal, it lights up in blue.

With the fifth time change pattern according to the third embodiment, the operating state, communication state, and communication target can be clearly determined. In other words, the state of the sensor 10 can be clearly recognized by changing the color of the emitted light according to the communication state and changing the time-varying pattern of the light emitting state according to the operating state.

In addition, since a unique emission color is defined for each communication target, it is easy to identify the communication target. Moreover, since a large number of luminescent colors can be provided, a large number of users can work at the same work site.

[Embodiment 4]
Other embodiments of the invention are described below. For convenience of description, members having the same functions as those of the members described in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

Embodiment 4 is different from Embodiments 1 to 3 in that the light emitting section 14 includes a plurality of indicator lamps. For example, there are two indicator lights, the first indicator light representing the operating state and the second indicator light representing the communication state. Both the first indicator light and the second indicator light are full-color LEDs. Here, the first indicator lamp and the second indicator lamp are not limited to full-color LEDs, and may be arbitrary indicator lamps having at least one or more emission colors.

FIG. 11 is a table showing emission colors of a plurality of indicator lamps according to the fourth embodiment. The table shown in FIG. 11 is a table in which the horizontal axis represents the operating state and the vertical axis represents the communication state.

As shown in FIG. 11, the first indicator lights green when the operating state is normal, and lights red when the operating state is abnormal. On the other hand, the second indicator light is turned off when the communication state is normal, and is turned on when the communication is established.

Specifically, when normal and normal, the first indicator light is green and the second indicator light is extinguished. If there is an abnormality under normal conditions, the first indicator lamp lights up in red and the second indicator lamp goes out. When communication is established and normal, the first indicator lights green and the second indicator lights blue. When communication is established and there is an abnormality, the first indicator lights up in red and the second indicator lights up in blue. The emission color (lighting color) of the second indicator light is a unique emission color for each communication target, and the emission color of the second indicator light is a unique color such as blue, orange, or purple for each user. distinguish by At this time, from the viewpoint of visibility, it is desirable not to use a luminescent color that indicates the operating state.

In Embodiment 4, the operating state, communication state, and communication target can be clearly determined. In addition, since the indicator lamp indicating the operating status is always lit regardless of the operating status, the indicator lamp is never extinguished. The same is true for the second indicator lamp that indicates the communication status. It is normally turned off and is turned on when communication is established.

Note that when the sensor 10 acquires two types of measured values, the first indicator light indicates the operating state regarding the first measured value by emitted light color or light intensity, and the second indicator light indicates the operating state regarding the second measured value. The communication state may be represented by color or amount of light, and the time-varying pattern of each light emission state may represent the communication state. Here, the operating state can be expressed by, for example, using different emission colors depending on whether the first measured value (second measured value) is equal to or greater than the threshold value or less than the threshold value. Also, the color of emitted light may be changed stepwise according to the value of the first measured value (second measured value), or the amount of light may be changed. Thereby, when the sensor 10 can acquire a plurality of measured values, it is possible to notify the user of each operating state and communication state.

[Example of realization by software]
The function of the sensor (hereinafter referred to as "device") is a program that causes a computer to function as the device, and can be realized by a program that causes the computer to function as each control block of the device.

In this case, the apparatus comprises a computer having at least one control device (eg processor) and at least one storage device (eg memory) as hardware for executing the program. Each function described in each of the above embodiments is realized by executing the above program using the control device and the storage device.

The program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary. The recording medium may or may not be included in the device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the device via any transmission medium, wired or wireless.

Also, part or all of the functions of the above control blocks can be realized by logic circuits. For example, integrated circuits in which logic circuits functioning as the control blocks described above are formed are also included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, it is also possible to implement the functions of the control blocks described above by, for example, a quantum computer.

[Additional notes]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be modified in various ways within the scope of the claims, and can be obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments. is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 sensor system 10 sensor 11 sensing unit 12 communication unit 13 light emission control unit 14 light emitting unit (state notification light emitting unit)
20 Smartphone (communication terminal)
21 display control unit 22 camera 23 state determination unit 30 Bluetooth
40 management device 41 PLC
42 input unit 50 Ethernet
51 Bus connection 52 Field network

Claims (13)

a sensing unit that detects or measures the state of an object;
a communication unit that performs wireless communication with an external communication terminal;
a status notification light emitting unit;
A light emission control unit that controls light emission of the state notification light emitting unit,
The light emission control unit controls the state notification light emitting unit according to the operating state of the sensing unit, and controls the state notification light emitting unit according to the communication state of the communication unit. 2. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light emission control unit changes the light emission of the state notification light emitting unit according to the external communication terminal with which communication has been established. The status notification light emitting unit includes a plurality of indicator lights,
3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light emission control unit controls a certain indicator light according to the operating state and controls another indicator light according to the communication state. The status notification light emitting unit includes a plurality of indicator lights,
The sensing unit acquires a first measured value and a second measured value,
The light emission control unit controls the light emission color or light amount of a certain indicator lamp according to the operating state related to the first measurement value, and controls the light emission color or light amount of another indicator light according to the operating state related to the second measurement value. 3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the time-varying pattern of each light emission state is changed according to the communication state. The status notification light emitting unit has a single indicator light,
3. The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the light emission control unit changes the light emission color of the single indicator light and the time-varying pattern of the light emission state. 6. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the light emission control unit controls at least one of a time change pattern of blinking and a time change pattern of emission color as the time change pattern of the light emission state. 7. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the light emission control unit changes the color of light emission according to the operating state, and changes the time-varying pattern of the light emission state according to the communication state. 7. The sensor according to claim 5, wherein the light emission control unit changes the color of light emission according to the communication state, and changes the time-varying pattern of the light emission state according to the operating state. A communication terminal that wirelessly communicates with the sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The communication terminal includes a display control unit that displays a time-varying pattern of light emission state of the state notification light-emitting unit of the sensor during communication. A communication terminal that wirelessly communicates with the sensor according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
The communication terminal is
camera and
A communication terminal comprising: a state determination section that recognizes light emission of the state notification light emitting section by the camera and determines whether or not the sensor is communicating with the communication terminal. A control method for a sensor having a state notification light emitting unit,
a sensing step for detecting or measuring an external state;
a communication step of performing wireless communication with an external communication terminal;
and a light emission control step of controlling light emission of the state notification light emitting unit,
The light emission control step changes the light emission state of the state notification light emitting unit in accordance with the operating state in the sensing step, and changes the light emission state of the state notification light emitting unit in accordance with the communication state in the communication step. control method. A control program for causing a computer to function as the communication terminal according to claim 9, the control program for causing the computer to function as the display control section. 11. A control program for causing a computer to function as the communication terminal according to claim 10, the control program for causing the computer to function as the state determination unit.

Images