JP3735962B2 - Wireless communication system for residential equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a wireless communication system for housing equipment that wirelessly connects housing equipment such as a gas water heater and an air conditioner, and in particular, a wireless connection between a gas meter or a water meter and a telephone line. The present invention relates to a wireless communication system that notifies the center of meter reading values of water supply and the like and notifies the center of operation information and failure information of housing equipment such as gas water heaters and air conditioners.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional wireless communication system for house equipment automatically connects a gas meter and a telephone line terminator (hereinafter referred to as T-NCU) connected to a telephone line, and automatically reports the meter reading value of the gas meter to the center. There is a system that wirelessly connects between a meter reading system and a gas water heater and a remote controller that controls the gas water heater. These systems operate with independent communication protocols, and two systems with different communication protocols cannot communicate with each other.
[0003]
A conventional wireless communication system for house equipment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 6, 1 is a center, 2 is a telephone line, 3 is a T-NCU, 4 is an antenna, 5 is an antenna, and 6 is a gas meter. Each of the T-NCU 3 and the gas meter 6 has a wireless communication function using radio waves. Further, the T-NCU 3 and the gas meter 6 are driven by a battery and must continue to operate for 10 years without battery replacement. In order to prevent battery consumption, the communication protocol of the T-NCU 3 and the gas meter 6 detects, for example, whether there is a radio wave from the partner every 18 seconds, starts communication if there is a radio wave, and intermittently turns off the power if there is no radio wave. The operation method is adopted.
[0004]
In response to a meter reading request from the center 1, the T-NCU 3 is activated via the telephone line 2 and the gas meter 6 and the T-NCU 3 perform link connection by an intermittent operation method, and then transmit the meter reading value of the gas meter 6 to the center 1.
[0005]
Next, a remote control system for the gas water heater will be described. Reference numeral 7 denotes an antenna, 8 denotes a gas water heater, 9 denotes an antenna, 10 denotes a remote controller, and the gas water heater 8 and the remote controller 10 have a wireless communication function using radio waves. Since the gas water heater 8 has an AC power source, the built-in wireless communication device is also supplied from the AC power source and constantly monitors for radio waves from the other party.
[0006]
On the other hand, the power source of the remote control 10 is configured to use a commercially available dry battery and replace the battery when the battery runs out. However, the remote controller 10 adopts an intermittent operation method in order to extend the interval between battery replacements, but the intermittent cycle is shortened to 6 seconds in consideration of practicality. Information on operation control and operation state display of the gas water heater is exchanged between the remote controller 10 and the gas water heater 8.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional wireless communication system for residential equipment, the automatic meter reading system and the remote control system for the gas water heater are independent systems, and the communication protocols are different from each other, so that the operation information of the gas water heater 8 is provided via the T-NCU 3. Has a problem that it cannot be transmitted to the center.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a protocol selection means for each of the T-NCU 3 and the gas water heater 8 so as to select a communication protocol according to the destination of the information. The T-NCU 3 and the gas water heater 8 Is intended to enable communication between the two.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is composed of a plurality of housing equipment having a wireless communication function, and the plurality of housing equipment having the wireless communication function is linked by a first protocol and a second protocol that are linked by a first protocol. Protocol selection means configured to select whether to use the first protocol or the second protocol for link connection between the first group and the second group based on the destination The housing equipment has. By providing the protocol selection means, communication can be performed between the first group and the second group.
[0010]
Moreover, the housing equipment having a wireless communication function constituting the first group has a telephone line terminator (T-NCU) for connecting to a telephone line and a gas meter, and has a wireless communication function constituting the second group. Housing equipment is gas equipment such as a gas water heater. And the operation information etc. of a gas water heater can be reported to a center via T-NCU.
[0011]
The telephone line terminator (T-NCU) is started from the center via the telephone line and the meter reading value of the gas meter is transmitted to the center according to the protocol of the first group. Switch to the second group protocol while maintaining the telephone line and the equipment monitoring information such as operation information and failure information of the gas equipment from the gas equipment to the center via the telephone line terminator (T-NCU) It is configured to transmit. Therefore, there is no need to bother dialing from the center in order to monitor the operation status of the gas water heater, and the telephone charges can be reduced.
[0014]
(Example)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
In FIG. 1, 1 is a center, 2 is a telephone line, 15 is a T-NCU, 4 is an antenna, 5 is an antenna, and 6 is a gas meter. Each of the T-NCU 15 and the gas meter 6 has a wireless communication function using radio waves. The T-NCU 15 and the gas meter 6 form a first group that communicates with the first protocol. Next, 7 is an antenna, 16 is a gas water heater, 9 is an antenna, and 10 is a first remote controller that performs wireless communication with the gas water heater 16. 11 is an antenna, 17 is an air conditioner, 13 is an antenna, and 14 is a second remote controller that performs wireless communication with the air conditioner. The gas water heater 16 and the first remote controller 10, and the air conditioner 17 and the second remote controller 14 form a second group that performs communication using the second protocol. The gas water heater 16, the air conditioner 17, and the T-NCU 15 have protocol selection means.
[0016]
FIG. 2 shows a first communication protocol between the T-NCU 15 and the gas meter 6. The T-NCU 15 and the gas meter 6 are driven by a battery and are each in a receiving state every 18 seconds to check whether there is a radio wave from the communication partner. If there is no radio wave from the other party, reception is immediately turned off to prevent battery consumption. Center 1 transmits an activation message to the telephone line (message a shown in FIG. 2). When the T-NCU 15 receives an activation message from the center 1 via the telephone line 2, the T-NCU 15 starts transmission of radio waves. As the transmission contents, a message packet in which a destination addressed to the gas meter 6 is added to the activation message is repeatedly transmitted (message b shown in FIG. 2). The packet repetitive transmission time is set to 20 seconds which is longer than the time obtained by adding the packet length to the intermittent period 18 seconds of the gas meter 6. Accordingly, the gas meter 6 can receive a startup message from the T-NCU upon reception every 18 seconds (message c shown in FIG. 2).
[0017]
Next, FIG. 3 shows a second communication protocol between the gas water heater 16 and the first remote controller 10. In FIG. 3, (1) shows a communication protocol when operating information of the gas water heater 16 is transmitted to the first remote controller 10 and displayed on the liquid crystal display device of the first remote controller 10. In addition to the first remote controller 10 installed in the kitchen, the gas water heater 16 has a bath remote controller not shown in FIG. 1 but provided in the bathroom. The bath remote controller and the gas water heater 16 may be connected by wire or wirelessly. When the gas water heater 16 is operated by operating the bath remote controller, the gas water heater 16 transmits an activation message to the first remote controller 10 in accordance with the reception timing of the first remote controller 10 (shown in FIG. 3). The telegram a) and the first remote controller 10 receive the activation telegram (the telegram b shown in FIG. 3).
[0018]
The first remote controller 10 is driven by a dry battery, and has a structure in which the battery can be replaced when the battery runs out. The gas water heater 16 is driven by a commercial 100 volt AC power source. The first remote controller 10 is set to an intermittent period of 6 seconds in consideration of contradictory events of display real time and battery consumption. Since the gas water heater 16 is an AC power source, it continuously performs carrier sense as to whether there is a radio wave from the other party by continuous reception. The gas water heater 16 and the first remote controller 10 are synchronized with each other, and the gas water heater 16 can transmit an activation message in accordance with the reception timing of the first remote controller 10. The gas water heater 16 and the first remote controller 10 may use a method in which the gas water heater 16 repeatedly transmits a startup message continuously for 6 seconds or more without synchronizing each other.
[0019]
(2) of FIG. 3 shows a case where a signal for controlling the operation state of the gas water heater 16 is transmitted from the first remote controller 10.
[0020]
Since the gas water heater 16 continuously performs carrier sense, the first remote controller 10 transmits an activation message to the gas water heater 16 as soon as a person operates the first remote controller 10 (see FIG. 3), the gas water heater 16 can receive the startup message (message d shown in FIG. 3). The air conditioner 17 and the second remote controller 14 are also connected by the second protocol similar to the above.
[0021]
FIG. 4 shows a communication protocol when the center 1 activates the first remote controller 10. When notice information from the gas company is generated in the center 1 for the first remote controller 10, the center 1 transmits an activation message addressed to the first remote controller 10 to the T-NCU 15 (message a shown in FIG. 4). ). The T-NCU 15 receives the startup message. The activation message has a destination indicating that the message is addressed to the first remote controller 10, and the T-NCU 15 transmits an activation message indicating that the message is addressed to the first remote controller 10 to the gas water heater 16. (Message b shown in FIG. 4). When the gas water heater 16 receives the startup message from the T-NCU 15 (message c shown in FIG. 4), it determines by the built-in protocol selection means that it is necessary to connect using the second protocol. An activation message is transmitted (message d shown in FIG. 4). The activation message contains information indicating that the information for the first remote controller 10 is included. The first remote controller 10 receives an activation message with the same protocol as in FIG. 3A (message e shown in FIG. 4).
[0022]
FIG. 5 shows a communication protocol when the first remote controller 10 activates the center 1. The first remote control 10 is provided with a notification button for the center 1, and when a person presses the notification button, the first remote control 10 transmits an activation message to the gas water heater 16 using the second protocol ( Message a) shown in FIG. When the gas water heater 16 receives the startup message from the first remote controller 10 (message b shown in FIG. 5), it repeatedly transmits the startup message to the T-NCU 15 for 20 seconds using the first protocol (shown in FIG. 5). Telegram c). When the T-NCU 15 receives an activation message from the gas water heater 16 (message d shown in FIG. 5), it connects to the center 1 through a telephone line and transmits information (message e shown in FIG. 5).
[0023]
Further, after starting the T-NCU 15 from the center 1 via the telephone line 2 and transmitting the meter reading value of the gas meter 6 to the center 1 by the protocol of the first group, the T-NCU 15 terminates the communication with the gas meter 6 and returns to the telephone line. It is also possible to switch to the second group protocol while holding 1 and transmit equipment monitoring information such as operation information and failure information of the gas water heater 16 from the gas water heater 16 to the center 1 via the T-NCU 15. The air conditioner 17 and the T-NCU 15 are also connected by the same second protocol as described above.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of housing equipment having a wireless communication function is configured, and the plurality of housing equipment having the wireless communication function has a first group and a first group that perform link connection using a first protocol. It is composed of a second group that performs link connection with two protocols, and the destination is whether to use the first protocol or the second protocol to perform link connection between the first group and the second group. Since the housing equipment has the protocol selection means to select based on it, it is not necessary to make the communication protocols of all the housing equipment identical, and the optimum protocol belonging to each equipment group can be adopted and different groups Can communicate with each other.
[0025]
Moreover, the housing equipment having a wireless communication function constituting the first group has a T-NCU and a gas meter for connecting to a telephone line, and the housing equipment having a wireless communication function constituting the second group is a gas hot water supply. By adopting a configuration that is a gas device such as a machine, it is possible to report the operation information of the gas water heater to the center via the T-NCU.
[0026]
In addition, after starting the T-NCU from the center via the telephone line and transmitting the meter reading value of the gas meter to the center using the protocol of the first group, the T-NCU terminates the communication with the gas meter and keeps the telephone line. Switch to the protocol of the second group Since the equipment monitoring information such as operation information and failure information of the gas equipment is transmitted from the gas equipment to the center via the T-NCU, the operation status of the gas water heater is monitored. Therefore, there is no need to bother dialing from the center, and the telephone charges can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio communication system for housing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first communication protocol of a T-NCU and a gas meter which are the first group of the system. (1) The figure which shows the 2nd communication protocol in the case of communicating with the 1st remote control from the gas water heater which is the 2nd group of the system (2) Gas from the 1st remote control 10 which is the 2nd group of the system Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a second communication protocol when communicating with a water heater. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a communication protocol from the center of the system to the first remote controller. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing communication from the first remote controller of the system to the center. Fig. 6 shows a communication protocol. (1) Block diagram of a radio communication system for a home equipment composed of a conventional gas meter and a T-NCU. (2) Configuration of a conventional gas water heater and a remote controller. Block diagram of a wireless communication system housing equipment which EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
1 Center 2 Telephone line 6 Gas meter 10 First remote control 15 T-NCU
16 Gas water heater 17 Air conditioner 18 Second remote control

Claims (1)

Consists of a plurality of housing equipment having a wireless communication function, a plurality of housing equipment having the wireless communication function,
A first group having a telephone line terminator for connecting with a telephone line and a gas meter and performing link connection with a first protocol;
It consists of a second group that has gas equipment such as a gas water heater and performs link connection with the second protocol,
A radio communication system for house equipment having a protocol selection means for selecting, based on a destination, whether to use a first protocol or a second protocol for link connection between the first group and the second group Because
After starting the telephone line termination device from the center via the telephone line and transmitting the meter reading value of the gas meter to the center according to the protocol of the first group,
The telephone line terminator terminates communication with the gas meter and switches to the second group protocol while maintaining the telephone line, and monitors equipment monitoring information such as operation information and failure information of the gas equipment from the telephone. A wireless communication system for house equipment that transmits to the center via a line terminating device.

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