JP4961406B2 - Wireless alarm system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement in a wireless alarm system that transmits a control signal to each other and outputs an alarm in conjunction with a plurality of alarm devices when any alarm device detects an abnormality to be monitored.

  Such wireless alarm systems transmit control signals to each other, for example according to the low power security system standard. In this standard, a radio station is composed of a master unit and a slave unit, and selects one of the channels in which the 400 MHz band is divided into 48 channels so that the master unit and the slave unit transmit signals to each other. Yes. Therefore, the wireless alarm system has conventionally been configured to select a channel using a dip switch or the like.

In the following Patent Document 1, in a wireless system composed of a master unit and a slave unit, the master unit channel switching means is operated by receiving data other than the received data from the slave unit a predetermined number of times. A configuration is described in which a channel to be used is changed when radio interference from a device other than the child device supported by the parent device occurs.
JP 2004-180106 A

  However, in the wireless alarm system as described above, when similar systems are in the vicinity, if the same channel is selected in both systems, signals may collide, causing communication failures or malfunctions. Will happen. In such a case, it is necessary to change the setting of the DIP switch to change the channel. However, since the alarm is usually installed on the wall or ceiling surface, such setting change work is very troublesome. It was hanging. Therefore, the present invention provides a wireless alarm system having a novel configuration having a function of automatically switching a channel used for communication to another channel when a control signal transmitted by an alarm device of another system is received. .

  The wireless alarm system according to the first aspect of the present invention is a wireless alarm system that transmits a control signal to each other and outputs an alarm in conjunction with a plurality of alarm devices when any alarm device detects an abnormality to be monitored. And at least one of the alarm devices includes a communication unit that selects and transmits a control signal including system identification information for identifying a system by selecting a desired channel from a plurality of channels, and the alarm device. When a control signal including system identification information different from that of the other system is received, a channel switching command signal designating a channel different from the channel in use is transmitted to another alarm device, and its own channel is set to the channel. And a control unit for switching to the channel designated by the change command signal.

  The wireless alarm system according to the second aspect of the present invention transmits a control signal to each other, and outputs a warning in conjunction with a plurality of alarm devices when any alarm device detects an abnormality to be monitored. The system includes a parent alarm device and a child alarm device. The child alarm device selects a desired channel from a plurality of channels and transmits / receives a control signal including system identification information for identifying the system. And a control unit for transmitting a channel switching request signal to the parent alarm device when receiving a control signal including system identification information different from the system including the child alarm device, The parent alarm device selects a desired channel from a plurality of channels, and transmits and receives a control signal including system identification information, and the channel switching request signal. A controller for transmitting a channel switching command signal designating a channel different from the channel in use to the child alarm device and switching the channel to the channel designated by the channel change command signal. .

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when at least one of the alarm devices receives a control signal from another system, it transmits a channel switching command signal and switches its own channel. Since the channel of the other alarm device is automatically switched by this channel switching command signal, the resident does not need to operate a dip switch or the like to switch the channel of each alarm device, and it is not time-consuming.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the child alarm device receives a control signal of another system, the child alarm device transmits a channel switching request signal to the parent alarm device, and the parent alarm device and the other child alarm devices are transmitted. Switch the channel. In this configuration, since the control signal of the other system is monitored by the parent alarm device and the child alarm device, the control signal by the other system can be detected reliably and quickly.

  The present invention provides a wireless alarm system that transmits a control signal including system identification information to each other and outputs an alarm in conjunction with a plurality of alarm devices when any alarm device detects an abnormality to be monitored. Is preferred. The system identification information is information for identifying a control signal by this system from control signals by other systems installed in the vicinity, and is uniquely assigned to each system. As such an alarm system, for example, a fire alarm system for a house, a gas leak alarm system, a security alarm system, and the like are assumed. Hereinafter, the fire alarm system will be described as an example.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an alarm device to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the alarm device.
The alarm device 1 includes, for example, a detection unit 11 that detects heat or smoke due to fire as a monitoring target, an operation unit 12 that receives an alarm stop operation, an audio output unit 13 that outputs an alarm sound, and an antenna 18. A communication unit 14 that selects a desired channel from a plurality of channels and transmits / receives a control signal to / from another alarm device 1; system identification information; and identification information assigned to each alarm device 1 A storage unit 16 for storing and a control unit 17 for controlling each of these units are provided. Reference numeral 11 a denotes a protective cover for protecting the detection unit 11, 12 a denotes a push button provided on the operation unit 12, and 13 a denotes a sound passage hole for a speaker constituting the audio output unit 13.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a wireless alarm system according to the present invention. The alarm device 1 includes a parent alarm device 1 # 1 and child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5. The basic configuration of the parent alarm device 1 # 1 and the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 is almost the same, but there are differences in the control program executed by the control unit 17, the storage capacity of the storage unit 16, and the like. . Moreover, transmission of the control signal by radio is always performed between the parent alarm device 1 # 1 and the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5, and the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 are Does not transmit control signals. Each alarm device 1 is assigned with unique identification information in advance, and this identification information is used for specifying a transmission source and a transmission destination in transmission of a control signal. As system identification information, common identification information is set in advance for each alarm device 1 for specifying a system.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the reception operation of the alarm device 1 in time series.
The alarm device 1 is assumed to use a battery as a power source, and in order to reduce power consumption and extend the battery life, the control signal transmitted by another alarm device 1 is received by an intermittent reception operation. It has become.

  That is, the alarm device 1 receives a radio wave by operating the communication unit 14 for a predetermined time (for example, 1 mS) at a predetermined cycle (for example, 4S) for carrier detection as a reception procedure at the time of standby, and the reception level of the radio wave. Is measured by the reception level measuring unit 15, and if the reception level of the radio wave is higher than a predetermined reference level, the communication unit 14 is further operated for a predetermined time (1S), and a control signal is transmitted from the radio wave. Determine. Here, the reference level is a threshold value for excluding a radio wave whose reception level is lower than that value from noise as a reception target. In addition, as a noise source, a personal computer and its peripheral device are mentioned, for example.

  The transmission of the control signal is performed according to, for example, the above-described low power security system standard. In the present invention, it is assumed that the same channel is selected in advance in all alarm devices 1.

  The basic operation by the alarm device 1 is performed as follows. That is, when the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 detect an abnormality to be monitored, the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 output an alarm and transmit an interlock request signal to the parent alarm device 1 # 1. When the master alarm device 1 # 1 receives the interlock request signal, the master alarm device 1 # 1 outputs the interlock command signal to the other child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 while outputting the alarm in conjunction with the alarm signal. When the parent alarm device 1 # 1 detects an abnormality to be monitored by itself, the parent alarm device 1 # 1 outputs an alarm and transmits an interlock command signal to all the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5. Then, the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5, when receiving the interlock command signal transmitted from the parent alarm device 1 # 1, outputs the alarm in conjunction with each other.

  And if alarm stop operation is received by child alarm device 1 # 2-1 # 5 while outputting an alarm, child alarm device 1 # 2-1 # 5 will be sent to parent alarm device 1 # 1. Send an alarm stop request signal. When the parent alarm device 1 # 1 receives the alarm stop request signal, the parent alarm device 1 # 1 stops the alarm for a predetermined time and transmits an alarm stop command signal to the other child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5. Further, when the parent alarm device 1 # 1 accepts the alarm stop operation, the parent alarm device 1 # 1 stops the alarm for a predetermined time and transmits an alarm stop command signal to all the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5. The child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 stop the alarm for a predetermined time when receiving the alarm stop command signal transmitted by the parent alarm device 1 # 1.

  As described above, the transmission of the control signal between the alarm devices includes the system identification information and the identification information of the alarm device in order to specify the transmission source and the transmission destination. In addition, the identification information of all the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 belonging to the alarm system is registered in the parent alarm device 1 # 1, and the parent alarm device 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 is registered with the parent alarm device 1 # 1. A registration process for registering 1 # 1 identification information is executed in advance.

  In such a wireless alarm system, when similar systems are in the vicinity, if the same channel is selected in both systems, signals may collide to cause communication failure or malfunction. Therefore, in order to prevent this, when any alarm device belonging to this system receives a control signal transmitted from an alarm device of another system, the communication unit 14 transmits the control signal to another channel. It is configured to automatically switch.

  Specifically, when at least one of the alarm devices 1 receives a control signal including system identification information different from that of this system, a channel switching command signal specifying a channel different from the channel in use In addition to transmitting to the alarm device 1, the own channel is switched to the channel designated by the channel change command signal. The alarm device 1 is preferably the parent alarm device 1 # 1, but may be any one of the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5. Here, it is desirable to randomly select one of the usable channels to prevent the channel designated by the channel switching command signal from becoming the same channel as that of another system after the channel switching.

  According to this configuration, when the main alarm device 1 # 1 receives a control signal of another system, the main alarm device 1 # 1 switches the channel of the main device and also designates a channel switching command signal designating a channel different from the channel in use. Since the channel is automatically switched even in the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5, the resident does not need to operate a dip switch or the like in order to switch the channel.

  Alternatively, when the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 receive a control signal including system identification information different from the system, the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 transmit a channel switching request signal to the parent alarm device 1 # 1, When the parent alarm device 1 # 1 receives the channel switching request signal, the parent alarm device 1 # 1 transmits a channel switching command signal designating a channel different from the channel in use to the other alarm devices 1, and the own alarm channel 1 Switch to the channel specified by the change command signal.

  According to this configuration, control signals of other systems are monitored by a plurality of alarm devices 1, that is, the parent alarm device 1 # 1 and the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5. It is possible to reliably and quickly detect the control signal.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a basic operation related to channel switching of the parent alarm device 1 # 1 to which the present invention is applied. According to this flowchart, the parent alarm device 1 # 1 first determines whether or not a control signal has been received, and if received, the system identification information included in the control signal is further stored in the system. It is determined whether it is identification information (S101, S102). Here, if it is the identification information of this system, it is determined whether or not the control signal is a channel switching request signal transmitted from any of the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 (S103).

  As a result of these determinations, if the system identification information included in the control signal is not the identification information of this system, or if it is the identification information of this system and the control signal is a channel switching request signal, the basic The operation continues, but otherwise, this basic operation ends for the corresponding processing.

  In the basic operation to be continued, first, one channel is randomly selected from the available channels, a channel switching preparation signal is transmitted to the plurality of child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5, and the child alarm device 1 is selected. Wait for response signals from # 2 to 1 # 5. The reason why the channel switching preparation signal is transmitted is to confirm whether or not the signal transmission with the child alarm device is normal. Here, when a time-out occurs without receiving response signals from all the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5, the basic processing is terminated (S104 to S108).

  If the response signals from all the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 are received, this time, a channel switching command signal designating the channel after switching is transmitted, and this device also switches the channel (S109). , S110).

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a basic operation related to channel switching of the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 to which the present invention is applied. According to this flowchart, the child alarm devices 1 # 2 to 1 # 5 first determine whether or not a control signal has been received, and if received, the system identification information included in the control signal is determined to be correct. It is determined whether or not the identification information of the system (S201, S202).

  As a result of the determination, if the system identification information included in the control signal is not the identification information of this system, the basic operation is continued, but if it is the identification information of this system, this basic information is used for the corresponding processing. The operation ends.

  In the continuing basic operation, first, a channel switching request signal is transmitted to the parent alarm device 1 # 1, and a channel switching preparation signal from the parent alarm device 1 # 1 is awaited. If a channel switching preparation signal is received, a response signal is transmitted to the parent alarm device 1 # 1, and a channel switching command signal from the parent alarm device 1 # 1 is awaited. Here, when a time-out occurs without receiving a channel switching preparation signal, or when a time-out occurs without receiving a channel switching command signal, the basic processing is terminated (S203 to 208).

  When the channel switching command signal is received from the parent alarm device 1 # 1, the channel of the device is switched (S209).

It is the block diagram which showed schematic structure of the alarm device to which this invention is applied. It is the perspective view which showed the external appearance of the alarm device to which this invention is applied. It is a block diagram of the alarm system by this invention. It is a timing diagram which showed the reception operation | movement of the alarm device to which this invention is applied. It is the flowchart which showed the basic operation | movement which concerns on the channel switching of the parent alarm device to which this invention is applied. It is the flowchart which showed the basic operation | movement which concerns on the channel switching of the child alarm device to which this invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

1 Alarm 1 # 1 Parent Alarm 1 # 2-1 # 5 Child Alarm 14 Communication Unit 17 Control Unit

Claims (2)

In a wireless alarm system that transmits control signals to each other and outputs alarms in conjunction with multiple alarm devices when any alarm device detects an abnormality to be monitored,
At least one of the alarms is
A communication unit that selects and transmits a control signal including system identification information for identifying a system by selecting a desired channel from a plurality of channels;
When a control signal including system identification information different from the system including the alarm is received, a channel switching command signal designating a channel different from the channel in use is transmitted to another alarm and A wireless alarm system comprising: a control unit that switches the channel to a channel designated by the channel change command signal. In a wireless alarm system that transmits control signals to each other and outputs alarms in conjunction with multiple alarm devices when any alarm device detects an abnormality to be monitored,
It consists of a parent alarm device and a child alarm device,
The child alarm is
A communication unit that selects and transmits a control signal including system identification information for identifying a system by selecting a desired channel from a plurality of channels;
A control unit for transmitting a channel switching request signal to the parent alarm device when receiving a control signal including system identification information different from the system including the child alarm device;
The parent alarm is
A communication unit that selects a desired channel from a plurality of channels and transmits / receives a control signal including system identification information;
When the channel switching request signal is received, a channel switching command signal designating a channel different from the channel in use is transmitted to the child alarm device, and its own channel is set to the channel designated by the channel change command signal. A wireless alarm system including a control unit for switching.

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