JP6869066B2 - Alarm system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention includes a plurality of alarm devices, which control a state detection unit that performs a state detection operation for detecting an ambient state, an alarm unit that outputs an alarm, and a transmission / reception unit that transmits and receives radio signals. It relates to an alarm system having a part.

Patent Document 1 describes an alarm system including a plurality of alarms installed in a residence and a neighboring residence. Each alarm notifies the occurrence of an abnormality related to a disaster and transmits the abnormality occurrence information wirelessly. With such a configuration, each alarm device can exchange information with other alarms by a wireless signal and issue an alarm even for an abnormality occurring in the surrounding area.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-181363

However, in the alarm system described in Patent Document 1, it is possible to know what kind of abnormality has occurred in the alarm device that is the starting point, but after that, what kind of state is the alarm device that is the starting point of the alarm? No other alarm can tell if it has been reached.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an alarm system capable of continuously knowing the state of an alarm device that is the starting point of an alarm.

The characteristic configuration of the warning system according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a plurality of alarm devices, which include a state detection unit that detects an ambient state, an alarm unit that outputs an alarm, and a wireless system. An alarm system having a transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving signals and a control unit.
The control unit is configured to perform a first alarm process, a second alarm process, and a communication confirmation process.
As the first alarm process, an alarm is output from the alarm unit in response to determining that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of the state detection unit, and the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is started from itself. A warning signal including information indicating that is the first stage and information indicating an abnormal content is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit.
As the second alarm processing, an alarm is output from the alarm unit in response to the transmission / reception unit receiving the warning signal from another alarm device, and the received warning signal is transmitted as a signal from the starting point. The number of stages is increased by 1 and transferred from the transmission / reception unit.
As the communication confirmation process, it is continued at each set timing that communication can be performed with the alarm device at the starting point in response to receiving the warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage. There is a point to confirm.

According to the above feature configuration, the alarm device (that is, the alarm device at the starting point) that determines that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of its own state detection unit outputs an alarm from its own alarm unit, thereby causing an abnormality. Can be notified of the occurrence of. In addition, the alarm that determines that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of its own state detection unit transmits a warning signal containing information indicating the content of the abnormality from the transmission / reception unit, and another alarm that receives the warning signal. By outputting an alarm from the alarm unit of the alarm device, it is possible to notify the occurrence of an abnormality even with the other alarm device in which the abnormality has not occurred.
Further, the alarm device that has received the warning signal transfers the received warning signal from the transmission / reception unit by increasing the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point by one. That is, it is possible to repeat the transfer of the warning signal while managing the number of signal transmission stages from the alarm device at the starting point.
Furthermore, the alarm that first receives the warning signal transmitted by the alarm that detects the occurrence of an abnormality (that is, the alarm that has the first number of signal transmission stages from the starting point) is located between the alarm and the alarm at the starting point. Performs communication confirmation processing to continuously confirm that communication can be performed with. That is, whether or not the alarm device at the starting point continues to operate normally is continuously monitored by another alarm device at each set timing.
Therefore, it is possible to provide an alarm system capable of continuously knowing the state of the alarm device that is the starting point of the alarm.

Another characteristic configuration of the warning system according to the present invention is that the warning signal further includes information indicating an upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point.
The control unit performs the second alarm processing.
An alarm is output from the alarm unit and the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is increased by 1 in response to receiving the warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has not reached the upper limit value. The warning signal is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit, and the warning signal is transmitted.
In response to receiving the warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has reached the upper limit value, an alarm is output from the alarm unit, and the warning signal is not transmitted from the transmission / reception unit. ..

According to the above feature configuration, since the warning signal includes information indicating the upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point, the warning signal is not transferred indefinitely, but is transferred only within a certain range. Will be done.

Another characteristic configuration of the alarm system according to the present invention is that, in the first alarm processing, the control unit sets the upper limit value of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point to a value predetermined according to the content of the abnormality. There is a point to set.

According to the above feature configuration, the upper limit value can be changed to change the range in which the warning signal is transferred.

Yet another characteristic configuration of the alarm system according to the present invention is that the control unit is configured to perform proxy alarm processing.
As the proxy alarm process, in response to the inability to communicate with the alarm device at the starting point in the communication confirmation process, the abnormal content included in the received warning signal is set as a new starting point. The point is that a new warning signal including the indicated information is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit.

According to the above-mentioned feature configuration, the alarm device that has performed the communication confirmation process in response to receiving the warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage is the alarm device of the starting point in the communication confirmation process. As communication becomes impossible between the two, a new warning signal including information indicating the abnormal content included in the received warning signal is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit, starting from itself as a new starting point. That is, when communication with the starting alarm becomes impossible (for example, the influence of the abnormality spreads and the starting alarm stops operating), a new warning signal is transmitted and the alarm is transmitted. An alarm can be issued from an alarm that has received a warning signal.

It is a figure which shows the warning system composed of a plurality of alarms. It is a figure which shows the structure of an alarm. It is a figure which shows the process performed by each alarm. It is a figure which shows the process performed by each alarm.

The warning system according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an alarm system composed of a plurality of alarm devices 10, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the alarm device 10. The alarm 10 is installed in a facility such as a house or a business establishment. Although 10 alarms 10 (10A to 10J) are drawn in FIG. 1, this figure assumes a state in which alarms 10 are installed in each of a plurality of facilities.

Each alarm device 10 includes a state detection unit 11 that performs a state detection operation for detecting the surrounding state, an alarm unit 12 that outputs an alarm, a transmission / reception unit 13 that transmits / receives radio signals, and a control unit 14. In the present embodiment, the alarm device 10 further includes a storage unit 15 that stores information handled by the alarm device 10. The transmission / reception unit 13 transmits / receives information based on various wireless communication technologies such as ZigBee (registered trademark).

The alarm device 10 is for notifying the resident of the occurrence of, for example, a fire or a gas leak. When the alarm device 10 has a fire alarm function, the state detection unit 11 performs a state detection operation for detecting a state such as heat or smoke. When the alarm device 10 has a gas leak alarm function, the state detection unit 11 performs a state detection operation for detecting a state such as a gas concentration.

The control unit 14 is configured to perform a first alarm process, a second alarm process, and a communication confirmation process, which will be described later.
As the first alarm processing, the control unit 14 outputs an alarm from the alarm unit 12 according to the determination that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of the state detection unit 11 obtained by the state detection operation, and also outputs itself. As the starting point, a process of transmitting a warning signal including information indicating that the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage and information indicating an abnormality content is performed from the transmission / reception unit 13. In this way, the alarm device 10 (that is, the alarm device 10 at the starting point) that determines that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of its own state detection unit 11 outputs an alarm from its own alarm unit 12. The occurrence of an abnormality can be notified in the facility. In addition, the alarm device 10 that determines that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of its own state detection unit 11 transmits a warning signal including information indicating the content of the abnormality from the transmission / reception unit 13 and receives the warning signal. By outputting an alarm from the alarm unit 12 of the other alarm device 10, the occurrence of the abnormality can be notified even by the other alarm device 10 in which the abnormality has not occurred.

Further, as the second alarm processing, the control unit 14 outputs an alarm from the alarm unit 12 in response to the transmission / reception unit 13 receiving the warning signal from the other alarm device 10, and outputs the received warning signal from the starting point. The number of signal transmission stages of is increased by 1, and the process of transferring from the transmission / reception unit 13 is performed. In this way, the alarm device 10 that has received the warning signal transfers the received warning signal from the transmission / reception unit 13 by increasing the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point by one. That is, it is possible to repeat the transfer of the warning signal while managing the number of signal transmission stages (number of transfers) from the alarm device 10 at the starting point.

Here, the warning signal may further include information indicating an upper limit value of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point. Then, as the second alarm processing, the control unit 14 outputs an alarm from the alarm unit 12 in response to receiving a warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has not reached the upper limit value, and also outputs a signal from the starting point. The number of transmission stages is increased by 1 to transmit a warning signal from the transmission / reception unit 13, and an alarm is output from the alarm unit 12 in response to receiving a warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has reached the upper limit. , The warning signal may not be transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 13. That is, since the warning signal includes information indicating the upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point, the warning signal is not transferred indefinitely, but the warning signal is transferred only within a certain range. Become.

Further, as a communication confirmation process, the control unit 14 continuously enables communication with the alarm device 10 at the starting point in response to receiving a warning signal having the first signal transmission stage from the starting point. Perform the process to confirm. With this configuration, the alarm device 10 that first receives the warning signal transmitted by the alarm device 10 that has detected the occurrence of an abnormality (that is, the alarm device 10 in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage) is A communication confirmation process is performed to continuously confirm that communication with the alarm device 10 at the starting point can be performed. That is, another alarm 10 continuously monitors whether or not the alarm 10 at the starting point continues to operate normally.

Next, the processing performed by each alarm device 10 will be described with reference to specific examples. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing the processing performed by each alarm device 10. In this example, it is assumed that the alarm 10A first detects the occurrence of a fire.
When the control unit 14 of the alarm device 10A detects the occurrence of a fire in step # 1, the control unit 14 outputs an alarm from the alarm unit 12 in step # 2 (first alarm processing). As a result, the alarm is notified to the resident of the facility where the alarm device 10A is installed. Further, in step # 3, the control unit 14 of the alarm device 10A receives information indicating that the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage and information indicating the abnormality content, starting from itself, as the first alarm processing. The included warning signal A is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 13. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the warning signal A transmitted by the alarm device 10A is received by the alarm devices 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E installed around the alarm device 10A. At this time, the warning signal A transmitted from the alarm device 10A has a data structure as shown in Table 1 below.

As shown in Table 1, the warning signal includes an alarm ID, an alarm content, an upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages, a transmission source, the current number of signal transmission stages, and the current parent hierarchy. The alarm ID is information for identifying the alarm, and is "01" in Table 1. The content of the alarm is information indicating what kind of alarm is, such as a fire alarm or a gas leak alarm, and is "fire" in Table 1. The current number of signal transmission stages is information indicating the number of times (number of stages) of signal transmission from the alarm device 10 as the starting point, and is "1" in Table 1. The upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages is information that defines the upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages between the alarms 10, and is "3" in Table 1. That is, the upper limit of the transfer of the warning signal between the alarm devices 10 is three times.

The current parent hierarchy is information indicating the hierarchy (generation) of the alarm device 10 that is the starting point. In this example, since the warning signal A is a warning signal starting from the alarm device 10A that has detected an abnormality, the current parent layer is the first layer (first generation). As shown in Table 3 described later, in the case of a warning signal starting from an alarm device 10 different from the alarm device 10A that detects an abnormality, the current parent layer is the second layer (second generation) or later. ..

Then, in the step # 4, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E that has received the warning signal A is an alarm unit in response to the transmission / reception unit 13 receiving the warning signal from the other alarm device 10A. A process for outputting an alarm from 12 (second alarm process) is performed. Specifically, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E refers to the "alarm content" included in the warning signal A, and what kind (fire, gas leak, etc.) It is possible to determine whether the alarm has been issued. Then, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E reads out the voice message corresponding to the "alarm content" from the voice messages stored in its own storage unit 15, and the alarm unit 12 Output from. For example, when the "alarm content" included in the warning signal is a fire, the control unit 14 reads out a fire alarm message stored in the storage unit 15 and outputs it from the alarm unit 12. As a result, the existence of the alarm can be recognized even by the resident of the facility other than the alarm device 10A. For example, when a fire breaks out in a certain house, not only the alarm is issued in the house where the fire broke out, but also the fire alarm is issued in the house next to it.

In addition, in step # 5, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E receives the warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has not reached the upper limit value, and the alarm unit 12 The alarm is output from, and the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is increased by 1, and a warning signal is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 13 (second alarm processing). In the example shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E that has received the warning signal A increases the number of signal transmission stages "1" included in the warning signal A by one to " Change to "2". As a result, the current number of signal transmission stages of the warning signal B transmitted by the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E from the transmission / reception unit 13 becomes "2". At this time, the warning signal B transmitted from the alarm device 10B has a data structure as shown in Table 2 below.

Although not shown, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10 outputs an alarm from the alarm unit 12 in response to receiving a warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has reached the upper limit value. , The warning signal is not transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 13. That is, the transfer of the warning signal is not repeated indefinitely, but the transfer of the warning signal is performed only within a certain range.

Further, in step # 6, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E receives a warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage as a communication confirmation process, and the starting point. A process of continuously confirming that communication can be performed with the alarm device 10 of the above is performed. Specifically, the alarm device 10 that has received the warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage is located closest to the alarm device 10 (the alarm device 10 that has detected the occurrence of an abnormality) that is the starting point. It can be said that the alarm device 10 is in a position where it is easy to know the state of the alarm device 10, which is the starting point. Therefore, the control units 14 of the alarm devices 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E communicate with the alarm device 10A as the starting point at each setting timing, and wait for the response. In the example shown in FIG. 3, each alarm 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E receives a response from the starting alarm 10A, and it can be recognized that the alarm 10A is operating normally at that time.

If the alarm 10A fails due to, for example, a fire (abnormality), it may not be possible to receive a response from the alarm 10A even if the communication confirmation process is performed. In such a case, each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E performs proxy alarm processing. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, even if the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E receives a response from the alarm device 10A when the communication confirmation process is performed in the process # 6, the process is subsequently performed. It is assumed that the alarm device 10A stops operating at # 7 due to a failure or the like. In this case, even if the control unit 14 of each alarm 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E continuously performs the communication confirmation process (step # 8) after that, the response cannot be received from the alarm 10A, so that each alarm The control unit 14 of the devices 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E determines that communication with the alarm device 10A at the starting point has become impossible.

Then, in step # 9, the control unit 14 of each of the alarms 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E becomes a new starting point by itself as communication with the alarming device 10A at the starting point becomes impossible. Then, the control unit 14 of each alarm device 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E uses itself as a new starting point, and is included in the information indicating that the number of signal transmission stages from the new starting point is the first stage and the received warning signal. A proxy alarm process is performed in which the transmission / reception unit 13 transmits a new warning signal including information indicating the abnormal content that has been recorded (# 10). In the example shown in FIG. 4, a new warning signal C is transmitted from each of the alarms 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E. In this way, the alarm devices 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E that have performed the above communication confirmation process in response to receiving the warning signal in which the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage are the alarm devices 10A of the starting point. When communication with the user becomes impossible (for example, the influence of the abnormality spreads and the alarm device 10A at the starting point stops operating), a new warning signal is transmitted and the warning signal is received. An alarm can be issued from another alarm device 10. At this time, the warning signal C transmitted from the alarm device 10B has a data structure as shown in Table 3 below.

As shown in Table 3, similarly to the warning signal A and the warning signal B described above, the warning signal C includes an alarm ID, an alarm content, an upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages, a source, the current number of signal transmission stages, and the current parent. Hierarchy is included. The alarm ID is information for identifying the alarm. The alarms 10B, 10C, 10D, and 10E, which are the starting points for transmitting the warning signal C, are the second layer (second generation) when viewed from the alarming device 10A, which was the original starting point. The hierarchy is "2". Further, the upper limit value (“4”) of the number of signal transmission stages of the warning signal C is set to a value larger than the upper limit value (“3”) of the number of signal transmission stages of the warning signal A and the warning signal B (4) described above. ing. That is, more warning signals are transferred between the plurality of alarm devices 10. As a result, it is possible to transmit to a wider range of alarm devices 10 that the influence of the fire on the alarm device 10A is expanding by performing the proxy alarm process.

<Another Embodiment>
<1>
In the above embodiment, the alarm system of the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, but its configuration can be changed as appropriate.
For example, in the above embodiment, numerical examples such as an upper limit value of the number of signal transmission stages are shown, but these numerical values are described for the purpose of exemplification and can be changed as appropriate.
Further, the upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages can be changed according to the content of the abnormality. For example, the storage unit 15 of the alarm device 10 stores in advance the upper limit value of the number of signal transmission stages according to the abnormality content, and the control unit 14 sets the upper limit value of the number of signal transmission stages according to the abnormality content in the first alarm process. It may be set to a predetermined value according to. For example, if the content is "fire", the upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages is set to "3", and if the content is abnormal, "gas leak", the upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages is set to "2". Is possible.

<2>
In the above embodiment, the data structure of the warning signal has been described with specific examples, but the data structure can be changed as appropriate.

<3>
In the above embodiment, an example assuming a state in which the alarm devices 10 are installed in each of the plurality of facilities has been described, but a plurality of alarm devices 10 may be installed in one facility.

<4>
The configurations disclosed in the above embodiments (including other embodiments) can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as there is no contradiction, and are disclosed in the present specification. The embodiment described is an example, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the object of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an alarm system capable of continuously knowing the state of an alarm device that is the starting point of an alarm.

10 Alarm 11 Status detection unit 12 Alarm unit 13 Transmission / reception unit 14 Control unit

Claims (4)

The alarm system includes a plurality of alarm devices, and the alarm device is an alarm system having a state detection unit that detects an ambient state, an alarm unit that outputs an alarm, a transmission / reception unit that transmits / receives a wireless signal, and a control unit. ,
The control unit is configured to perform a first alarm process, a second alarm process, and a communication confirmation process.
As the first alarm process, an alarm is output from the alarm unit in response to determining that an abnormality has occurred based on the output value of the state detection unit, and the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is started from itself. A warning signal including information indicating that is the first stage and information indicating an abnormal content is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit.
As the second alarm processing, an alarm is output from the alarm unit in response to the transmission / reception unit receiving the warning signal from another alarm device, and the received warning signal is transmitted as a signal from the starting point. The number of stages is increased by 1 and transferred from the transmission / reception unit.
As the communication confirmation process, it is continued for each set timing that communication can be performed with the alarm device at the starting point in response to receiving the warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is the first stage. Alarm system to confirm. The warning signal further includes information indicating an upper limit of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point.
The control unit performs the second alarm processing.
An alarm is output from the alarm unit and the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point is increased by 1 in response to receiving the warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has not reached the upper limit value. The warning signal is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit, and the warning signal is transmitted.
Claim 1 in which an alarm is output from the alarm unit and the warning signal is not transmitted from the transmission / reception unit in response to receiving the warning signal whose number of signal transmission stages from the starting point has reached the upper limit value. The alarm system described in. The alarm system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit sets the upper limit value of the number of signal transmission stages from the starting point to a value predetermined according to the content of the abnormality in the first alarm processing. The control unit is configured to perform proxy alarm processing.
As the proxy alarm process, in response to the inability to communicate with the alarm device at the starting point in the communication confirmation process, the abnormal content included in the received warning signal is set as a new starting point. The alarm system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a new warning signal including the indicated information is transmitted from the transmission / reception unit.

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