JP7246002B2 - Control unit and control system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to control units and control systems.

Conventionally, large-scale facilities have installed many equipment systems related to lighting fixtures, such as lighting fixtures, switches for turning the lighting fixtures on and off and dimming, relay terminals, and dimming terminals. A remote monitoring and control system has been disclosed in which a single control device remotely monitors and controls an equipment system related to various lighting fixtures (for example, Patent Document 1). In such systems, the monitoring and control of many facility systems can be easily accomplished by one controller.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-338772

In a system (also referred to as a control system) disclosed in Patent Document 1, a facility manager or a maintenance company (hereinafter also referred to as a manager) can confirm information about units included in the control system. is desired. The units included in the control system are for controlling the equipment system installed in the facility, and by being able to check the information about the unit, the equipment system controlled by the unit can be operated smoothly. because it can

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a control unit or the like capable of confirming information about a unit for controlling an equipment system installed in a facility.

A control unit according to one aspect of the present invention is a control unit, and includes a control unit that controls one or more equipment systems installed in a facility, information related to the control unit, and other units connected to the control unit. An acquisition unit that acquires at least one of information, and an output unit that notifies or outputs the information acquired by the acquisition unit to a predetermined output destination.

A control system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the control unit described above and a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit.

A control system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the control unit described above and a communication unit that controls communication of the equipment system.

A control system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the control unit described above, a communication unit that controls communication of the facility system, and a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit.

According to the control unit and the like according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to confirm information about the unit for controlling the equipment system installed in the facility.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a control system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a control unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the power supply unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a communication unit according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an output example of information about units.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. All of the embodiments shown here show specific examples of the present invention. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, components, arrangement and connection of components, steps (processes), order of steps, etc. shown in the following embodiments are examples and do not limit the present invention. . Among the components in the following embodiments, components not described in independent claims are components that can be added arbitrarily. Each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily strictly illustrated.

(Embodiment)
An embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. FIG.

[Overall configuration of control system]
First, the overall configuration of the control system 1 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a control system 1 according to an embodiment. In addition to the control system 1, FIG. 1 shows a management system 40 and various equipment systems. Note that the control system 1 may include the management system 40 and various equipment systems. In FIG. 1, solid lines connecting components indicate communication lines through which signals are transmitted and received, and dashed lines connecting components indicate power lines through which electric power is supplied.

A control system 1 is a system for controlling an equipment system provided in a facility, and is applied to a large-scale facility (such as a building) consisting of several floors, for example. Note that the control system 1 may be applied not only to a building or the like, but also to a detached house, a collective housing such as an apartment, or a non-residential facility such as a factory. Furthermore, the control system 1 may be applied across multiple facilities.

The control system 1 comprises a control unit 10 and other units connected to the control unit 10 . The other units include the power supply unit 20, the communication unit, and equipment associated with the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20 and the communication unit. In this embodiment, the other unit includes a plurality of communication units 30a-30c. Although three communication units 30a to 30c are shown and described here, the other units may include four or more (for example, 100) communication units depending on the scale of the facility. Communication units included in other units are also collectively referred to as communication unit 30 .

The control unit 10 is a device for controlling one or more equipment systems installed in a facility, and the control system 1 includes one control unit 10, for example. Note that the control unit 10 not only controls the equipment system, but also manages and monitors the power supply unit 20 and the communication unit 30 . Specifically, the control unit 10 monitors whether the power supply unit 20 and the communication unit 30 are operating normally, manages the replacement timing of the power supply unit 20 and the communication unit 30, and controls the control unit 10. , power supply unit 20 and communication unit 30.

The control unit 10 is provided separately from the power supply unit 20 and the communication unit 30 . For example, the control unit 10 has one housing as the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20 has one housing as the power supply unit 20, and the communication unit 30 has one housing as the communication unit 30. It is provided separately.

Although the details will be described later with reference to FIG. 2, the control unit 10 includes an interface for connecting or communicating with the power supply unit 20, the communication unit 30, the management system 40, and the facility system. The interface is realized by, for example, a connector, a communication circuit, an antenna, or the like, and the control unit 10 controls the equipment system, manages and monitors the power supply unit 20 and the communication unit 30, etc. via such an interface. .

The power supply unit 20 is an example of another unit connected to the control unit 10 and is a device that supplies power to the control unit 10 . Note that in the present embodiment, the power supply unit 20 also supplies power to the communication unit 30 . The power supply unit 20 has, for example, an AC/DC converter that converts AC power into DC power. For example, the power supply unit 20 is connected to an AC commercial power supply (not shown) and converts AC power of the commercial power supply into DC power. Details of the power supply unit 20 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The communication unit 30 is an example of another unit connected to the control unit 10, and is a device that controls communication of the facility system. Specifically, the communication unit 30 is a device for communication between the equipment system and the control unit 10 . For example, large-scale facilities are equipped with equipment from various manufacturers, and different manufacturers may use different communication standards. In addition, large-scale facilities are provided with various types of equipment (for example, types of lighting fixtures, air conditioners, etc.), and different communication standards may be used for each type. For example, RS485, RS232C, BACnet (Building Automation and Control Networking protocol), and other manufacturer-specific communication standards can be used for each facility system.

For example, as equipment systems connected to the communication units 30a and 30b, the switch 52, the lighting control terminal 53 and the relay 54, and the switch 55, the lighting control terminal 56 and the relay 57 use communication standards unique to the manufacturer. For communication between the communication units 30a and 30b and the control unit 10, for example, RS422 is used. That is, the communication units 30a and 30b use the communication standard (RS422) between the control unit 10 and the communication units 30a and 30b and the communication standard between the facility system and the communication units 30a and 30b (manufacturer's own communication standard). ), it functions as a network node for connecting networks with different communication standards.

For example, RS485 is used for the air conditioning control terminal 58 as an equipment system connected to the communication unit 30c. For communication between the communication unit 30c and the control unit 10, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark) is used. That is, the communication unit 30c communicates with each other, such as the communication standard (Ethernet (registered trademark)) between the control unit 10 and the communication unit 30c and the communication standard (RS485) between the facility system and the communication unit 30c. It functions as a network node for connecting networks with different communication standards.

Further, for example, the communication unit 30 performs communication between the equipment system and the control unit 10 by a communication method using voltage change. A change in voltage is, for example, a time-dependent change in voltage High and Low. Since such a communication method is common, the explanation is omitted. Note that the communication unit 30 may perform the above communication by a communication method using changes in both current and voltage. In this case, both the transmission of information and the supply of power can be performed simultaneously through one communication line (power line).

Further, for example, the communication unit 30 is configured to receive power supply from the power supply unit 20 without going through the control unit 10 . Specifically, as shown by the dashed lines connecting the power supply unit 20, the control unit 10, and the communication unit 30 in FIG. Converted DC power is supplied.

For example, the communication unit 30a communicates between the control unit 10 and the equipment system in the first area in order to cause the control unit 10 to control a plurality of lighting fixtures installed in a specific area (referred to as a first area) in the facility. relay. For example, the communication unit 30b communicates between the control unit 10 and the facility system in the second area in order to cause the control unit 10 to control a plurality of lighting fixtures installed in a specific area (referred to as a second area) in the facility. relay. For example, the communication unit 30c communicates between the control unit 10 and the facility system in the third area in order to cause the control unit 10 to control a plurality of air conditioners installed in a specific area (referred to as a third area) in the facility. relay.

At least a part of the first region or the second region may overlap with the third region. Also, each of the first area, the second area, and the third area may be an area extending over a plurality of floors.

Details of the communication unit 30 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The equipment system is equipment related to lighting fixtures or air conditioners installed in the facility, or equipment related to power measurement of equipment installed in the facility. Here, a power measuring device 50, air conditioning control terminals 51 and 58, switches 52 and 55, lighting control terminals 53 and 56, and relays 54 and 57 are shown as an example of the equipment system.

The power measuring device 50 is a device that measures the power consumption of each piece of equipment provided in a facility, and is, for example, a distribution board or the like having a power measuring function. The power measuring device 50 transmits measured power information to the control unit 10 periodically or in response to a request from the control unit 10 .

The air-conditioning control terminals 51 and 58 are controllers for controlling air-conditioning equipment provided in the facility, and are connected to the air-conditioning equipment by wire or wirelessly. For example, the air conditioning control terminal 51 controls a plurality of air conditioners (for example, several tens) provided on a specific floor (referred to as a fourth area) in the facility. At least a part of the first area or the second area may overlap with the fourth area. Also, the fourth area may be an area spanning multiple floors. Also, for example, the air conditioning control terminal 58 controls a plurality of air conditioners (for example, several tens) provided in the third area.

Switches 52 and 55 are switches for controlling lighting fixtures provided in the facility. For example, the switch 52 controls a plurality of (for example, several hundred) lighting fixtures provided in the first area. Also, for example, the switch 55 controls a plurality of (for example, several hundred) lighting fixtures provided in the second area. For example, a user using the facility operates the switches 52 and 55 to control lighting fixtures provided in the facility. For example, switches 52 and 55 each have a plurality of buttons, each associated with a particular lighting fixture. For example, when the user operates a button associated with a specific lighting fixture, the specific lighting fixture can be turned on, off, or dimmed.

The lighting control terminals 53 and 56 are controllers for controlling the lighting fixtures installed in the facility, and are connected to the lighting fixtures by wire or wirelessly. For example, the lighting control terminal 53 controls multiple lighting fixtures provided in the first area. Also, for example, the lighting control terminal 56 controls a plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the second area. For example, lighting control terminals 53 and 56 control lighting fixtures according to a schedule. Also, for example, the lighting control terminals 53 and 56 control lighting fixtures according to sensing results of sensors (such as human sensors) provided in the facility. For example, the lighting control terminals 53 and 56 turn on the lighting equipment corresponding to the specific sensor in response to the sensing result indicating the presence of a person by the specific sensor, and also turn on the lighting fixture corresponding to the specific sensor. The lighting fixture corresponding to the specific sensor is turned off according to the sensing result indicating that.

Relays 54 and 57 are switches for switching on and off power supply to lighting fixtures provided in the facility. For example, the relay 54 switches on and off power supply to a plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the first area. Also, for example, the relay 57 switches on and off power supply to the plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the second area. Relays 54 and 57 switch on and off power supply to the lighting fixtures according to instructions from control unit 10 .

A switch 52, a lighting control terminal 53 and a relay 54 are connected to the communication unit 30a, and the plurality of lighting fixtures in the first area are controlled by the switch 52, the lighting control terminal 53 and the relay 54. The communication unit 30a may be connected with a plurality of switches 52, a plurality of lighting control terminals 53, a plurality of relays 54, or other equipment. For example, when the switch 52 is operated, the operation information corresponding to the operation content of the switch 52 (for example, the operation content of turning on/off the lighting equipment or dimming control) is transmitted to the communication unit 30a. 30 a transmits the operation information to the control unit 10 . Then, the control unit 10 controls the operated lighting fixture in the first area via the communication unit 30a and the lighting control terminal 53 based on the operation information. In addition, the control unit 10 performs on/off or dimming control of a plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the first area via the communication unit 30a and the lighting control terminal 53 according to a predetermined schedule. Also, the lighting control terminal 53 receives the sensing result of the sensor provided in the first area, and transmits the sensing result to the control unit 10 via the communication unit 30a. Then, the control unit 10 controls the plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the first area via the communication unit 30a and the lighting control terminal 53 based on the sensing result.

A switch 55 , a lighting control terminal 56 and a relay 57 are connected to the communication unit 30 b , and the plurality of lighting fixtures in the second area are controlled by the switch 55 , the lighting control terminal 56 and the relay 57 . A plurality of switches 55, a plurality of lighting control terminals 56, or a plurality of relays 57 may be connected to the communication unit 30b, or other equipment may be connected. For example, when the switch 55 is operated, operation information corresponding to the operation content of the switch 55 is transmitted to the communication unit 30 b , and the communication unit 30 b transmits the operation information to the control unit 10 . Then, the control unit 10 controls the operated lighting fixture in the second area via the communication unit 30b and the lighting control terminal 56 based on the operation information. In addition, the control unit 10 performs on/off or dimming control of a plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the second area via the communication unit 30b and the lighting control terminal 56 according to a predetermined schedule. Also, the lighting control terminal 56 receives the sensing result of the sensor provided in the second area, and transmits the sensing result to the control unit 10 via the communication unit 30b. Then, the control unit 10 controls the plurality of lighting fixtures provided in the second area via the communication unit 30b and the lighting control terminal 56 based on the sensing result.

An air conditioning control terminal 58 is connected to the communication unit 30c, and the air conditioning control terminal 58 controls a plurality of air conditioners in the third area. For example, when a remote controller or switch for individually controlling each air conditioner is operated, the air conditioning control terminal 58 displays the operation details (for example, the operation details such as turning on/off the air conditioner or changing the set temperature). is transmitted, and the air conditioning control terminal 58 transmits the operation information to the control unit 10 via the communication unit 30c. Then, the control unit 10 controls the plurality of air conditioners provided in the third area via the communication unit 30c and the air conditioning control terminal 58 based on the operation information.

The air-conditioning control terminal 51 performs the same control as the air-conditioning control terminal 58 except that the communication between the control unit 10 and the air-conditioning control terminal 51 does not involve the communication unit 30 .

The management system 40 is, for example, a computer, a server device, or the like installed in a management room or the like of a facility where an equipment system controlled by the control unit 10 is installed. The management system 40 is an example of an output destination of information output by an output unit 18 included in the control unit 10, which will be described later.

For example, the management system 40 acquires power information measured by the power measuring device 50 via the control unit 10 . As a result, the manager of the facility or the like can check the power usage status of the facility using the management system 40 .

Also, for example, the management system 40 instructs the control unit 10 to transmit information about the control unit 10 or information about other units to the management system 40 . As a result, the administrator of the facility or the like can confirm these pieces of information at any timing.

In addition, when the facility manager or the like wants to make the air conditioning equipment or lighting fixtures installed in the facility perform a special operation, the management system 40 instructs the control unit 10 to perform the special operation. can be controlled. For example, when there is a lighting fixture that is not used in the first area and it is desired to turn off the power supply to the lighting fixture, the management system 40 causes the control unit 10 to control the relay 54 to supply power to the lighting fixture. can be turned off.

[Configuration of control unit]
Next, the configuration of the control unit 10 will be explained using FIG.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the control unit 10 according to the embodiment.

The control unit 10 includes a first IF (interface), a second IF 12 , a third IF, a fourth IF 14 , a fifth IF 15 , a control section 16 , an acquisition section 17 , an output section 18 and a memory 19 . In this embodiment, the control unit 10 comprises a plurality of first IFs 11a-11n and a plurality of third IFs 13a-13n. The first IF included in the control unit 10 is also generically called the first IF11, and the third IF is also generically called the third IF13. It should be noted that the use of a to n at the end of the code like the first IFs 11a to 11n does not mean that there are 14 first IFs 11 from a to n. It shows that an arbitrary number of first IFs 11 exist. The same applies to the third IF 13 and the power IF included in the power supply unit 20 described later with reference to FIG. 3 .

The control unit 10 is a computer including a processor (microprocessor), a memory 19, and a first IF 11, a second IF 12, a third IF 13, a fourth IF 14 and a fifth IF 15 as interfaces for communication or power supply. The memory 19 is ROM, RAM, or the like, and can store a control program (computer program) executed by the processor. It should be noted that the control unit 10 may have one memory or may have a plurality of memories, one or more of which is shown as a memory 19 here.

By the processor operating according to the control program, the control unit 16, acquisition unit 17, and output unit 18, which are functional components of the processor, are realized. Further, the processor operates according to the control program to perform processing for controlling each interface (first IF 11, second IF 12, third IF 13, fourth IF 14, and fifth IF 15).

The first IF 11 is an interface connected to a communication unit 30 for communication between the equipment system and the control unit 10 . The first IF 11 is implemented by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. A wired cable, for example, is connected to the connector of the first IF 11 . For example, the communication circuit and connector of the first IF 11 connected to the communication units 30a and 30b are compatible with RS422. Further, for example, the communication circuit and connector of the first IF 11 connected to the communication unit 30c are compatible with Ethernet (registered trademark). Note that the plurality of first IFs 11a to 11n may include interfaces corresponding to other communication standards.

The second IF 12 is an interface connected to a power supply unit 20 that supplies power to the control unit 10 and the communication unit 30 and is an interface for receiving power supply from the power supply unit 20 . The second IF 12 is implemented by, for example, a connector or the like. A wired cable, for example, is connected to the connector of the second IF 12 . For example, power supplied via the second IF 12 is used to operate the processor of the control unit 10 or the like.

The third IF 13 is an interface for communicating with another facility system different from the facility system communicating via the communication unit 30 . For example, the facility systems that communicate via the communication unit 30 are the switches 52 and 55, the lighting control terminals 53 and 56, the relays 54 and 57, and the air conditioning control terminal 58, and the other facility system is a power measuring device 50 and an air conditioning control terminal 51 . In other words, the control unit 10 also has a function of directly communicating with the equipment system without going through the communication unit 30 . The third IF 13 is implemented by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. A wired cable, for example, is connected to the connector of the third IF 13 . For example, the communication circuit and connector of the third IF 13 connected to the power measuring device 50 are compatible with RS485. Further, for example, the communication circuit and connector of the third IF 13 connected to the air conditioning control terminal 51 are compatible with RS232C. Note that the plurality of third IFs 13a to 13n may include interfaces corresponding to other communication standards.

The fourth IF 14 is an interface for communicating with a management system 40 that manages the equipment system. The fourth IF 14 is implemented by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. A wired cable, for example, is connected to the connector of the fourth IF 14 . For example, the communication circuit and connector of the fourth IF 14 are compatible with Ethernet (registered trademark). The fourth IF 14 may support other communication standards.

A fifth IF 15 is an interface for communicating with the power supply unit 20 . The fifth IF 15 is implemented by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. A wired cable, for example, is connected to the connector of the fifth IF 15 . For example, the fifth IF 15 includes an SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), and serial communication is performed between the control unit 10 and the power supply unit 20 .

Communication between the control unit 10 and the communication unit 30 using the first IF 11, communication between the control unit 10 and the facility system using the third IF 13, communication between the control unit 10 and the management system 40 using the fourth IF 14, and Although the communication between the control unit 10 and the power supply unit 20 using the fifth IF 15 has been performed by wire, it may be performed wirelessly. In this case, the first IF 11, third IF 13, fourth IF 14 and fifth IF 15 may include antennas.

In addition, the first IF 11 can handle communication by, for example, rewriting a control program (software) executed by a processor according to the communication standard applied to the communication unit 30 connected to the first IF 11. It may be configured such that the standard can be changed. In the same way, the third IF 13 can correspond to the communication standard applied to the facility system connected to the third IF 13 by, for example, rewriting the control program (software) executed by the processor. It may be configured such that the communication standard can be changed.

The control unit 16 is a functional component for controlling one or more facility systems installed in the facility, and is realized by, for example, a processor as described above. For example, the control unit 16 controls an equipment system connected to the communication unit 30 via the first IF 11 and controls an equipment system connected to the third IF 13 . The control unit 16 also stores information acquired from the power supply unit 20 or the communication unit 30 in the memory 19 and transmits the information stored in the memory 19 to the management system 40 via the fourth IF 14 .

The acquisition unit 17 is a functional component for acquiring at least one of information about the control unit 10 and information about other units connected to the control unit 10, and is realized by, for example, a processor as described above. Information about the control unit 10 is stored, for example, in the memory 19 , and the obtaining unit 17 obtains information about the control unit 10 from the memory 19 , for example. Also, for example, the acquisition unit 17 acquires information about other units from other units. For example, the acquisition unit 17 acquires information about the power supply unit 20 as another unit from the power supply unit 20 via the fifth IF 15 . Also, for example, the acquisition unit 17 acquires information about the communication unit 30 as another unit from the communication unit 30 via the first IF 11 . For example, upon receiving an instruction from the management system 40 or the like, the acquisition unit 17 may voluntarily acquire the information from the other unit by requesting the transmission of the information from the other unit. Also, the acquisition unit 17 may acquire such information voluntarily transmitted by another unit.

For example, the information about control unit 10 includes information about the temperature of control unit 10 . The information about the temperature of the control unit 10 is, for example, the temperature of the housing of the control unit 10 (substance temperature) or the temperature of the space (air) in the vicinity of the control unit 10 . For example, the temperature is measured by a temperature sensor and stored in the memory 19 of the control unit 10 or the like. For example, the temperature is measured and stored every hour or the like. Note that the control unit 10 may have a function of measuring temperature.

For example, in the control system 1, the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20, and the communication unit 30 are collectively arranged in a sealed space such as one box. Therefore, the space near the control unit 10 and the space near the power supply unit 20 can be regarded as the same space. Since the power supply unit 20 generates heat when generating electric power, the temperature of the space near the power supply unit 20 becomes high, that is, the temperature of the space near the control unit 10 becomes high. That is, it is possible to estimate how high the temperature of the power supply unit 20 is from the temperature of the space near the control unit 10 . In other words, the temperature of the power supply unit 20 can be estimated from the temperature of the space in the vicinity of the control unit 10 without measuring the temperature of the housing of the power supply unit 20 (substance temperature).

Also, for example, the information on other units includes information on the power supply unit 20 . The information on the power supply unit 20 specifically includes at least one of information on the voltage value of the power supply unit 20 , information on the current value of the power supply unit 20 , and information on the temperature of the power supply unit 20 . The information about the voltage value of the power supply unit 20 is the voltage value when power is supplied from the power supply unit 20 to the control unit 10 or the communication unit 30 . The information about the current value of the power supply unit 20 is the current value flowing through the power line connecting the power supply unit 20 and the control unit 10 or the communication unit 30 . The information about the temperature of the power supply unit 20 is the temperature of the housing of the power supply unit 20 (substance temperature) or the temperature of the space (air) in the vicinity of the power supply unit 20 . For example, a voltage value or a current value is measured by the measuring unit 23 of the power supply unit 20, which will be described later, and stored as a trend log in the memory 24 of the power supply unit 20, which will be described later. Also, the temperature is measured by a temperature sensor or the like and stored in the memory 24 of the power supply unit 20 or the like. For example, the temperature is measured and stored every hour or the like. Note that the power supply unit 20 may have a function of measuring temperature.

Also, for example, the information on the power supply unit 20 includes information on the life of the power supply unit 20 . The life of the power supply unit 20 can be estimated from, for example, at least one of information on the voltage value of the power supply unit 20 , information on the current value of the power supply unit 20 , and information on the temperature of the power supply unit 20 . Therefore, the information about the voltage value of the power supply unit 20 , the information about the current value of the power supply unit 20 , or the information about the temperature of the power supply unit 20 can be said to be information about the life of the power supply unit 20 . For example, if the trend log of the voltage value or the current value frequently falls below a certain value, it can be estimated that the power supply unit 20 has deteriorated and has a short life. Further, for example, if the average value of the voltage value or the current value over 24 hours or the like is below a certain value, it can be estimated that the power supply unit 20 has deteriorated and has a short life. For example, the information about the power supply unit 20 includes the operating time of the power supply unit 20 , and the life of the power supply unit 20 (specifically, the transformer) can be estimated from the temperature and operating time of the power supply unit 20 .

Also, for example, the information about the other unit includes at least one of a current value and a voltage value that the communication unit 30 uses for communication. The current value used by the communication unit 30 for communication is the current value when the communication unit 30 communicates with the equipment system connected to the communication unit 30, and increases as the number of equipment systems connected to the communication unit 30 increases. Become. The voltage value used by the communication unit 30 for communication is, for example, a high level value of the voltage when the communication unit 30 communicates with the facility system by a communication method using voltage changes.

Further, for example, at least one of the information about the control unit 10 and the information about the other units includes at least one of information about the abnormality of the control unit 10 and information about the abnormality of the other units.

For example, the information about the abnormality of the control unit 10 includes the recommended replacement time of the control board of the control unit 10, the recommended replacement time of the battery for the memory 19 (specifically, the SRAM) of the control unit 10 or the real-time clock, program reset count, the system start history of the control unit 10, or the task abnormal stop history. The recommended replacement time is included in the information regarding the abnormality of the control unit 10 because the control unit 10 or the components of the control unit 10 may become abnormal when the time approaches.

For example, the information about the abnormality of other units includes the recommended replacement timing of the power supply unit 20, external memory, annunciator, user man-machine PC (Personal Computer), HUB, or the like. The recommended replacement timing is included in the information regarding the abnormality of other units, since there is a possibility that these devices will become abnormal when the relevant timing approaches.

For example, the information about the abnormality of the other unit includes information indicating the abnormality of the communication unit 30 estimated from the current value or voltage value used by the communication unit 30 for communication. For example, when the current value or voltage value used for communication by the communication unit 30 is out of the prescribed values, it can be estimated that the communication unit 30 has an abnormality. The information about other units also includes information indicating an abnormality in the transmission line connecting the communication unit 30 and the equipment system, which is estimated from the current value or voltage value used by the communication unit 30 for communication. For example, when the current value or voltage value used for communication by the communication unit 30 is 0 or abnormally large, it can be estimated that there is a break or a short circuit in the transmission line.

In addition, at least one of the information regarding the abnormality of the control unit 10 and the information regarding the abnormality of the other unit includes restored information indicating that the abnormality has been restored. For example, the restored information includes the time when the system was restored from the abnormality, the frequency of restoration per unit time such as one week, one month or one year (in other words, the frequency of abnormality).

The memory 19 also stores information indicating recommended replacement times for the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20, the communication unit 30, and other devices used in the control system 1. FIG. The recommended replacement time is, for example, the replacement time recommended by the manufacturer for normal use. For example, as the recommended replacement times for other devices, the recommended replacement times for external memory, annunciator, user man-machine PC, HUB, etc. are stored as described above. For example, when any of the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20, the communication unit 30, and other equipment is replaced, the replacement corresponding to the replaced unit or other equipment among the recommended replacement times stored in the memory 19 is replaced. Recommended time is updated.

The output unit 18 is a functional component for notifying or outputting the information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 to a predetermined output destination, and is realized by, for example, a processor as described above. Note that the notification is, for example, an alert notification, which is displayed on a display or the like, or is output by voice or the like from a speaker or the like. A predetermined output destination is, for example, the management system 40 , and the output unit 18 outputs (transmits) the information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 to the management system 40 via the fourth IF 14 . Further, the output unit 18 may output (transmit) the information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 to a mobile terminal such as a tablet or a smartphone as a predetermined output destination. Also, the output unit 18 may use mail to output the information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 . The control unit 10 may have a display such as a 7-segment display, and the output unit 18 may output the information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 to the display as a predetermined output destination. The output unit 18 may output the raw data (unprocessed data) as the information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 to a predetermined output destination as it is, or process it to issue an alert notification prompting replacement of the device. good too.

For example, the output unit 18 outputs, as information about an abnormality in the control unit 10 or information about an abnormality in another unit, the control board of the control unit 10, the battery for the memory 19 of the control unit 10 or the real-time clock, the power supply unit 20, the external memory, and the like. , annunciator, user-man-machine PC (Personal Computer), HUB, etc., is notified based on the recommended replacement time. Specifically, based on these recommended replacement times, the output unit 18 issues an alert notification prompting replacement of a unit or device whose recommended replacement time is approaching.

Also, for example, the output unit 18 estimates the life of the power supply unit 20 based on information about the temperature of the power supply unit 20 or information about the temperature of the control unit 10 (specifically, the temperature of the space near the control unit 10). , an alert notification prompting replacement of the power supply unit 20 is performed. Also, for example, the output unit 18 estimates the life of the power supply unit 20 based on the information on the voltage value or the information on the current value of the power supply unit 20 and issues an alert notification prompting replacement of the power supply unit 20 . The output unit 18 outputs information about the temperature of the power supply unit 20 or information about the temperature of the control unit 10 (specifically, the temperature of the space near the control unit 10), or information about the voltage value of the power supply unit 20 or the current The information about the value may be output as it is to a predetermined output destination. In this case, the facility manager or the like may check the output information and estimate the service life of the power supply unit 20. You can decide whether or not

Further, for example, although the details will be described later, the number of equipment systems that can be further connected to the communication unit 30 can be estimated from the current value that the communication unit 30 uses for communication. The number of equipment systems that can be further connected to the communication unit 30 may be estimated based on the current value to be used, and information indicating the estimated number may be output to a predetermined output destination. Note that the output unit 18 may directly output the current value used by the communication unit 30 for communication to a predetermined output destination. In this case, the facility manager or the like may check the output information and estimate the number of facility systems that can be further connected to the communication unit 30 .

Further, for example, the output unit 18 estimates an abnormality of the communication unit 30 or the transmission line based on the voltage value or current value used for communication by the communication unit 30, and outputs information indicating the estimated abnormality to a predetermined output destination. You may The output unit 18 may directly output the voltage value or the current value used for communication by the communication unit 30 to a predetermined output destination. In this case, the facility manager or the like may check the output information and estimate the abnormality of the communication unit 30 or the transmission line.

Further, for example, the output unit 18 may output the number of program resets of the control unit 10, the system startup history of the control unit 10, or the abnormal stop history of tasks to a predetermined output destination. As a result, the administrator of the facility or the like can also analyze the failure.

Further, for example, the output unit 18 may output restored information indicating restoration from an abnormality to a predetermined output destination. From the restored information, the administrator of the facility or the like can confirm, for example, the occurrence of an abnormality and the progress of restoration, and can take measures to prevent the recurrence of the abnormality.

[Configuration of power supply unit]
Next, the configuration of the power supply unit 20 will be described using FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the power supply unit 20 according to the embodiment.

The power supply unit 20 includes a power supply IF, a communication IF 22 , a measurement section 23 and a memory 24 . In this embodiment, the power supply unit 20 includes a plurality of power supply IFs 21a-21n. In addition, the power supply IF included in the power supply unit 20 is also collectively referred to as a power supply IF 21 .

The power supply unit 20 is a computer including a processor (microprocessor), a memory 24, a power supply IF 21 and a communication IF 22 as interfaces for communication or power supply. The memory 24 is ROM, RAM, or the like, and can store a control program (computer program) executed by the processor. Note that the power supply unit 20 may have one memory, or may have a plurality of memories, and here, one or more memories are indicated as memory 24 .

A measuring unit 23, which is a functional component of the processor, is implemented by the processor operating according to the control program. Further, processing for controlling the communication IF 22 is performed by the processor operating according to the control program.

The power supply IF 21 is an interface for supplying power to the control unit 10 and the communication unit 30 . The power supply IF 21 is implemented by, for example, a connector or the like. A wired cable, for example, is connected to the connector of the power supply IF 21 . Since the power supply unit 20 includes a plurality of power supply IFs 21a to 21n, power can be supplied to the control unit 10 and the communication units 30a to 30c via different power lines (for example, wired cables) as described above. can.

Communication IF 22 is an interface for communication with control unit 10 . The communication IF 22 is realized by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. A wired cable, for example, one end of which is connected to the fifth IF 15 of the control unit 10 is connected to the connector of the communication IF 22 .

The communication between the control unit 10 and the power supply unit 20 using the communication IF 22 was performed by wire, but may be performed wirelessly. In this case, the communication IF 22 may include an antenna.

The measurement unit 23 measures the voltage value or current value of the power supply unit 20 using, for example, a voltage detection circuit or current detection circuit. For example, the measurement unit 23 sequentially transmits the measured voltage value or current value to the control unit 10 via the communication IF 22 . Note that the measurement unit 23 may temporarily store the measured voltage value or current value in the memory 24 and transmit the transition of the voltage value or current value in a specific period to the control unit 10 .

[Configuration of communication unit]
Next, the configuration of the communication unit 30 will be explained using FIG.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the communication unit 30 according to the embodiment.

The communication unit 30 includes a first communication IF 31 , a second communication IF 32 , a power IF 33 , a measuring section 34 and a memory 35 .

The communication unit 30 is a computer including a processor (microprocessor), a memory 35, and a first communication IF 31, a second communication IF 32, and a power supply IF 33 as interfaces for communication or power supply. The memory 35 is ROM, RAM, or the like, and can store a control program (computer program) executed by the processor. Note that the communication unit 30 may have one memory, or may have a plurality of memories, and here, one or more memories are shown as memory 35 .

A measuring unit 34, which is a functional component of the processor, is implemented by the processor operating according to the control program. Further, the processor operates according to the control program to perform processing for controlling each interface (first communication IF 31, second communication IF 32, and power IF 33).

The first communication IF 31 is an interface for communication with the control unit 10 . The first communication IF 31 is realized by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. A wired cable, for example, one end of which is connected to the first IF 11 of the control unit 10 is connected to the connector of the first communication IF 31 .

The second communication IF 32 is an interface for communication with the facility system. The second communication IF 32 is implemented by, for example, a communication circuit and a connector. The connector of the second communication IF 32 is connected with, for example, a wired cable that is connected to an equipment system.

The power IF 33 is an interface for receiving power supply from the power supply unit 20 . The power supply IF 33 is realized by, for example, a connector or the like. A wired cable, for example, one end of which is connected to the power IF 21 of the power supply unit 20 is connected to the connector of the power IF 33 . For example, power supplied via the power supply IF 33 is used to operate the processor of the communication unit 30 or the like.

The communication between the control unit 10 and the communication unit 30 using the first communication IF 31 and the communication between the communication unit 30 and the equipment system using the second communication IF 32 were performed by wire, but are not performed wirelessly. good too. In this case, the first communication IF 31 and the second communication IF 32 may include antennas.

The measurement unit 34 measures the current value or voltage value used for communication by the communication unit 30 using, for example, a voltage detection circuit or a current detection circuit. For example, the measuring section 34 sequentially transmits the measured current value or voltage value to the control unit 10 via the first communication IF 31 . Note that the measurement unit 34 may temporarily store the measured current value or voltage value in the memory 35 and transmit changes in the current value or voltage value during a specific period to the control unit 10 .

[Example of output]
Next, an output example of the information on the unit (information on the control unit 10 or information on other units) acquired by the acquisition unit 17 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an output example of information about units. FIG. 5 shows a display that the management system 40 has.

For example, information about the units may be displayed on a display provided by management system 40, as shown in FIG. Note that, as described above, the information about the unit may be output to a mobile terminal such as a tablet or a smartphone, a display provided in the control unit 10, or the like, and the output destination of the information about the unit is not particularly limited.

The content to be output as the information about the unit is not particularly limited as long as it is about the unit.

For example, FIG. 5 shows an example in which information indicating that replacement of the power supply unit 20 is recommended is output as unit-related information because the life of the power supply unit 20 was estimated to be short. For example, even before the recommended replacement time stored in the memory 19 of the control unit 10, if the estimated service life is short, information indicating that replacement is recommended is output. This is because the service life of the unit may come to an end before the recommended replacement time, depending on the environment in which the unit is used. It should be noted that, for example, even if the estimated life is long, when the time to recommend replacement is approaching, information indicating that replacement is recommended is output. Also, for example, information simply indicating the estimated life may be output.

Further, information indicating that each unit has an abnormality and prompts maintenance may be output, or information simply indicating that there is an abnormality may be output. Furthermore, the temperature of the control unit 10 or the power supply unit 20, the voltage value or current value of the power supply unit 20, or the current value or voltage value used by the communication unit 30 for communication may be output as they are. In this case, the facility manager or the like may check the output information and estimate the lifespan or abnormality of each unit.

For example, for items to be notified (alert notification), it may be possible to set whether or not to perform an alert notification for each item. Further, when an alert is notified, information necessary for responding to the alert (for example, the contact information of the maintenance company, the contract number, or the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of the member site) may be output.

[Effects, etc.]
As described above, the control unit 10 includes the control unit 16 that controls one or more equipment systems installed in the facility, and at least one of information about the control unit 10 and information about other units connected to the control unit 10. An acquisition unit 17 that acquires information and an output unit 18 that outputs information acquired by the acquisition unit 17 to a predetermined output destination.

According to this, as a unit for controlling the equipment system installed in the facility, information about other units such as the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20, the communication unit 30, or other equipment is notified or sent to a predetermined output destination. Since the information is output, the administrator of the facility or the like can confirm the information regarding the unit for controlling the equipment system installed in the facility by notification or via the predetermined output destination. As a result, it is possible to smoothly operate the equipment system controlled by using the control unit 10 and other units.

Moreover, the acquisition part 17 may acquire the information regarding another unit from another unit.

This enables remote monitoring of other units in the control system 1 .

Also, the information about the control unit 10 may include information about the temperature of the control unit 10 .

According to this, from the information about the temperature of the control unit 10, it is possible to estimate the life of the other unit (specifically, the power supply unit 20). This is because there is a correlation between the life of the power supply unit 20 and the temperature. Specifically, the higher the temperature of the control unit 10 is, the higher the temperature of the power supply unit 20 is, and the life of the power supply unit 20 tends to be shorter. For example, the power supply unit 20 can be replaced before it becomes unable to supply power due to its lifetime.

Further, the other unit may include a power supply unit 20 that supplies power to the control unit 10 , and the information about the other unit may include information about the power supply unit 20 . Specifically, the information on the power supply unit 20 may include at least one of information on the voltage value of the power supply unit 20 , information on the current value of the power supply unit 20 , and information on the temperature of the power supply unit 20 . More specifically, the information regarding the power supply unit may include information regarding the lifespan of the power supply unit.

According to this, the life of the power supply unit 20 can be estimated from the temperature, voltage value, or current value of the power supply unit 20 . This is because there is a correlation between the life of the power supply unit 20 and the temperature, voltage value, or current value of the power supply unit 20 . Specifically, when the voltage value or current value frequently falls below a certain value, or when the average value of the voltage value or current value in a specific period falls below a certain value, the power supply unit 20 is degraded. , that is, it can be estimated that the lifetime is short. Also, the life of the power supply unit 20 (specifically, the transformer) can be estimated from the temperature and operating time of the power supply unit 20 . For example, the power supply unit 20 can be replaced before the power supply unit 20 becomes unable to supply power to the control unit 10 due to the life of the power supply unit 20, that is, before it becomes impossible to control the facility system.

Further, the other unit may include a communication unit 30 that controls communication of the equipment system, and the information about the other unit may include at least one of the current value and voltage value that the communication unit 30 uses for communication.

According to this, the abnormality of the communication unit 30 can be estimated from the voltage value or the current value that the communication unit 30 uses for communication. Specifically, it can be estimated that the communication unit 30 has an abnormality when the voltage value or the current value deviates from a predetermined value.

In addition, the maximum value of the current that can be used for communication by one communication unit 30 is fixed, and the current value used for communication increases as the number of equipment systems connected to the communication unit 30 increases. There is a limit to the maximum number of facility systems that can be connected to That is, as the number of equipment systems connected to the communication unit 30 increases, the current value used for communication increases (in other words, approaches the maximum value), and the number of equipment systems that can be further connected to the communication unit 30 will be less. Therefore, the number of facility systems that can be further connected to the communication unit 30 can be estimated from the current value that the communication unit 30 uses for communication.

At least one of the information about the control unit 10 and the information about the other units may include at least one of the information about the abnormality of the control unit 10 and the information about the abnormality of the other units.

According to this, it is possible to confirm the abnormality of the control unit 10 or other units for controlling the equipment system installed in the facility. For example, abnormalities in the control board of the control unit 10, the battery for the memory 19 of the control unit 10 or the real-time clock, the power supply unit 20, the communication unit 30, the external memory, the annunciator, the user man-machine PC or HUB can be checked. This allows for expedited repair or replacement of these units or equipment.

Moreover, at least one of the information regarding the abnormality of the control unit 10 and the information regarding the abnormality of the other unit may include restored information indicating that the abnormality has been restored.

According to this, it is possible to confirm, for example, the occurrence of an abnormality and the progress of recovery from the information on the restoration completion, and to take measures for preventing the recurrence of the abnormality.

The control system 1 also includes a control unit 10 , a communication unit 30 that controls communication of the equipment system, and a power supply unit 20 that supplies power to the control unit 10 .

According to this, it is possible to provide the control system 1 capable of confirming the information on the units for controlling the facility system installed in the facility.

(Other embodiments)
Although the control unit 10 and the control system 1 according to the embodiment have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

For example, in the above embodiment, the acquisition unit 17 acquires information about other units from other units, but the information does not necessarily have to be acquired from other units. For example, information about other units is stored in the memory 19 , and the obtaining unit 17 may obtain information about other units from the memory 19 .

Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the information about the control unit 10 includes information about the temperature of the control unit 10, but it does not have to be included.

Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the information about other units includes information about the power supply unit 20, but it does not have to be included.

Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the information on the power supply unit 20 includes at least one of information on the voltage value of the power supply unit 20, information on the current value of the power supply unit 20, and information on the temperature of the power supply unit 20. may not contain.

Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the information about the power supply unit 20 includes information about the life of the power supply unit 20, but it does not have to be included.

Also, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the information about other units includes at least one of the current value and voltage value used by the communication unit 30 for communication, but it does not have to be included.

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, at least one of the information about the control unit 10 and the information about the other unit includes at least one of the information about the abnormality of the control unit 10 and the information about the abnormality of the other unit. You don't have to.

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, at least one of the information regarding the abnormality of the control unit 10 and the information regarding the abnormality of the other unit includes restored information indicating that the abnormality has been restored. may

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the control system 1 includes the control unit 10, the power supply unit 20, and the communication unit 30, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the control system 1 may include the control unit 10 and the power supply unit 20 without the communication unit 30 . Further, for example, the control system 1 may include the control unit 10 and the communication unit 30 and may not include the power supply unit 20 .

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the communication unit 30 is configured to receive power from the power supply unit 20 without going through the control unit 10, but power is supplied from the power supply unit 20 through the control unit . may be configured to receive

Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the switches 52 and 55 are used for turning on/off the lighting fixtures or controlling dimming. good.

In addition, the present invention can be implemented not only as the control unit 10 and the control system 1, but also as a notification method including steps (processes) performed by each component of the control unit 10 and the control system 1. FIG.

For example, those steps may be performed by a computer (computer system). The present invention can be realized as a program for causing a computer to execute the steps included in those methods. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented as a non-temporary computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM recording the program.

For example, when the present invention is implemented by a program (software), each step is executed by executing the program using hardware resources such as the CPU, memory, and input/output circuits of the computer. . That is, each step is executed by the CPU acquiring data from a memory, an input/output circuit, or the like, performing an operation, or outputting the operation result to the memory, an input/output circuit, or the like.

Also, each component included in the control unit 10 and the control system 1 of the above embodiment may be implemented as a dedicated or general-purpose circuit.

Further, each component included in the control unit 10 and the control system 1 of the above embodiment may be implemented as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), which is an integrated circuit (IC).

Also, the integrated circuit is not limited to an LSI, and may be realized by a dedicated circuit or a general-purpose processor. A programmable FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or a reconfigurable processor in which connection and setting of circuit cells inside the LSI can be reconfigured may be used.

Furthermore, if an integrated circuit technology that replaces the LSI appears due to advances in semiconductor technology or another technology derived from it, that technology will naturally be used to integrate each component included in the control unit 10 and the control system 1. may be performed.

In addition, a form obtained by applying various modifications to the embodiment that a person skilled in the art can think of, and a form realized by arbitrarily combining the constituent elements and functions of each embodiment within the scope of the present invention. is also included in the present invention.

Reference Signs List 1 control system 10 control unit 16 control section 17 acquisition section 18 output section 20 power supply unit 30, 30a, 30b, 30c communication unit

Claims (13)

A control unit having a housing,
a control unit that controls one or more equipment systems installed in a facility;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing and information about the control unit ;
A control unit that outputs the information acquired by the acquisition unit to a predetermined output destination or notifies the information. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition section acquires information about the other unit from the other unit. 3. A control unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information about the control unit includes information about the temperature of the control unit. A control unit having a housing,
a control unit that controls one or more equipment systems installed in a facility;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing;
an output unit that notifies the information acquired by the acquisition unit or outputs it to a predetermined output destination,
the other unit includes a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit;
the information about the other unit includes information about the power supply unit;
The information about the power supply unit includes information about the life of the power supply unit.
control unit. 5. The control unit according to claim 4 , wherein the information about the power supply unit includes at least one of information about the voltage value of the power supply unit, information about the current value of the power supply unit, and information about the temperature of the power supply unit. A control unit having a housing,
a control unit that controls one or more equipment systems installed in a facility;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing;
an output unit that notifies the information acquired by the acquisition unit or outputs it to a predetermined output destination,
The other unit includes a communication unit that controls communication of the equipment system,
The information about the other unit includes at least one of a current value and a voltage value used for communication by the communication unit.
control unit. A control unit having a housing,
a control unit that controls one or more equipment systems installed in a facility;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing;
an output unit that notifies the information acquired by the acquisition unit or outputs it to a predetermined output destination,
the other unit includes a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit;
the information about the other unit includes information about the power supply unit;
The other unit includes a communication unit that controls communication of the equipment system,
The information on the other unit includes information on the power supply unit and information on the communication unit.
control unit. A control unit having a housing,
a control unit that controls one or more equipment systems installed in a facility;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing;
an output unit that notifies the information acquired by the acquisition unit or outputs it to a predetermined output destination,
at least one of the information about the control unit and the information about the other unit includes at least one of information about an abnormality of the control unit and information about an abnormality of the other unit;
At least one of the information about the abnormality of the control unit and the information about the abnormality of the other unit includes restored information indicating recovery from the abnormality.
control unit. A control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ;
a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit. A control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ;
A control system comprising: a communication unit that controls communication of the equipment system. A control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ;
a communication unit for controlling communication of the facility system;
a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit. a control unit having a housing;
a communication unit that controls communication of one or more equipment systems installed in the facility;
The control unit is
a control unit that controls the equipment system;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing;
an output unit that notifies the information acquired by the acquisition unit or outputs the information to a predetermined output destination;
control system. a control unit having a housing;
a communication unit that controls communication of one or more equipment systems installed in a facility;
a power supply unit that supplies power to the control unit;
The control unit is
a control unit that controls the equipment system;
an acquisition unit that is connected to the control unit and acquires information about another unit configured separately from the housing;
an output unit that notifies the information acquired by the acquisition unit or outputs the information to a predetermined output destination;
control system.

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