JP2001189811A - Remote monitoring device and its monitoring method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a response function for incoming call to both of a monitoring device and a terminal device connected to the monitoring device by one telephone number without providing a new circuit. SOLUTION: When the monitoring device 5 receives a call originated from center equipment 1, the device 5 connects a relay circuit 7 to the side of a control circuit 10 in response to this, to send the state signal of equipment in a building. When the device 5 receives a prescribed signal from center equipment 2, the de ice 5 close not respond to calling again after the reception, and switches a communication line to the terminal device 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote monitoring device for detecting the status of equipment and transmitting status information to a remote center device via a communication line, and a monitoring method therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 1 and 4 show a conventional remote monitoring apparatus. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram, and FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart. Building equipment (elevators, air conditioners, etc.)
The monitoring signal 11 indicating the state is input to the monitoring device 5.
The monitoring device 5 sends this status information to the center devices 1 and 2 via the exchange 3 and the communication line 4 in a timely manner or in response to a request from the remote center devices 1 and 2. On the other hand, a terminal device 6 such as a telephone is connected to the monitoring device 5, and is connected to the center devices 1 and 2 by switching the communication line 4.

Next, the operation of the monitoring device 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 in the case where the center device 1 transmits and receives signals to and from the monitoring device 5 and the center device 2 transmits and receives signals to and from the terminal device 6. It is assumed that the monitoring device 5 has only one telephone number. If no incoming call is detected in step S1, it waits for information to be reported to the center device 1 in step S2. If information is generated, it is determined in step S3 that the terminal device 6 is in an off-hook state, that is, whether the terminal device 6 is using a line. If not, the relay circuit 7 is moved down to the control circuit 10 in step S4.

At step S5, the exchange 3 dials the center device 1, and at step S6, the report data is sent to the center device 1. In step S7, the relay circuit 7
To the terminal device 6 to disconnect the line. Next, when an incoming call is detected in step S1, the process proceeds to step S9, in which the relay circuit 7 is moved down to the control circuit 10, and a line is established with the center device 1. In step S12, a signal is exchanged with the center device 1, and the process proceeds to step S7, where the line is disconnected.

[0005]

In the above-described conventional remote monitoring device, it is unknown which of the center devices 1 and 2 has received the call, and therefore, one of the monitoring device 5 and the terminal device 6 (in this case, monitoring). If the device 5) has an incoming call response function, communication from the center device 1 to the monitoring device 5 can be performed, but communication from the center device 2 to the other device (in this case, the terminal device 6) cannot be performed. Also, if both the monitoring device 5 and the terminal device 6 have the incoming call response function, the terminal will be connected to the one who responds earlier at that time. In order to avoid these, it is necessary to provide a communication line separately from the monitoring device 5 and the terminal device 6, and the subscription fee is doubled.

There is also a means of using the caller ID notifying function to respond or not respond with the caller ID. In this case, however, a circuit for receiving the caller ID is required, and the equipment is required. However, there is a problem that the cost of the service is high and the cost of subscribing to the caller ID service is required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and it is possible to provide both a monitoring device and a terminal device with an incoming call answering function with one telephone number without providing a new circuit. It is an object to provide a remote monitoring device and a monitoring method thereof.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a remote monitoring apparatus receives a predetermined signal when the monitoring apparatus receives a predetermined signal.
In response to the incoming call after the reception, the response, that is, the transmission of the state information is not performed, and the communication line is switched to the terminal device.

A remote monitoring device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the remote monitoring device according to the first aspect, wherein when the monitoring device receives a predetermined signal, it responds to an incoming call within a predetermined time after receiving the predetermined signal, that is, status information. , And the communication line is switched to the terminal device.

Further, in the remote monitoring method according to the third invention, when the monitoring device receives the predetermined signal, it does not respond to the incoming call after receiving the signal, that is, does not send out the abnormal information, and connects the communication line to the terminal device. A step for switching is provided.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 and 2 are views showing one embodiment of the first and third inventions of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram, and FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a center device which is installed at a position distant from a monitoring device 5 to be described later and transmits and receives signals to and from the monitoring device 5, and 2 denotes a terminal device (equipment having a telephone function) also connected to the monitoring device 5. 6 is a center device that sends and receives signals.
It is connected via the communication line 4 to the exchange 3 connected to the monitoring device 5.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a monitoring device which is installed in a building and has a function of detecting a condition such as an abnormality of equipment (elevator, air conditioner, etc.) and transmitting the status information. Reference numeral 6 denotes a telephone connected to the monitoring device 5. A relay circuit for switching the communication line with the exchange 3, a hook detection circuit 8 for detecting whether the terminal device 6 has started using the communication line,
A control circuit for receiving a monitoring signal 11 output from a monitoring sensor (not shown) for monitoring equipment and for controlling the circuits 7 to 9; It is.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2 in the case where the center device 1 exchanges signals with the monitoring device 5 and the center device 2 exchanges signals with the terminal device 6. In the case where the center device 2 communicates with the terminal device 6, it is assumed that a predetermined signal, for example, a simple PB signal or the like is transmitted, and then a call is made again.

(1) When there is no incoming call from the center devices 1 and 2 In step S1, the control circuit 10 determines whether or not the incoming call detecting circuit 9 has detected an incoming call.
Proceed to 2 and wait for information to be reported to the center device 1. When the information is generated, the process proceeds to step S3, and the control circuit 10 determines, via the hook detection circuit 8, whether the terminal device 6 is in the off-hook state, that is, whether the terminal device 6 is using the line. Proceed to S4.

In step S4, the relay circuit 7 is controlled by the control circuit 1
Flip it to the 0 side. In step S5, the exchange 3 dials the center device 1 to connect the line to the center device 1. In step S6, the report data to be transmitted is transmitted to the center device 1. Then, in step S7, the relay circuit 7
To the terminal device 6 side, disconnect the line, and return to step S1.

(2) When there is an incoming call from the center devices 1 and 2 When it is determined in step S1 that the incoming call detection circuit 9 has detected an incoming call, it is determined in step S8 whether or not there is a memory for receiving the predetermined signal. If there is no received memory, step S
At 9, the relay circuit 7 is moved down to the control circuit 10 side to establish a line. In step S10, it is determined whether a predetermined signal has been received from the center device 2. If not, the process proceeds to step S11 because the incoming call is from the center device 1.
The monitoring device 5 performs communication with the center device 1. And
After the communication is completed, the process proceeds to step S7, where the relay circuit 7 is moved down to the terminal device 6 to disconnect the line.

Next, when a predetermined signal is received from the center device 2, the process proceeds to steps S1, S8, S9 and S10,
In step S12, the fact that the predetermined signal has been received is stored.
Proceed to step S7 to disconnect the line. When a call is received again from the center 2, it is determined in step S8 that the predetermined signal has been received, and the process proceeds to step S13.

As a result, the relay circuit 7 does not control, that is, does not respond to the incoming call, deletes the memory having received the predetermined signal, and shifts to step S2. That is, the operation is the same as when no incoming call is received, and the terminal device 6 can respond to this incoming call. Here, steps S1, S8, S
Reference numeral 13 denotes line switching means.

In this way, when the center device 2 wants to communicate with the terminal device 6, it sends a predetermined signal and then re-calls. When the monitoring device 5 receives the predetermined signal, the monitoring device 5 responds to the next incoming call. By switching the communication line to the terminal device 6 without responding to the request, communication with the terminal device 6 becomes possible without providing a special line.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart showing one embodiment of the second invention of the present invention.
The same parts as those described above are indicated by the same reference numerals. FIG. 1 is also used in the second embodiment. Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. (3) When there is no incoming call from the center apparatuses 1 and 2 This is shown in steps S1 to S7 and is the same as FIG.

(4) When there is an incoming call from the center devices 1 and 2 Steps S1, S8 to S11 and S7 are the same as those in FIG. If a predetermined signal is received from the center device 2 in step S10, the process proceeds to step S21, the fact that the predetermined signal is received is stored, and a timer is started. Then, the process proceeds to step S7, where the relay circuit 7 is turned down to the terminal device 6 side. Disconnect the line.

If it is determined in step S8 that the predetermined signal has been received, the process proceeds to step S22. Thus, the relay circuit 7 does not control, that is, does not respond to the incoming call, determines whether the activated timer has counted a predetermined time, and if it is counting, proceeds to step S2.
That is, the operation is the same as when no incoming call is received. If it is determined in step S22 that the time count has expired, the process proceeds to step S13, where the storage of the predetermined signal received is deleted, and the process proceeds to step S2. Here, step S1,
S8, S22, and S13 constitute line switching means.

As described above, when the center device 2 wants to communicate with the terminal device 6, it sends a predetermined signal and then makes a call again. When the monitoring device 5 receives the predetermined signal, it receives an incoming call within a predetermined time after receiving the signal. By switching the communication line to the terminal device 6 without responding to the request, the terminal device 6 can receive an incoming call any number of times within this fixed time.

[0024]

As described above, according to the first and third aspects of the present invention, when the monitoring apparatus receives a predetermined signal, it does not respond to the incoming call after receiving the signal, that is, does not send out the status information. Since the communication line is switched to the terminal device, communication between the terminal device connected to the monitoring device and the center device can be performed without providing a special circuit.

Further, in the second invention, when the monitoring device receives the predetermined signal, it responds to the incoming call within a predetermined time after receiving the predetermined signal, ie, does not send out the status information, and connects the communication line to the terminal device. Since the switching is performed, the terminal device can receive an incoming call any number of times during this fixed time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention and a conventional remote monitoring device.

FIG. 2 is an operation flowchart showing the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart showing a conventional remote monitoring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 center equipment, 3 exchanges, 4 communication lines, 5
Monitoring device, 6 terminal device, 7 relay circuit, 8 hook detection circuit, 9 incoming call detection circuit, 10 control circuit, 11
Monitoring signal, S1, S8, S13 line switching means, S1,
S8, S22, S13 Line switching means.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A monitoring device for detecting the status of equipment and automatically transmitting the status information to the center device via a communication line in a timely manner or in response to a request from a remote center device. In a remote monitoring device having a function of switching a communication line to the terminal device with a terminal device connected to the monitoring device, when the monitoring device receives a predetermined signal, the response to the incoming call after the reception is made. A remote monitoring device comprising: line switching means for switching the communication line to the terminal device without performing the operation. 2. The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the line switching means is configured such that, when the monitoring device receives the predetermined signal, the communication line is switched to the terminal device without responding to an incoming call within a predetermined time after receiving the predetermined signal. The remote monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. A step of automatically transmitting status information output from the monitoring device to the center device via a communication line in a timely manner or in response to a request from a remote center device. When the monitoring device receives the predetermined signal, the response is not made to the incoming call after the reception,
Switching the communication line to the terminal device.