JP2001265749A - Information collection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information collection system capable of efficiently monitoring the operating states of a large number of control equipment and exactly collecting the state information of control equipment, in which abnormality occurs. SOLUTION: This system is provided with plural communication terminals 5 for monitoring the operating states of a plurality of terminal equipment 6 and a communication center 2 for successively polling these communication terminals, collecting the state information of each of terminal equipment, managing the information and reporting that managing information to a base station 1. Then, the communication center periodically reports the managing information to the base station and when abnormality in the terminal equipment is detected, the occurrence of abnormality is successively reported to the base station. When the base station requests the transmission of information, according to that managing information, the communication center acquires information showing the operating state of the terminal equipment via the communication terminal and transfers it to the base station.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to information suitable for distant monitoring and the like which can efficiently monitor the operation status of a plurality of terminal devices and collect timely status information of the terminal device in which an abnormality has occurred. Regarding the collection system.

[0002]

2. Related Background Art It is important for various plant facilities, factory / building management facilities, and the like to constantly monitor (monitor) the operating state and to take prompt action when an abnormality occurs. From this viewpoint, an information (management) center, which is a base station, and a site where plant equipment and the like are provided are connected via a predetermined communication line, and status information of various control devices (terminal devices) at the site is obtained. Various attempts have been made to collect the information in a base station and monitor it comprehensively.

[0003]

However, if the base station (information center) and the site where the plant facilities and the like are provided are always connected via a telephone line or the like, the information collection efficiency is extremely large. bad. In addition, if a large number of plant facilities and the like dispersed in various places (areas) are to be centrally managed in an integrated manner in one base station, it is enormous to collect the status information of a plurality of terminal devices in each of these plant facilities. High processing load. Furthermore, if the data volume of the status information itself of each terminal device is enormous,
It takes a lot of communication time to transmit the state information via the communication line. Therefore, there is a need for a countermeasure in how to efficiently collect state information of many terminal devices.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to efficiently monitor the operating states of a large number of control devices in plant equipment and the like, and to provide status information of control devices in which an abnormality has occurred. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information collecting system capable of collecting information accurately.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an information collecting system according to the present invention is provided at a site such as a plant facility and communicates with an information (management) center which is a base station. A communication center provided for information communication via a communication line, and a plurality of terminal devices at the site are provided corresponding to the communication centers, respectively, and are managed by the communication center to monitor operation states of the respective terminal devices. A plurality of communication terminals, wherein the communication center collects and manages the status information of the terminal devices obtained by polling each of the communication terminals in turn and obtaining each of the communication terminals. The communication center is configured to notify information to the base station via a predetermined communication line, and the communication center periodically connects the base station to the base station to communicate the management information to the base station. (Scheduled communication), and when there is an information transmission request from the base station, information indicating the state of the terminal device obtained via the communication terminal according to the management information is transferred to the base station. It is characterized by having been constituted.

Alternatively, in the communication center, the line is periodically connected to the base station to transmit the management information to the base station (periodic communication). When an abnormality of the terminal device is detected from information collected from each of the communication terminals, a temporary line connection is made with the base station to notify the base station of the occurrence of the abnormality (alarm communication), When the base station receiving the notification of occurrence requests transmission of information indicating an abnormal state, the base station acquires information indicating an abnormal state of the terminal device via the communication terminal according to the management information, and transmits the information to the base station. It is characterized by being configured to transfer.

In a preferred aspect of the present invention, in the communication center, the status information of each terminal device collected by polling a plurality of communication terminals and the status information obtained at the previous polling are obtained. The status information of the terminal device is compared with the status information, and when a change in the status information is recognized, it is detected that an abnormality has occurred in the terminal device connected to the communication terminal, and from the polling position at that time. The terminal device in which the abnormality has occurred is specified.

Further, in a preferred aspect of the present invention, when the communication center calls the base station and connects to the line, the communication center receives time information notified from the base station and periodically transmits the call. It is characterized by managing the next call timing for realizing a typical line connection.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an information collecting system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of an information collecting system according to this embodiment. 1 is an information center as a base station, 2 is a predetermined communication line such as a telephone line with an information center (base station) 1. 3 are communication centers connected via lines. Each of these communication centers 2 is provided at a site such as a plant facility or a factory / building management facility, and is provided for each of a predetermined number (for example, a maximum of 16) of control devices to be monitored at the site. . Thus, a plurality of communication terminals 5 are connected to the communication center 2 via, for example, a pair line 4. Each of these communication terminals 5 is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of control devices (terminal devices) 6 at the site described above.
Plays a role of individually monitoring the operation state of the control device (terminal device) 6 via the communication line 7 and the contact information line 8.

The communication center 2 is functionally similar to that of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a communication control function 2a for connecting a line with an information center (base station) 1 and executing information communication according to a predetermined communication protocol, and a call for managing a call (line connection) to the information center 1. It has a management function 2b. Further, the communication center 2 has a terminal management function 2c for managing a plurality of communication terminals 5 connected to the communication center 2 via the pair line 4, respectively. It is provided with a polling control function 2d for collecting state information of each of the terminal devices 6 that is required, and an abnormality determination function 2e for detecting an abnormality of the terminal device 6 from the state information collected by polling.

On the other hand, the communication terminal 5 includes a communication control function 5a for executing information communication with the communication center 2 via the pair line 4 and a communication line 7 as exemplified in FIG.
Communicates with the terminal device 6 via the
A data management function 5b for providing control information to the terminal device 6 or collecting information indicating an operation state of the terminal device 6, and a contact detection function 5c for monitoring the operation state of the terminal device 6 via the contact information line 8. Is done. The contact information monitored by the contact detection function 5c includes, for example, interlock information generated by the operation of the terminal device 6.

In the information communication system constructed as described above, the plurality of communication terminals 5 constantly monitor the operation state of the terminal equipment (control equipment) 6 connected thereto. Specifically, the terminal device (control device) 6 is controlled by the contact detection function 5c.
And information indicating the operating state of the terminal device (control device) 6 is collected by the data management function 5b. The information collected by the data management function 5b is determined according to the type of the terminal device (control device) 6 and its specifications. Then, various status reports such as a daily report and a monthly report are created.

On the other hand, the communication center 2 sequentially polls a plurality of communication terminals 5 connected via the pair line 4 under the control of the polling control function 2d, for example, once a minute. The status information of the terminal device 6 requested by each communication terminal 6 is collected. Then, by operating the abnormality determination function 2e, the status information of each terminal device 6 collected by the polling is compared with the status information of the terminal device 6 obtained at the time of the previous polling, and the status information changes. It is determined whether or not an error has occurred, thereby detecting the occurrence of an abnormality in the terminal device 6.

The communication center 2 periodically connects to the information center (base station) 1 via the communication line 3 to monitor the status information (monitoring status) of the plurality of terminal devices 6 monitored as described above. The result is notified, and when an abnormality is detected, a line is connected to the information center (base station) 1 as needed, and the occurrence of an abnormality is notified to the information center (base station) 1. Thereafter, the information center (base station) 1 that has been notified of the occurrence of the abnormality
When the information requesting information indicating the operation state of the terminal device 6 in which the abnormality has occurred, the information is collected as described later, and the collected information is transferred to the information center (base station) 1.

Here, the overall operation of the information collection system will be described with reference to the sequence of the communication procedure shown in FIG. 3. First, in the communication center 2, the information center (base station) 1 is set up with its installation. A call is made (initial call), and a line connection is made with the information center (base station) 1 via the communication line 3 [process a]. Then, in this line connection state, the communication center 2 notifies the information center (base station) 1 of its own ID information composed of, for example, a telephone number. Then, in the information center 1, the data collection management program is started, and the communication center 2 is set as one of the management targets.
Is registered [Processing b]. Then, the communication timing for realizing the periodic information collection from the communication center 2 is determined, and after notifying the communication center 2 of the time information designating the timing of the next scheduled communication [processing c], Disconnect the line connection.

In the communication center 2, the time information notified from the information center 1 is obtained as described above, and the time is managed so as to perform the regular communication [process d]. Then, when the time comes, the information center (base station) 1 is newly called (periodic call), and the line is connected to the information center (base station) 1 via the communication line 3 [process e]. . At this time, the communication center 2 notifies the information center 1 of information on the terminal device 6 monitored via the plurality of communication terminals 5 in addition to the ID information described above. Then, in the information center 1, the data collection management program is started and the communication center 2 is started.
Then, the information indicating the operation state of the terminal device 6 notified by the communication center 2 is fetched, and the operation states of the plurality of terminal devices 6 managed by the communication center 2 are monitored according to the ID information [process f]. At this time, the information center 1 sends time information specifying the timing of the next scheduled communication in the same manner as at the time of the initial call.
[Processing g].

On the other hand, in an environment where information communication is periodically performed between the information center (base station) 1 and the communication center 2 via the communication line 3 in this manner, the communication center 2
Polls the plurality of communication terminals 5 at a predetermined cycle as described above, and collects information indicating the operation state of the terminal device 6 monitored by each communication terminal 5 [processing h].
The operation state of each terminal device 6 is checked by determining whether or not information indicating the operation state of each terminal device 6 has changed.

If no change in the state information is found in the comparison determination process, it is determined that the terminal device (control device) 6 managed by the communication terminal 5 is operating normally. In this case, the monitoring of the operation state of the terminal devices 6 connected to the plurality of communication terminals 5 is constantly and repeatedly executed in the above-described polling cycle. Then, the monitoring result of such an operation state is notified to the information center (base station) 1 by the above-mentioned regular periodic communication under the management of the communication control unit 2a.

On the other hand, when a change in the state information is recognized by the above-described comparison determination processing, the abnormality determination function 2e determines that some abnormality has occurred in the terminal device 6 and detects the occurrence of the abnormality. I have. At this time, the terminal management function 2c identifies the terminal device 6 in which the abnormality has occurred from the polling management data (polling position) when polling the communication terminal 5 that has obtained the status information. When this abnormality is detected, the call manager 2d is forcibly driven to call the information center (base station) 1 via the communication control function 2a (alarm call).
Is performed [process i]. Then, by transmitting the alarm information and the ID information via the communication line 3, the information center (base station) 1 is notified of the occurrence of the abnormality.

In the information center (base station) 1 that has been notified of the occurrence of the abnormality, the communication center 2 that has notified the occurrence of the abnormality first activates an abnormality detection process [process j], and the communication center 2 , And issues a transfer request of information indicating the abnormal state to the communication center 2 [process k]. Then, the communication center 2 issues a notification request of information indicating an abnormal state to the communication terminal 5 specified from the polling management data as described above [processing 1], and the data management function 5 of the communication terminal 5
Activate b. Then, information indicating the operation state of the control device (terminal device) 6 is collected by the communication terminal 5 via the communication line 8 [processing m, n], and this information is taken into the communication center 2 via the pair line 4. Control information (terminal equipment)
6 is notified to the information center (base station) 1 via the communication line 3 together with, for example, information indicating the polling position [process o].

Thus, the information center (base station) 1
[Process p], for example, by searching a database registered in advance to identify the terminal device 6 in which the abnormality has occurred, know the type of the terminal device 6, and determine the occurrence status of the abnormality from the information indicating the abnormal state. To analyze. Then, if information such as a means for responding to an abnormality is obtained from the analysis result, a measure such as notifying the information to the communication center 2 via the communication line 3 is taken [Processing q]. If necessary, take measures such as requesting the dispatch of maintenance personnel. Note that, even when the notification of the occurrence of the abnormality is not received, the information center (base station) 1 receives the access from the communication center 2 as needed, and stores the information managed up to that point. Of course, it is also possible to provide the communication center 2.

Thus, as described above, the operation state of the terminal device 6 is monitored via the plurality of communication terminals 5 under the management of the communication center 2, and the monitoring result is periodically or whenever an abnormality is detected. An information collection system configured to notify information to the information center 1 which is a base station, and to notify the information center 1 of information indicating the operation state of the terminal device 6 in detail in response to a request from the information center 1. According to this, by the regular line connection between the information center 1 and the plurality of communication centers 2, it is possible to efficiently collect information indicating the operation state of the terminal device 6 managed by each of the plurality of communication centers 2. . Moreover, it is possible to efficiently monitor the operation states of a large number of terminal devices 6 only by communication with a small amount of information indicating whether or not the operation has changed.

Each communication center 2 notifies detailed information indicating the operation state of the terminal device 6 only when an information transfer request from the terminal information center 1 is given. It is possible to efficiently collect only the minimum information required for managing the device 6. Therefore, the communication line 3 is not occupied for a long time, and the economic effect is large in terms of the utilization efficiency of the communication line 3.

In the above-described system, the timing (time) of the periodic communication is specified for each of the plurality of communication centers 2 from the information center 1, and the management is entrusted to each communication center 2. Although the communication center 2 is generally managed, there is no need to control the line connection with the communication center 2, and the processing load can be greatly reduced. And communication center 2
In the above, the regular communication with the information center 1 is individually managed in accordance with the time information designated by the information center 1, and a plurality of communication terminals 5 connected via the pair line 4 are separated from the information center 1. Since it is only necessary to perform independent management, it is possible to reduce the processing load.

Therefore, even when constructing a large-scale information collection system, the processing load is limited to the individual communication centers 2.
The information center 1 can manage the terminal devices 6 in a centralized manner while further reducing the amount of information communication via the communication line 3 and operate the plurality of terminal devices 6 managed by the respective communication centers 2. Can be efficiently collected, so that there is an advantage that a system in which the overall movement is clear and the running cost is low can be realized.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the number of communication terminals 5 connected to the communication center 2 via the pair line 4 may be determined according to the processing capacity of the communication center 2. Further, each communication terminal 5 only needs to correspond to the specification of the terminal device 6 to be monitored, and monitors an internal operation signal of the terminal device 6 instead of contact information such as interlock information. May be. Also, a plurality of communication terminals 5 in the communication center 2
Can be set for each communication center 2, and the time interval of regular communication with the information center 1 can also be set individually for each communication center 2. is there. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the information indicating the operation states of a plurality of terminal devices is periodically and efficiently collected, and the detailed information is accurately collected as necessary. be able to. Moreover, it is possible to realize information collection by efficient information communication in a short time without occupying a communication line for a long time.

The processing load for information collection at the information center (base station) is distributed to individual communication centers, and the information is collected by calling from each information center while managing these communication centers in an integrated manner. Therefore, effects such as a large-scale information collection system can be constructed at a low cost with a simple control system can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic system configuration of an information collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of a communication center and communication terminals in the information collection system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing a schematic communication procedure of the information collecting system shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 information center (base station) 2 communication center 3 communication line (telephone line) 4 pair line 5 communication terminal 6 terminal device (control device)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F-term (reference) GG70 GG72

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of communication terminals provided corresponding to a plurality of terminal devices, respectively, for monitoring an operation state of the terminal devices, and the terminals obtained by polling these communication terminals in order and obtaining each of the communication terminals. A communication center that collects and manages the state information of the devices, and notifies the base station of the management information via a predetermined communication line, wherein the communication center periodically communicates with the base station. Connect and transmit the management information to the base station, and when there is an information transmission request of the base station, obtain information indicating the state of the terminal device via the communication terminal according to the management information, An information collection system, wherein the information is transferred to a base station. 2. A plurality of communication terminals provided corresponding to a plurality of terminal devices, respectively, for monitoring an operation state of the terminal devices, and the terminals obtained by polling these communication terminals in order and obtaining each of the communication terminals. A communication center that collects and manages the state information of the devices, and notifies the base station of the management information via a predetermined communication line, wherein the communication center periodically communicates with the base station. Connected to the base station and transmits the management information to the base station, and when an abnormality of the terminal device is detected from information collected from the communication terminals, the base station is connected to the base station as needed. When the base station that has received the notification of the occurrence of the abnormality requests transmission of information indicating the state of the abnormality, the information indicating the abnormality state of the terminal device via the communication terminal according to the management information. Get Information collection system, characterized by transferring to the base station. 3. The communication center, wherein the state information of each terminal device collected by polling a plurality of communication terminals;
The status information of the terminal device obtained at the previous polling is compared with the status information, and when a change in the status information is recognized, it is detected that an abnormality has occurred, and the abnormality has occurred from the polling position at that time. The information collection system according to claim 2, wherein the terminal device is specified. 4. The communication center, when calling a base station and connecting a line, receives time information notified from the base station and manages the next call timing for realizing a periodic line connection. The information collection system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: