JP2002034082A - Installation-device remote controller and installation- device system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem conventionally that when an installation device and a remove controller are formed as a pair, the remote controller which deals with the function of the installation device must be prepared, when the function differs according to the type of the installation device. SOLUTION: The installation device 2 is provided with a device by-type information notification part 16, which sends device by-type information which specifies the function of the device. A installation-device remote controller 1 is provided with a device by-type discriminating part 17 which discriminates the device by-type information notified from the installation device 2, a display part 9 which performs displaying according to the device by-type information on the installation device 2 discriminated by the part 17 and an operation part 3, which generates an operation signal corresponding to the input of a user according to the device by-type information on the installation device 2 discriminated by the part 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an equipment remote control and an equipment system for displaying and controlling the status of equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional equipment remote controller and an equipment system using the same, there is a first configuration described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-59111. As shown in FIG. 7, this apparatus comprises a remote control 1 and a water heater main body 2 as equipment, and receives operation information from an operation section 3 operated by a user through a key, and a remote control transmission section 4 communicates. A packet is generated and sent to the water heater main body 2. The device receiving unit 5 extracts operation information from the communication packet received from the remote controller 1, and the main body control unit 5 controls the water heater, for example, by using this information.

[0003] The state of the water heater controlled by the main body control unit 6 is generated as a communication packet as monitor information by the equipment transmission unit 7 and transmitted to the remote control 1, and the remote control reception unit 8
Then, monitor information is extracted from the communication packet received from the water heater main body 2 and the state of the water heater is displayed on the display unit 9 based on the extracted information.

Further, a timer section 10 and a power supply control section 11 in the remote controller 1 and a timing generation section 12 in the water heater main body 2 are provided.
By controlling the power supply and the communication timing, the water heater main body and the remote controller are corresponded, and the power consumption of the remote controller is reduced. According to this configuration, it is possible to control the water heater main body and grasp the operation state by a wireless signal from the remote controller.

As a second conventional configuration, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.
A remote controller and a water heater as described in -108273 have been devised. In this apparatus, as shown in FIG. 8, the water heater main body 2 transmits to the remote controller 1 the function presence / absence information of the water heater and the remote control function information for each remote controller stored in the storage element 13. The remote control 1 is a water heater main body 2
The water heater function information selection unit 14 selects only necessary functions from all the functions of the water heater based on the information received from the water heater and performs processing, and the remote control function selection unit 15 selects the necessary remote control functions from all the remote control functions. Only the selection is made for display or the like.

[0006]

However, in the first conventional configuration as described above, since the equipment and the equipment remote control are paired, if the function differs depending on the model of the equipment, the function is handled. There was a problem that it was necessary to prepare a remote control.

[0007] Further, the second conventional configuration has a problem that a storage means (storage element) for holding remote control function information for each equipment remote control connected to the equipment main body is required in the water heater main body. there were. Since the storage capacity of the storage means is limited, there is a limit to the remote control function information that can be held.

In the case of a remote control for a water heater, it is often installed in a plurality of places such as a bathroom and a kitchen.
If the water heater body was to be replaced due to a failure of the water heater, all remote controllers had to be replaced at the same time.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides an equipment remote control for displaying and controlling the status of equipment, and displays a display screen by receiving equipment type information for specifying equipment from the equipment. Is to change.

According to the present invention, the display screen and the control specification of the equipment remote controller can be changed according to the equipment type information received from the equipment.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An equipment remote controller according to a first aspect of the present invention changes a display screen configuration by receiving device type information for specifying an equipment from the equipment. Then, a remote control screen corresponding to the equipment can be configured only by receiving the equipment type information from the equipment.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment status display screen showing an operation status of the equipment by receiving device type information for specifying equipment of the equipment in the equipment remote control of the first aspect. This is to change the configuration. Then, only by receiving the device type information from the facility device, a device status display screen corresponding to the facility device can be configured.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an equipment remote control according to the first aspect of the present invention receives device type information for specifying equipment of the equipment in the equipment remote control of the first aspect, and displays a control content of the equipment. Is to change. Then, a device control screen corresponding to the facility device can be configured only by receiving the device type information from the facility device.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment remote controller including a storage medium interface unit for transferring data to and from a removable storage medium in the first equipment remote controller. Upon receiving the device type information, the storage medium is searched based on the device type information to change the display screen configuration. Then, in order to receive the device type information from the device and retrieve from the data in the storage medium to obtain the device function corresponding to the device, the display screen configuration can be changed without changing the device remote control when changing the device. Can be changed.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facility equipment remote control including a communication interface unit for exchanging data with an information terminal via a communication line in the facility equipment remote control according to the first aspect, and specifying a device from the equipment. Upon receiving the device type information, a remote control display screen configuration is read from the information terminal based on the device type information and displayed. Since the device type information is received from the equipment and the equipment function corresponding to the equipment is obtained from the information terminal, the display screen configuration can be changed without changing the equipment remote control when changing the equipment.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the equipment system, the equipment includes a device type information notifying section for transmitting device type information for specifying the function of the device, and the equipment remote control is a device notified from the equipment. A device type identification unit that identifies the type information, a display unit that performs display according to the device type information of the equipment identified by the device type identification unit, and a device type information of the equipment identified by the device type identification unit. And an operation unit for generating an operation signal corresponding to a user's input. Then, by transmitting the device type information from the facility device and receiving the device type information with the facility device remote controller, the display screen configuration can be changed corresponding to the device type information.

An equipment system according to a seventh aspect of the present invention includes an information terminal for transmitting and receiving information and an equipment remote control, and the equipment remote control receives the equipment type information for specifying the equipment of the equipment. A terminal is searched based on the device type information to obtain display information and operation information. Then, the device type information is transmitted from the facility device, the device type information is received by the facility device remote control, the information terminal is searched, and the display screen information is acquired. Therefore, the display screen configuration is changed corresponding to the device type information. be able to.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the equipment system according to the seventh aspect, the information terminal includes a storage medium interface for transferring data to and from a removable storage medium, and the equipment is controlled by a remote controller. The search is performed based on the type information, and the display information and the operation information are transferred to the remote controller. Then, the display screen information is obtained by searching from the data in the storage medium based on the device type information from the equipment, so that the display screen configuration can be changed corresponding to the device type information.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the equipment system according to any one of the sixth to eighth aspects, the display information includes operation buttons, display characters,
This is the arrangement data of the background. Then, since the screen information is transmitted and received using the layout data of the operation buttons, the display characters, and the background, the display screen configuration corresponding to the device type information can be changed with a small amount of information transmission.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a facility equipment remote controller according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the equipment is a water heater. Then, since the configuration of the remote control screen is changed based on the device type information from the water heater, it is not necessary to change the remote controller when changing the water heater.

An equipment system according to claim 11 of the present invention is any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the equipment is a water heater. Then, since the configuration of the remote control screen is changed based on the device type information from the water heater, it is not necessary to change the remote controller when changing the water heater.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remote controller and a water heater as an equipment system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The difference from the conventional example shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is that the device type information notifying unit 16 that notifies the remote controller 1 of the device type information of the water heater main unit 2 via the device transmitting unit 7 and the remote control receiving unit 8 A device type identification unit 17 for identifying the device type information received from the water heater main body 2. The remote controller display and the content of the water heater control are read out from a storage unit 19 constituted by a flash ROM or the like based on the device type information of the water heater, respectively. The device information selection unit 18 is provided for setting the display on the display unit 9 made of liquid crystal and the setting of the operation button position on the operation unit 3 made of a touch panel arranged on the upper surface of the display unit 9.

Next, the operation and operation of the remote controller and the water heater will be described. When the water heater main unit 2 is installed, the water heater main unit 2 transmits the remote control via the device transmitting unit 7 by the device type information notification unit 16. 1, a communication packet including the device type information is transmitted. The device type information is a code number or the like indicating a maker and a model number of the water heater. In the remote controller 1, the device type identifying unit 17 identifies device type information from the communication packet received via the remote control receiving unit 8. The device information selection unit 18 receives the device type information of the water heater from the device type identification unit 17 and reads out the control information of the water heater from the storage unit 19 based on the information.
By transferring the operation button information to the operation unit 3 and the display information to the display unit 9, the water heater control can be performed on a display screen corresponding to the device type information of the water heater.

For example, when the hot water heater "KYUTO1" having the functions of hot water combustion and bath combustion is installed, the display screen of the remote control is as shown in FIG. 2, and the display and operation buttons of the functions and the states of the hot water heater "KYUTO1" are displayed. indicate.
In addition, the hot water heater "KYUT" which has further purification and cleaning functions
When the "O2" is installed, the display screen of the remote control is as shown in FIG. 3, and the water heater "KYUTO" having a configuration in which the display of purification and cleaning is increased as compared with the display screen of the water heater "KYUTO1".
2) displays the functions and their states and the operation buttons.

In the equipment system according to the present embodiment, when the hot water heater is installed, only the equipment type information is notified to the remote controller, so that the remote controller configures a display screen adapted to the installed hot water heater. Machine can be controlled.

In this embodiment, the function of identifying the device type information from the water heater is classified as the device type identification unit, and the function of selecting display information and operation information is classified as the device information selection unit. The same effect can be obtained by realizing by software using a CPU or the like, together with the function of generating and extracting information.

In this embodiment, the storage medium is shown as a memory such as a flash ROM built in a remote controller.
If a storage medium interface unit is provided to connect a removable storage medium such as a memory card to a remote controller,
Since the device information can be read from the storage medium via the storage medium interface unit from the device information selection unit, when a new water heater is provided, the remote controller can be operated simply by preparing a storage medium including the device information of the water heater. It is possible to cope with water heater replacement without replacement.

In this embodiment, the storage medium is shown as a memory such as a flash ROM built in a remote controller.
If a terminal device having device information of the water heater is connected to the remote controller through a communication line such as a telephone line or a LAN, a terminal is provided from the device information selection unit through the storage communication interface unit. Since the device information can be read from the device, when a new water heater is provided, the device information of the water heater can be prepared for the terminal device only, and the replacement of the water heater can be performed without replacing the remote controller. be able to.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a remote controller and a water heater, which are equipment systems according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the information terminal 21 can be connected to the information terminal 21 via a communication line by the communication interface 20 of the remote controller 1. By providing a storage medium interface unit 23 for searching information in a removable storage medium 22 storing display information and operation information composed of buttons, display characters, and background arrangement data, an information terminal is further provided. 21 is a terminal receiving unit 2
4, information for acquiring display screen information of the remote controller corresponding to the device type information from the storage medium 22 via the storage medium interface unit 23 based on the device type information of the water heater received from the remote controller 1 via the communication line 20 via the communication line 20 Control unit 25
And a terminal transmission unit 26 that notifies the remote control 1 of display information of the remote control from the information control unit 25 via the communication line 20. The information terminal 21 manages information in the home, such as a set-top box, for example, and is connected to facility equipment or a remote controller in a home network by wire or wirelessly.

The device information selecting section 18 in the present embodiment
Holds operation buttons for performing screen display and input control of a remote controller as shown in FIG. 5 and part data of a basic screen as a background. In the figure, (a) shows the pattern of the basic screen, and (b) shows the operation button and the part data of the character display frame. For example, P1 is a character display frame of one square, P2 is a character display frame of two squares, B2 is a character display frame having two square operation buttons, B3 is a character display frame having temperature display and temperature operation buttons, and B4 is a character display frame having two temperature operation buttons. It is a part data of a character display frame having a hot water volume display and a hot water volume operation button. The operation unit 3 includes a touch panel corresponding to the display position of the display unit 9.

Next, the operation and operation of the remote controller and the water heater will be described. When the water heater main unit 2 is installed, the water heater main unit 2 transmits the remote control via the device transmitting unit 7 by the device type information notification unit 16. 1, a communication packet including the device type information is transmitted. In the remote controller 1, the device type identifying unit 17 identifies the device type information from the communication packet received via the remote control receiving unit 8, and notifies the information terminal 21. In the information terminal 21, the information control unit 25 receives the device type information of the water heater from the remote controller 1 via the terminal receiving unit 24, searches the storage contents of the storage medium 22 via the storage medium interface unit 23, and When the display information and the operation information of the remote controller corresponding to are obtained, the display screen information of the remote controller is notified to the remote controller 1 via the terminal transmitter 26.

For example, data as shown in FIG. 6 is notified as display screen information of the device type information “KYUTO1”. In the figure, the top name of each line indicates the screen display position, and the vertical position of the basic screen (a) shown in FIG. 5 is determined by A to G, and the horizontal position is determined by 1 to 6 and displayed. Two items in each row indicate a screen part name, and specify each screen part data shown in FIG. The characters in parentheses following the screen part name indicate display characters to be displayed on the screen part.

The device information selecting section 18 of the remote controller 1 receives display screen information of the remote controller from the information terminal 21, generates operation information and displays a screen according to the screen display position, and notifies the operation section 3 and the display section 9. As a result, for example, the screen display shown in FIG. 2 is displayed as a remote control of the water heater of the device type information “KYUTO1”. A communication packet including the control information is generated and transmitted to the water heater to control the water heater.

Since the remote controller and the water heater, which are the equipment system in this embodiment, can acquire the display information of the remote controller by the information terminal connected to the remote controller, the function information of the water heater and the display information of the remote controller are acquired by the remote controller. No need to accumulate. In particular, a remote controller installed in a plurality of hot water heaters, such as a kitchen and a bathroom, can cope with a hot water heater installed without replacement.

Further, by providing a storage medium interface for retrieving information on a removable storage medium in the information terminal, it is not necessary to store the function information of the water heater and the display information of the remote controller in the information terminal itself. It is not necessary to update the information stored in the information terminal. Furthermore, since the display information is composed of remote control operation buttons, display characters, and background layout data, there is no need to transfer all screen data, and it is possible to create your own remote control screen by changing screen parts is there.

In this embodiment, the display information of the remote controller is searched from the storage medium. However, instead of the storage medium interface unit, the display information of the remote controller is connected via a network outside the home by a network interface such as the Internet or a LAN. By searching for, there is no need to prepare stored information at home.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the connection between the remote controller and the information terminal is shown as a wired connection, but if the connection is made wirelessly, installation and replacement are facilitated. In addition, if the wireless communication unit is also used as a wireless unit with the water heater main body, it is not necessary to provide a new transmitting / receiving unit in the remote controller.

Although the present embodiment has been described as a water heater, it is also possible to change the remote control screen and operation at the time of equipment change without changing the remote control main body, as long as the equipment is equipped with a remote controller. is there.

[0040]

As described above, the equipment remote controller according to the first aspect of the present invention changes the display screen configuration of the remote controller according to the equipment type information of the equipment, so that the function information is not notified from the equipment. However, a remote control screen suitable for equipment can be displayed.

Further, the equipment remote controller according to the second aspect changes the equipment status display screen configuration of the remote controller according to the equipment type information of the equipment. The corresponding device status can be displayed.

Further, the equipment remote controller according to claim 3 changes the equipment control screen configuration of the remote controller according to the equipment type information of the equipment, so that the equipment remote control can respond to the equipment without notification of the control specification from the equipment. A device control screen can be displayed to respond to a user's device control request.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment remote controller for reading information of an equipment connected to a remote controller from a storage medium via a storage medium interface unit based on the equipment type information received from the equipment apparatus. Is generated, it is not necessary to have information on all equipment in the remote controller, and it is easy to deal with new equipment.

Further, the equipment remote controller according to claim 5, upon receiving the equipment type information for specifying the equipment from the equipment, reads out and displays the remote control display screen configuration from the information terminal based on the equipment type information. Things. And, since the device type information is received from the equipment and the equipment function corresponding to the equipment is acquired from the information terminal, it is not necessary to have information on all the equipment in the equipment remote control, and it is possible to respond to new equipment. Is easy.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the equipment system, the equipment type information notification unit of the equipment sends the equipment type information to the remote controller, and the equipment type identification unit of the equipment remote control receives the equipment type information received from the equipment. Identify the information and display the content corresponding to the equipment connected to the remote control based on the recognized device type information on the display of the remote control,
Since operation signals can be generated by the operation unit,
The correspondence between the equipment and the remote controller is only the transmission and reception of the device type information, and the display screen configuration can be changed corresponding to the device type information.

Further, in the equipment system according to the seventh aspect, the information terminal connected to the remote controller searches for the information of the equipment, notifies the remote controller of the display screen information, and transfers it to the display unit or the operation unit. There is no need to store display, operation and control information according to the equipment in the remote controller, so that a more versatile and inexpensive remote controller can be configured.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an equipment system for reading information of equipment connected to a remote controller from a storage medium via a storage medium interface unit based on the equipment type information received from the remote controller. Can be configured as a display screen configuration corresponding to the equipment, so that there is no need to register information on the new equipment in the information terminal.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the information transmitted from the information terminal to the remote controller is an operation button, a display character, and background data, so that the actual display image is held on the remote controller. Therefore, it is not necessary to register the entire display screen configuration on the information terminal for each device type information.

Further, since the equipment remote controller according to the tenth aspect has a display screen configuration corresponding to the device type information of the water heater, the remote controller can be used without replacement even when the water heater is replaced. Can be.

Further, in the facility equipment system according to the eleventh aspect, since the remote controller of the water heater has a display screen structure corresponding to the equipment type information of the water heater, even when the water heater is replaced, a plurality of devices such as a bathroom and a kitchen are provided. The remote control in the place can be used without replacement.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remote controller and a water heater according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a first display screen of a remote controller according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a second display screen of the remote controller according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a remote controller and a water heater according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

5A is a diagram illustrating basic screen part data according to the second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating basic button part data according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of display screen information according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a remote controller and a water heater in the first conventional example.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a remote controller and a water heater according to a second conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote control (facilities equipment remote control) 2 Water heater main body (facility equipment) 3 Operation part 4 Remote control transmission part 5 Equipment reception part 6 Main body control part 7 Equipment transmission part 8 Remote control reception part 9 Display part 16 Equipment type information notification part 17 Equipment type Identification unit 18 Device information selection unit 19 Storage unit 20 Communication interface unit 21 Information terminal 22 Storage medium 23 Storage medium interface unit 24 Terminal reception unit 25 Information control unit 26 Terminal transmission unit

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Hiraoka 1006 Kazuma Kadoma, Kazuma, Osaka Prefecture F-term in Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. 5K048 AA04 BA14 CA08 DA01 DB01 DC01 DC04 EA11 EB02 EB03 EB06 FB08 FC01 GC03 HA01 HA02 HA05 HA07 HA13 HA23

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. An equipment remote control for displaying the status of equipment and controlling the equipment, wherein the equipment screen remote control changes the display screen configuration by receiving device type information for specifying the equipment from the equipment. 2. The equipment remote controller according to claim 1, wherein an equipment status display screen configuration indicating an operation state of the equipment is changed by receiving device type information for specifying the equipment. 3. The equipment remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the equipment control screen configuration showing the control content of the equipment is changed by receiving equipment type information for specifying the equipment. 4. A storage medium interface unit for transferring data to and from a removable storage medium, and when receiving device type information for specifying a device from facility equipment, the storage medium in the storage medium based on the device type information. 2. The facility device remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller display screen configuration is read and displayed. 5. A communication interface unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from an information terminal via a communication line, and when receiving device type information for specifying a device from facility equipment, the information terminal based on the device type information. The equipment remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller display screen configuration is read and displayed. 6. An equipment system for displaying and controlling the status of equipment using an equipment remote control, wherein the equipment includes an equipment type information notification unit that sends out equipment type information that specifies the function of the equipment. The remote controller generates display information and operation information of the equipment remote controller according to the equipment type identification unit that identifies the equipment type information notified from the equipment equipment and the equipment type information of the equipment identified by the equipment type identification unit. A device information selection unit, a display unit that performs display according to the display information from the device information selection unit, and an operation unit that generates an operation signal corresponding to a user input in accordance with the operation information from the device information selection unit And an equipment system comprising the same. 7. An equipment remote control and an information terminal connected to the equipment remote control for transmitting display screen information of the equipment remote control, wherein the equipment remote control transmits device type information for specifying equipment of the equipment. An equipment system that, when received, searches the information terminal based on the device type information to obtain display information and operation information. 8. The information terminal includes a storage medium interface unit that exchanges data with a removable storage medium,
8. The equipment system according to claim 7, wherein a search in the storage medium is performed based on the equipment type information from the equipment equipment remote controller, and display information and operation information are transferred to the equipment equipment remote controller. 9. The display information according to claim 6, wherein the display information is arrangement data of operation buttons, display characters, and a background.
The equipment system that is the term. 10. The equipment remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the equipment is a water heater. 11. The equipment system according to claim 6, wherein the equipment is a water heater.