JP2002058597A - Master and slave electric pot for life monitor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide master and slave electric pot for a life monitor, each one of which is able to easily and surely display information about use of the other electric pot. SOLUTION: At least two electric pots for the life monitor, each having a circuit for transmitting or receiving pot use information and used individually in distant places, can be connected with each other via a predetermined communication means so that information can be transmitted between them. Each of the pots has a communications checking key and, upon operation of the key, displays information about use of the other pot in place of its own information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric pot having a communication function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as the nuclear family has become aging and the society is aging, it has become a social problem to take measures to confirm the safety of the elderly and disabled people living alone.

[0003] From the viewpoint of solving such a problem, information on the on / off operation of a predetermined electric appliance in the home, for example, a hot water supply switch of an electric pot generally used daily in the morning, afternoon, and evening, is provided. Using a wireless signal transfer path or a home power line, transmit to a centralized operation information management device located in the home, and from this centralized operation information management device to a contracted clinic outside the home via a public telephone line There has been proposed a life monitoring system that transmits the information to a monitor device such as a personal computer that is installed, so that the living condition such as the safety of an elderly person or a physically handicapped living alone can be monitored based on the usage condition of the electric kettle.

[0004]

However, in the case of this monitor system, simply turning on the hot water supply switch of the electric pot,
It is a complex and expensive system that sends an OFF signal to a centralized management device in the home via a wireless or wired transmission means, records it, and connects it to a personal computer in a prescribed clinic and monitors it. For example, it is not suitable as a simple and low-cost mutual monitoring system in a private relationship between a parent and a child.

Therefore, for example, a plurality of electric pots having different locations can be connected to each other by using a telephone line as an intermediary means, and usage information of the electric pot such as ON / OFF data of a hot water supply switch is transmitted in response to a calling signal from a partner pot. The electric pots held by the parent and the child directly and in real time without any intervention of a third-party facility or information management device by configuring so that a reply can be displayed on a predetermined display unit. It is conceivable that personal information can be transmitted between each other.

[0006] On the other hand, when the electric pot itself is provided with a function of transmitting or receiving information to and from the outside, how to display the received use information of the other electric pot becomes a problem.

That is, in general, the space on the operation panel surface of the electric pot is never large and there is no room for displaying new information.

For this reason, new information cannot be displayed as it is.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and is configured such that usage information of a counterpart electric pot is displayed on each electric pot, and a predetermined communication confirmation operation means is provided. When the communication confirmation operation means is pressed, the information on the use of the electric pot on the other side is displayed instead of the original display of the electric pot. It is an object of the present invention to provide a parent / child electric pot for life monitoring that can display usage information of the electric pot.

[0010]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the object, each invention of the present application is provided with the following means for solving the problems.

(1) The invention as claimed in claim 1 is a parent / child electric pot for life monitoring according to the present invention, which includes a transmission / reception circuit for electric pot usage information, and includes at least two electric pots which are individually used between remote places. In a parent / child electric pot for life monitoring, which can be connected so that information can be mutually transmitted or received via a predetermined communication means, each electric pot is configured to display usage information of a partner electric pot. It is characterized by being.

In the configuration of the present invention, as described above, the use information of the other party electric pot is displayed, so that the use information of the other party electric pot can be displayed effectively.

(2) The invention as claimed in claim 2 is a parent / child electric pot for life monitoring according to the present invention, comprising an information display unit for displaying the original information of the electric pot and a transmission / reception circuit for the electric pot use information. In a parent and child electric pot for life monitoring, at least two electric pots used individually in the parent and child electric pots for life monitoring which can be connected so that information can be mutually transmitted or received via predetermined communication means, Provided with predetermined communication confirmation operation means,
When the communication confirmation operation means is operated, the information display section is configured to display usage information of the partner electric pot instead of the original information of the electric pot.

In the configuration of the present invention, the predetermined communication confirmation operation means is provided as described above, and when the communication confirmation operation means is operated, the information display unit changes the display of the original information of the electric pot to the other party. Since the usage information of the electric pot on the side is displayed, the usage information of the electric pot on the other side can be displayed effectively without providing a new display unit.

(3) A third aspect of the present invention is the parent-child electric pot for life monitoring according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the predetermined communication confirmation operation means is used for the original operation of the electric pot. It is characterized by being configured to also serve as an operation key.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the present invention, it is not necessary to separately provide a new operation key even when setting the communication confirmation key.

(4) The fourth aspect of the present invention is the parent-child electric pot for life monitoring according to the second or third aspect of the invention, wherein the predetermined communication confirmation operation means is sequentially operated each time the operation is performed once. It is characterized in that it is configured to screen and display the electric pot use information before a predetermined time.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to realize multifunctional display contents by the single communication confirmation operation means.

[0019]

As a result, according to the parent and child electric pots for life monitoring of the present invention, the function of each electric pot is to display the information independently of the original information of the electric pot or independently of the original information display of the electric pot. Alternatively or together with the original information display, the usage information of the other party's electric pot will be displayed, and directly and in real time without any third party facility or information management device etc. It is possible to provide a low-cost parent / child electric pot for life monitoring, which allows personal information to be transmitted between electric pots held by parents and children, brothers, and the like.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIGS. 1 to 10 show the configuration of a living monitor parent-child electric pot according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, FIG. 1 shows a case where a plurality of electric pots between remote locations having different locations are connectable to each other by using, for example, a predetermined public telephone line (NTT or the like) as an intermediary means, and a call signal from the other electric pot is provided. In response to the above, for example, the ON / OFF signal data of the hot water supply switch is returned to be arbitrarily displayed on a predetermined display unit on the operation panel surface, so that any third party facility or information management device can be used. A parent-child pot type life monitor system that enables personal information to be transmitted directly and in real time, for example, between electric pots owned by a parent, a child, a sibling, etc., directly and without any intervention, is shown.

The life monitoring system includes, for example, at least two sets of electric pots 1A and 1B, each of which includes a first electric pot 1A as a parent device and a second electric pot 1B as a child device, respectively. Communication adapters 16 and 16 are provided using wire-type power cords 21 and 21 and are connected so that usage information can be mutually transmitted and received via a public telephone line (mobile or fixed). For this purpose, the communication adapters 16 and 16 are provided with a mobile phone connection adapter 19 also serving as a charger and a fixed telephone connection modular jack 23 via cords 18a and 18b, respectively. Two power lines in the three-wire power cords 21 and 21 are drawn out of the communication adapters 16 and 16 as two-wire power cords 22, and power plugs 17 and 17 are connected to the ends thereof. Have been.

The operation board and control board of each of the first and second electric pots 1A and 1B in the system (FIG. 2)
For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the microcomputer 42 for controlling the electric pot, the microcomputer 43 for communication,
The electric pot control microcomputer 42 includes a hot water supply key 51, a hot water supply lock release key 52, a heat retention selection key 53, a reboiler / selection key 54, and a communication confirmation key 55. oN of the key switch (contact section) SW ₁ to SW ₅ corresponding to the respective, OFF signal also thermistor temperature sensor 40 through the a / D converter 41,
And the like are input.

Then, based on these input signals, for example, the output of the heater is appropriately controlled to a size suitable for boiling water or keeping heat.

On the other hand, the various signals input to the electric pot control microcomputer 42 are further transmitted to the communication microcomputer 43.
After being converted into the serial data signal, it is packetized for each predetermined information content and input to the serial data transmission / reception circuit 44A of the first transmission / reception modem 44. Then, the packet data is transmitted through the filter 44B, and the three-wire power cord 21 (21
a, 21b, 21c), the serial data transmission / reception circuit 28 of the second transmission / reception modem 28 of the communication adapter 16
A is input via a filter 28B. The transmission data from the serial data transmission / reception circuit 28A is switched from the second transmission / reception modem 28 via the switching circuit 24 for connection to the mobile phone 20 connection adapter 19 or the fixed telephone connection modular jack 23. It is supplied to the transmission means selected by the command signal, and is transmitted to and received by the same reception means of the other party electric pot 1B (1A). The received data is input to the communication microcomputer 43 of the other party electric pot 1A (1B) in the reverse order as just described in FIG. 4 and stored in the memory means which is identified for each packet. Is done.

The data that is the memory has a usage information of the counterpart electric kettle 1B as described later is determined from the operation state of each key switch SW ₁ to SW ₅ above (1A).

On the other hand, the first and second electric pots 1A, 1A,
The 1B main body is configured exactly the same as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.

First, in FIG. 2, reference numeral 2 denotes a bottomed cylindrical main body case (exterior case) of the electric pots 1A and 1B. A predetermined amount of water (hot water)
Is provided with a bottomed cylindrical inner container 6 having a narrow neck-shaped opening 6a for storing and keeping heat.

As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the main body case 2 is formed in an inverted arcuate shape in which the front surface 2a side is inwardly recessed between the left and right side surfaces, and is formed on the right side in the vertical direction. An extended water amount display section (transparent window) 4 is provided. A shoulder 2b having a frame structure is provided on the upper end side of the main body case 2 over the entire circumferential direction of the opening, and a central portion of the left and right side surfaces of the upper end side shoulder 2b of the main body case 2 is provided. A handle 26 is provided at the position, and a hinge shaft engaging portion for engaging a hinge shaft on the lid 3 side, which will be described later, is provided at a central position behind the upper end side shoulder portion 2b in a slightly protruding state. Have been.

A part of the upper end of the main body case 2 together with the shoulder portion 2b is extended substantially in the form of an edge toward the front in the front center of the upper end of the main body case 2, A beak portion 11 is formed, and a lower surface of the beak portion 11 is extended from a bottom portion of the inner container to a front side, and rises a gap between a left portion of the main body case 2 and the inner container. A water injection port 10 at the tip of a water injection passage (water injection pipe) extending downward after extending to the front beak portion 11 of a predetermined size is provided.

The water supply pipe portion of the water supply passage is made of, for example, a transparent material and is disposed vertically in correspondence with the inside of the water amount display portion 4.

On the other hand, reference numeral 3 denotes the outer cover 3a and the inner cover 3
b, a heat-insulating space portion is formed between the heat-radiating plate and the heat-dissipating plate 3c on the lowermost side. The lid 3 is provided so as to be occupied by the upper end side opening of the main body case 2 so as to cover the opening 6a of the inner container 6 in a liquid-tight structure so as to be freely opened and closed. The lid 3 is provided with a lock release lever 5 at a front portion on the upper surface side and a steam port 7 at a rear portion side. A hinge shaft detachably engaged with the hinge shaft engaging portion of the main body case 2 is provided at a lower end in the center of the rear end side, and the hinge shaft is connected to the hinge shaft of the main body case 2 side. By engaging with the joint portion so as to be relatively rotatable, the lid 3 opens and closes the front side in the vertical direction. On the other hand, when closed, a lock mechanism unlocked by the lock release lever 5 engages with the body case 2 side engaging member and is locked.

By the way, on the upper surface of the front end side of the lid 3,
For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a hot water supply key 51, a hot water supply lock release key 52, a heat retention selection key 53, a reboil / select key 5
4. Communication confirmation key 55, lock / unlock display section 59
An operation panel 31 including an operation key installation surface portion 31a provided with a liquid crystal display 60, a boiling display portion 57, and a heat retention display portion 58 is provided. The communication confirmation key 55 is provided with, for example, a communication confirmation display section (LED lit in three colors of green, orange, and red) 56 in the form close to the communication confirmation key 55. When the key 55 is pressed, the key 55 is lit in a predetermined color to indicate the operation state. Further, the lock release key 52 performs a lighting display (for example, green) to the effect of “going out” on the lock / unlock display portion 59 in the first ON operation state, and supplies hot water by turning on the hot water supply key 51 (driving of the hot water supply pump). On the other hand, if the hot water supply key is turned ON again from the hot water supply enabled state or if the hot water supply key 51 is not turned ON for a predetermined time or more, the above-mentioned "go out" display is erased and the original Return to the hot water supply locked state.

An electric component housing 65 is provided on the back side of the operation panel 31 and includes key switch sections (SW ₁ to SW ₁₎ corresponding to the various operation keys 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 described above. SW ₅ ), display units 56, 57, ₅
, An operation board 70 equipped with a main body 60A of the liquid crystal display 60 and a control board 71 are provided.

On the other hand, on the display screen of the liquid crystal display 60, as shown in FIG.
Boiling, heat retention, heat retention temperature, heat retention temperature setting mark (three triangle marks), communication memory number (1, 2, 2,
3), hot water supply sign mark (coffee cup mark),
Communication time or elapsed time (188 / hour / interval / minute)
・ Displays such as are selectively displayed.

In this case, for example, when the communication confirmation key 55 is turned ON once (first operation state) during the heat keeping operation (the heat keeping set temperature of 90 ° C.) of the first electric pot 1A, for example, as shown in FIG. As described above, the liquid crystal display 60
In the display screen of FIG. 4, the fact that the hot water supply operation was performed at the other party's electric pot 1B six hours ago is obtained via the communication line of FIG. 4 and the “coffee cup mark” is displayed together with the communication memory number “1”. And the character display of "6 hours", the display section 56 is lit continuously in green,
The user of the first electric pot 1A is made aware that the user of the second electric pot 1B is living safely.

Next, while the first electric pot 1A shown in FIG.
5 is further turned on once, and is turned on twice in total (second operation state). For example, as shown in FIG.
Representing the "coffee cup mark" and "21 hours" together with the communication memory number "2"
It is made to recognize that the hot water supply operation was performed one hour ago, and the communication confirmation display unit 56 is kept in the green lighting state.

Next, unlike the above two cases, it is assumed that the communication confirmation key 55 has not been turned ON even once during the heat retention of the first electric pot 1A at the heat retention temperature of 90 ° C. as described above. In the third operation state, if the second electric pot 1B is not operated at all for, for example, 24 hours, for example, as shown in FIG. Insulation temperature letter and 90
By displaying the communication confirmation display section 56 in orange while displaying only the numeral and the triangle mark 90,
Reminds the user that the second electric pot 1B has not been used for at least 24 hours, and warns the user.

Next, even when the communication confirmation key 55 is not turned on once during the heat retention of the first electric pot 1A at the heat retention temperature of 90 ° C., as in the case of the third operation state. If the second electric pot 1B has not been operated at all for 36 hours, which is significantly longer than 24 hours (fourth operation state), for example, as shown in FIG. In the meantime, only the letters of the heat retention temperature, the numeral 90 and the triangle mark 90 are displayed, and the communication confirmation display section 56 is flashed red so that the second electric pot 1B can be operated for at least 36 hours (one and a half days). ) Make the user recognize that the product has not been used for a long time and take action to confirm the safety such as calling or visiting.

Next, during the heat retention of the first electric pot 1A at the heat retention temperature of 90 ° C., after the communication confirmation key 55 is turned ON once as in the first operation state,
Subsequently, if the reboiler key 54 is turned on (fifth operation state), for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the display screen of the liquid crystal display 60 displays “Coffee cup mark” and “24 hours”. To set the other party's second electric pot 1B to the elapsed time setting mode of the caution display,
Time-up with the heat retention / selection key 53, unlock key 5
At 2, the time is reduced and the communication confirmation display section 56 is maintained in the orange interrogation state.

As described above, the parent / child electric pot for life monitoring according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the transmission / reception circuit of the electric pot use information, and at least two electric pots used individually between the remote places. In a parent / child electric pot for life monitoring, which is connectable so that information can be mutually transmitted and received via a predetermined communication means, each electric pot is configured to display usage information of a partner electric pot. Have been.

Therefore, in this configuration, the usage information of the other electric pot is reliably displayed on the electric pot, and the safety of the other electric pot user can be easily confirmed based on the information.

The parent-child electric pot for life monitoring according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an information display unit for displaying the original information of the electric pot and a transmission or reception circuit for the electric pot use information, and is separately provided between the remote places. In a parent / child electric pot for a living monitor, at least two electric pots to be used can be connected so that information can be mutually transmitted and received via predetermined communication means, each electric pot has a communication confirmation key. When the communication confirmation key is operated, the information display section is configured to display the usage information of the other party's electric pot instead of the original information of the electric pot.

Therefore, in this configuration, when the communication confirmation key is pressed, the information on the use of the other party's electric pot is reliably displayed on one information display unit instead of displaying the original operation setting information and the like of the electric pot. As a result, the usage information of the other party's electric pot can be effectively displayed without providing a new display unit.

Further, in the electric pot, the communication confirmation key is configured so as to serve also as an operation key used for the original operation of the electric pot such as water heater or heat retention.

Therefore, according to the configuration, even when the communication confirmation key is installed, it is not necessary to separately provide a new operation key.

Further, in the electric pot, in the same configuration, every time the communication confirmation key is operated once, the electric pot use information of a predetermined time before is screened and displayed.

Therefore, according to the configuration, it is not necessary to separately provide a new operation key when installing the communication confirmation key, and the display contents can be further multi-functionalized by a single operation key. .

(Other Embodiments) In the above embodiment, as an example, when the communication confirmation key 55 of the electric pot 1A or 1B is turned ON during the warming operation of the electric pot 1A or 1B on one side, Liquid crystal display 60
In the display screen of, the fact that the hot water supply operation was performed at the other party's electric pot 1B or 1A before the predetermined reference time is obtained via the communication line, and is displayed together with the communication memory number by a character display such as a coffee cup mark. Predetermined display unit 5
6 is continuously lit in green so that the user of the one-side electric pot 1A or 1B recognizes that the user of the other-side electric pot 1B or 1A is living safely.

However, the above-mentioned electric pot 1B or 1
The display of the use information of A is performed, for example, by obtaining the use information constantly or periodically and obtaining the one-side electric pot 1A or 1B.
The display means (LED or lamp, etc.) dedicated to the electric pot use information provided on the operation panel 31 may automatically or always display the information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a parent-child electric pot-type life monitoring system configured by employing a parent-child electric pot according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway view showing the structure of the parent-child electric pot main body.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the parent-child electric pot main body.

FIG. 4 is a system configuration diagram showing a connection relationship between a parent-child electric pot and a communication adapter or the like.

FIG. 5 is a plan view (all displayed) showing a configuration of an operation panel section of the parent-child electric pot.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display form on an operation panel surface corresponding to a first operation state of the parent and child electric pot.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a display form on an operation panel surface corresponding to a second operation state of the parent-child electric pot.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a display form on an operation panel surface corresponding to a third operation state of the parent and child electric pot.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display form on an operation panel surface corresponding to a fourth operation state of the parent-child electric pot.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display form on an operation panel surface corresponding to a fifth operation state of the parent-child electric pot.

[Explanation of symbols]

1A and 1B are first and second electric pots, 2 is a main body case, 3 is a lid, 13 is a magnet plug, 16 is a communication adapter, 17 is a power plug, 20 is a mobile phone, 23 is a modular jack, 31 Is an operation panel, 55 is a communication confirmation key, 56 is a communication confirmation display section, and 60 is a liquid crystal display.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Hideki Kojima 958 Ikeuchi, Konan-cho, Kagawa-gun, Kagawa Prefecture Ryusho Sangyo Co., Ltd. Kagawa factory F-term (reference) 4B055 AA34 BA80 CA65 CA75 CD46 EA10 GB15 GC36 GD06 5K048 BA12 DC07 FB10 FB16

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An electric pot use information transmitting or receiving circuit, wherein at least two electric pots individually used between remote places can mutually transmit or receive information via predetermined communication means. The parent-child electric pot for a living monitor, wherein each electric pot is configured to display usage information of the other party's electric pot. 2. An information display unit for displaying original information of an electric pot and a circuit for transmitting or receiving electric pot use information, wherein at least two electric pots individually used between remote places are communicated in a predetermined communication mode. Each of the electric pots further includes a predetermined communication confirmation operation means, and the communication confirmation operation means is operated. Then, the information display section is configured to display usage information of the other party's electric pot instead of the original information of the electric pot. 3. The parent / child electric pot for a living monitor according to claim 2, wherein the communication confirmation operation means is configured to also serve as an operation key used for an original operation of the electric pot. 4. The communication confirmation operation means according to claim 2, wherein each time the communication operation is performed once, the electric pot usage information of a predetermined time is sequentially screened and displayed. Parent-child electric pot for living monitor.