JP2002150451A - Monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inform a user of the generation of abnormality and a state of facility, when the abnormality is generated at the facility. SOLUTION: Detectors 4-1-4-4 are provided in a plurality of facilities 2-1-2-n. The detectors 4-1-4-4 produce a detection signal indicating the state of the facilities 2-1-2-n. Terminal devices 6-1-6-n are provided in the facilities 2-1-2-n and transmit the detection signal from the detectors 4-1-4-4 to a monitoring device 8. The monitoring device 8 is provided commonly, in the respective facilities 2-1-2-n. The monitoring device 8 judges that an abnormality is generated at one of the respective facilities 2-1-2-n, based ion the detection signal from the terminal devices 6-1-6-n and informs the abnormality to a telephone or a facsimile 10 owned by a user of the facility, where the abnormality is generated. A server 16 is provided over the Internet and a detection signal is transmitted to this server 16 from the monitoring device 8. When the user accesses to the server 16 by a computer 18, the server 16 transmits a detection signal of the facility owned by the user to the computer 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of facilities by detecting the status of the facilities by a detector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional monitoring system is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-265869. In this monitoring system, various devices provided in each building of the building group are monitored by a terminal device. When an abnormality occurs, the terminal device creates the abnormality data and transmits the abnormality data to a monitoring center device of a building management company that monitors a group of buildings via a communication line. The monitoring center device creates, based on the abnormality data, information indicating a building in which the abnormality has occurred, information indicating the content of the abnormality, information indicating a method of coping with the abnormality, and the like, and displays and prints the information. With reference to the displayed and printed information, the response staff of the building management company prepares to deal with the abnormality, goes to the building where the abnormality has occurred, and deals with the abnormality.

[0003]

In a large-scale facility such as a group of buildings described above, it is impossible for a building user to deal with abnormalities. It is sufficient to be able to recognize that an abnormality has occurred. However, when an abnormality occurs, if a common monitoring center device is provided for a plurality of small-scale facilities to be handled by the user himself, not only can the monitoring center device recognize that an abnormality has occurred, but also each facility can be recognized. It is desirable to notify the user of the occurrence of the abnormality. Also,
It may be desirable for the user to be able to recognize the current state of the equipment not only when such an abnormality occurs, but also during normal times.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system capable of notifying a user of this equipment of an abnormality when the equipment has an abnormality and also notifying the user of the state of the equipment. I do.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A monitoring system according to the present invention has a plurality of detectors. The detector is provided in each of a plurality of facilities owned by the user. These detectors detect the status of each facility and generate a detection signal.
A plurality of detectors can be provided for each facility, or one detector can be provided. As equipment, the threshold value for determining an abnormality from the detection signal may be changed according to the situation. A terminal device is provided for each facility, and transmits the detection signal from each detector to a monitoring device. The monitoring device is provided in common for each of the facilities. The monitoring device determines which of the facilities has an abnormality based on the detection signal transmitted from each terminal device. For this determination, for example, a determination unit included in the monitoring device is used. The determination means compares the detection signal with a threshold value corresponding to the detection signal, and determines whether an abnormality has occurred based on the comparison result. The monitoring device notifies the communication means of the user of the equipment in which the abnormality has occurred of the abnormality. The monitoring device transmits the detection signal to a server provided on the Internet. When each user accesses the server by the server communication means, the server transmits the detection signal of the facility owned by the accessing user to the server communication means. As the communication means for the server, for example, a personal computer, a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone or a PHS which can display the transmitted detection signal can be used.

In the monitoring system according to the present invention, a detection signal from a detector of each facility is transmitted to the monitoring device. The detection signal has been transmitted to the server. Therefore, even if no abnormality occurs, when a user of a certain facility accesses the server by the server communication means, the server can download and display the detection signal from the server to the server communication means. The detection result can be known. This allows the user to know the status of the equipment from a remote location even during normal times. In the monitoring device, the presence or absence of an abnormality is determined by comparing a detection signal from the detector with a corresponding threshold value. If the monitoring apparatus determines that an abnormality has occurred, the monitoring apparatus notifies the communication means owned by the user of the facility in which the abnormality has occurred that the abnormality has occurred. The user who has been notified of the abnormality,
Accessing the server with the server communication means, downloading and displaying the detection signal of the detector in its own equipment, and determining what kind of abnormality has occurred and predicting the cause be able to.

For example, if the server is configured to notify the server that there is an abnormality instead of the communication means owned by the user, the user may recognize that the abnormality has occurred until the user accesses the server. It is not possible to respond smoothly to abnormalities. Conversely, when the detection signal is transmitted to the communication means owned by the user without transmitting the detection signal to the server, it is difficult to determine how often the detection signal is transmitted. On the other hand, according to the monitoring system of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs, the user is notified that the abnormality has occurred in the communication means owned by the user, so that the user can immediately recognize that the abnormality has occurred. , And by accessing the server,
The content of the abnormality can be recognized, and an abnormal situation can be promptly dealt with. Furthermore, by accessing the server when the user wants to know the status of the equipment,
The status of the equipment can be recognized.

[0008] The monitoring device may store the threshold value for determining the occurrence of the abnormality in a storage means. This threshold can be changed. Some equipment needs to change the threshold value according to a change in the situation, for example, a change in the season or a change in the environment, and the user may want to change the threshold value according to the change in the situation. in this case,
By changing the threshold value stored in the storage means, it is possible to meet a user's request.

[0009] Further, the change of the threshold value may be performed based on communication from the user to the server. For example, security personnel change the threshold value of the monitoring device based on the content of communication to the server. Therefore, there is no need for the user to go to the installation position of the monitoring device and change the threshold value. Further, after judging the status of the detection signal by the server communication means, the change of the threshold value is communicated to the server by the server communication means. It is also possible to request the change of the threshold value promptly.

[0010] Each terminal device determines whether or not there is an abnormality.
The configuration may be such that the result of the determination is transmitted to the monitoring device. In this case, each threshold is stored in a storage unit provided in the terminal device, and the threshold can be changed based on communication from the monitoring device. Therefore, when the user requests the server to change the threshold, the threshold can be changed by communicating from the monitoring device to the terminal device.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of facilities 2-1 to 2-n.
It has. These facilities 2 are, for example, vinyl houses provided at positions separated from each other. Each of the equipments 2 is provided with a plurality of detectors 4-1 to 4-4, and monitors the status of the equipment over a plurality of monitoring items. The detectors 4-1 to 4-4 include, for example, a temperature detector for detecting the room temperature of the vinyl house, a humidity detector for detecting the humidity of the vinyl house, and a water amount detector for detecting the amount of water flowing through the vinyl house. Further, a water temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the water is included. These detectors 4-1 to 4-4 monitor the temperature, humidity, amount of water and water temperature of the vinyl house.

Each detector 4-1 of each equipment 2-1 to 2-n
The detection signals from 4 to 4-4 are the equipments 2-1 to 2-n
Is supplied to the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n provided in the.
Each of the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n is a terminal device 6-1.
The detection signals from the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 are transmitted to the monitoring device 8 common to the monitoring devices 6-n.

The monitoring device 8 is installed at a place apart from the facilities 2-1 to 2-n. The monitoring device 8 includes a communication device with each of the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n, and detects each of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n transmitted from each of the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n. Receiving the detection signals of the devices 4-1 to 4-4. The terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n and the monitoring device 8
The communication with the communication device is performed by an arbitrarily selected one of various currently available communication means such as a PHS, a mobile phone, a wired communication, or a wireless communication. In addition, by this communication means, each equipment 2-1 through 2-n
Can communicate with each of the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n.

The monitoring device 8 is provided for each of these facilities 2-1 to 2
-N storage means for storing detection signals from the detectors 4-1 to 4-4. The monitoring device 8 also includes a comparison unit that compares these detection signals with a threshold. This comparing means is constituted by, for example, a CPU. A plurality of thresholds are set corresponding to the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n, respectively. These thresholds are also stored in the storage means. The comparing means compares each detection signal with a threshold value corresponding to each of the detection signals, and determines which detector of which equipment detects an abnormality.

The monitoring device 8 has a communication device that can communicate with a communication means designated by a user of each of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n, for example, a telephone or a facsimile 10 or a mobile phone 12. When the comparing means determines that any one of the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 of any one of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n has detected an abnormality, the comparison unit detects that the abnormality has occurred. Phone or FAX10 or mobile phone or PHS1 specified by the user in advance
2, the monitoring device 8 notifies that an abnormality has occurred.
Therefore, even if there is a user in a place distant from each of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n, the user can know whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the facilities 2-1 to 2-n.

Since a common monitoring device 8 is provided for each of the equipments 2-1 to 2-n, the user of each of the equipments 2-1 to 2-n is required to provide the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 with: Terminal device 6-1
6-n. Therefore, the monitoring device 8
Even if the user prepares, the cost required by the user when performing remote monitoring can be reduced.

The monitoring device 8 is connected to the server 16. This server 16 is connected to the Internet 14. The monitoring device 8 includes the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n stored in the storage unit.
Is written to the server 16. This writing is performed when the comparing means determines that there is an abnormality. Further, the monitoring device 8 writes the detection signal every time a predetermined time elapses, that is, every predetermined period.

The users of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n each have a server communication means, for example, a personal computer 18. These personal computers 1
8 is provided with a communication device such as a modem so that the server 16 can be accessed via the Internet 14. For example, telephone or FAX 10 or mobile phone or P
The user notified of the abnormality by the HS 12 accesses the server 16 by the personal computer 18,
By looking at the detection results of the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 of the equipment owned by the user, the current state of the equipment can be grasped in detail. When the user accesses the server 16 using the personal computer 18 other than when the user is notified of the abnormality, the user can know the status of his or her own equipment. As a result, not only when an abnormality occurs but also when the user desires, it is possible to grasp the state of the own equipment. As described above, when knowing the current status of the facility via the Internet 14, by requesting the input of the identification number and the password, it is possible to prevent anyone other than the actual user of the certain facility from knowing the current status of the facility. Is configured.

Incidentally, the user of each of the equipments 2-1 to 2-n may change the items to be monitored of the equipment depending on the situation. For example, depending on the time and the plant you are planting,
Monitoring of air temperature and water temperature is not required, and only monitoring of humidity and water volume may be necessary. Further, even for the same monitoring item, it may be necessary to change the threshold value. For example, in the case of temperature, it may be necessary to change the temperature threshold depending on the season or the shipping time of the plant being planted. further,
The period at which the detection signals of the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 are written to the server 16 and the period at which the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 transmit the detection signals to the monitoring device 8 are set according to the user's request. May change. The user requesting these changes can, for example, access the Internet 1 from the personal computer 18.
A mail is sent to the server 16 via the server 4 to request the above-described change of the monitoring item, change of the threshold value, change of the write cycle of the detection signal, change of the transmission cycle of the detection signal, and the like. The security personnel who has read this e-mail performs these changes to the monitoring device 8 after a certain period of time.

As described above, the change of the monitoring item, the change of the threshold,
The change of the write cycle of the detection signal, the change of the transmission cycle of the detection signal, and the like can be performed according to the request of the user of the facility, and the change is performed by the user at a position away from the monitoring device 8 or the facility. Each user need not know how to change the threshold value in the monitoring device 8.

In the monitoring system of the above embodiment, the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n only transmit the detection signals of the detectors 4-1 to 4-4 to the monitoring device 8. But,
Each of the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n is provided with a comparing unit and a storage unit for storing a threshold value for each detection signal.
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the presence or absence of an abnormality is determined in -1 to 6-n, and the determination result is transmitted to the monitoring device 8. In this case, when the detection signals are continuously transmitted from the terminal devices 4-1 to 4-4 to the monitoring device 8, and when any of the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n is determined to be abnormal, Are transmitted to the monitoring device 8.

With this configuration, the monitoring device 8 does not need to determine whether there is an abnormality, and can simplify the configuration.

The terminal device 6-1 of each of the facilities 2-1 to 2-n
Also in the case of judging the presence or absence of an abnormality in steps 6 to 6-n, similarly to the above embodiment, the threshold is changed, the item for judging the presence or absence of the abnormality is changed, and the cycle of transmitting the detection signal to the monitoring device 8 is changed. Or may be changed. When the user requests the server 16 to make a change by e-mail, the maintenance staff sends a command from the monitoring device 8 to the corresponding terminal device via the communication device to make the change. The maintenance staff responds to the request for changing the writing cycle of the detection signal to the server 16 by changing the setting of the monitoring device 8.

In the above embodiment, the facilities 2-1 to 2
Although a vinyl house is shown as -n, the invention is not limited to this, and various facilities can be used as long as they need to be monitored using a detector. As the detector, a detector for temperature, humidity, amount of water, and water temperature was used. However, the detector is not limited to this. For example, a camera that captures an image of the inside of a vinyl house can be used as the detector. Further, although the personal computer 18 is used as the server communication means, a mobile phone or a PHS which can be connected to the server via the Internet can be used as the server communication means. In addition, although the change of the threshold value or the like is performed by using the mail,
6, the changed value is transmitted between the server 16 and the monitoring device 8, or the changed value is transmitted to the server 16 via the monitoring device 8.
And transmission may be automatically performed between the terminal devices 6-1 to 6-n. Further, when an abnormality occurs, it is not limited to notifying only that the abnormality has occurred, but what kind of abnormality has occurred (for example, “vinyl house 2-
1) may be notified by voice, text, or the like.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in a facility, the user of the facility is notified of the abnormality by the communication means, and the user communicates with the server by the server communication means. Upon access, the user can recognize the state of the facility. Furthermore, since the threshold value used to determine whether there is an abnormality can be changed, the threshold value can be set according to the user's request.
Further, the threshold can be changed even when the user is away from the facility.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2-1 to 2-n Vinyl house (equipment) 4-1 to 4-4 Detector 6-1 to 6-n Terminal device 8 Monitoring device 10 Mobile phone or FAX (communication means) 14 Internet 16 Server 18 Personal computer ( Communication means for server)

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5C054 AA02 AA05 CA04 CC03 CH01 EA01 EA03 EA05 EA07 FA00 FF02 FF03 GA01 GB02 GB04 GD03 HA02 HA18 5C087 AA02 AA03 BB11 BB74 DD08 DD33 EE05 FF01 FF04 GG19 GG17 GG19 GG17 GG19 GG17 GG19 GG19 GG19 GG19 VV03

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of facilities provided by a user,
A plurality of detectors that detect the status of each of the facilities and generate a detection signal, and a plurality of terminal devices provided in each of the facilities and transmitting the detection signal from each of the detectors, for each of the facilities Is provided in common, and based on the detection signal transmitted from each of the terminal devices, determines which of the respective facilities has an abnormality, and determines a communication unit owned by a user of the facility in which the abnormality has occurred. A monitoring system for notifying an abnormality, a server is provided on the Internet, the detection signal is transmitted from the monitoring device to the server, and each user accesses the server by server communication means. A monitoring system in which the server transmits the detection signal of the facility owned by the accessing user to the server communication unit. 2. The monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein
A monitoring system, wherein the monitoring device stores a threshold value for determining the occurrence of abnormality in a storage unit, and the threshold value can be changed. 3. The monitoring system according to claim 2, wherein
A monitoring system in which the change of the threshold is performed based on a communication from a user to the server. 4. It is provided in a plurality of facilities owned by the user,
A plurality of detectors that detect the status of each of the facilities and generate a detection signal; and a plurality of thresholds provided in each of the facilities and comparing the detection signals from the respective detectors with a plurality of thresholds provided corresponding thereto. A plurality of terminal devices that transmit the determination result and the detection signal, and are provided in common for the respective facilities, based on the determination results transmitted from the respective terminal devices. In a monitoring system comprising a communication device of a user of the equipment in which the abnormality has occurred, and a monitoring device that notifies the abnormality, a server is provided on the Internet, and the detection signal is transmitted from the monitoring device to the server, When each user accesses the server by the server communication means, the server sends the detection signal of the equipment owned by the accessing user to the server communication means. Monitoring system for. 5. The monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein
A monitoring system, wherein the terminal device stores a threshold value for determining the occurrence of abnormality in a storage unit, and the threshold value can be changed. 6. The monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein
A monitoring system, wherein the change of the threshold is performed based on communication from the user to the server.