JP2003243186A - Lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lighting device capable of surely transmitting data with use of a communication technique so as to be in conformity with controls of a lighting fixture. <P>SOLUTION: A master controller 3 makes a remote control of a lighting state of a lighting fixture 1a through a remote control unit 2. The master controller 3 is connected with a server 4, which controls IDs of lighting fixtures 1a to 1c, the remote control unit 2, and the master controller 3. The remote control unit 2, when it communicates with the master controller 3, transmits a signal to the master controller 3, which sends back its response to the remote control unit 2 when it receives the signal from the latter. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention mainly relates to a lighting device capable of remotely controlling the lighting state of a lighting fixture in a general house.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been provided an illuminating device in which a lighting state of an illuminating device can be switched by a remote control device using a wireless signal having infrared rays as a transmission medium. This technique requires the user to operate the remote control device toward the lighting fixture, and since infrared rays do not pass through the wall, the lighting fixture in another room cannot be controlled through the wall by the remote control device.

On the other hand, a lighting sensor is provided with a human sensor and a brightness sensor, and the lighting device is automatically turned on when the surroundings become dark, or the lighting device is turned on only when a person is present in the room. Lighting fixtures have also been proposed. Since a lighting fixture including such a sensor can be automatically turned on and off, it has an advantage of preventing forgetting to turn it off, suppressing wasteful power consumption, and saving energy. However, in this type of luminaire, the luminaire having the sensor operates independently, and the luminaire not having the sensor cannot reflect the operation of the luminaire having the sensor.

If there are a plurality of lighting fixtures equipped with the remote control device as described above in a house, for example, if the lights are turned off all at once when going out, the remote control device must be operated for each lighting fixture. If the number of lighting fixtures increases, the operation of the remote control device becomes troublesome. In order to solve this kind of problem, it is conceivable to place a switch for changing the lighting state of the lighting equipment in one place in the house so that the power supply can be operated collectively. The wiring will be concentrated in one place, and it is difficult to perform this type of construction in an existing house unless the house is newly built.

[0005]

Therefore, a management device capable of communicating with the remote control device is provided, and the management device manages the operation states of the remote control device and the lighting equipment, and the management device enables collective control of a plurality of lighting loads. The following configuration is proposed. When using such communication technology, it is required to confirm to the destination whether or not the data has been reliably transmitted.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device capable of reliably transmitting data by using communication technology so as to be suitable for control of lighting equipment. To provide.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a remote control device for remotely controlling a lighting state of a lighting fixture and having an identification code, and a remote control device for managing an identification code of the remote control device. A management device for instructing the lighting state of the lighting fixture via the device, and a transmission path that is a communication path between the management device and the lighting fixture via the remote control device. When a signal is transmitted from the communication unit to the master controller, which is composed of a master controller that can communicate with the master controller and a communication unit that can communicate with the master controller in both directions and that has the identification code associated with the lighting fixture. In addition, when the master controller receives a signal from the communication unit, it returns a response to the transmission source.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there are a plurality of the communication units, and the transmission waiting time is set to a different value for each identification code.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the communication unit does not return a response from the master controller within a specified time period after transmitting a signal to the master controller, It is characterized in that the signal is retransmitted at the end point of.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the communication unit does not return a response from the master controller within a prescribed time period after transmitting a signal to the master controller, When the internal state does not change at the end of the above step, the signal is retransmitted.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, when the communication unit does not return a response from the master controller within a prescribed time period after transmitting a signal to the master controller, It is characterized in that a communication abnormality is judged and notified at the end of.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a remote control device for remotely controlling a lighting state of a lighting fixture and having an identification code assigned thereto, and a lighting control device for managing the identification code of the remote control device and via the remote control device. Of the master device capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, including a management device for instructing the lighting state of the device, and a transmission path that is a communication path between the management device and the lighting fixture via the remote control device. It consists of a controller, a master controller, and a communication unit that is capable of bidirectional communication using radio waves selected from multiple channels as a transmission medium and has the identification code set in association with a lighting fixture. The master controller detects the carrier of the channel used with the communication unit when the signal is sent to the master controller. Together, characterized in that the channel is provided to the master controller the carrier sense unit for notifying when it is occupied over a predetermined time period.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a remote control device that remotely controls a lighting state of a lighting fixture and is provided with an identification code, a remote control device that manages the identification code of the remote control device, and the lighting fixture through the remote control device. Master device capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, including a management device for instructing the lighting state of the remote control device and a transmission path that is a communication path between the management device and the lighting fixture via the remote control device. A controller and a communication unit that is capable of bidirectionally communicating with a master controller and radio waves selected from a plurality of channels as a transmission medium, and the identification code is set in association with a lighting fixture, and the master controller is a communication unit. Each time communication is performed between the master controller and the communication unit, the master controller detects the carrier of the channel used and Yan'neru is characterized in that is provided to the master controller the carrier sense unit for notifying when it is occupied over a predetermined time period.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth or seventh aspect of the invention, the carrier sense unit notifies the channel occupancy through the management device at a predetermined time interval during the channel occupancy period. Characterize.

According to a ninth aspect of the invention, in the first to eighth aspects of the invention, the management device is connected to an external network, and information held by the management device can be transferred to a terminal on the network. Characterize.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the first, sixth and seventh aspects of the present invention, at least a part of the transmission path transmits a signal including an identification code using a radio wave as a transmission medium, and the identification code. Is unique to the remote controller
D and a short ID whose data length is shorter than ID and which allows the management device to identify the remote control device under its control. The transmission source of the signal passing through the transmission path is designated by the ID and the transmission destination is the shortened ID. It is characterized by specifying with.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION (First Embodiment) In the present embodiment, the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described as an example. In the illustrated example, three types of lighting fixtures 1a to 1c are provided.

The lighting device 1a has a remote control device 2 when the lighting state is
Remotely controlled by. Remote control device 2 and lighting equipment 1
Infrared rays are used as a transmission medium for data transmitted between a and a to instruct control contents. In addition, the remote controller 2
And the lighting fixture 1a, data is unidirectionally transmitted from the remote control device 2 to the lighting fixture 1a. The lighting states of the lighting fixtures 1b and 1c are remotely controlled by a master controller 3 provided separately from the remote controller 2. Here, as the lighting state, in addition to lighting and extinguishing, well-known lighting states such as stepped dimming or continuous dimming, fade-in / fade-out, and blinking lighting can be appropriately adopted.

The master controller 3 is the remote controller 2
Data is bidirectionally transmitted between and using radio waves (specified low power radio) as a transmission medium. The master controller 3 can transmit data instructing the lighting state of the lighting fixture 1a to the remote control device 2, and by using radio waves as a data transmission medium, in the case of a general household, the master controller 3 transmits to all remote control devices 2 in the house. On the other hand, it becomes possible to transmit data from one master controller 3. That is, since the radio wave that is the transmission medium penetrates the wall inside the house, if one master controller 3 is installed in the house (a plurality of units is required), data from the master controller 3 can be transmitted to all remote control devices in the house. 2 can be transmitted. The remote controller 2 used in this embodiment is a master controller 3
Receive the data transmitted from the
Lighting equipment 1a by converting the transmission medium to infrared
To transmit data to. Therefore, the master controller 3 can collectively control all the lighting fixtures 1a in the home through the remote controller 2. Since the luminaire 1a uses infrared rays, which are widely used, as a transmission medium, the conventional luminaire 1a should be used unless the transmission format of the infrared signal when transmitting data from the remote control device 2 is changed. Is possible,
The manufacturer can provide the function of the present embodiment without newly designing the lighting fixture 1a, and the user can enjoy the function of the present embodiment without purchasing a new lighting fixture 1a. It will be possible.

By the way, the master controller 3 can also control the lighting state of the lighting fixtures 1b and 1c without passing through the remote controller 2. The lighting fixture 1b performs data transmission with the master controller 3 using infrared rays as a transmission medium, and the lighting fixture 1c performs data transmission with the master controller 3 using radio waves as a transmission medium. That is, the luminaire 1b is arranged at a place where data is unidirectionally transmitted from the master controller 3 to the luminaire 1b by using infrared rays as a transmission medium and infrared rays can be transmitted to and from the master controller 3 in the house. It Also,
The lighting fixture 1c is capable of bidirectionally transmitting data using radio waves as a transmission medium, and even if installed outdoors, it is possible to control the lighting state from inside the house. Therefore, if the luminaires 1a and 1b are installed in the house and the luminaire 1c is installed outdoors, the master controller 3 is used to make the luminaires 1a and 1b installed in the house.
It is possible to collectively control the lighting state of both 1b and the lighting fixture 1c installed outdoors. Similarly to between the master controller 3 and the remote control device 2, the master controller 3 and the lighting fixture 1c can communicate bidirectionally using a radio wave as a transmission medium, and the lighting fixture 1c and the remote control device 2 are both lighting fixtures. And functions as a communication unit. In any case, the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3 enable remote control of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c, and constitute a remote control device.

The master controller 3 of this embodiment is connected to the server 4 via a wired transmission path. Server 4
Is an RS-23 that is configured using, for example, a personal computer and is capable of serially transmitting data.
The master controller 3 is connected to the interface of the 2C standard, and bidirectionally transmits data to and from the master controller 3. The server 4 can give data to the master controller 3 and can acquire the data held by the master controller 3. Further, the server 4 is a network N such as the Internet.
Data can be bidirectionally transmitted to and from the terminal 6 via the T, and the data acquired by the server 4 can be confirmed at the terminal 6 and the data can be transmitted from the terminal 6 to the server 4. Has become.

Then, in the server 4, the lighting load 1
If a time schedule for controlling the lighting states of a to 1c is set, it becomes possible to control the lighting states of the respective lighting fixtures 1a to 1c via the master controller 3 in accordance with the time schedule. It is also possible to install the luminaire 1c and perform decorative illumination control. In addition, the server 4 is installed in the living room or the like, and the master controller 3 is manually operated by operating the server 4 manually.
, It becomes possible to control all the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c inside and outside the living room from the living room.

On the other hand, since the server 4 can transmit data to and from the terminal 6 through the network NT, the terminal 6
It is also possible to instruct the server 4 to turn on the lighting states of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c. Conversely, the information held by the master controller 3 managing the lighting states of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c is transmitted via the server 4 via the server 4. It is also possible to monitor with the terminal 6. That is, by operating the terminal 6, the lighting state of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c can be set from outside the house. In addition, by monitoring the lighting states of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c from outside the house, it is possible to judge the presence or absence of a person inside the home and use it for crime prevention, or to confirm the forgetting to turn off the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c to ensure safety. It will be possible.

Now, it is assumed that the server 4 instructs the lighting of all the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c. In this case,
The server 4 serially transmits to the master controller 3 a lighting instruction for all the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c. The master controller 3 instructs the lighting device 1b to turn on by an infrared signal, and instructs the lighting device 1c to turn on using radio waves as a transmission medium. Further, the master controller 3 also instructs the remote control device 2 to turn on using radio waves as a transmission medium, and instructs the lighting devices 1a corresponding to the remote control device 2 that received the turn-on instruction to turn on by an infrared signal. With this procedure, all the lighting fixtures 1a
It is possible to turn on ~ 1c.

Here, a schematic configuration of each of the above-described components of this embodiment will be described. The luminaires 1a to 1c have basically the same configuration, and as shown in FIG. 2, include a control unit 10 having a microprocessor as a main component, and the control unit 10 controls the load control unit 11 to illuminate a load. Indicates the lighting state of. The load control unit 11 includes a lighting load lighting circuit, and is capable of controlling lighting / lighting, dimming, and fade-in / fade-out of the lighting load according to an instruction from the control unit 10. The communication unit 12 is connected to the control unit 10,
Data is transmitted between the remote controller 2 and the master controller 3 through the communication unit 12. Lighting fixtures 1a, 1
In b, the communication unit 12 is configured to receive an infrared signal, receives an infrared signal from the remote control device 2 or the master controller 3, and inputs data to the control unit 10.
Further, in the lighting fixture 1c, the communication unit 12 is configured to transmit and receive radio waves, so that it is possible not only to receive data from the master controller 3 but also to notify the master controller 3 of the lighting state of the lighting load. Has become.

As described above, since the lighting states of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c are controlled remotely, the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c are prevented from being illegally changed.
It is necessary to confirm the legitimacy of the device giving the instructions to a to 1c, and it is necessary to identify which luminaire 1a to 1c is the instruction. Therefore, the storage unit 1 that stores the identification code (hereinafter abbreviated as “ID”) of the device permitted to give instructions to the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c.
3 is provided. The storage unit 13 also stores a short ID described later. Remote controller 2 or master controller 3
When instructing the lighting devices 1a to 1c to turn on the lighting state, the IDs of the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3 are transmitted together with the data, as will be described later, and the control unit 10 receives the ID received through the communication unit 12, By collating with the ID (or abbreviated ID) stored in the storage unit 13, it is determined whether or not to accept the data. Storage unit 13
Function data that determines the operation of the control unit 10 is also registered in
The control unit 10 controls the load control unit 11 according to the setting of the function data.
Control the function of. That is, the load control unit 11 can control the lighting state of the lighting load such as turning on / off, dimming, and fade-in / fade-out as described above, and all programs for performing these controls are the control unit 10.
The operation of the control unit 10 is determined by setting in the storage unit 10 a flag which is prepared in advance and which specifies which program to use. Since it is desirable that the storage unit 13 retains the stored contents even without power supply and needs to be rewritable, it is desirable to use an EEPROM.

Further, each of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c is provided with an operation unit 14 including a switch for setting the storage contents of the storage unit 13, and a display unit 15 for confirming the contents set in the storage unit 13. To be By operating the operation unit 14, it becomes possible to store the IDs of the remote controller 2 and the master controller 3 and the function data regarding the operation of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c in the storage unit 13. That is, the operation unit 14 can register the IDs of the remote control device 2 or the master controller 3 that can instruct the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c or delete the registered IDs. Further, the setting content of the operation unit 14 is displayed on the display unit 15. The display unit 15 may be any as long as it can confirm the setting contents of the operation unit 14,
For example, a liquid crystal display is used. Further, not only the setting contents of the operation unit 14 but also the communication state by the communication unit 12 and the contents of the abnormality at the time of abnormal operation of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c may be displayed together. Is used. The lighting fixtures 1a to 1c are supplied with power from a commercial power source and converted into power required for driving the internal circuit in the power source unit 17.

Here, the luminaires 1a to 1c may be provided with a sensor section 16 including at least one of a human sensor and a brightness sensor. A human sensor can be realized at low cost by using a passive type sensor that detects heat rays emitted from the human body using a pyroelectric element, but it transmits detection waves such as infrared rays and ultrasonic waves to the monitoring space. In addition, an active type that detects the presence or absence of a human body in the monitoring space by using the relationship between infrared rays or ultrasonic waves received from the monitoring space and the detected wave may be used. This type of sensor includes a human sensor known as an infrared sensor, a distance measuring sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or the like. The brightness sensor uses a photoelectric element such as CdS or a photodiode to convert ambient brightness into an electric signal.

Since data is unidirectionally transmitted from the remote control device 2 or the master controller 3 to the luminaires 1a and 1b, the output of the sensor section 16 is used inside the luminaires 1a and 1b. For example, when a human sensor is used, the lighting load is turned on when a human is detected by the human sensor, and then the lighting is turned on when the human is not detected even after a specified time has passed since the human was not detected. The control to turn off the load becomes possible. In addition, the lighting load is turned on and off in response to the detection of a person by the motion sensor, and when it is not necessary to light the lighting load in the daytime, a brightness sensor is used in combination with the motion sensor. The lighting load may be turned on only while the condition that the surroundings are dark and a person is detected is satisfied. When the lighting load is turned on / off in response to only the ambient brightness regardless of the presence or absence of a person, the sensor unit 16 is provided with only the brightness sensor.

On the other hand, since the lighting fixture 1c is capable of bidirectionally transmitting data to and from the master controller 3, in addition to the same control as the lighting fixtures 1a and 1b, the sensor section 16 is also provided.
It is also possible to transfer the output of 1 to the master controller 3. For example, it is possible to transmit the information obtained by the output of the human sensor or the brightness sensor to the master controller 3 and transmit the data to the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c under the control of the master controller 3. To describe one example, when it is detected that the surroundings have become dark by the output of the brightness sensor provided in the lighting fixture 1c, the master controller 3 is notified to notify the other lighting fixtures 1a,
It becomes possible to turn on 1b. The timing of transmitting the output of the sensor unit 16 to the master controller 3 may be a time point when there is a change in the presence or absence of a person if it is a human sensor, and may be a prescribed cycle if it is a brightness sensor.

As shown in FIG. 3, the remote controller 2 includes a control unit 20 having a microprocessor as a main component, and the control unit 20 sends an infrared signal to the lighting fixture 1a through the communication unit 22. The communication unit 22 is also capable of bidirectional data transmission with the master controller 3 using radio waves as a transmission medium. The remote control device 2 is capable of transmitting data between the lighting fixture 1a and the master controller 3 and is set for each remote control device 2.
D and the master controller 3 that is allowed as a communication partner
The storage unit 23 for storing the ID and the ID is connected to the control unit 20. The storage unit 23 also stores a short ID described later. An EEPROM is used as the storage unit 23 because it needs to be able to hold the stored contents and be rewritable even without power supply.

Further, the remote control device 2 includes a storage unit 23.
Operation part 2 consisting of a switch to set the memory contents of
4 and a display unit 25 for confirming the contents set in the storage unit 23. By operating the operation unit 24, the ID of the remote controller 2 and the ID of the master controller 3
Can be stored in the storage unit 23. In other words, the operation unit 24 can register the IDs of the remote controller 2 and the master controller 3 or delete the registered IDs. Further, the setting contents of the operation unit 24 are displayed on the display unit 25. The display unit 25 may be of any type as long as the setting contents of the operation unit 24 can be confirmed, and for example, a liquid crystal display is used. Further, not only the setting contents of the operation unit 24 but also the communication state by the communication unit 22 and the contents of the abnormality when the remote controller 2 is in an abnormal condition may be displayed together, and a light emitting diode is used for this type of display. ing. The power supply unit 27 of the remote control device 2 uses a battery as a power supply. However, if it is not necessary to make the remote control device 2 portable, power may be supplied from a commercial power supply and converted into power necessary for driving the internal circuit in the power supply unit 27.

In the remote control device 2, the lighting fixtures 1a ...
Similar to 1c, a sensor unit 26 including at least one of a human sensor and a brightness sensor can be provided. When the sensor unit 26 is provided in the remote control device 2, the sensor units 26 are not provided in the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c, or
Alternatively, it is desirable that the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c are provided with only one of a human sensor and a brightness sensor, and the other is provided in the remote control device 2. Since the output of the sensor unit 26 can be transferred to the master controller 3, it can be used to control the lighting devices 1a to 1c under the control of the master controller 3, and the lighting devices 1a to 1c under the control of the master controller 3 can be used. It also becomes possible to transmit the output of the sensor unit 26 to 1c.

The master controller 3 has the configuration shown in FIG. 4 and has a control section 30 having a microprocessor as a main component, and the control section 30 communicates with the remote control device 2 via a communication section 32 by radio waves. Data is bidirectionally transmitted, and data is bidirectionally transmitted to and from the server 4 by wired serial transmission. Further, the communication unit 32 of the master controller 3 is capable of unidirectional data transmission with the lighting fixture 1b using infrared rays as a transmission medium, and bidirectional data transmission with the lighting fixture 1c using radio waves as a transmission medium. Is possible. Similar to the remote controller device 2, the master controller 3 stores an ID for identifying the master controller 3 and a storage unit 33 for storing the IDs of the remote controller device 2 and the server 4 which are allowed as communication partners.
Is connected to the control unit 30. The storage unit 33 also stores a short ID described later. The storage unit 33 uses an EEPROM so that the stored contents can be held and rewritten even without power supply.

The master controller 3 has an operation unit 34 including switches for setting the contents stored in the storage unit 33.
And a display unit 35 for confirming the contents set in the storage unit 33. Here, since the master controller 3 manages the plurality of lighting fixtures 1a to 1c, the number of switches forming the operation unit 34 is relatively large. Operation unit 34
By the operation of, the ID of the master controller 3 and the ID of the remote controller 2 can be stored in the storage unit 33. The operation unit 34 enables registration and deletion of the contents of the storage unit 33. Further, the setting content of the operation unit 34 is displayed on the display unit 35. The display unit 35 may be of any type as long as the setting contents of the operation unit 34 can be confirmed, but it is desirable that the display unit 35 be capable of displaying characters and figures, for example, a liquid crystal display is used. Further, although it is possible to report an abnormality such as a failure on the liquid crystal display, it is easy to recognize the abnormality if a light emitting diode is also used as a means for reporting the abnormality. Master controller 3
The power source unit 37 may use a battery as a power source, but it is desirable to supply power from a commercial power source and convert the power into a power required for driving an internal circuit in the power source unit 37.

The server 4 is constructed by using a personal computer as described above. That is, the server 4
As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 40 includes a control unit 40 having a microprocessor as a main component, and a communication unit 42 capable of connecting to the master controller 3 and the network NT.
Connected to 0. The server 4 has a master controller 3
Information acquired from the master controller 3 regarding the operating states of the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c and the remote control device 2 under the control of (ID, abbreviated ID described later, lighting fixtures 1a to 1c).
Data and a program storage unit 43 for storing the error content in operation, etc., and further storing a program capable of setting processing of abbreviated ID described later and processing for handling an operation error. The processing unit 41 is provided.

The server 4 is an operation unit 4 including a keyboard.
4, it is possible to perform various settings for the luminaires 1a to 1c under control, the remote controller 2, and the master controller 3, and to send desired commands. Further, a display unit 45 is provided so that the contents of various settings by the server 4 can be displayed and the contents of the defect can be notified when the defect occurs. A CRT or a liquid crystal display is used for the display unit 45.

The terminal 6 may be any terminal that can access the server 4 via the network NT, and for example, a mobile phone, a personal computer, a PDA or the like can be used. Therefore, general-purpose packet data or tone signals can be used as the data transmission mode. In some cases, data can be transmitted between the terminal 6 and the server 4 in the form of electronic mail.

Next, a data transmission mode between the respective components will be described. First, the operation of transmitting data by radio waves with the master controller 3 as the transmission source and the remote control device 2 as the transmission destination will be described. That is, FIG.
As shown in (a), the master controller 3 controls the lighting state of the lighting fixture 1a (see FIG. 1) through the remote control device 2, and as shown in FIG. 6 (b), lighting of the lighting fixture 1a is performed. In addition to the data DAT for instructing the state, a signal including the ID (ID1) of the master controller 3 and the ID (ID2) of the remote controller 2 will be transmitted. Here, the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses Standard-T67
According to Notification / H6 No. 424, the identification code of the low power communication system is required to be composed of 48 bits. Therefore, in order for the master controller 3 to transmit the data DAT to the lighting fixture 1a through the remote control device 2, two IDs (ID1 and ID2) of the transmission source and the transmission destination are required in addition to the data DAT, At least 9
It will take 6 bits.

The example shown in FIG. 6 is a case where the master controller 3 transmits the data DAT to one remote control device 2, but in the case of collectively controlling the lighting states of a plurality of lighting fixtures 1a in the house, As shown in FIG. 7A, the master controller 3 includes a plurality of (three in the illustrated example) remote control devices 2.
The data DAT will be transmitted to. That is, since the master controller 3 is used as a transmission source and a plurality of transmission destinations are provided, IDs (ID21, ID22, ID
23) is required. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7B, the IDs of the transmission destinations are added for the number of units, and the bit length of the signal transmitted from the master controller 3 is (4
8 bits + 48 bits x number of destinations + number of data bits). In other words, if all the remote control devices 2 under the control of the master controller 3 try to send an infrared signal for instructing the lighting of the lighting fixture 1a, the bit length of the signal sent from the master controller 3 becomes very large. The problem of becoming long arises.

Further, in actuality, in order to improve the reliability of signal transmission, the ID included in the signal sent from the master controller 3 is divided into a plurality of parts as shown in FIG. Split), checksum C
Is added, the bit length corresponding to one ID in the signal is 4 even if the ID itself is 48 bits.
It will be larger than 8 bits. In the example shown in FIG. 8, in order to transmit 48-bit data, it is divided into 7 bits × 6 + 6 bits, and a 1-bit checksum C is added to each divided portion. Since C is added, the checksum C requires 8 bits, which makes a total of 56 bits.

As described above, when the number of bits of the signal transmitted from the master controller 3 to the remote control device 2 increases, the time required for the transmission increases, and as a result, the master controller 3 occupies the transmission path to the remote control device 2. Time will increase.

In order to solve such a problem, in this embodiment, in addition to the original ID of the remote control device 2, each I
By setting a shortened ID that has a one-to-one correspondence with D and has a bit length smaller than the original ID and gives an instruction to the remote control device 2 using the shortened ID, it is possible to shorten the occupied time of the transmission path. There is. Further, as described above, in this embodiment, since the master controller 3 is managed by the server 4, the ID of the master controller 3 is specified even when the master controller 3 is designated from the server 4.
The short ID associated with is used. That is, when a plurality of master controllers 3 are provided, the signal transmitted from the server 4 to the master controller 3 has a long occupied time of the transmission path, like the signal transmitted from the master controller 3 to the remote controller 2. The problem arises. This is because the server 4 and the master controller 3 are connected by wire, and a 48-bit ID is not required for data transmission from the server 4 to the master controller 3, but I of the master controller 3 for transmitting data by radio waves
This is because D is 48 bits, and as a result, the destination must be designated as a 48-bit ID when data is transmitted from the server 4 to the master controller 3. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the short ID is also set for the master controller 3.

In the present embodiment, the short ID is managed by the server 4 as a management device, and a table in which the short IDs are associated with the respective IDs of the remote controller 2 and the master controller 3 is a data program storage unit 43 of the server 4. It is provided in. Therefore, the short ID is not preset in the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3 like the ID, but is given to the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3 from the server 4 as the management device. The remote controller 2 stores the acquired short ID in the storage unit 23.
Stored in the master controller 3 and acquired by the master controller 3
Is stored in the storage unit 33.

In the following, the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3 receive the short ID from the server 4 as the management device.
The procedure for acquiring is described.

There are two types of procedures for the master controller 3 to acquire the short ID from the server 4. In the first method, the master controller 3 first requests the server 4 to transfer the short ID. That is, whether the master controller 3 is connected to the server 4, or the power of the master controller 3 is turned on while the power of the server 4 is turned on, or whether the short ID is assigned to the server 4 by the operation unit 34 of the master controller 3. When a transfer is requested, the server 4 sends the short ID to the master controller 3 in the following procedure.
Is transferred.

When the master controller 3 notifies the server 4 of the request for transferring the short ID as described above, the server 4 starts a program for transferring the short ID. After that, the master controller 3 sends the server 4 the I
Send D. In the server 4, I of the master controller 3
When D is acquired, the ID is stored in the data / program storage unit 43.
Is stored and the shortened ID associated with this ID is returned to the master controller 3. Here, the short ID is automatically set by the data processing unit 41 according to a predetermined rule. The simplest rule of this type is, for example, the order in which transfer requests are made. When the master controller 3 normally receives the shortened ID from the server 4, the master controller 3 notifies the server 4 of the normal reception, and after the notification is completed, the master controller 3 registers the shortened ID in the storage unit 33, and the server 4 stores the data / program storage unit. The ID and the shortened ID are stored in 43 in association with each other. That is, the server 4 and the master controller 3
Subsequent communication between and can be performed using the short ID.

The first method is that when the master controller 3 requests the server 4 to transfer the short ID, the server 4
It is premised that the power of the server 4 is turned on, but the server 4 may not be turned on when the master controller 3 requests the transfer of the short ID. Therefore, in order to cope with such a case, as a second method, it is possible to transfer the short ID to the master controller 3 under the initiative of the server 4. That is, in a state where the master controller 3 is powered on and the server 4 and the master controller 3 are communicably connected,
When the power of the server 4 is turned on or the notification of the shortened ID is instructed by operating the operation unit 44 of the server 4, the server 4 requests the master controller 3 to notify the ID. When the ID of the master controller 3 is notified to the server 4 in response to this request, the shortened ID is notified to the master controller 3 in the same manner as in the first method.
The shortened ID can be used for subsequent communication.

In the second method, since the master controller 3 does not initially hold the ID of the server 4, data collision may occur when there are a plurality of master controllers 3. Therefore, the ID of each master controller 3 is acquired separately by using the well-known collision avoidance technique. When the master controller 3 fails to receive the short ID when the server 4 notifies the master controller 3 of the short ID, the master controller 3 acquires the short ID by a known technique such as making a retransmission request. Furthermore, the master controller 3
Then, it is desirable to display on the display unit 35 that the short ID has been normally received. That is, the light emitting diode is turned on and off for a predetermined period of time, or characters are displayed on the liquid crystal display.

Next, a method for the remote control device 2 to acquire the short ID from the server 4 will be described. Remote control device 2
When assigning the short ID to the remote control device 2, first, the server 4 selects the short ID to be assigned to the remote control device 2. This short ID is automatically generated in the server 4, or
It is set by the user operating the operation unit 44. Operation part 4
When setting the abbreviated ID by the operation of 4, it is possible to use an appropriate name such as the room name in which the lighting fixture 1a associated with the remote control device 2 is arranged. For example, an appropriate short ID is associated with the name. In this way, when the short ID is selected, a message such as “Newly register“ name ”is displayed on the display unit 45, and the target remote control device 2 (identifiable by the ID of the remote control device 2)
Short ID for the master controller 3 that manages
The operation unit 44 is operated to transfer the. Upon receiving the short ID of the remote controller 2, the master controller 3 temporarily holds the ID of the remote controller 2 in association with the short ID. In this state, if the operation unit 24 of the remote control device 2 that wants to receive the abbreviated ID is operated, the remote control device 2
Is transmitted to the master controller 3 and the master controller 3 receives the ID of the remote controller 2, the short ID corresponding to the received ID, the ID of the master controller 3, and the short ID of the master controller 3 are sent to the remote controller. Send to 2.

The remote controller 2 notifies the master controller 3 that the short ID has been received, and stores the short ID received from the master controller 3, the ID of the master controller 3, and the short ID in association with the ID of the remote controller 2. It is stored in the unit 23. On the other hand, the master controller 3 that has received the notification from the remote control device 2 notifies the server 4 that it is possible to communicate with the remote control device 2 by using the short ID, and the short ID and I of the remote control device 2 and I.
D is stored in the storage unit 33. Further, in the server 4 which has received the notification from the master controller 3, the abbreviated ID and ID of the remote control device 2 are registered in the data / program storage unit 43 in association with the initially input name. A message such as "Registration of" name "is completed" is displayed.

Generally, one remote control device 2 corresponds to one lighting fixture 1a, and data is transmitted between the remote control device 2 and the lighting fixture 1a by an infrared signal. The device 1a does not need an ID,
When the data transmission medium between the lighting fixture 1a and the remote control device 2 is a radio wave, the ID may be given to the lighting fixture 1a and the short ID may be registered in the same procedure as the remote control device 2. . Also, since the lighting fixture 1c transmits data to and from the master controller 3 using radio waves as a transmission medium, the shortened ID is performed in the same procedure as the remote controller device 2.
To set.

In some cases, it may be necessary to delete or modify the short ID set in the component managed by the server 4 as the management device. The procedure in 4 is the same as that of the registration of the short ID except that only the instruction to delete the short ID is changed. Furthermore, in order to correct the abbreviated ID, registration may be performed after deletion.

As described above, after the short ID is set in the master controller 3 and the remote controller 2, the short ID is used between the server 4 and the master controller 3 and between the master controller 3 and the remote controller 2. Data can be transmitted. As a result, when at least one of the master controller 3 and the remote controller 2 is provided, it is possible to reduce the occupied time of the transmission path as compared with the case of using a normal ID.

The number of bits of the above-mentioned shortened ID is determined by the server 4
It is defined by the number of components for which a short ID is set among the components managed by. In the present embodiment, a short ID is set so that each component is represented by a bit position,
It is assumed that when the bit value of the bit position corresponding to the constituent element is "1", the transmission of data to the constituent element is instructed. For example, the remote controller 2 and the luminaire 1c are present as constituent elements for transmitting data to and from the master controller 3 by using radio waves as a transmission medium without setting a short ID in the master controller 3, and the remote controller 2 If the total number of lighting fixtures and lighting fixtures 1 is 16, the shortened ID is represented by 16 bits, and each component is shortened I
It corresponds to the bit position of D. In short, the bit number of the shortened ID is set according to the maximum number of components under the control of the server 4 and to which the shortened ID is to be given.

FIG. 9A shows a format of a signal transmitted from the master controller 3 to the remote controller 2 and the lighting fixture 1c when the maximum number of constituent elements is 16. As described above, since the low-power communication system requires a 48-bit identification code, in the present embodiment, the transmission source ID is used as the identification code, and the transmission destination is the short ID (16 bits). It is possible to reduce the bit length of a signal to be transmitted while satisfying the demand as a power communication system. That is, the signal transmitted from the master controller 3 to the remote controller 2 and the lighting fixture 1c is as shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), the ID (I
D1), destination type (DST), and destination shortening I
It becomes D (SID) and data (DAT). here,
The ID set in the transmission source is 48 bits, but since the transmission source ID (ID1) shown in FIG. 9A includes the checksum C (see FIG. 8) as described above, it is shorter than 48 bits. Bit length becomes large. Also, the type of destination (D
ST) has a 4-bit configuration, and the transmission destination is set so that four types of the master controller 3, the remote controller 2, the lighting fixture 1c, the remote controller 2, and the lighting fixture 1c are indicated by bit positions. In addition, the destination short ID (SI
D) has a 16-bit configuration, for example, the first, third,
If you want to send data (DAT) to No. 16, select
As shown in (b), the 1st bit, the 3rd bit, the 16th bit
The bit value of the bit position of the bit is set to "1", and the bit values of the other bit positions are set to "0". In addition,
Although various kinds of data (DAT) can be transmitted, control data for instructing the lighting state or mode switching data for instructing the operating state of the remote controller 2 from the master controller 3 to the remote controller 2. become.

From the remote controller 2 to the master controller 3
The same applies to the case of transmitting a signal to
As shown in (a), the ID of the remote control device 2 as the transmission source
(ID2), destination type (DST), destination short ID (SID), and data (DAT). Here, if the maximum number of master controllers 3 that are transmission destinations is four, the ID (SID) of the transmission destination has a 4-bit configuration, and, for example, the remote controller 2 sends data ( When transmitting DAT), as shown in FIG. 10B, the bit value of the bit position of the first bit is set to "1" and the bit values of other bit positions are set to "0". .

As described above, after setting the abbreviated ID in the lighting fixture 1c, the remote controller 2, and the master controller 3, the server 4 gives an instruction to the remote controller 2 and the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c via the master controller 3. It will be possible. The procedure for transmitting an instruction from the server 4 will be described below.

First, a case where the master controller 3 transmits data to a plurality of destinations (lighting equipment 1c and remote control device 2) will be described. Here, a case where the maximum number of transmission destinations of the master controller 3 is 16 and data is transmitted to three remote control devices 2 will be exemplified.
In the server 4, the data transmission destination and the instruction content are displayed on the operation unit 44.
Enter from. At this time, the selected content is displayed on the display unit 45, and a message such as "Send" selected content "" is displayed. In this state, when the operation unit 44 instructs the transmission, the data is transmitted from the server 4 to the master controller 3. Upon receiving the data, the master controller 3 notifies all the transmission destinations of the start of data transmission by simultaneous broadcast. Here, the master controller 3
The signal transmitted from the remote controller 2 to the remote controller 2 has the format shown in FIG. 9A, the remote controller 2 is selected as the destination (DST), and the short ID (SID) of the destination is the target remote controller. The bit value of the bit position corresponding to the device 2 is set to "1". Therefore, assuming that the three remote control devices 2 are associated with the first bit to the third bit in the shortened ID (SID) of the transmission destination, as shown in FIG. The bit value is set to "1" at three bit positions of 3 bits. That is, the master controller 3 notifies all the remote control devices 2 to be notified of the instruction contents by simultaneous broadcast. The remote control device 2 displays the instruction content as data (D
Since it is received by AT), the lighting load 1a is controlled according to the instruction content.

Next, the master controller 3 sequentially and individually transmits signals of the format shown in FIG. 9A to the three remote control devices 2. At this time, the master controller 3 sets a maximum time of 2 seconds for each signal transmission. During this time limit, the master controller 3 is performing carrier sense, and is a time required in the specific low power radio as a state in which the frequency band is not used by another radio device. Then, first, in the format shown in FIG. 9A, the shortened ID (SID) of the destination is shown in FIG. 11B.
As described above, only the bit value of the first bit is set to "1", and a signal including data (DAT) requesting a timed operation is transmitted from the master controller 3. The master controller 3 starts the timed operation for 2 seconds after the signal is transmitted, and during the timed operation, the master controller 3 from the remote controller 2 shown in FIG.
When the signal of the format shown in (1) is returned, the timed operation ends. In the signal returned from the remote control device 2, the shortened ID (SID) of the transmission destination is 4 bits, as in FIG. Only the value is "1".

The signals transmitted by the master controller 3 to the other remote control device 2 have the shortened IDs (SID) of the transmission destinations in the formats shown in FIGS. 11 (c) and 11 (d). That is, the second
A signal having a bit value of "1" and a signal having a third bit value of "1" are sequentially transmitted. Also,
The master controller 3 performs a timed operation for 2 seconds each time a signal of the format shown in FIG. 9A is transmitted, and when the remote control device 2 returns a signal of the format shown in FIG. 10A during the timed operation. Stop the timed operation.

As described above, the master controller 3
From the remote control device 2 to each remote control device 2 designated by the short ID (SID) of the transmission destination included in the signal when the simultaneous broadcast is performed from the remote control device 2 to the remote control device 2. The master controller 3 sends a signal having the same content as the signal when the simultaneous broadcast to 2 is performed.
To the server 4. That is, the signal transmitted from the master controller 3 to the server 4 has the format shown in FIG. 9A, and the shortened ID (SID) of the transmission destination has the form shown in FIG. 11E. The server 4 can know that the instruction content has been transmitted to each remote control device 2 by receiving this signal.

When there is only one transmission destination from the master controller 3, the only difference is that the processing of changing the transmission destination in order and transmitting the signal is not necessary, but the other processing procedure is the same. That is, when the server 4 notifies the master controller 3 of the ID of the remote control device 2 and the content of the instruction, it corresponds to the remote control device 2 (or the lighting fixture 1c) that is going to give an instruction with the shortened ID (SID) of the transmission destination. A signal with the bit value to be set to "1" is transmitted from the master controller 3. After that, the master controller 3 again transmits a signal having the same content to the remote control device 2, performs a timed operation for 2 seconds, and when the signal is returned from the remote control device 2 to the master controller 3 during the timed operation, the timed operation is performed. It ends. Further, since the master controller 3 gives only one remote controller 2 to the instruction, when the master controller 3 returns a signal from the remote controller 2 to complete the timed operation, the master controller 3 instructs the server 4 to the remote controller 2. Is transmitted.

As described above, a plurality of remote control devices 2
Since the simultaneous broadcast is performed when the master controller 3 gives an instruction to the master controller 3, it is possible to simultaneously control the plurality of lighting fixtures 1a without delay. Moreover, since the master controller 3 waits for a reply from the remote controller 2 and notifies the server 4 that the reply from the remote controller 2 has been received, it is necessary to confirm whether or not the remote controller 2 has received the instruction content. Since the confirmation operation is performed individually for each remote control device 2 or lighting device 1c, it is possible to avoid a collision of signals for confirmation, and also to individually confirm whether or not the instruction content is received. Will be possible.

In the above example, the instruction content given by the master controller 3 to the remote controller 2 or the lighting fixture 1c is normally received. However, the instruction content given from the master controller 3 is sent to the destination. It may not be received normally. In the above-described operation, the master controller 3 individually designates the remote control device 2 and transmits the data, and then performs the timed operation for 2 seconds. When the signal is returned during the timed operation, the instruction content is normally received by the destination. I think it was done. On the other hand, if the signal is not returned during the 2-second timed operation, it means that the instruction content was not normally received by the transmission destination. In this case, the master controller 3 retransmits the data to the transmission destination. . However, when there are multiple destinations, even if the instruction content is not normally received for one of the destinations while transmitting the signal individually to each destination, the instruction content is sent to the next destination. The process of transmitting is continued, and when the process of transmitting a signal to all the destinations is completed, retransmission is performed. When retransmitting, the operation when the master controller 3 first receives an instruction from the server 4 is repeated. That is, after the simultaneous broadcast, the signal is individually transmitted and the operation of waiting for a reply is performed. The maximum number of retransmissions is set in advance, or the user operates the operation unit 34 of the master controller 3 to set it appropriately.

When an abnormality is detected in the signal transmission from the master controller 3 to the destination, the display unit 35
It is desirable to notify the abnormality by. Further, the master controller 3 is provided with a notification means such as a buzzer,
You may notify by an alarm sound at the time of abnormality. Since the presence / absence of an abnormality is individually detected for each transmission destination, it is possible to notify in a form that the transmission destination having an abnormality can be distinguished.

When it is not possible to confirm the reception of the instruction contents even if the retransmission is performed as described above, the master controller 3
Notifies the server 4 of the destination (remote control device 2 or lighting fixture 1c) that did not receive the instruction content normally, and there is no response from the remote control device of "name" (abbreviated ID) on the display section 45 of the server 4. Is displayed.

That is, in the case of transmitting the instruction content to the three remote control devices 3, the shortened ID (SI
When D) does not receive the instruction content in the remote control device 3 corresponding to the first bit, as shown in FIG. 12, the bit of the first bit of the data corresponding to the shortened ID (SID) of the transmission destination. The value is set to “0” and notified from the master controller 3 to the server 4 (in a normal state, the bit value of the first bit is “1” as shown in FIG. 11E). The above-described operation is performed when the master controller 3 has a plurality of transmission destinations (three in the example), but the same processing is performed even when the number is one.

In the retransmission processing when there are a plurality of destinations as described above, data transmission to all the destinations is redone, so that it is necessary to perform simultaneous control for a plurality of destinations, for example, When the time of the transmission destination is adjusted, or when the operation mode of the transmission destination is switched to the same mode, the operation timings of the transmission destination can be almost aligned. Further, since the server 4 or the master controller 3 notifies the destination of the abnormality, the destination of the abnormality can be easily specified, and the abnormality can be dealt with promptly and maintenance can be performed. It will be easier.

In the above-mentioned example, when the instruction contents are transmitted to a plurality of destinations, the number of destinations that do not normally receive the instruction contents is 1.
Although the instruction content is retransmitted to all the transmission destinations even if the number is individual, it may be useless to retransmit the instruction content to the transmission destinations that normally received the instruction content. For example, the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c or the remote control device 2 may be the sensor unit 16
When the sensitivity of the sensor unit 16 is changed, the comma 26 is provided, and the instruction contents are retransmitted to all the destinations as described above, although it is not necessary to align the operation timings of the destinations. By performing the processing, the time required for the communication processing between the master controller 3 and the transmission destination becomes long. Therefore, in such a case, it is desirable to retransmit only to the destinations that did not normally receive the instruction content.

That is, the master controller 3 individually transmits data to all the destinations designated as the shortened IDs (SIDs) of the destinations at the time of simultaneous broadcast, and receives a reply from each destination, After completing the process of individually transmitting data to all destinations (that is, after receiving the normal reception response from the last destination or after the timed operation ends without a normal reception response) A signal including instruction content data (DAT) is individually transmitted to a destination that has not been normally received. This data (D
AT) is the content transmitted at the time of the simultaneous broadcast, but as the shortened ID (SID) of the transmission destination, not the simultaneous broadcast but the transmission destinations which are not normally received are designated and retransmitted. If the instruction contents are not normally received by all the transmission destinations until the specified maximum number of retransmissions is repeated by repeating this process, the instruction contents are not normally received from the master controller 3 to the server 4. Notify the destination. In short, the same processing as in the case of resending to all the destinations is performed.

It should be noted that, when there is a transmission destination that did not normally receive the instruction content, it is retransmitted to all the transmission destinations, or
Whether to retransmit only to an abnormal destination can be distinguished by the type of instruction content (data (DAT)) or by the length of data (DAT). For example, if the data (DAT) is retransmitted to all the destinations, the communication processing takes a longer time than in the case where the data is retransmitted only to the destination having an abnormality. It is desirable to select the process of resending to the destination of.

The above-mentioned operation relates to the transmission processing between the master controller 3 and the lighting fixture 1c or the remote controller 2, but the transmission processing between the server 4 and the master controller 3 is as follows. It is desirable to do. That is, after transmitting a signal from the server 4 to the master controller 3, the server 4 starts a timed operation. This timed operation is similar to the timed operation by the master controller 3, but is set longer than the timed time of the master controller 3. If there is a reply from the master controller 3 during the time limit in the server 4, the server 4 determines that normal transmission processing has been performed with the master controller 3.

On the other hand, during the time limit, the master controller 3
If the reply from is not received, it is determined that there is an abnormality with the master controller 3, and the display unit 45 notifies that there is an abnormality. Further, when there is an abnormality, it is desirable to retransmit the signal to the master controller 3 after the timed operation is completed. The maximum number of times of retransmission is set in advance or the user operates the operation unit 44 to set it. The notification of the abnormality is given when the abnormality is first judged or when the abnormality is not resolved even if the retransmission is performed. It is also possible to notify the abnormality in both cases.

Further, it may be distinguished whether or not to retransmit according to the instruction content transmitted from the server 4 to the master controller 3. For example, when the user is operating the operation unit 44 in the server 4 and the occurrence of an abnormality can be immediately confirmed by the display of the display unit 45 or the like, the user only needs to perform the transmission operation, and the retransmission is automatically performed. No need to do. On the other hand, when the server 4 transmits data to the master controller 3 by operating the terminal 6, or when the remote controller 2
Or when transmitting data from the server 4 to the master controller 3 according to an instruction from the lighting fixture 1c,
When the server 4 is automatically transmitting data, it is desirable to automatically retransmit it.

After the data is transmitted from the server 4, the time limit may be set to a fixed time, but the time limit may be changed according to at least one of the type of the transmission destination and the number of the transmission destinations. Good. For example, when data is transmitted only to the master controller 3 and when data is transmitted to the remote control device 2, the time required for a response is longer when transmitting data to the remote control device 2, so the remote control device 2 2 sets a longer time limit for transmitting data. Further, when the number of remote control devices 2 transmitting data is 1, and when it is 10, the time required for communication is longer, and the time until a normal response is obtained is calculated. Therefore, it is desirable to set the time limit of the server 4 based on the calculated time.

As described above, the server 4 can detect the abnormality of the communication with the master controller 3, and when the abnormality is detected, the data is retransmitted, so that the reliability of the communication control can be improved. it can. In addition, if the time limit for receiving the return from the master controller 3 after transmitting the data from the server 4 to the master controller 3 is changed according to the destination, the server 4 will not wait for an unnecessarily long time. It becomes possible to shift to processing.

In the above-mentioned operation, the operation of transmitting data from the server 4 to the managed components (master controller 3, remote controller 2, lighting fixtures 1a to 1c) has been described, but in the following, the remote controller 2 or the lighting will be described. A procedure for transmitting a signal from the instrument 1c to the master controller 3 will be described. Here, it is assumed that data is transmitted from the remote controller 2 to the master controller 3. In this case, data is transmitted to the master controller 3 by operating the operation unit 24 of the remote controller 2. Also, the remote control device 2 that has transmitted the data starts a timed operation. The master controller 3, which has received the data from the remote control device 2, notifies the remote control device 2 of the reception of the data. The remote control device 2 stops the timed operation upon receiving the data. Further, master controller 3 transfers the data received from remote control device 2 to server 4, after notifying remote control device 2 of the reception of the data.

Remote controller 2 to master controller 3
The signal to be transmitted to the master controller 3 has the format shown in FIG. 10A and uses the short ID, and even if the signals are transmitted from the plurality of remote control devices 2 to the master controller 3 by using the short ID, a collision occurs. It is hard to occur.
Here, it is assumed that there are three remote control devices 2. Each remote controller 2 detects whether or not the frequency band of the radio wave used for transmission with the master controller 3 is occupied by another device, and the unoccupied state is set in each remote controller 2. The data is transmitted when it continues for the specified time.

For example, one of the three remote control devices 2 (shortened ID = 1) transmits data immediately if the radio wave is not occupied, and the other one (shortened ID = 2) is occupied by the radio wave. It is assumed that data is transmitted when the state where the radio wave is not held continues for 100 ms, and data is transmitted to the remaining one device (shortened ID = 3) when the state where the radio wave is not occupied continues for 150 ms. That is, each remote control device 2 has a short ID.
The waiting time for transmission is set according to the value of. Whether the radio wave in the frequency band to be used is occupied by another device is detected by the carrier. For example, if the carrier is detected every 5 ms and the carrier is not detected 20 times, the radio wave continues for 100 ms. Judge that it is not occupied. By this operation, it becomes possible to shift the transmission timing of the signal S from each remote control device 2 as shown in FIG. That is, when the used radio wave is not occupied and transmission / reception is possible, one of the remote control devices 2 immediately transmits the signal S as shown in FIG. Even if the other remote control device 2 becomes capable of transmitting / receiving, 10
The signal S is not transmitted until 0 ms or 150 ms has elapsed. After the signal S is transmitted from the first remote controller 2, the state in which transmission / reception is possible is 1 as shown in FIG.
After continuing for 00 ms, the next remote control device transmits the signal S. Further, as shown in FIG. 13C, after the second remote control device 2 transmits the signal S, the state in which transmission / reception is possible is 15
When it lasts for 0 ms, the last remote control device 2 transmits the signal S.

As described above, a plurality of remote control devices 2
If there is any, the timing of transmitting a signal to the master controller 3 can be shifted, so that even if data to be transmitted is simultaneously generated in the remote controller device 2, it is possible to avoid the signal collision. Although the case where only the remote control device 2 is used is illustrated here, the same applies when the remote control device 2 and the lighting fixture 1c are mixed.

By the way, when there are a plurality of remote control devices 2 (the lighting fixture 1c can be handled in the same manner, but only the remote control device 2 is handled in order to simplify the description below), the above-mentioned technique is used. Even if the collision of signals is avoided, the remote controller 2 may not be able to receive the response to the signal transmitted from the remote controller 2 to the master controller 3. In such a case, an abnormality is notified by the display unit 25 of the remote controller 2 or a buzzer (not shown). In other words, after transmitting a signal from the remote controller 2 to the master controller 3, a timed operation (for example, 2
If no response is received from the master controller 3 during the timed operation, it is determined that the signal transmission has failed. Further, the signal may be retransmitted after the end of the timed operation, instead of simply notifying when the signal transmission has failed. The maximum number of retransmissions is set in advance or set by the user.

From the remote controller 2 to the master controller 3
As the signal transmitted to, there is a signal including information detected by the sensor unit 26. For example, in a general motion sensor that uses a pyroelectric element, the output is “detected” while the human body is moving and the amount of light received changes, but when the amount of light received does not change, the field of view changes. The output is "no detection" even if there are people inside. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 14, when the attempt to transmit the signal S1 in which the output of the motion sensor is “detected” to the master controller 3 fails, the output of the motion sensor becomes “no detection” at the time of retransmission. It may change. When such a change occurs, when "no detection" is made at the time of retransmission,
The output of the motion sensor may be reflected by transmitting the “no detection” signal S2. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, if there is “no detection” at the time of retransmission, processing may be performed in which no signal is transmitted (the broken line in FIG. 15 means that no signal is transmitted).

A human sensor is known in which the output of the pyroelectric element is input to a retriggerable detection timer to maintain the output while a person is in the visual field of the pyroelectric element. There is. Therefore, in the case of using this type of human sensor, as shown in FIG. 16A, it corresponds to “with detection” and “without detection” of the human sensor as shown in FIG.
An output is generated from the detection timer as shown in (b). FIG.
(B) schematically shows the time limit of the detection timer.
Then, as shown in FIG. 16C, when the signal S1 corresponding to “with detection” is output from the remote control device 2,
When normally transmitted to the master controller 3, the response R1 from the master controller 3 is returned. In such a configuration, as shown in FIG.
Although the signal S1 "with detection" can be retransmitted from the above, the time limit of the detection timer may end while the signal S1 "with detection" is repeatedly retransmitted. In such a case, the signal transmission to the master controller 3 is stopped assuming that the detection state of the human sensor has changed.

Although the operation related to the human sensor has been described here, when the brightness sensor is used, similarly, when the brightness is inverted with respect to the specified value while the retransmission is repeated, the retransmission is performed thereafter. May be omitted, or the changed information may be transmitted. In short, if the internal state has not changed, it is retransmitted, and if the internal state has changed, the changed value is retransmitted or is not retransmitted.

As described above, when the transmission from the remote controller 2 to the master controller 3 is not normally performed, the retransmission processing is performed, so that the reliability of the transmission is improved. In addition, if there is a problem in communication, if the user is notified, the usability for the user is improved. Also,
When the content of the information to be transmitted at the time of retransmission changes, the retransmission is stopped or the changed information is transmitted to prevent the transmission of information different from the state at the time of retransmission.

By the way, in the present embodiment, data is transmitted between the master controller 3 and the remote controller 2 (or the lighting fixture 1c) by using radio waves to reduce the influence of noise and prevent interference. Therefore, the used frequency can be selected from a plurality of channels.
The channel is manually selected using the operation units 24 and 34. Here, when the master controller 3 communicates with the remote control device 2 using radio waves as a transmission medium,
It is confirmed whether interference or noise is mixed in the channel used for communication between the master controller 3 and the remote control device 2, and the channel is vacant (that is, in another device). Not used,
Carrier controller 30a that transmits data from the master controller 3 when the noise is below a specified level)
have.

The carrier sense unit 30a is activated by an instruction from the server 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 18, the operation unit 44 of the server 4 is provided with the test switch 44 a, and the carrier sense unit 3 in the master controller 3 is operated by operating the test switch 44 a.
0a is instructed to start. The test switch 44a is generally operated when the system is installed, but it may be operated when the system is changed. Test switch 4
When 4a is operated, a signal instructing a test is transmitted from the server 4 to the master controller 3. When the master controller 3 receives the signal instructing the test, the master controller 3 detects the carrier of the channel to be used, so that the channel is After confirming whether or not it is empty, a signal for instructing a test is transmitted to the remote control device 2. Remote control device 2
Is provided with a buzzer 25a as a notification means,
When the remote control device 2 receives the signal instructing the test, the buzzer 25a sounds.

On the other hand, in the master controller 3, when the signal instructing the test is received from the server 4, the carrier sense section 30a is activated, and when the channel allocated for use in the master controller 3 is not an empty channel. , The message "the channel is currently being used by another device" is transferred to the server 4 at intervals of 5 seconds. Further, after the master controller 3 receives the signal instructing the test from the server 4, when the state in which the channel to be used is occupied by another device continues for 40 seconds or more, the “current channel” is displayed on the display unit 45 of the server 4. Has been used by another device for a long time or cannot be used due to high noise level. Please change the transmission channel and try again. "Is displayed.
Master controller 3 and server 4
And either.

As described above, the test switch 44a which activates the function of inspecting whether or not the channel used between the master controller 3 and the remote controller 2 is free.
Since the server 4 is installed in the server 4, it will be notified when the selected channel is not available due to reasons such as the fact that there is a factory in the vicinity and wireless devices are being used, or disturbance noise is occurring. The possible channels can be detected quickly and the available channels can be easily selected manually.

Here, the reason for selecting the above-mentioned time of 5 seconds and 40 seconds will be briefly described. 429.1750 to 429.23 used as a specific low power radio.
At 75 MHz, there is a stipulation that a transmission of 40 seconds causes a pause of 2 seconds, so the time limit for the final error display is set to 40 seconds. In addition, at 426.0250 to 426.1375 MHz used as a specific low-power radio, there is a provision to pause for 2 seconds after transmitting for 5 seconds, so that the interval of 5 seconds is set. In the above example, the message "The channel is currently being used by another device" is presented every 5 seconds, but the message "Please change the transmission channel" is presented. Good. The time for displaying the error may be set appropriately.

As described above, since the master controller 3 causes the server 4 to display an error at intervals of 5 seconds, it is possible to easily know in what state the error has occurred in response to the test instruction. . Although the buzzer 25a is used as the notification means in the remote control device 2, a light emitting diode may be used for notification, or the remote control device 2 may be tested by vibration notification, voice message notification, lighting fixture control, or the like. It is possible to inform that the signal instructing is received.

In the above example, the test switch 44a
Although the carrier sense unit 30a is started by the operation of, the carrier sense unit 30a can be executed at any time when communication is performed between the master controller 3 and the remote controller device 2, and if the start of the carrier sense unit 30a is automated, It is possible to always know the noise that has not occurred at the time of installation and the usage status of the channels of other devices without operating the test switch 44a. For example, the carrier may be detected during normal communication, or the carrier may be detected periodically.

In the above-described configuration example, the lighting fixtures 1a and 1b are configured to receive only infrared signals, but the lighting states of the lighting fixtures 1a and 1b are notified to the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3. If necessary, a configuration may be adopted in which signals are transmitted from the lighting fixtures 1a and 1b to the remote control device 2 and the master controller 3 as well.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the server 4 and the master controller 3 are separately connected by wire, but as shown in FIG. 20, the server 4 and the master controller 3 are connected. You may use the master control server 5 which integrated 3 and 3 as a management apparatus. The master control server 5 can be realized by using a personal computer, has a basic configuration similar to that of the server 4, includes a control unit 50 having a microprocessor as a main component, and has an ID, a short ID, and a name. And the data / program storage unit 53 that stores
The data processing unit 51 stores various programs including a program for setting the. Also, the lighting fixtures 1b, 1
c, the remote controller 2, and the communication unit 52 that is connectable to the network NT is connected to the control unit 50. The master control server 5 includes an operation unit 54 including a keyboard, and is capable of performing various settings for the luminaires 1a to 1c under control and the remote control device 2 and transmitting a desired command. Further, a display unit 55 is provided so that the contents of various settings can be displayed and the contents of the defect can be notified when the defect occurs. Display unit 55
A CRT or a liquid crystal display is used for this.

However, when the master control server 5 is used, the system shown in FIG. 1 has the configuration shown in FIG. That is, the master control server 5 is used instead of the server 4 and the master controller 3. With this configuration, the number of constituent elements of the system can be reduced as compared with the first embodiment, and communication between the server 4 and the master controller 3 is not required, which leads to cost reduction and setting of the shortened ID. The transmission procedure for erasing and erasing is simplified. As a result, the occurrence rate of transmission errors is also reduced. Other configurations and operations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

If the operation by the terminal 6 is not required, it is possible to use the server 4 that does not have the function of connecting to the external network NT. That is, a configuration in which the server 4 is not connected to the network NT as shown in FIG. 21 and a configuration in which the master control server 5 is not connected to the network NT as in FIG. 22 may be adopted. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 23, the master controller 3 does not have a function of controlling the lighting fixture 1c by radio waves, or as shown in FIG. 24, the master controller 3 does not use the remote control device 2 and the lighting fixture 1b, 1c
It is also possible to adopt a configuration for controlling In any of the configurations, the master controller 3 transmits the instruction content to at least one of the remote control device 2 and the lighting fixture 1c by using radio waves. Therefore, the master controller 3 can be shortened in addition to the normal ID as in the above-described embodiment. The transmission time can be shortened by setting the ID.

When the luminaires 1a to 1c or the remote control device 2 is provided with a human sensor as described above, the server 4 accumulates information about human detection to determine the usage status of each room in the house. It is useful for crime prevention by confirming and notifying the terminal 6 etc. that a person is usually detected during a time period when no person is present. Notifying the terminal 6 can be useful for confirming the safety of a person. Similarly, when a brightness sensor is provided, when a brightness different from the brightness predicted according to the time zone is detected, it is notified to the terminal 6 to be useful for crime prevention and safety confirmation, By accumulating the change in brightness in the server 4, it is possible to use it for lighting design of each room.

Data between the remote control device 2 and the luminaire 1a may be transmitted using another transmission medium instead of the infrared signal. For example, ultrasonic waves, radio waves (specified low power wireless / specified power saving) It is also possible to use weak wireless other than wireless), a dedicated signal line, a power line (by a power line carrier technology), or the like. In addition, in the transmission path between the remote controller 2 and the master controller 3, other low power radio waves other than specific low power radio waves are used, or transmission using a dedicated signal line, a telephone line, an infrared ray, an electric power line or the like as a transmission medium. A channel may be formed. The transmission line connecting the master controller 3 and the server 4 has an RS-
In addition to the 232C cable, it is possible to use a USB cable, a dedicated signal mixer, a telephone line, an Ethernet cable, radio waves, infrared rays, a power line (by a power line carrier technology), and the like. Further, although the personal computer is illustrated as the server 4, the function of the server 4 can be incorporated into a digital television, a set-top box, a dedicated home server, a telephone, a facsimile, etc. capable of bidirectional communication. Network NT connected to server 4
In addition to the Internet, public telephone lines, WANs, intranets, commercial wireless networks, satellite communication networks, CATV, etc. may be used. However, regardless of which transmission path is used, a part of the transmission path between the server 4 and the lighting fixtures 1a to 1c includes a transmission path using radio waves.

[0100]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a remote control device for remotely controlling a lighting state of a lighting fixture and having an identification code, and a remote control device for managing the identification code of the remote control device are provided. Equipped with a management device that indicates the lighting state of the lighting equipment and a transmission path that is a communication path between the management equipment and the lighting equipment via the remote control device, and the remote control device can bidirectionally communicate with the management device. Master controller and a communication unit capable of bidirectionally communicating with the master controller and having the identification code set in association with a lighting fixture. When a signal is transmitted from the communication unit to the master controller, the master controller When a signal from the communication unit is received by the communication unit, a response is sent back to the sender. Because the master controller sends back a response and, in the communication unit can receive confirmation, it is possible to transmit signals reliably.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, since the communication units are plural and the waiting time for transmission is set to a different value for each identification code, each communication unit avoids a collision. Then, the signal can be transmitted.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a remote control device for remotely controlling a lighting state of a lighting fixture and having an identification code assigned thereto, and a lighting fixture via the remote control device for managing the identification code of the remote control device are provided. Master device capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, including a management device for instructing the lighting state of the remote control device and a transmission path that is a communication path between the management device and the lighting fixture via the remote control device. It is composed of a controller, a master controller, and a communication unit capable of bidirectional communication using radio waves selected from a plurality of channels as a transmission medium, and the identification code is set in association with a lighting fixture. The master controller detects the carrier of the channel used by the communication unit when the signal is sent to the master controller. In both cases, the master controller is provided with a carrier sense unit that notifies when the channel is occupied for a predetermined period, and the channel is occupied before the signal is transmitted between the master controller and the communication unit. It is possible to know whether or not there is any, and there is a high possibility that the signal can be reliably transmitted.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a remote control device for remotely controlling a lighting state of a lighting fixture and having an identification code, and a lighting fixture for managing the identification code of the remote control device and via the remote control device. Of the master device capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device. A controller and a communication unit that is capable of bidirectionally communicating with a master controller and radio waves selected from a plurality of channels as a transmission medium, and the identification code is set in association with a lighting fixture. Each time communication is performed between the master controller and the communication unit, the master controller detects the carrier of the channel used and The master controller is provided with a carrier sense unit that notifies when the channel is occupied for a predetermined period. Whether the channel is occupied each time a signal is transmitted between the master controller and the communication unit. Therefore, the possibility that the signal can be reliably transmitted is increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a lighting fixture used in the above.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a remote control device used in the above.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a master controller used in the above.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a server used in the above.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the above.

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.

FIG. 11 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the above.

FIG. 13 is an operation explanatory diagram of the above.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the above.

FIG. 15 is an operation explanatory view showing another operation example of the above.

FIG. 16 is an operation explanatory view showing another operation example of the above.

FIG. 17 is an operation explanatory view showing still another operation example of the above.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of an essential part of the above.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram showing a master control server used in the above.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing still another configuration example of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing another configuration example of the present invention.

FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing still another configuration example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a to 1c lighting equipment 2 Remote control device 3 Master controller 4 servers 5 Master control server 6 terminals NT network

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Rei Horiguchi             1048, Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd.             Inside the company (72) Inventor Tetsuya Tanikawa             1048, Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Matsushita Electric Works Co., Ltd.             Inside the company F-term (reference) 3K073 AA13 AA28 AA39 AA40 AA49                       AA50 AA62 AA73 AA74 AA75                       BA14 BA25 BA28 BA36 CA01                       CA05 CB01 CB06 CB07 CC22                       CC23 CC25 CD04 CE04 CE05                       CE09 CE12 CE17 CF08 CG06                       CG15 CG16 CG28 CG42 CJ01                       CJ02 CJ04 CJ05 CJ06                 5K048 BA07 DA02 EA16 EB01 EB02                       FA01

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A remote control device that remotely controls the lighting state of a lighting fixture and is provided with an identification code, manages the identification code of the remote control device, and instructs the lighting state of the lighting fixture through the remote control device. And a master controller capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, and a master controller capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device. And a communication unit in which the identification code is set in association with the lighting fixture and can be bidirectionally communicated with each other, and when a signal is transmitted from the communication unit to the master controller, the master controller transmits the signal from the communication unit. An illumination device, which returns a response to a transmission source when received. 2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the communication units are provided, and the waiting time for transmission is set to a different value for each identification code. 3. The communication unit retransmits the signal when the response from the master controller is not returned within a specified time limit after transmitting the signal to the master controller, at the end of the time limit time. The lighting device according to claim 1. 4. The communication unit, if a response from the master controller is not returned within a specified time limit after transmitting a signal to the master controller, if the internal state has not changed at the end of the time limit. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the signal is retransmitted. 5. The communication unit, when a response from the master controller is not returned within a specified time limit after transmitting a signal to the master controller, determines the communication abnormality at the end of the time limit time and notifies it. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein: 6. A remote control device that remotely controls the lighting state of a lighting fixture and is provided with an identification code, manages the identification code of the remote control device, and instructs the lighting state of the lighting fixture through the remote control device. And a master controller capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, and a master controller capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device. And a communication unit capable of bidirectionally communicating with a radio wave selected from a plurality of channels as a transmission medium and having the identification code set in association with a lighting fixture,
When a signal instructing a test is sent from the management device to the master controller, the master controller detects the carrier of the channel used with the communication unit and informs when the channel is occupied for a predetermined period. An illuminating device characterized in that a carrier sense section for controlling the master controller is provided in the master controller. 7. A remote control device that remotely controls a lighting state of a lighting fixture and is provided with an identification code, manages an identification code of the remote control device, and instructs the lighting state of the lighting fixture through the remote control device. A master controller capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, and a master controller capable of bidirectionally communicating with the management device, and a transmission path which is a communication path between the management device and the lighting fixture passing through the remote control device. And a communication unit capable of bidirectionally communicating with a radio wave selected from a plurality of channels as a transmission medium and having the identification code set in association with a lighting fixture,
Each time the master controller communicates with the communication unit, it detects the carrier of the channel used by the master controller with the communication unit and notifies when the channel is occupied for a predetermined period. An illuminating device characterized in that a part is provided in a master controller. 8. The illuminating device according to claim 6, wherein the carrier sense unit notifies the occupancy of the channel through the management device at a predetermined time interval during the period when the channel is occupied. 9. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the management device is connected to an external network, and information held by the management device can be transferred to a terminal on the network. Illumination device described. 10. At least a part of the transmission path transmits a signal including an identification code using a radio wave as a transmission medium, and the identification code has an ID unique to the remote control device and a data length shorter than the ID. The management device comprises a short ID that can identify a remote control device under management, and the transmission source of a signal passing through the transmission path is designated by the ID, and the transmission destination is designated by the short ID. The illumination device according to claim 1, claim 6, or claim 7.