JP2004147108A - Remote monitoring control system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a remote monitoring system capable of performing a remote monitoring and an information collection in real time without installing various kinds of apparatuses, and preventing video and audio information from being leaked to a third party. <P>SOLUTION: The remote monitoring system is provided with: an information terminal 13 with an animation transmission and reception function on a monitoring side; an information terminal 14 with the animation transmission and reception function on a side to be monitored; a visual selector 5 which is installed on the side to be monitored, selects an input video signal, voice signal and an information signal such as a sensor signal based on a selection request signal transmitted from the information terminal 13 on the monitoring side and transmits the selected signal to the information terminal 13 on the monitoring side via the information terminal 14 on the side to be monitored; and a means for confirming a password transmitted from the information terminal on the monitoring side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remote monitoring control system capable of monitoring a store or an office at a remote place using an information terminal having a moving image transmission / reception function such as a videophone, a mobile phone, and a personal digital assistant (PDA). It is.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a system for remotely monitoring a store or the like in a remote place by using an information terminal such as a videophone. In addition to monitoring by an information terminal, a computer (control terminal) installed on the monitoring side sends control signals such as video signal selection and audio signal selection to the monitored side via a modem to the monitored side. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-182195
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-201232
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, conventional remote monitoring and control systems require dedicated terminals for control other than information terminals such as videophones on the monitoring side such as the headquarters or home to send selection request signals such as video signal selection and audio signal selection. And the whole system became large and expensive. Also, in terms of security, there is a problem that video and audio information can be easily obtained as long as a third party can connect to the information terminal.
[0006]
Therefore, the present invention provides a remote monitoring and control system that can perform remote monitoring and information collection in real time, does not require installation of various types of devices, and does not leak video and audio information to a third party.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The remote monitoring control system of the present invention is an information terminal with a video transmission / reception function on the monitoring side, an information terminal with a video transmission / reception function on the monitored side, and a video signal and audio signal installed on the monitored side and input, A visual selector that selects an information signal such as a sensor signal based on a selection request signal transmitted from the information terminal on the monitoring side, and transmits the selected signal to the information terminal on the monitoring side via the information terminal on the monitored side. And means for confirming the password transmitted from the information terminal on the monitoring side.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a video phone is installed as an information terminal on the monitored side and the monitored side, signals of a plurality of video cameras installed on the monitored side, other video signals, audio signals, sensor signals are visual selectors, Monitoring can be performed by the videophone on the monitoring side via the videophone on the monitored side.
[0009]
Further, the video and audio on the monitored side can be easily switched by operating the numeric key or the symbol key of the video phone on the monitoring side, so that follow-up monitoring is possible. Therefore, in the case of the monitored side, for example, in the case of a store, the whole operation such as shoplifting can be monitored by the operation of the monitoring side, and can be recorded on the recording device.
[0010]
A sensor is connected to each device on the monitored side to collect data, which is processed by a microcomputer and converted into video data and audio data. The converted video and audio data can be monitored through a videophone, so that information other than security monitoring can be obtained.
[0011]
Further, the visual selector may include a control signal transmitting unit that transmits a control signal such as an ON / OFF signal to the monitored device based on a control request signal transmitted from the monitoring-side videophone.
[0012]
As for security, since there is a security check function such as confirmation of a password of plural digits, illegal connection from a third party can be prevented.
[0013]
In the present invention, a mobile phone or a mobile information terminal (wireless type) with a video transmission / reception function is used as the information terminal on the monitoring side and the monitored side, and the communication between the information terminal on the monitoring side and the information terminal on the monitored side is performed wirelessly. It can be done with. This configuration eliminates the need for a telephone line connecting the monitoring side and the monitored side, simplifies the system configuration, and enables remote control even when there is no telephone line or when traveling in a vehicle or the like. Since monitoring can be performed, the range of use as a care monitoring control system, a childcare monitoring control system, an agricultural house monitoring control system, and the like can be expanded.
[0014]
【Example】
Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0015]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a remote monitoring control system of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a visual selector which is a component of the system. As shown in FIG. 1, a videophone 1 is installed on a monitoring side such as a headquarters or a home, and a videophone 6 and a visual selector 5 are installed on a monitored side such as a store or a parking lot. The videophone 1 on the monitoring side and the videophone 6 on the monitored side are connected by an ISDN line, and the videophone 6 on the monitored side and the visual selector 5 are connected by a communication cable.
[0016]
In the remote monitoring and control system of the present invention, various kinds of video signals, audio signals or sensor signals are input to the visual selector 5. The video signal includes, for example, a video signal from a video camera, a cable TV, a DVD deck, and a video signal from a personal computer.
[0017]
Further, the audio signal includes, for example, an audio signal from a microphone installed outdoors or indoors, audio from an emergency broadcast facility, and audio from each broadcasting device.
[0018]
The sensor signal includes, for example, a signal of a security sensor by infrared rays, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a security sensor of a vending machine, an emergency switch, and the like.
[0019]
As can be seen from FIG. 1, the system is configured with a simple device configuration in which two video phones 1 and 6 on the monitoring side and the monitored side and one visual selector 5 are provided.
[0020]
Next, the operation of the remote monitoring and control system of the present invention will be described.
[0021]
The videophone 1 on the monitoring side connects to the videophone 6 on the monitored side using the ISDN line 4. When the connection is established, an audio signal and a video signal requesting a password are returned from the visual selector 5, and the key 3 of the videophone 1 is operated to transmit a several-digit password composed of a combination of numbers and symbols as a tone signal.
[0022]
The password tone signal received by the monitored videophone 6 enters the DTMF decoder 7 shown in FIG. 2, and the tone signal is converted into a 4-bit digital signal. Is returned to the symbol. The received signal corresponding to the number of digits is compared with the password registered and stored in advance by the microcomputer 8 and when the password is recognized, the operation mode is entered to enable the video signal and the audio signal to be selectively switched and monitored. The video and audio signals of the monitored side (stores, parking lots, etc.) are transmitted to the videophone 1 on the side (headquarters, home), and the video and audio can be monitored.
[0023]
The number of selection patterns of the video and audio signals can be set within a range possible by a combination of numbers. The selection operation is performed by operating the key 3 from the monitored videophone 1 in FIG. For example, the symbol "1" is transmitted to the monitored videophone 6 through the ISDN line by operating the key 3. The transmitted tone signal is converted by the DTMF decoder 7 as described above, and the symbol "1" is recognized through the microcomputer 8 to wait for the signal of the selected number. Next, the transmitted numbers are stored one after another, and the selection request signal of a plurality of digits is recognized by receiving the signal of the symbol "2" indicating the end. The recognized selection request signal is operated by the control unit 9 in accordance with the information set in the storage circuit of the microcomputer 8 so that the video / audio signal switching unit 10 and the sensor signal converter 11 operate, and the monitored videophone 6 in FIG. The information is displayed on the LCD 2 of the videophone 1 on the monitoring side via the ISDN line 4.
[0024]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration in which a plurality of videophones are installed on the monitored side. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 3, even when the videophone 6 and the visual selector 5 on the monitored side are installed in a plurality of stores and parking lots, only one videophone 1 is installed on the monitoring side of the headquarters and home. Thus, each part can be monitored in real time.
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration in the case where the information terminals on the monitoring side and the monitored side are mobile phones. The same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.
[0027]
In FIG. 4, the mobile phone 13 on the monitoring side and the mobile phone 14 on the monitored side each have a moving image transmission / reception function, and transmit / receive radio waves by the antenna 12 to wirelessly select a selection request signal (tone signal). And video and audio signals. As a result, stores, parking lots, and the like can be monitored from any location where radio waves of the mobile phone can reach. The power for driving the mobile phone can be supplied from an external commercial power supply or from a built-in battery. With a built-in battery, there is no place restriction due to the presence or absence of a power supply.
[0028]
Further, in the system of FIG. 3 described above, the videophone 6 on the monitored side can be replaced with a mobile phone, so that a plurality of locations can be monitored in real time. Note that, instead of the mobile phone, a wireless mobile information terminal having a moving image transmission / reception function can be used.
[0029]
FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a visual selector which is a component thereof. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, a control signal transmitting unit 15 is provided in the visual selector 5, and each device on the monitored side is controlled by a control signal transmitted from the control signal transmitting unit 15. .
[0030]
When controlling each device on the monitored side, the key 3 is operated from the mobile phone 13 on the monitoring side shown in FIG. 5 to transmit a control request signal as a tone signal to the mobile phone 14 on the monitored side. The transmitted control request signal is converted by the DTMF decoder 7 in the same manner as the above-described selection request signal, and the control signal transmission unit 15 is operated by the control unit 9 in accordance with the information set in the storage circuit of the microcomputer 8, and each device is operated. Is transmitted. Selection of a device to be controlled and selection of a control signal can be set by a combination of numbers by operating the key 3 of the mobile phone 13 on the monitoring side.
[0031]
As described above, since the visual selector 5 of the present embodiment includes the control signal transmission unit 15, it is possible to control each device while monitoring the status of each device on the monitored side.
[0032]
【The invention's effect】
By installing a visual selector on the monitored side, remote monitoring can be performed simply by installing an information terminal such as a videophone, mobile phone, or personal digital assistant on the monitoring side, so the system configuration is simple and easy. Since a remote monitoring and control system can be constructed, security performance is improved more than before. In addition, information collection at the site can be facilitated.
[0033]
If a mobile phone or mobile information terminal (wireless type) with a video transmission / reception function is used as the information terminal, and the communication between the monitoring side and the monitored side is performed wirelessly, a telephone linking the monitoring side and the monitored side No line is required, the system configuration becomes simpler, and remote monitoring can be performed even while moving on a place where there is no telephone line or on a vehicle. The use range can be expanded as a monitoring control system or the like.
[0034]
Even if a videophone is used as an information terminal, simply connect the videophone to a place where a telephone line can be used (modular jack public phone installation location, hotel, etc.). It can be monitored.
[0035]
Further, when the visual selector is provided with a control signal transmitting unit, each device can be controlled while monitoring the status of each device on the monitored side.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a visual selector according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration in which a plurality of videophones are installed on a monitored side.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration in a case where mobile terminals are used as information terminals on a monitoring side and a monitored side.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of another embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram showing a configuration of a visual selector in the embodiment of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: video phone on the monitoring side 2: LCD display 3: key (dial key for tone signal)
4: ISDN line (telephone line)
5: Visual selector 6: Monitored videophone 7: DTMF decoder 8: Microcomputer 9: Control unit 10: Video / audio signal switching unit 11: Signal converter 12: Mobile phone antenna 13: Monitoring mobile phone 14: Mobile phone to be monitored 15: Control signal transmission unit

Claims (4)

An information terminal with a video transmission / reception function on the monitoring side,
An information terminal with a video transmission / reception function on the monitored side,
It is installed on the monitored side, selects input video signals, audio signals, information signals such as sensor signals based on the selection request signal transmitted from the monitoring side information terminal, and selects the selected signal on the monitored side. A visual selector that transmits to the monitoring information terminal via the information terminal,
Means for confirming the password transmitted from the information terminal on the monitoring side. 2. The remote monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein the visual selector includes a control signal transmitting unit that transmits a control signal to the monitored device based on a control request signal transmitted from the monitoring information terminal. 3. The remote monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein the information terminals on the monitoring side and the monitored side are videophones, and the videophone on the monitoring side and the videophone on the monitored side are connected by a telephone line. The information terminal on the monitoring side and the information terminal on the monitored side are a mobile phone or a portable information terminal with a moving image transmission / reception function, and the communication between the information terminal on the monitoring side and the information terminal on the monitored side is performed wirelessly. Remote monitoring and control system.

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