JP2004257730A - Cordless remote controlled water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the usability by elongating the service life of a battery and improving the display response. <P>SOLUTION: A learning control means 13 learns a use pattern of a water heater, and controls a remote controller 1 to shorten a receiving period in a time zone of high use frequency. Further an intermittent reception timer 6 does not turn on a power source of a remote controller transmitting/receiving means 5, when the battery is inserted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cordless remote control water heater that controls communication between a remotely installed appliance and a controller (hereinafter, referred to as a remote controller) using radio waves.

  A conventional cordless remote control water heater system will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, 1 is a remote controller, 2 is a battery power source, 3 is an operating means composed of switches, 4 is a display means such as an LCD panel, 5 is a transmitting and receiving means with the water heater main body, and 6 is an intermittent receiving control. The intermittent reception timer 7 is a remote control antenna.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes a water heater main body, 9 denotes a transmission / reception unit with a remote controller, 10 denotes a main body control unit, 11 denotes a timer unit for determining transmission timing, and 12 denotes an antenna.

  When the switch 3 of the remote control 1 is operated in a state where the communication between the water heater main body 8 and the remote controller 1 has not been started, the remote controller 1 transmits an operation signal to the water heater main body 8, and the water heater main body 8 receives this signal. To receive.

  After that, the water heater body 8 transmits a response signal to the remote controller 1, but the water heater main body 8 uses the timer means 11 and the remote controller 1 uses the intermittent reception so that the communication can be performed at a timing T1 seconds after the end of the response signal. Start the timer 6.

  By this operation, the timer synchronization is established. In the remote controller 1, thereafter, the intermittent reception timer 6 turns on the receiving power supply every T2 seconds to perform intermittent reception, and the water heater main body 8 is also controlled by the timer means 11 every T2 seconds. 1 so as to have a transmission timing.

  With the above configuration, since the remote controller 1 only needs to intermittently turn on the receiving power, the consumption of the battery power 2 can be reduced, and the cycle of battery replacement can be lengthened.

  However, in the above-described configuration, in order to extend the battery life as long as possible, it is necessary to lengthen the reception cycle T2. However, if the length T2 is too long, the state change of the water heater body 8 (for example, ignition, fire extinguishing) However, it takes a long time to display the status on the remote controller 1 even if the condition (1) occurs, and the remote controller 1 is inconvenient.

  Conversely, if T2 is set so that the status change of the main body can be immediately displayed, there is a problem that the cycle of battery replacement is shortened. T2 is shortened only when the probability of using the water heater is high, and it is hardly used at midnight. In the absence of a battery or the like, there has been a demand for a control that increases both T2 and battery life, such as increasing T2.

  An object of the present invention is to learn the actual condition of using a water heater in each home, and to extend the battery life without impairing usability.

  In the cordless remote control water heater of the present invention, a learning counter for storing the number of times of operation at a predetermined time in a water heater main body controlled by the remote controller, and information of the learning counter are totaled for a predetermined period, and the intermittent reception cycle of the remote controller is provided. The water heater is provided with learning control means for deciding the distribution so that the time period during which the water heater is frequently used is small, and the time period during which the water heater is low is large, and the intermittent reception timer is used until the first operation after the battery is inserted into the remote controller. In addition to the function of not receiving data, a special display is provided when the battery is turned on to notify that data cannot be received.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to control so that the display response of the remote controller is quickened, the battery life of the remote controller is extended, and no reception operation is performed until the first operation is performed after inserting the battery. Thus, more wasteful battery consumption can be prevented. Furthermore, by displaying that data cannot be received when the battery is turned on, confusion in use can be avoided.

  The cordless remote control water heater of the present invention controls the display response of the remote controller quickly, extends the battery life of the remote controller, and performs control such that the receiving operation is not performed at all until the first operation after the battery is inserted. By doing so, more wasteful battery consumption can be prevented. Furthermore, by displaying that data cannot be received when the battery is turned on, confusion in use can be avoided.

  A first invention comprises a water heater main body, and a remote controller for remotely controlling the water heater main body, wherein the remote controller includes a battery power source, operation means for inputting operating conditions for hot water supply operation, and remote control transmission / reception for transmitting / receiving a radio signal. Means, an intermittent reception timer for controlling an intermittent reception operation in synchronization with a transmission timing of the water heater main body, the water heater main body includes a main body transmission / reception means, a timer means for controlling transmission timing, and the operation means A learning counter for storing the number of operations of the water heater and the number of times of operation of the water heater main body at predetermined time intervals, and the information of the learning counters is aggregated for a predetermined time period. In the less frequent time zone, there is provided a learning control means for determining the distribution so as to increase the intermittent reception cycle, and the intermittent reception timer is provided after the battery is inserted into the remote controller. With a function that does not perform reception until the first operation, in which as when the battery is turned on to notify that the data can not be received by performing a special display.

  Further, the display response of the remote controller becomes faster and the battery life of the remote controller can be extended, and furthermore, control is performed so that the receiving operation is not performed at all until the first operation is performed after inserting the battery, so that more wasteful operation is achieved. Battery consumption can be prevented. Furthermore, by displaying that data cannot be received when the battery is turned on, confusion in use can be avoided.

  The second invention is provided with a learning control means for preliminarily storing and instructing the shortest intermittent reception cycle within a settable range until the total of a predetermined period of the number of operations and the number of operations of the water heater main body is completed. It is.

  Then, by setting the shortest intermittent reception cycle at all times during the period from the installation of the water heater to the end of the learning of the use frequency, the display response is fast and the usability is good no matter what timing the main body operation is performed. .

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the number of operations and the number of times of operation of the water heater are equal to or less than a predetermined number during a certain period, the longest intermittent reception cycle within a settable range is stored in advance, and the operation or operation of the water heater is operated. Is generated, there is provided a learning control means for returning to the intermittent reception cycle already determined and stored.

  If the frequency of use of the water heater is extremely reduced, it is determined that the water heater is absent, and the longest intermittent reception cycle is set to reduce battery consumption. Reverting to the original intermittent reception cycle does not impair usability.

  In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the distribution of the pre-stored intermittent reception cycle is temporarily determined for the short period in the early stage of use and instructed to the intermittent reception control means, and the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle is formally determined based on the aggregated data used for a long time. A learning control means for instructing the intermittent reception timer again is provided.

  By tentatively determining the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle in a short period of time, the intermittent reception cycle is set to a longer time period, such as midnight, to reduce battery consumption, improve accuracy by long-term learning, and improve usability. Can provide a good remote control.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a learning control unit that permanently counts the number of times of operation and the number of times of operation of a water heater at predetermined time intervals, updates the distribution of intermittent reception cycles at predetermined time intervals, and instructs an intermittent reception timer. It is provided.

  Then, as a fixed period, for example, a change in the usage pattern of the water heater due to a change in the season is promptly reflected in the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle, and the consumption of the battery power is reduced while corresponding to the hot water usage pattern that changes in each season. , The usability can be improved.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a learning method in which, if the remote controller is operated or the water heater main body is operated at a time other than the shortest intermittent reception cycle within the presettable range and is settable, the instruction is returned to the shortest intermittent reception cycle within a predetermined time. It is provided with control means.

  When the water heater is normally used during a long period of the intermittent reception cycle where it is not often used, the intermittent reception cycle is changed to the shortest by a fixed time, so that the state where the display response is delayed is not continued, and the user feels uncomfortable. Do not give.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In FIG. 1, 1 is a remote controller, 2 is a battery power source, 3 is an operating means composed of a switch, 4 is a display means such as an LCD panel, 5 is a transmitting and receiving means with the water heater main body, and 6 is a transmitting and receiving means 5 An intermittent reception timer that determines the intermittent reception cycle from the data transmitted from the water heater main body and controls the power supply of the transmission / reception means 5 is a remote control antenna.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes a water heater main body, 9 denotes a transmission / reception unit with a remote controller, 10 denotes a main body control unit that controls combustion of the water heater, 11 denotes a timer unit that controls transmission timing, and 14 denotes a remote control operation or an operation of the water heater main unit. The learning counter 13 checks the number of times the signal has been sent from the main body transmitting / receiving means 9 and stores the signal every fixed time. The learning counter 13 checks the remote control operation and the number of operations of the water heater main body that the learning counter 14 stores every fixed time. The distribution of the intermittent reception cycle is determined by the remote controller, and at the timing of changing the reception cycle, an instruction to change the intermittent reception cycle is issued to the remote controller 1 via the main body transmission / reception means 9, and at the same time, an instruction to change the transmission cycle is also issued to the timer means 11. The learning control means 12 is an antenna.

  The operation after the cordless remote control water heater is installed in each home will be described with reference to FIG. First, when a battery is inserted into the remote controller 1, the intermittent reception timer 6 detects the insertion of the battery and does not turn on the battery of the remote controller transmitting / receiving means 5 at all until the remote controller is operated for the first time (S1).

  Therefore, at this time, since the data cannot be received, the remote controller 1 cannot change the display to the corresponding one even if the state of the water heater body 8 changes, but displays a special display when the battery is turned on (for example, OFF). Is displayed), the user can be made to understand. This can prevent unnecessary battery consumption.

  Next, when the switch operation of the remote controller 1 is performed for the first time, the remote controller 1 transmits an operation signal to the water heater main body 8, and the water heater main body 8 receives this signal. After that, the water heater body 8 transmits a response signal to the remote controller 1, but the water heater main body 8 uses the timer means 11 and the remote controller 1 uses the intermittent reception so that the communication can be performed at a timing T1 seconds after the end of the response signal. Start the timer 6.

  By this operation, the timer synchronization is established. In the remote controller 1, thereafter, the intermittent reception timer 6 turns on the power of the remote control transmission / reception means 5 every 6 seconds to perform intermittent reception, and the water heater main body 8 also sets the timer every 6 seconds. The means 11 has a transmission timing to the remote controller 1.

  At this time, originally, the learning control means 13 should determine the intermittent reception cycle by referring to the information on the number of times the water heater is used in the learning counter 14, but here, there is only one remote control operation, and the learning of the number of uses is not possible. Since it is possible, communication is started with the shortest 6-second cycle within the range that can be set as the intermittent reception cycle (S2).

  In the case of the 6-second reception, even if there is a change in the state of the water heater main body 8 (for example, the start of combustion), a display corresponding to the remote controller 1 can be displayed within 6 seconds. This operation does not impair usability until the learning is completed.

  Next, from (S2), communication is performed by intermittent reception for a period of 6 seconds for 3 days, and the number of remote control operations and the number of times of operation of the water heater during that period are stored every 30 minutes in the learning counter 14, and the 3 days are completed. At this time, the learning control means 13 totalizes the data of the learning counter 14.

  Then, from the time zone frequently used (every 30 minutes) with 24 hours as one unit, 4 hours is set to the intermittent reception cycle of 6 seconds, 8 hours is set to the intermittent reception cycle of 12 seconds, and the remaining 12 hours is set to the intermittent reception cycle. The minutes are allocated to the intermittent reception cycle of 30 seconds (S3).

  Further, when it is time to switch the intermittent reception cycle, the learning control means 13 instructs the main body transmission / reception means 9 to transmit the reception cycle change data to the remote control 1, and the remote control 1 receives the change data and returns a response. After confirming that the transmission has arrived, the timer unit 11 is also instructed to change the transmission cycle.

  Subsequently, the learning counter 14 stores the usage pattern of the water heater in the same manner for 11 days, and at the end of the 11 days, the learning control means 13 performs the same aggregation as before, updates the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle, and updates the learning accuracy. , And the receiving cycle of the remote controller is controlled (S4).

  By this operation, the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle is temporarily determined in a short period of three days, and the intermittent reception cycle is set to a long time in a time zone that is hardly used, thereby reducing battery consumption, and improving the accuracy of learning over a long period of time. Usability can be improved.

  When there is no operation of the remote controller or the operation of the water heater main body 8 for three consecutive days after the completion of the learning, the learning control means 13 determines that the user is absent for a long time, and the intermittent reception cycle can be set. The longest 30 seconds in the range is set, and the remote controller 1 is instructed to change the reception cycle (S5, S6).

  Then, when the user returns home during the 30-second reception cycle and starts using the water heater, the learning control means 13 controls immediately to return to the distribution of the reception cycle already determined by learning (S3). , S4).

  This operation reduces battery consumption when the user is absent, and returns to the original intermittent reception cycle if an operation is performed next, so that usability is not impaired.

  Further, even after the usage pattern of the water heater is learned once over a total of 14 days, the learning control means 13 counts the data of the learning counter 14 every 14 days, and updates the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle (S4).

  As a result, a change in the usage pattern of the water heater due to a change in the season or a change in the life pattern can be promptly reflected in the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle, and the usability can be improved.

  When the water heater is used in the time period allocated to the 30-second or 12-second reception cycle by learning, the display of the remote controller 1 is displayed even if the state of the water heater body 8 changes (for example, hot water combustion). It takes up to 30 or 12 seconds to change to.

  Therefore, at that time, the learning control means 13 confirms the state change of the main body based on the data from the main body transmission / reception means 9, and changes the intermittent reception cycle to the shortest 6 seconds for a certain period (here, three minutes after the state change occurs). Then, the changed data is sent to the remote controller 1.

  As a result, it is possible to prevent a state in which the display response is delayed from continuing and to give the user no sense of incongruity.

Block diagram of a cordless remote control water heater in one embodiment of the present invention Flow chart showing the sequence of the water heater Block diagram of conventional cordless remote control water heater

Explanation of reference numerals

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote control 2 Battery power supply 3 Operation means 5 Remote control transmission / reception means 6 Intermittent reception timer 8 Water heater main body 9 Main body transmission / reception means 11 Timer means 13 Learning control means 14 Learning counter

Claims (6)

A water heater main body; and a remote controller for remotely controlling the water heater main body. The remote controller includes a battery power source, operation means for operating and inputting hot water supply operation conditions, remote control transmission / reception means for transmitting / receiving a radio signal, and intermittent operation. An intermittent reception timer for controlling a reception operation in synchronization with a transmission timing of the water heater main body; the water heater main body includes a main body transmission / reception means; a timer means for controlling transmission timing; A learning counter that stores the number of times of operation of the machine body for each predetermined time, and information of the learning counter is totaled for a predetermined period, and in the time period of high use, the intermittent reception cycle of the remote control is small, and in the time period of low use frequency, A learning control means for determining the distribution so as to increase the intermittent reception cycle is provided, and the intermittent reception timer performs the first operation after inserting the battery into the remote controller. With a function that does not perform reception in horse, cordless remote control water heater which is adapted when the battery is turned on to notify that the data can not be received by performing a special display. 2. The cordless remote control water heater according to claim 1, wherein the learning control unit indicates the shortest intermittent reception cycle within a settable range until the total of a predetermined period of the number of operations and the number of operations of the water heater ends. The learning control means indicates the longest intermittent reception cycle within the settable range when the number of operations and the number of times of operation of the water heater are equal to or less than a predetermined number of times during a certain period. 2. The cordless remote control water heater according to claim 1, which returns to the determined intermittent reception cycle. The learning control means tentatively determines the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle stored in advance for a short period in the early stage of use and instructs the intermittent reception timer, formally determines the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle based on the aggregated data used for a long time, and receives the intermittent reception. 2. The cordless remote control water heater according to claim 1, wherein the timer is instructed again. 2. The learning control unit according to claim 1, wherein the learning control means permanently counts the number of times of operation and the number of times of operation of the water heater every predetermined period, updates the distribution of the intermittent reception cycle every predetermined period, and instructs the intermittent reception timer. Cordless remote control water heater. 2. The cordless cordless system according to claim 1, wherein the learning control means re-instructs the shortest intermittent reception cycle within a fixed time if the remote controller is operated or the water heater main body is operated at a time other than the shortest intermittent reception cycle within the settable range. Remote control water heater.

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