JP2006314000A - Gateway device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gateway device (GW device) which puts a plurality of local systems together through a network to structure a wide-area system. <P>SOLUTION: The GW device according to the present invention converts equipment information of a field protocol used by a local area network into a common object based upon a conversion map in which the equipment information and the common object used for the network are made to correspond to each other and transmits a common message including specification information on the common object to other GW devices, and also converts the specification information of the common message into the equipment information of the field protocol based upon the conversion map and transmits a message of the field protocol for operating the equipment information to the local area network. Here, the common object includes a common interface which has a get function, a set function, and respective properties of an event and is usable in common by a plurality of field protocols. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a gateway device that constructs a wide area system by collecting a plurality of local systems via the Internet.

  In buildings such as apartment buildings, government buildings, halls, commercial buildings, and office buildings, various devices such as lighting devices, air conditioning devices, measuring devices, and security devices are installed. In recent years, these devices are networked by being connected to each other via a communication line, and a monitoring control device is further connected to be centrally monitored and / or controlled. Such a system that centrally monitors a plurality of devices by networking is called a building management system (building equipment system). This building management system uses LonWorks (Local Operating Network, LON, Ronworks) (registered trademark) (see Non-Patent Document 1), which is an intelligent distributed control network technology developed by Echelon for its communication protocol, and US air conditioning and air conditioning BACnet (A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks, Backnet) (registered trademark), a standard led by the industry association (ASHRAE), and communication protocols originally developed by vendors that provide building management systems Etc., and is usually used as an area-limited local system that is completed in one building or a group of several buildings that are close in distance.

With the widespread use of the Internet, which is an open network, a remote monitoring and control system that remotely monitors and / or controls these devices from a terminal device using the Internet has recently been demanded, and research and development has progressed. is doing.
“Development Tools and IP Gateway Documents”, [online], Vista, [Search April 5, 2005], Internet <http: //www.viste. com / LON / Tools. html>

  By the way, it is also desired to make a group management system and the like that collectively manage a plurality of local systems into a wide area system via the Internet. In this case, particularly when each local system uses a different communication protocol, there is an inconvenience that it is difficult to make a wide area system.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a gateway device capable of constructing a wide area system by integrating a plurality of local systems via the Internet, which is an open network. To do. It is another object of the present invention to provide a gateway device that can construct a wide area system even when different field protocols are used for a plurality of local systems.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, the device is monitored and monitored in a plurality of local area networks using a field protocol for controlling the device by manipulating device information regarding the device. 1st communication part which communicates with another gateway apparatus via the said network in the gateway apparatus for bidirectionally communicating via the network different from these local area networks between the monitoring control apparatuses to control A conversion map that associates the second communication unit that communicates with the monitoring and control device in the local area network, the field protocol device information used in the local area network, and the common object used in the network. A storage unit for storing, and the second communication The device information of the field protocol received by the unit is converted into a common object based on the conversion map, and a common message including specific information for specifying the converted common object is sent to another gateway device using the first communication unit. A common object conversion unit to be transmitted to the first communication unit, and the specific information included in the common message received by the first communication unit is converted into device information of the field protocol based on the conversion map, and the converted field protocol device A common object reverse conversion unit that transmits a field protocol message for manipulating information to the local area network using the second communication unit, and the common object can be used in common in a plurality of field protocols. Including the common icon The interface includes at least one of a get function property for reading numerical information from the device, a set function property for writing numerical information to the device, and an event property for notifying the change of numerical information from the device. It is characterized by providing.

  In the gateway device, a field protocol event issued by a device in the local area system is detected from the device information notified from the second communication unit, and the detected field protocol event is detected as the common event. The own system event monitoring unit that notifies the object conversion unit, and the own system that transmits a common message corresponding to the field protocol event converted by the common object conversion unit to another gateway device using the first communication unit An internal event transmission control unit, and an event monitoring unit in another system that detects an event common message from the common message notified from the first communication unit and notifies the common object inverse conversion unit of the detected common message And the common object inverse transform unit Field protocol event corresponding to the event of the common messages, and further comprising a other systems in the event transmission control unit that transmits to the local area system using the second communication unit.

  Further, in this gateway device, the storage unit includes a destination database in which an event type and a transmission destination of a common message of the event are associated and registered, and an event type and a transmission source of the common message of the event. The event transmission control unit within the own system refers to the destination database based on the type of the event when transmitting the common message of the event, and stores the event database of the event. When the transmission destination in the common message of the event corresponding to the type is registered in the transmission destination database, it is transmitted to the transmission destination. When the event transmission control unit in the other system receives the common message of the event Refers to the transmission source database, the type of the event and the common message of the event Wherein the definitive sender notifies the common object inverse transform unit if it is registered in the transmission source database.

  Further, in this gateway device, based on the event subscription request information transmitting unit for transmitting event subscription request information for requesting reception of a common event message to other gateway devices, and the event subscription request information received from other gateway devices. And a database creation unit for constructing the transmission destination database.

  In the gateway device described above, the storage unit stores in advance a conversion map that associates the added common object with the device information of the field protocol. When the common object is added, the added common object Common object advertising section for advertising the specific information to the network, and common object information that enables the conversion map of the added common object to be used when the specific information of the common object added from the network is received. And an acquisition unit.

  Further, in this gateway device, the storage unit registers its own common object existence information database for registering whether or not the common object can be used in the gateway device, and other common information for registering whether or not the common object can be used in another gateway device. Stores the object survival information database, monitors the survival status of the monitoring control device in the local area network, updates the own common object survival information database according to the survival status of the monitoring control device, and cannot use the common object A common device information monitoring unit that advertises the use of the common object to the network using the common object advertising unit when the common object information becomes unusable. And updates the other common object existence information database when receiving a disable of passing objects.

  In the gateway device described above, the storage unit stores a routing table for registering a routing destination of the common message, and further includes a routing unit for routing the common message received by the first communication unit based on the routing table. It is characterized by providing.

  Further, in this gateway device, when a new common object is added to the conversion map, a common object advertisement unit that advertises the specific information of the added common object to the network, and the added from the network. And a routing table management unit for updating the routing table when receiving the common object specifying information.

  In the gateway device described above, the first communication unit includes a hardware communication unit of a physical layer, a device driver that drives the hardware communication unit, and a protocol stack unit of a data link layer or more, and the protocol stack The unit is characterized by implementing a plurality of communication protocols in the same layer.

  In the above gateway device, the first communication unit includes a hardware communication unit of a physical layer, a device driver that drives the hardware communication unit, and a protocol stack unit of a data link layer or more, and the hardware There are a plurality of communication units.

  As described above, the gateway device according to the present invention is configured to monitor and / or control devices in a plurality of local area networks that use a field protocol for controlling devices by manipulating device information about the devices. A gateway device for two-way communication with a plurality of local area networks via different networks, the storage unit of which is field protocol device information used in the local area network and common objects used in the network The conversion map to be associated is stored, and the common object conversion unit converts the device information of the field protocol into a common object based on the conversion map, and transmits a common message including specific information for specifying the converted common object to another object group A field protocol message that is transmitted to the gateway device, and the common object inverse conversion unit converts the specific information included in the common message into device information of the field protocol based on the conversion map, and operates the device information of the converted field protocol. To the local area network. Here, the common object includes a common interface that can be used in common in a plurality of field protocols. This common interface includes a get function property for reading numerical information from the device and a set function for writing numerical information to the device. A property and an event property for notifying a change in numerical information from the device.

  As described above, the gateway device according to the present invention bi-directionally converts the device information of the field protocol into a common object defined for common use between the gateway devices, so that a plurality of local systems can be integrated via the Internet. A wide area system can be constructed, and a wide area system can be constructed by combining a plurality of local systems using different field protocols as communication protocols. By using a common object in this way, when converting from one field protocol to another field protocol in a plurality of field protocols, one field protocol and another field protocol are made to correspond one-to-one. Compared to the case of conversion, the data amount of the conversion map used for conversion can be reduced, and the conversion can be performed by the same procedure. In addition, by providing a common interface that can be used in common in multiple field protocols composed of such get function properties, set function properties, and event properties, the common object further reduces the amount of data in the conversion map. be able to. In addition, since field protocol device information is bidirectionally converted into a common object defined for common use among gateway devices, there is no need to change the IP address even when it is installed in an existing building.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the structure which attached | subjected the same code | symbol in each figure shows that it is the same structure, The description is abbreviate | omitted.
(Configuration of the first embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a wide area system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the gateway device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating functional blocks of the central processing unit in the gateway device according to the first embodiment.

  In FIG. 1, the local system 1 includes a gateway device (hereinafter abbreviated as “GW device”) 2, a plurality of monitoring control devices (hereinafter abbreviated as “SC devices”) 3, and a GW. The apparatus 2 and a plurality of SC apparatuses 3 are connected to each other so as to be communicable with each other, and constitute a local area network.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, the local system 1 has three local systems 1-A, 1-B, and 1-C. The local system 1-A includes a GW apparatus 2-A, a plurality of SC apparatuses 3-Aa, an SC apparatus 3-Ab,..., An SC apparatus 3-An, and a transmission path 4-A. The local system 1-B includes a GW apparatus 2-B, a plurality of SC apparatuses 3-Ba, an SC apparatus 3-Bb,..., An SC apparatus 3-Bn, and a transmission path 4-B. Then, the local system 1-C includes a GW device 2-C, a plurality of SC devices 3-Ca, SC devices 3-Cb,..., An SC device 3-Cn, and a transmission path 4-C. It is prepared for.

  In the present specification, when referring generically, reference numerals with alphabetic suffixes omitted are used, and when referring to individual components, reference numerals with alphabetic suffixes are used.

  The SC device 3 is a device that remotely monitors and / or controls a device via a wired or wireless transmission path, a first communication unit that communicates with the GW device 2 via the transmission path 4, and the device and transmission. A second communication unit that performs communication via a path and a control unit that monitors and / or controls the device are configured (illustration of each unit is omitted). The SC device 3 monitors the device by acquiring the operation state, failure state, and the like from the device as device information via the transmission line, and sends a control command for controlling the operation state of the device via the transmission line. And controlling the device by receiving the control result as device information from the device via the transmission path. The device is a lighting fixture, an air conditioner, a power meter, a disaster prevention facility, a crime prevention facility, or the like, and is appropriately selected depending on the monitoring purpose and / or the control purpose.

  The GW apparatus 2 is connected to the GW apparatus 2 in the other local system 1 via the Internet 5, and converts the local protocol object and the other local system 1 into one piece by converting field protocol objects to each other. The device is constructed in a wide area system, and details thereof will be described later. In the example shown in FIG. 1, three local systems 1-A, 1-B, 1-C are connected to each other via the Internet 5 by GW devices 2-A, 2-B, 2-C, and a wide area system Is configured.

  In each local system 1, for example, BACnet / IP or LonTalk is used in this embodiment as a field protocol that is a communication protocol used in the local system 1. However, the communication protocol is not limited to this and may be any field protocol.

  BACnet is a standard developed by the American Air Conditioning and Air Conditioning Industry Association as described above. The protocol architecture of the BACnet is a degenerate structure of four layers: a physical layer, a data link layer, a network layer, and an application layer. The present invention relates to the application layer, and the gateway device according to the present invention converts a communication protocol in the application layer. BACnet transmission methods are IP, Ethernet (Ethernet, registered trademark, ISO / IEC 8802.3), ARCNET (ANSI / ATA 878.1), MS / TP (Master Slave / Token Passing, ANSI / ASHRAE 135-1995 RS-485), PTP (Point-to-Point, ANSI / ASHRAE 135-1995 RS-232) and LONTalk (ANSI / EIA709.1-A-1999) are prepared and appropriately selected. In this embodiment, BACnet / IP Is used.

  In BACnet, data is expressed in terms of objects, instances, and properties, communication contracts are expressed in terms of services, and information and control are all defined in these terms. As a result, different vendors adopt the BACnet, so that these devices can operate with each other. In BACnet, all information related to devices is defined and abstracted in terms of objects. An object includes a plurality of predetermined properties (attributes), and has a property called an object identifier (object ID) so that the object can be identified in the BACnet system. Object monitoring and modification is done through this property. A service is an act of reading and writing in the case of reading and writing properties. A BACnet device receives information from other BACnet devices, instructs other BACnet devices to perform certain operations, It defines a procedure for notifying the BACnet device of what has happened to the BACnet device. Such information exchange between BACnet devices is performed by issuing a service message to an object and responding to it.

  In LonWorks, data is expressed in terms of SNVT (Standard Network Variable Types), and a communication protocol is expressed in LonTalk. SNVT is basically composed only of numerical values (variables), and the unit, variable type, number of bytes, etc. are fixedly determined in advance. That is, an object in SNVT has only variables as properties.

  The present invention is applicable even when the device information is represented by a plurality of data such as BACnet, or when the device information is represented by a single data such as LonWorks.

  2, the GW apparatus 2 includes a communication interface unit (hereinafter abbreviated as “communication IF unit”) 11, a central processing unit 12, a first storage unit 13, a second storage unit 14, and a third storage unit. The storage unit 15 includes a plurality of field protocol communication interface units 16 (hereinafter abbreviated as “FP communication IF unit”), a serial console unit 17, and a bus 18. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the GW apparatus 2 includes two first and second FP communication IF units 16-a and 16-b from the viewpoint of enabling the GW apparatus 2 to support two field protocols. ing.

  The communication IF unit 11 is an interface circuit for communicating with the GW apparatus 2 in another local system 1 via the Internet 5. The communication IF unit 11 generates a communication signal according to the transmission method of the Internet 5 based on the data from the central processing unit 12 and converts the communication signal from the Internet 5 into data in a format that can be processed by the central processing unit 12. To do. The communication IF unit 11 is, for example, an Ethernet card, a modem, an ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Susbcriber Line) modem, or the like.

  The FP communication IF unit 16 is an interface circuit for communicating with the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 2 via the transmission path 4. The first FP communication IF unit 16-a generates a communication signal according to the transmission method of the first field protocol, for example, BACnet / IP, based on the data from the central processing unit 12, and generates the communication signal based on the first field protocol. The data is converted into a format that can be processed by the central processing unit 12. The second FP communication IF unit 16-b generates a communication signal according to the second field protocol, for example, the transmission method of the LonTalk based on the data from the central processing unit 12, and centrally processes the communication signal based on the second field protocol. The data is converted into a format that can be processed by the unit 12.

  The local system 1 may be a network composed of a subnetwork using the first field protocol and a subnetwork using the second field protocol, a network using the first field protocol, or a second network. A network using a field protocol may be used.

  The serial console unit 17 is a circuit to which a serial console is connected and inputs / outputs information to / from the serial console. For example, the serial console unit 17 is a circuit configuring an RS-232C serial port.

  The central processing unit 12 For example, It consists of a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits. As shown in FIG. Functionally, IP compliant application protocol stack (hereinafter referred to as Abbreviated as “IP compliant AP protocol stack part”. 21) An object inverse transformation unit 22; An object conversion unit 23; Field protocol compliant application protocol stack Abbreviated as “FP-compliant AP protocol stack part”. 24) A common object information management unit (COb information management unit) 25, and Communication IF unit 11 according to each control program, 1st thru | or 3rd memory | storage part 13, 14, 15, The FP communication IF unit 16 and the serial console unit 17 are controlled according to the function.

  The IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 communicates with another GW apparatus 2 via the Internet 5 in this embodiment, and is a software group that implements an Internet protocol group composed of TCP / IP and the like. Device driver for the lowest communication IF unit 11 that controls the IF unit 11, data link layer software that controls Ethernet frames, etc., IP (Internet Protocol) network layer software, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol), etc. It is configured with upper layer software.

  The FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 is a software group that implements a communication protocol used in the local system 1, and is a device driver and field for the FP communication IF unit 16 in the lowest layer that controls the FP communication IF unit 16. Data link layer software corresponding to the protocol, network layer software corresponding to the field protocol, and software in the application layer corresponding to the field protocol are configured.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, since the GW device 2 includes two first and second FP communication IF units 16-a and 16-b, the central processing unit 12 includes the first and second FP communication IF units 16. -A and 16-b are provided with two first and second FP-compliant AP protocol stack units 24-a and 24-b, respectively.

  When the object reverse conversion unit 22 receives a later-described common message from another GW apparatus 2 via the Internet 5, the object inverse conversion unit 22 analyzes the common message and converts the later-described common object into a field protocol object (hereinafter referred to as “FP object”). A field protocol message (hereinafter abbreviated as “FP message”) that accommodates this FP object. The object reverse conversion unit 22 receives the notification of the common message from the IP compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 and extracts the common object included in the received common message, and the common object reception unit 31 that is extracted by the common object reception unit 31. An FP message is prepared for each FP object of each field protocol, and an FP message that is prepared for each FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 and accommodates the FP object converted by the accessor module set unit 32, and the FP A field protocol notification unit (hereinafter abbreviated as “FP notification unit”) 33 that notifies the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 corresponding to the message.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, since there are two FP-compliant AP protocol stack units 24, ie, the first and second FP-compliant AP protocol stack units 24-a and 24-b, the FP notification unit 33 is compliant with the first FP. The first FP notification unit 33-a that notifies the AP protocol stack unit 24-a of the FP object of the first field protocol and the second FP that notifies the FP object of the second field protocol to the second FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24-b. Two notification units 33-b are prepared.

  The accessor module assembly unit 32 includes an accessor module management unit 321 and a plurality of accessor modules (abbreviated as “AM” in FIG. 3) 322, which is the number corresponding to the number of FP objects. The accessor module 322 includes a plurality of field protocol accesses (hereinafter abbreviated as “FP access” and abbreviated as “FPA” in FIG. 3) 3221 corresponding to the number of FP communication IF units 16. In the example shown in FIG. 3, since the gateway device 2 includes two first and second FP communication IF units 16-a and 16-b, the accessor module 322 includes two FP accesses 3221. . That is, the accessor module 322-a includes first and second FP accesses 3221-Aa and 3221-Ab, and the accessor module 322-b includes first and second FP accesses 3221-Ba and 3221-Bb. The access module management unit 321 converts the common object to the FP object and notifies the converted FP object to the FP access 3221 corresponding thereto. That is, when the converted FP object is a FP object of the first field protocol (for example, BACnet), the access module management unit 321 notifies the first FP access 3221-A, and the converted FP object is the second field protocol ( For example, in the case of an FP object of LonTalk), the second FP access 3221-B is notified. The FP access 3221 is an object interface that processes the FP object and notifies the FP notification unit 33 of the processing result.

  When the object conversion unit 23 receives an FP message from the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 2, the SC device 3 that monitors and / or controls a device that executes the FP message is connected to the other GW device 2. In the case of the SC device 3 in the local system 1, the FP message is analyzed to convert the FP object into a common object and generate a common message. The object conversion unit 23 is prepared for each FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, receives a FP message notification from the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, and extracts a FP object included in the received FP message (hereinafter referred to as a field protocol reception unit). , And abbreviated as “COb conversion main body” (hereinafter abbreviated as “COb conversion main body”), which converts the FP object extracted by the FP reception unit 38 into a common object. 37) and a common message that contains information (common object specifying information) for specifying the common object converted by the COb conversion main body unit 37, and notifies the IP compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 of the common message and the local of the GW device 2 In response to the request of the SC device 3 in the system 1 Ri FP object - and a common object notification section 36 to expose reply predetermined contents of the common object conversion map to the SC 3.

  In the example shown in FIG. 3, since the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 is the first and second FP-compliant AP protocol stack units 24-a and 24-b, the FP receiving unit 38 is compliant with the first FP. The first FP receiving unit 38-a that receives the FP message of the first field protocol from the AP protocol stack unit 24-a and the second FP receiving that receives the FP message of the second field protocol from the second FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24-b. Two parts 38-b are prepared.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the first storage unit 13 is a so-called working memory of the central processing unit 12 and includes a volatile storage element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The second storage unit 14 is a memory that stores various programs such as a control program and information that is necessary for executing the various programs and that is not rewritten. For example, a nonvolatile storage element such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) It is configured with.

  The third storage unit 15 stores an FP object-common object conversion map (hereinafter, “FPOb-COb conversion map”) that stores an FP object-common object conversion map (hereinafter abbreviated as “FPOb-COb conversion map”). 41, a common object transmission table storage unit 42 that stores a common object transmission table, and an FP object transmission table storage unit 43 that stores an FP object transmission table. Is a memory that stores information that is necessary to execute the above-mentioned and that needs to be rewritten, and includes a rewritable nonvolatile storage element such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory).

  The common object is an object that is used in common between the GW apparatuses 2 in order to combine a plurality of local systems 1 into a wide area system via the Internet 5. As one feature thereof, the common object includes a common interface that is an interface that can be used in common by different field protocols, and a unique interface that is an interface used by a specific field protocol. By using such a common object, when converting from one field protocol to another field protocol in a plurality of field protocols, one field protocol and another field protocol are converted in a one-to-one correspondence. Compared to the case, the data amount of the conversion map used for the conversion can be reduced, and the conversion can be performed by the same procedure. In addition, by referring to the variable properties of the common interface included in the common object and executing the function, the meta information (attributes, usage), etc. can be recognized only by referring to the common object. Can do. Further, by providing such a common interface for the common object, the data amount of the conversion map can be further reduced.

  Focusing on the fact that monitoring and control are basically performed by reading, writing, and spontaneous notification of values, the common interface and the specific interface are obtained when one SC device 3 acquires a value from another SC device 3 A Get function (get function) that is a property used for the first SC device, a Set function (set function) that is a property used when one SC device 3 writes a value to another SC device 3, and one SC device 3 is configured to include at least one of an event that is a property used when a value change is voluntarily notified.

  First, as a first step, a common interface is created based on a management point and a physical quantity, and a property expressed by the created common interface is extracted from a property in each field protocol object.

  Next, as a second step, a unique interface is created with the properties remaining after extraction. When creating this unique interface, the unique interface may be created by combining the same type of properties in the remaining properties.

  The present invention may be an object-oriented field protocol or a non-object-oriented field protocol as long as at least part of device information can be assigned to a common interface among a plurality of field protocols.

  Here, a method for creating a common object when the field protocols supported by the GW apparatus 2 are LonTalk and BACnet will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method of creating a common object along one specific example.

  In FIG. 4, first, for example, a common interface (temperature interface) related to temperature is created. For example, a temperature interface 531 is created that includes a GetValueTemperature function, a SetValueTemperature function, and an EventValueTemperature function as properties. Then, the property expressed by this temperature interface is extracted from the LON variable (LON SNVT) and the BACnet object. That is, by this, in LON, SNVT_temp_f51, which is a variable for an analog value management point related to temperature, is focused, and a Temperature value that is a property thereof is extracted. In BACnet, AnalogInput 52 is focused, and Present_Value, Status_Flags, Reliability, Out_Of_Service, Units, and Resolution are extracted.

  Next, a unique interface is created with the properties remaining after extraction. Since there is no remaining property in SNVT_temp_f51, a specific interface is not created for SNVT_temp_f51 of LonWorks. On the other hand, the AnalogInput52, Object_Identifier, Object_Name, Object_Type, Description, Device_Type, Event_State, Update_Interval, Min_Pres_Value, Max_Pres_Value, COV_Increment, Time_Delay, Notification_Class, High_Limit, Low_Limit, Deadband, Limit_Enable, Event_Enable, Acked_Transitions, since properties of Notyfy_Type remains, unique As interfaces, Object_Identifier, Object_Name, Object Type, Description, Device_Type and object information interface 532 includes a GetObjInformation function and SetObjInformation function as a property collectively Update_Interval, range setting interface 533 comprises a GetRangeValue function and SetRangeValue function collectively Min_Pres_Value and Max_Pres_Value as properties and,, Event_State, COV_Increment, Time_Delay, Notification_Class, High_Limit, Low_Limit, Deadband, Limit_Enable, Event_Enable, Ack Event setting interface 534 comprising a GetEventCondition and SetEventCondition collectively d_Transitions and Notyfy_Type are created, respectively.

  A common object 53 for SNVT_temp_f51 and AnalogInput 52 is created by such a procedure. Such a common object 53 is created for each field protocol property to which the GW apparatus 2 corresponds.

  The FPOb-COb conversion map is information indicating the correspondence between the properties of the FP object and the interface of the common object, and is used to convert from the FP object to the common object and from the common object to the FP object. . For example, in the case of the above-described specific example, the FPOb-COb conversion map includes information indicating the correspondence between the Temperature value in the SNVT_temp_f51 of LonWorks and the temperature interface 531 of the common interface, Present_Value, Status_Flag, Information indicating the correspondence relationship between Units and Resolutions and the temperature interface 531 of the common interface, Object_Identifier, Object_Name, Object_Type, Description, Device_TypeI and Update in BACnet AnalogInput 52 information indicating the correspondence between the object information interface 532 and the object information interface 532 of the specific interface, information indicating the correspondence between the Min_Pres_Value and Max_Pres_Value in the Analog Input 52 of the BACnet, and the range setting interface 533 of the BACnet, and EventVent_InputVent of the BACnet AnalogInput_Input52 The correspondence between Time_Delay, Notification_Class, High_Limit, Low_Limit, Deadband, Limit_Enable, Event_Enable, Acked_Transitions and Notify_Types and event setting interface 534 It is to information. For example, an identifier (common object interface identifier) is assigned to each of the interfaces 531 to 534 of the common object 53, and the correspondence is shown by associating the common object interface identifier with the object identifier and the property name.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the common object transmission table and the configuration of the FP object transmission table. FIG. 5A shows the configuration of the common object transmission table, and FIG. 5B shows the configuration of the FP object transmission table.

  When the GW device 2 receives an FP message from the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 2, the common object transmission table stores the common object specifying information of the common object obtained by converting the FP object of the received FP message. It is a table which registers the information which shows the transmission destination which should transmit the common message which accommodates. As shown in FIG. 5A, the common object transmission table 60 is accommodated in the FP message, for example, a transmission source SC address section 61 for registering a communication address in the transmission source SC apparatus 3 that has transmitted the FP message. The communication address of the GW device 2 which is the transmission destination for transmitting the common message containing the common object corresponding to the FP object, and the FP object identification information unit 62 for registering the information for identifying the FP object (FP object identification information). The transmission destination GW address part 63 to be registered is configured, and is created for each set of the communication address of the SC device 3 registered in the transmission source SC address part 61 and the FP object specifying information.

  When the GW device 2 receives a common message from another GW device 2, the FP object transmission table stores an FP object that contains an FP object obtained by converting the common object specified by the common object specifying information of the received common message. It is a table which registers the information which shows the transmission destination which should transmit. As shown in FIG. 5B, the FP object transmission table 70 is accommodated in, for example, a transmission source GW address unit 71 that registers a communication address in the transmission source GW apparatus 2 that has transmitted the common message, and the common message. A common object specifying information unit 72 for registering common object specifying information for specifying the common object, and a transmission for registering the communication address of the SC device 3 which is a transmission destination for transmitting the FP message containing the FP object corresponding to the common object. The destination SC address part 73 is configured, and is created for each set of the communication address of the GW apparatus 2 registered in the transmission source GW address part 71 and the common object specifying information.

  In the present embodiment, each GW device 2 is connected to be communicable with each other via the Internet 5, and therefore an IP address is used as the communication address of the GW device 2. As the communication address of the SC device 3, for example, a device ID, a MAC (Media Access Control) address, or an IP address is used.

  In the present embodiment, since the FPOb-COb conversion map is configured as described above, the common object specifying information is a common object identifier and a common object interface identifier. A common object identifier is an identifier that identifies and identifies a common object. The FP object specifying information is an object identifier and a property name.

  In FIG. 3, when there is an inquiry about a common object that can be used in the wide area system from the SC device 3 in the local system, the common object information management unit 25 refers to the FPOb-COb conversion map and returns a response. At the same time, when there is an inquiry about a common object that can be used in the wide area system from another SC apparatus 3, the FPOb-COb conversion map is referred to and a response is returned.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the central processing unit 12, the first storage unit 13, the second storage unit 14, the third storage unit 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, and the serial console unit 17 exchange data with each other. Are connected to the bus 18 respectively.

Next, the operation of the GW apparatus 2 in the first embodiment will be described.
(Operation of the first embodiment)
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the object conversion unit. In FIG. 6, the COb conversion main body 37 of the object conversion unit 23 receives an FP message from the local system 1 of the GW apparatus 2 in the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, and in this embodiment, a BACnet service message or a LonTalk service. When a message is received (S11), this FP message is analyzed (S12). The analysis of the field protocol message is performed by detecting the communication address in the transmission source SC apparatus 3 that has transmitted the field protocol message, and detecting the FP object specifying information from the objects contained in the FP message (that is, BACnet). In this case, the object identifier, instance number (instance number), and property identifier).

  Next, the COb conversion main body 37 searches the FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the FP object contained in the received FP message from the FPOb-COb conversion map based on the analysis result (S13).

  Next, the COb conversion main body 37 determines whether or not there is an FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the FP object accommodated in the received FP message from the search result (S14). As a result of the determination, if there is no FPOb-COb conversion map (none), the COb conversion main body 37 sends an error / FP message indicating that this FP message cannot be processed to the local system that has transmitted this FP message. 1 is returned to the SC device 3 in S1 (S19), and the process is terminated. On the other hand, as a result of the determination, if there is an FPOb-COb conversion map (present), the COb conversion main body 37 determines whether or not the received FP message is an FP message for transmitting numerical data such as an argument. (S15). That is, the COb conversion main body 37 determines whether or not the message is a message for writing numerical data to the destination SC device 3.

  As a result of the determination, if the message is a message for transmitting numerical data (YES), the COb conversion main body 37 converts the numerical data into a common object type, and executes processing S17. On the other hand, if the result of determination is that the message is not a message for sending numerical data (NO), the COb conversion main body 37 executes step S17.

  In process S17, the COb conversion main body 37 assembles a common message. In other words, in the present embodiment, the COb conversion main body 37 reads the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) corresponding to the FP object accommodated in the received FP message from the FPOb-COb conversion map in the search result of process S13. To get. The COb conversion main body 37 searches the common object transmission table 60 based on the analysis result of process S12, and acquires the communication address in the transmission destination GW apparatus 2 from the search result. Then, the COb conversion main body 37 generates a common message that accommodates the acquired common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) to the communication address based on the search result and accommodates numerical data as necessary.

  Then, the COb conversion main body 37 transmits this common message using the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 (S18), and ends the process. The common message is sequentially added with the IP header of the network layer and the frame header of the data link layer by the processing by the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21, sent out from the communication IF unit 11 to the Internet 5, and sent to the destination GW device 2. Sent to.

  By operating in this way, the GW apparatus 2 can convert the FP object into a common object, and transmits the common message to the GW apparatus 2 having the SC apparatus 3 that should execute the FP message in the local system 1. Can do.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the object inverse conversion unit. In FIG. 7, when the accessor module aggregation unit 32 of the object reverse conversion unit 22 receives a common message from the Internet 5 (another GW apparatus 2) by the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 (S31), the common message analysis is performed. Perform (S32). The analysis of the common message is to detect a communication address in the transmission source GW apparatus 2 that has transmitted the common message, and to detect common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) contained in the common message.

  Next, the accessor module collection unit 32 searches the FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) of the received common message from the FPOb-COb conversion map based on the analysis result ( S33).

  Next, the accessor module collection unit 32 determines whether there is an FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) of the received common message from the search result (S34). As a result of the determination, if there is no FPOb-COb conversion map (none), the accessor module collection unit 32 processes the common message corresponding to the error / FP / message indicating that the common message cannot be processed S31. Is returned to the GW apparatus 2 that has transmitted the common message received in (S39), and the process is terminated. On the other hand, as a result of the determination, if there is an FPOb-COb conversion map (present), the accessor module aggregation unit 32 determines whether or not the received common message is a message for transmitting numerical data (S35). . That is, the accessor module collection unit 32 determines whether the message is a common message for writing numerical data to the destination SC device 3.

  If it is determined that the message is a common message for transmitting numerical data (YES), the accessor module collecting unit 32 converts the numerical data into a field protocol type, and executes step S37. On the other hand, if the determination result indicates that the message is not a common message for transmitting numerical data (NO), the accessor module aggregation unit 32 executes a process S37.

  In process S37, the accessor module collecting unit 32 assembles an FP message. That is, in this embodiment, the accessor module management unit 321 of the accessor module aggregation unit 32 uses the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) contained in the received common message from the FPOb-COb conversion map in the search result of processing S33. FP object specifying information of the field protocol corresponding to) is acquired. The accessor module management unit 321 searches the FP object transmission table 70 based on the analysis result of the process S12, and acquires the communication address in the destination SC device 3 from the search result. Then, the accessor module management unit 321 notifies the accessor module 322 of the communication address and the FP object specifying information based on the search result, and the accessor module 322 is a field protocol accessor 3221 corresponding to the notified FP object specifying information. An FP message corresponding to the acquired FP object specifying information is generated using numerical data as necessary for the communication address based on the search result.

  Then, the accessor module collection unit 32 transmits this FP message using the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 (S38), and ends the process. The FP message is processed by the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, transmitted from the FP communication IF unit 16 to the local system 1, transmitted to the destination SC device 3, and executed by the destination SC device 3.

  By operating in this way, the GW apparatus 2 can convert the common object into the FP object, and can transmit it to the SC apparatus 3 that executes the FP message.

  As described above, since the GW device 2 bidirectionally converts the FP object into a common object defined for common use among the GW devices 2, a plurality of local systems 1-A, 1-B, 1-C Can be connected via the Internet 5 to form a wide area system. In addition, since the FP object is bidirectionally converted to a common object defined for common use among the GW apparatuses 2, even when introducing into an existing building, the IP address of each SC apparatus 3-A to 3-C There is no need to change.

  Next, in order to explain the operation of the GW device 2 more clearly, the SC device 3-Aa (HIM) in the local system 1-A shown in FIG. A case in which “ReadProperty”, which is an example of a service message in the BACnet, is executed by “Icont” will be described.

  In the local system 1-A, the communication address of the GW apparatus 2-A is “192.168.0.1” of the IP address, and the communication address of the SC apparatus 3-Aa is “0x05”. And In the local system 1-B, the communication address of the GW apparatus 2-B is “192.168.0.2” of the IP address, and the communication address of the SC apparatus 3-Ba is “0x10”. . Further, it is assumed that the local system 1-A and the local system 1-B adopt BACnet as a field protocol. As described above, the GW apparatus 2 according to the present invention may be the same as the case where the field protocol of the local system in the transmission source GW apparatus 2 is different from the field protocol of the local system in the transmission destination GW apparatus 2.

  FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing an operation when the SC device 3-Aa in the local system 1-A shown in FIG. 1 causes the SC device 3-Ba in the local system 1-B to execute “ReadProperty”.

  In FIG. 8, the SC device 3-Aa generates an FP message (service message) of “ReadProperty” and transmits it within the local system 1-A in order to cause the SC device 3-Ba to execute “ReadProperty” ( C11).

  The GW apparatus 2-A that has received the “ReadProperty” FP message from the SC apparatus 3-Aa executes the processes S11 to S19 shown in FIG. 6 (C12). By executing this processing, the GW apparatus 2-A searches for the FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the FP message “ReadProperty”, and acquires common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) from the searched FPOb-COb conversion map. get. Also, the GW apparatus 2-A searches for and acquires the communication address of the transmission destination GW apparatus 2 from the common object transmission table 60. Then, the GW apparatus 2-A accommodates “200.0.0.1” that is the IP address on the Internet side of the GW apparatus 2-A as the communication address in the transmission source GW apparatus 2, and the transmission destination GW An IP address “200.0.0.2” on the Internet side is accommodated as a communication address in the apparatus 2-B, and a common message that accommodates common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) is generated.

  When the common message is generated, the GW apparatus 2-A transmits the common message to the transmission destination GW apparatus 2-B via the Internet 5 (C13).

  The GW apparatus 2-B that has received this common message from the GW apparatus 2-A executes the processes S31 to S39 shown in FIG. 7 (C14). By executing this processing, the GW apparatus 2-B searches for the FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) contained in the common message, and the FP from the searched FPOb-COb conversion map. Get object identification information (object identifier and property name). Further, the GW apparatus 2-B searches and acquires the communication address of the SC apparatus 3-Ba as the transmission destination from the FP object transmission table 70. Then, the GW apparatus 2-B generates an FP message (service message) of “ReadProperty”, and transmits the FP message of “ReadProperty” to the SC apparatus 3-Ba in the local system 1-B (C15). .

  The SC device 3-Ba that has received this “ReadProperty” FP message (service message) from the GW device 2-B executes “ReadProperty” on the object accommodated in the FP message, and displays the execution result. Obtain (C16). Then, the SC device 3-Ba generates an FP message of “ComplexAck” as a reply to the FP message of “ReadProperty”, and transmits it to the local system 1-B (C17).

  The GW apparatus 2-B searches the FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the FP message “ComplexAck”, and acquires common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) from the searched FPOb-COb conversion map. Further, the GW apparatus 2-B searches and acquires the communication address of the transmission destination GW apparatus 2 from the common object transmission table 60. Then, the GW apparatus 2-B accommodates “200.0.0.2” that is the IP address of the GW apparatus 2-B as a communication address in the transmission source GW apparatus 2, and the transmission destination GW apparatus 2- An IP address “200.0.0.1” is accommodated as a communication address in A, common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) is accommodated, and a common message accommodating an execution result is generated.

  When the common message is generated, the GW apparatus 2-B transmits the common message to the transmission destination GW apparatus 2-A (C19).

  The GW apparatus 2-A that has received this common message from the GW apparatus 2-B executes the processes S31 to S39 shown in FIG. 7 (C20). By executing this processing, the GW apparatus 2-A searches for the FPOb-COb conversion map corresponding to the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) contained in the common message, and then selects the FP from the searched FPOb-COb conversion map. Get object identification information (object identifier and property name). Further, the GW apparatus 2-A searches and acquires the communication address of the SC apparatus 3-Aa as the transmission destination from the FP object transmission table 70. Then, the GW apparatus 2-A generates an FP message (service message) of “ComplexAck” and transmits the FP message of “ComplexAck” to the SC apparatus 3-Aa in the local system 1-A (C21). .

  As the GW device 2-A and the GW device 2-B operate as described above, the SC device 3-Aa (HIM) in the local system 1-A becomes the SC device 3-Ba in the local system 1-B. (Icont) is recognized as if it were the SC device 3 in the local system 1-A, and the SC device 3-Aa (HIM) in the local system 1-A is recognized as the device 3 in the local system 1-B. -Service can be received from Ba (Icont). That is, the local system 1-A and the local system 1-B are made into wide area systems by the GW apparatus 2-A and the GW apparatus 2-B.

  In the above description, the case where the number of field protocols that can be handled is two has been described. However, the number of field protocols is not limited to two, and may be any number. The GW apparatus 2 has a plurality of FP communication IF units 16, a FP notification unit 33 in the central processing unit 12, a FP reception unit 38, and a FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 according to the number of field protocols that can be supported. Thus, an FPOb-COb conversion map is constructed.

Next, another embodiment will be described.
(Configuration of Second Embodiment)
In the GW apparatus according to the second embodiment, in addition to the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment, an event that the SC apparatus 3 in the local system 1 of the GW apparatus spontaneously issues is notified to another local system 1. And a function of notifying the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 201 of the event that the SC device 3 in the other local system 1 voluntarily reports.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the central processing unit in the GW apparatus according to the second embodiment. The GW apparatus according to the second embodiment (reference numeral “201”) includes a communication IF unit 11, a central processing unit 202 illustrated in FIG. 9, a first storage unit 13, and a second storage unit 14. The third storage unit 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, the serial console unit 17, and the bus 18. That is, the GW apparatus 201 according to the second embodiment uses the central processing unit 202 instead of the central processing unit 12 in the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment, and the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the description of the communication IF unit 11, the first to third storage units 13, 14, 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, the serial console unit 17, and the bus 18 is omitted.

  In FIG. 9, the central processing unit 202 includes, for example, a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits, and functionally, an IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 211, an event transmission unit 212, an event reception unit 213, and an object inverse unit A conversion unit 22, an object conversion unit 23, and an FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214 (214-a, 214-b) are provided, and the communication IF unit 11, the first to third storage units 13, according to each control program, 14, 15, FP communication IF unit 16 and serial console unit 17 are controlled. That is, the central processing unit 202 according to the second embodiment is obtained by functionally adding an event transmission unit 212 and an event reception unit 213 to the central processing unit 12 according to the first embodiment. For this reason, since the object reverse conversion unit 22 and the object conversion unit 23 are the same as those in the first embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  The event transmission unit 212 monitors an event issued by the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 201 and transmits the event to the GW device 201 of another local system 1 when the event is detected. The event transmitting unit 212 receives the notification of the FP message received by the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214, and detects the FP message of the event from the notified FP message. A local-system event transmission control unit 221 that notifies the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 211 to transmit the FP message of the event detected by the intra-system event monitoring unit 222 to the GW device 201 of another local system 1. Composed.

  The event reception unit 213 monitors an event issued by the SC device 3 in another local system 1 and transmits the event to the local system 1 of the GW device 201 when an event is detected. The event receiving unit 213 receives the notification of the common message received by the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 211, detects the common message of the event from the notified common message, the other local system event monitoring unit 223, and the other local A local message transmission control unit 224 configured to notify the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214 to transmit a common message of the event detected by the in-system event monitoring unit 223 to the local system 1 of the GW apparatus 201. Is done.

  The IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 211 receives a common message of an event transmitted from the event transmission unit 212 to the GW device 201 of another local system 1 and receives the common message from the GW device 201 of the other local system 1 as an event. Since it is the same as the IP compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 in the first embodiment except that it also notifies the unit 213, the description thereof is omitted.

  The FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214 receives an FP message of an event to be transmitted from the event reception unit 213 to the SC device 3 in the local system 1 and receives an FP message received from the SC device 3 in the local system 1 as an event transmission unit. Since it is the same as the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 in the first embodiment except that it is also notified to 212, the description thereof is omitted.

Next, the operation of the GW apparatus 201 in the second embodiment will be described.
(Operation of Second Embodiment)
When receiving the FP message, the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214 also notifies the event transmission unit 212. Upon receiving this notification, the event transmitting unit 212 uses the local local system event monitoring unit 222 to detect the FP message of the event from the notified FP message. When the event FP message is detected, the event transmission unit 212 notifies the object reverse conversion unit 22 of the event FP message and converts it into a common message. When converted to the common message, the event transmission unit 212 uses the local local system event transmission control unit 221 to transmit the event common message to the GW device 201 of the other local system 1 in accordance with the IP compliant AP protocol stack. Notification to the unit 211.

  On the other hand, when receiving the common message, the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 211 also notifies the event reception unit 213. Upon receiving this notification, the event reception unit 213 uses the other local system event monitoring unit 223 to detect a common message of the event from the notified common message. When the event common message is detected, the event reception unit 213 notifies the object conversion unit 23 via the other local system event transmission control unit 224. The object conversion unit 23 converts the common message of the event into an FP message of the event, and transmits the converted FP message of the event into the local system 1 via the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214.

  Since it operates in this way, the GW apparatus 201 according to the second embodiment can notify an event that has occurred in the SC apparatus 3 in the local system 1 to the SC apparatuses 3 in other local systems 1, Further, the event issued by the SC device 3 in another local system 1 can be notified to the SC device 3 in the local system 1.

  Here, the GW device 201 according to the second embodiment described above indiscriminately when the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 201 issues an FP message of an event, indiscriminately. When the event common message is received from the GW device 201 of the other local system 1 and the FP message of the event is indiscriminately transmitted to the local system 1 of the GW device 201, the local system of the GW device 201 The FP message of the event issued by the SC device 3 in 1 may be selectively transmitted to the GW device 201 of another local system 1 according to the event type. Alternatively, the GW apparatus 201 according to the second embodiment described above selectively receives a common message of an event received from the GW apparatus 201 of another local system 1 according to the type of event and the transmitted GW apparatus 201. You may comprise so that it may transmit to SC apparatus 3 in the local system 1 of the apparatus 201. FIG.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of the event transmission destination subscription information database. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing event subscription request information. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of the event transmission source subscription information database.

  In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, the common object specifying information (for example, common object interface identifier), the type of event, and the GW device 201 that is the transmission destination of the event (for example, the IP address of the GW device 201) ) Are registered in association with each other, and the third storage unit 15 further stores an event transmission destination subscription information database (hereinafter abbreviated as “event transmission destination subscription information DB”). Then, the local local system event transmission control unit 221 refers to the event transmission destination subscription information DB when transmitting the event common message, and the transmission destination GW device corresponding to the common object specifying information in the event common message 201 is searched. Then, the IP compliant AP protocol stack unit 211 is notified to transmit to the searched GW apparatus 201 of the destination. Of course, if the event transmission control unit 221 in its own local system refers to the event transmission destination subscription information DB and there is no transmission destination GW device 201 corresponding to the common object specifying information in the common message of the event, this message Is discarded. By operating in this way, the FP message of the event issued by the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 201 is selectively transmitted to the GW device 201 of another local system. For this reason, since it transmits only to the GW apparatus 201 which needs to transmit according to the kind of event, the communication traffic of the internet 5 and the communication traffic of the local system 1 can be reduced. In addition, since it is not necessary for the receiving side GW apparatus 201 to receive an FP message of an unnecessary event, the information processing load of the GW apparatus 201 in the other local system 1 that has not been selected is reduced.

  Such an event transmission destination subscription information DB may be stored in the third storage unit 15 of the gateway device 201 at the time of construction (static), but other gateway devices 201 desire to subscribe (receive). Information related to the event, for example, event subscription request information shown in FIG. 11 is transmitted to the GW apparatus 201 by an event subscription request information transmitting unit (not shown), and the GW apparatus 201 is based on the received event subscription request information. The event transmission destination subscription information DB may be constructed by an event transmission destination subscription information DB creation unit (not shown). The event subscription request information shown in FIG. 11 includes common object specifying information (for example, a common object interface identifier), an event type, a GW device 201 that desires to transmit the event (for example, an IP address of the GW device 201), and the like. Is associated information. With this configuration, it is possible to automatically cope with a case where a new local system 1 is added to the wide area system.

  On the other hand, the GW apparatus 201 in the second embodiment described above selectively selects the FP message of the event received from the GW apparatus 201 of the other local system 1 according to the type of event and the transmitted GW apparatus 201. It may be configured to transmit to the 201 local system 1.

  In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 12, the common object specifying information (for example, common object interface identifier), the type of event, and the GW device 201 that is the transmission source of the event (for example, the IP address of the GW device 201) ) And an event transmission source subscription information database (hereinafter referred to as “event transmission source subscription information DB”) registered in association with a transmission flag indicating whether or not transmission is performed within the local system 1 of the GW apparatus 201. ) Is further stored in the third storage unit 15. Then, when the event transmission control unit 224 in the other local system is notified of the common message of the event from the event monitoring unit 223 in the other local system, the event transmission control unit 224 refers to the event transmission source subscription information DB, and in the common message of the notified event. A transmission flag corresponding to the common object specifying information and the transmission source GW apparatus 201 is searched. When the searched transmission flag indicates transmission, the other local system event transmission control unit 224 notifies the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 214 to transmit to the local system 1 of the GW apparatus 201. When the searched transmission flag indicates non-transmission, the other local system event transmission control unit 224 discards this message. By operating in this way, an FP message of an event issued by the SC device 3 in another local system 1 is selectively transmitted to the local system 1 of the GW device 201. For this reason, only the FP message of the event that needs to be transmitted according to the GW apparatus 201 that transmitted the common message of the event and the type of the event is transmitted, so that the communication traffic of the local system 1 can be reduced.

Next, another embodiment will be described.
(Configuration of Third Embodiment)
When a common object is further added to the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment, the GW apparatus according to the third embodiment notifies the added common object to other GW apparatuses in the wide area system. A function is added.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a central processing unit in the GW apparatus according to the third embodiment. The GW apparatus according to the third embodiment (reference numeral “301”) includes a communication IF unit 11, a central processing unit 302, a first storage unit 13, and a second storage unit 14 illustrated in FIG. The third storage unit 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, the serial console unit 17, and the bus 18. That is, the GW apparatus 301 according to the third embodiment uses the central processing unit 302 instead of the central processing unit 12 in the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment, and the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment. Therefore, the description of the communication IF unit 11, the first to third storage units 13, 14, 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, the serial console unit 17, and the bus 18 is omitted. The FPOb-COb conversion map storage unit 41 of the third storage unit 15 stores in advance an FPOb-COb conversion map indicating the correspondence between the interface of the added common object and the properties of the FP object. To do.

  In FIG. 13, the central processing unit 302 includes, for example, a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits, and functionally includes an IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 311, a common object advertisement unit 312, a common object information acquisition unit 313, and the like. , An object reverse conversion unit 22, an object conversion unit 23, and an FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, and a communication IF unit 11, first to third storage units 13, 14, 15 and FP communication according to each control program The IF unit 16 and the serial console unit 17 are controlled. That is, the central processing unit 302 according to the third embodiment is obtained by functionally adding a common object advertisement unit 312 and a common object information acquisition unit 313 to the central processing unit 12 according to the first embodiment. For this reason, the object reverse conversion unit 22, the object conversion unit 23, and the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  When the common object is added in the GW device 301, the common object advertisement unit 312 notifies the information indicating that the added common object is usable, and specifies the common object corresponding to the added common object. The information (common object interface identifier) is advertised to other GW devices 301 in the wide area system.

  When the common object information acquisition unit 313 acquires the notification information and the common object specifying information from the other GW apparatuses 301 in the wide area system, the common object information acquisition unit 313 uses the information received from the received information so that the added common object can be used. The common object transmission table is generated based on the acquired common object specifying information and stored in the common object transmission table storage unit 42 in the third storage unit 15. Here, the received information is a plurality of common object interface identifiers constituting the object, and configuration information of common object interface identifiers already statically or dynamically possessed, and the object depends on the property being used. Created. For example, the interface IFa1 specified by the common object interface identifier a1 includes a get function property Pa11 and an event property Pa12, and the interface IFa2 specified by the common object interface identifier a2 includes a get function property Pa21 and an event property. When it is assumed that the property Pa22 is configured and a1 and a2 are received as common object interface identifiers, an object ObA composed of the interface IFa1 and the interface IFa2 is generated.

  The IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 311 receives the notification information and the common object specifying information transmitted from the common object advertisement unit 312 to the GW device 301 of the other local system 1, and receives the notification information from the GW device 301 of the other local system 1. Except for notifying the common object information acquisition unit 313 of the notification information and the common object specifying information, it is the same as the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 in the first embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

Next, the operation of the GW apparatus 201 in the third embodiment will be described.
(Operation of Third Embodiment)
The common object advertisement unit 312 is notified to the common object information acquisition unit of the other GW device in which a session is established (communication is possible) simultaneously with the generation of the new object of the GW device. When the addition is detected, notification information indicating that the added common object can be used by another GW apparatus 301 that has established a session in the wide area system, and common object specifying information corresponding to the added common object A message (common object advertisement message) including (common object interface identifier) is transmitted.

  On the other hand, when receiving the common object advertisement message, the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 311 notifies the common object information acquisition unit 313 of the common object advertisement message. Upon receiving this notification, the common object information acquisition unit 313 extracts the notification information and the common object specifying information from the common object advertisement message, searches the FPOb-COb conversion map based on the common object specifying information, and specifies the common object specifying. FP object specifying information corresponding to the information is acquired. Then, the common object information acquisition unit 313 is based on the communication address of the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 2, the communication address of the GW device 2 that is the transmission source of the common object advertisement message, and the FP object specifying information. A common object transmission table 60 is generated and stored in the common object transmission table storage unit 42.

  By operating in this way, when a common object is added to one GW device 301 in the wide area system, the other GW devices 301 in the wide area system automatically recognize this added common object. Since the common object transmission table corresponding to the added common object is generated and stored in the common object transmission table storage unit 42, the added common object can be used.

  Here, in the above description, the common object advertisement unit 312 advertises the common object specifying information added in response to the addition of the common object in the wide area system, but there is the GW device 301 that has established a new session. In this case, the fact may be received from the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 311 and the common object specifying information may be transmitted to the GW device 301 that has newly established a session. With this configuration, the GW apparatus 301 newly added to the wide area system can automatically recognize common objects that can be used in the wide area system.

  Further, an HTTP server that manages the FPOb-COb conversion map may be provided in the GW apparatus 301, and the common object specifying information may be transmitted to the GW apparatus 301 that has newly established a session. Furthermore, by incorporating a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) program in the GW apparatus 301, a terminal apparatus having a web browser connected to the Internet 5 so as to be communicable can transmit an FPOb-COb conversion map, a common object transmission table, and an FP object transmission. You may comprise so that a table can be corrected.

  Furthermore, in the above-described third embodiment, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. 13, the survival state of the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 301 is monitored, and is shared according to the survival state of the SC device 3. The local local system SC device state monitoring unit 314 may further be provided for managing the survival state of the object (usability).

  In this case, the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 confirms the existence of the SC device 3 in the local system 1 at a predetermined time interval and notifies the local device SC device state monitoring unit 314 of the result. To do. For example, when BACnet is adopted as the field protocol, the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 transmits a service message “Who_is?” To each SC device 3 in the local system 1 to obtain a predetermined message. By receiving the service message “I_am” as a response within the time, the existence of the device 3 can be confirmed.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the own GW device common object survival state information. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the other GW device common object survival state information.

  The third storage unit 15 further stores own GW device virtual object survival state information and other GW device common object survival state information. The own GW device common object survival status information is information indicating the survival status (usability) of the common object according to the survival status of the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the GW device 301. For example, FIG. As illustrated, the common object specifying information, the SC device address, and the survival state of the common object indicating whether the common object can be used are associated with each other. The other GW device common object survival state information is information indicating the survival state (usability) of the common object according to the survival state of the SC device 3 in the local system 1 of the other GW device 301. For example, FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the common object specifying information, the SC device address, the survival state of the common object, and the GW device address are associated with each other.

  In addition, since the SC device 3 is alive, the corresponding common object can be used is indicated by “active”, for example. For example, “sleep” is indicated.

  When the local local system SC device state monitoring unit 314 receives a notification of the live state of the SC device 3 in the local system 1 from the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, the local GW device common object live state information indicates the SC device address. Is updated according to the survival state of the SC device 3. Then, if the common object survival state is changed before and after the update, the SC device state monitoring unit 314 in the local system of the local area determines from the own GW device common object survival state information that the SC device corresponding to the changed common object survival state. The address (common object identification information) is acquired, and the common object advertisement unit 312 is used to send a message including the common object survival state, the SC device address, and the common object identification information to the other GW devices 301 with which the session is established ( Common object survival status information message) is sent.

  The IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 311 further notifies the common object information acquisition unit 313 when receiving the common object survival state information message.

  When the common object information acquisition unit 313 further receives the common object survival state information message, the common object information acquisition unit 313 receives, from the common object survival state information message, the GW device address of the GW device 301 that has transmitted this message, the common object specifying information, the SC device address, The common object extracted from the common object survival state information message by retrieving the common object survival state, retrieving the common object survival state corresponding to the GW device address, common object specifying information, and SC device address from the other GW device common object survival state information Update in the alive state.

  By operating in this way, the GW apparatus 301 can recognize a common object that cannot be used because the SC apparatus 3 in the other local system 1 is non-viable. For this reason, since the GW apparatus 301 can avoid transmitting a common message of a common object that is not alive (unusable), traffic on the Internet 5 can be suppressed.

Next, another embodiment will be described.
(Configuration of Fourth Embodiment)
The GW apparatus according to the fourth embodiment is obtained by adding a routing function for routing a common message to the GW apparatus 2 according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a central processing unit in the GW apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the configuration of the routing table.

  The GW apparatus according to the fourth embodiment (reference numeral “401”) includes a communication IF unit 11, a central processing unit 402, a first storage unit 13, and a second storage unit 14 illustrated in FIG. In addition, a third storage unit 15 that stores a routing table described later, an FP communication IF unit 16, a serial console unit 17, and a bus 18 are provided. That is, the GW device 401 according to the fourth embodiment uses the central processing unit 402 instead of the central processing unit 12 in the GW device 2 of the first embodiment, and the third storage unit 15 further includes a routing table described later. The communication IF unit 11, the first to third storage units 13, 14, 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, and the serial console are configured in the same manner as the GW apparatus 2 of the first embodiment. Description of the unit 17 and the bus 18 is omitted.

  In FIG. 16, the central processing unit 402 includes, for example, a microprocessor and its peripheral circuits, etc., and functionally includes an IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 411, an object reverse conversion unit 22, an object conversion unit 23, and an FP. In addition to a compliant AP protocol stack unit 24, the communication IF unit 11, the first to third storage units 13, 14, 15, the FP communication IF unit 16, and the serial console unit 17 are controlled according to each control program. That is, the central processing unit 402 according to the fifth embodiment uses an IP-compliant AP protocol stack 411 having a routing function instead of the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 in the central processing unit 12 according to the first embodiment. It is what is used. For this reason, the object reverse conversion unit 22, the object conversion unit 23, and the FP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 24 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  In addition to the function of the IP compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 in the first embodiment, the IP compliant AP protocol stack unit 411 further includes a routing unit 421 that functionally routes a common message based on a routing table.

  The routing table is stored in the third storage unit 15, and as shown in FIGS. 17A to 17D, the common object specifying information, the communication address (GW device address) in the routing destination GW device 401, and the hop It is a table which registers numbers in association with each other. The number of hops is a numerical value indicating the number of times of routing, in other words, a numerical value indicating the number of GW devices 401 that perform routing. For example, when the hop number is “0”, the common message to be routed is the GW device 401. For example, when the hop number is “1”, it indicates that the common message to be routed is addressed to the GW device 401 adjacent to the GW device 401, and for example, the hop number is “ In the case of 2 ″, it indicates that the common message to be routed is addressed to the GW apparatus 401 adjacent to the GW apparatus 401 via one GW apparatus 401.

Next, the operation of the GW apparatus 401 in the fourth embodiment will be described.
(Operation of Fourth Embodiment)
When the common message is received, the routing unit 421 of the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 411 searches the routing table based on the common object specifying information (common object interface identifier) included in the received common message. When the common object specifying information that matches the common object specifying information of the common message is searched from the common object specifying information in the routing table, the routing unit 421 determines the number of hops corresponding to the searched common object specifying information.

  When the hop count is “0”, the common message is a common message addressed to the GW device 401, and thus the routing unit 421 notifies the object conversion unit 23 of the common message. The object conversion unit 23 processes this common message by the operation described above in the first embodiment.

  On the other hand, when the number of hops is not “0”, the routing unit 421 determines that the common message is addressed to another GW device 401, and the routing destination GW device corresponding to the searched common object specifying information. 2 communication address is acquired. Then, the routing unit 421 transfers the common message to the GW device 401 having the acquired communication address.

  More specifically, in the routing table in the GW device 401-w whose GW device address is “200.0.0.1”, as shown in FIG. "00123456789ABC", "200.0.0.1" and "0", and "001FBDAEFC9ABC", "200.0.0.1" and "0" are registered in the communication address and the hop number of the GW device 2, respectively. Suppose that The routing table in the GW device 401-x in which the communication address of the routing destination GW device 401 is “200.0.0.2” includes the common object specifying information, the routing destination GW, as shown in FIG. “00123456789ABC”, “200.0.0.1”, “1”, “001FBDAEFC9ABC”, “200.0.0.1”, “1”, and “1234ABCFEDC78” are set as the communication address and the hop number of the apparatus 2, respectively. "," 200.0.0.2 ", and" 0 "are registered. As shown in FIG. 17C, the routing table in the GW device 401-y whose GW device address is “200.0.0.3” includes the common object specifying information, the communication address of the routing destination GW device 2, and The numbers of hops are “00123456789ABC”, “200.0.0.2” and “2”, “1234ABCFDFEDC78”, “200.0.0.2” and “1”, “ABCDDEEFF12345” and “200.0”, respectively. .0.4 ”and“ 1 ”are registered. The routing table in the GW device 401-z whose GW device address is “200.0.0.4” includes the common object specifying information and the communication of the routing destination GW device 2 as shown in FIG. “001FBDAEFC9ABC”, “200.0.0.1”, “0”, “001FBDAEFC9ABC”, “200.0.0.1”, and “1” are registered in the address and the hop number, respectively. To do.

  In this case, when the GW apparatus 401-y transmits a common message including the common object specifying information of “1234ABCFEDC78”, the routing unit 421 refers to the routing table and the number of hops corresponding to this is “1” and “0”. Therefore, the GW apparatus address corresponding to this is referred to and transmitted to the GW apparatus 401 having the GW apparatus address of “200.0.0.2”, that is, the GW apparatus 401-x (R1). ). The GW device 401-x that has received this common message uses the routing unit 421 to refer to the routing table, and the hop number corresponding to the common object specifying information of “1234ABCFEDC78” is “0”. x is determined to be a common message addressed to its own device, and is notified to the object inverse conversion unit 22. When the GW apparatus 401-y transmits a common message including the common object specifying information of “ABCDDEEFF12345”, it is transmitted to the GW apparatus 401-z by the same processing (R2) and processed by the GW apparatus 401-z.

  On the other hand, when the GW apparatus 401-y transmits a common message including the common object specifying information of “00123456789ABC”, the routing unit 421 refers to the routing table, and the hop count corresponding to this is “2” and “0”. Therefore, the GW apparatus address corresponding to this is referred to and transmitted to the GW apparatus 401 having the GW apparatus address of “200.0.0.2”, that is, the GW apparatus 401-x (R3). When the common message including the common object specifying information of “00123456789ABC” is received from the GW apparatus 401-y, the GW apparatus 401-x uses the routing unit 421 to refer to the routing table and correspond to the number of hops. Is “1” and not “0”, the GW device address corresponding to this is referred to, and the GW device 401 having the GW device address of “200.0.0.1” as a result of the reference, that is, the GW device 401 Send to -w (R4). The GW device 401-w that has received this common message uses the routing unit 421 to refer to the routing table, and the number of hops corresponding to the common object specifying information of “00123456789ABC” is “0”. It is determined that w is a common message addressed to itself, and notifies the object inverse conversion unit 22.

  By operating in this way, even if the GW device 401 does not directly recognize the GW device 401 that processes the common message, each routing unit 421 of each GW device 401 sequentially transfers the common message according to the routing table. Therefore, it is finally transferred to the GW device 401 that processes the common message and processed. For this reason, the GW apparatus 401 does not need to be directly connected to the GW apparatus 401 which should process a common message on a communication path, and can make a wide area system a larger network.

  In the fourth embodiment, from the viewpoint of causing the GW apparatus 401 to function to automatically update the routing table, as shown by a broken line in FIG. 16, a routing table management unit 422 that manages the routing table, The common object advertisement unit 423 described in the third embodiment may be configured to be further provided in the central processing unit 402.

  With this configuration, when the common object is added, the GW device 401 adds the common object advertisement unit 423 via the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 411 as described in the third embodiment. The common object specifying information of the common object is advertised to other GW devices 401 in the wide area system that has established a session by the common object advertisement message.

  The routing table management unit 422 of the GW apparatus 401 that has received this common object advertisement message transfers the common object advertisement message to another GW apparatus 401 in the wide area system that has established a session by incrementing the hop number by one. To do. Then, the routing table management unit 422 extracts the common object specifying information, the communication address of the transmission source GW device 401 and the hop number from the common object advertisement message, and extracts these from the common object specifying information of the routing table and the routing destination GW device address. And hop count. The number of hops may be further added to the common object advertisement message.

  By operating in this way, the GW apparatus 401 can automatically update the routing table.

  Here, the second to fourth embodiments are configured based on the GW device 2 according to the first embodiment. However, the second to fourth embodiments are added to the GW device 2 according to the first embodiment. Multiple combinations are possible.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, from the viewpoint of supporting the multi-protocol, the IP-compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 expresses common object data and responds to a request, and an object communication presentation unit, Data expressed in the object communication presentation unit may be separated into an IP communication protocol unit that communicates over IP, and a driver of a plurality of communication protocols may be installed. Since the object communication presentation unit and the IP communication protocol unit are separated as described above, it is possible to provide a plurality of communication protocols. Even when the local system 1 supports only a specific communication protocol. It can be easily handled.

  The plurality of communication protocols are, for example, a combination of SOAP and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) or a combination of HTTP and HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol over SSL). SOAP uses HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), FTP (File Transfer Protocol), etc. as lower protocols, and exchanges messages described in XML (Extensible Markup Language) to exchange objects on remote machines. Is a communication protocol for accessing

  Moreover, although the GW apparatuses 2, 201, 301, 401 according to the first to fourth embodiments described above are configured to include one IP communication IF unit 11, a communication line failure or a communication destination GW apparatus As a measure for avoiding the improvement of the reliability for the second failure and the case where there is a lot of traffic, a plurality of IP communication IF units 11 may be provided.

  When improving the reliability against a communication line failure, the GW apparatuses 2, 201, 301, and 401 further select one IP communication IF unit 11 to be used from the plurality of IP communication IF units 11. The communication line switching unit detects the presence or absence of a communication line failure according to, for example, the presence or absence of a response to an ICMP echo, and when one of the IP communication IF units 11 has a failure, And a failure detection unit that notifies the communication switching unit of a switching instruction signal for switching to the IP communication IF unit 11. With this configuration, it is possible to cope with a communication line failure and to improve reliability by improving the operation rate of the GW apparatus 2.

  Or when improving the reliability with respect to the failure of the communication destination GW apparatus 2, the GW apparatuses 2, 201, 301, and 401 each further use one IP communication IF section 11 used from the plurality of IP communication IF sections 11. Detected by a communication line switching unit for selecting, a survival confirmation unit for detecting the presence or absence of the communication destination GW device 2 via one communication line according to the presence or absence of a response to an echo of ICMP, for example, and a survival confirmation unit When a failure occurs in one IP communication IF unit 11 according to the presence or absence of survival, a failure detection unit notifies the communication switching unit of a switching instruction signal for switching to the other IP communication IF unit 11 in which no failure has occurred. And is configured. With this configuration, it is possible to cope with a failure of the communication destination GW apparatus 2 and to improve reliability by improving the operation rate of the communication source GW apparatus 2.

  On the other hand, when it is avoided when there is a lot of traffic, the GW apparatuses 2, 201, 301, and 401 further select one IP communication IF unit 11 to be used from the plurality of IP communication IF units 11. The communication line switching unit and the traffic amount per unit time are monitored, and when the traffic amount in one IP communication IF unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value, the other IP communication IF unit 11 is switched. And a traffic monitoring unit that notifies the communication switching unit of the switching instruction signal. Here, instead of monitoring the traffic volume per unit time, the traffic monitoring unit measures an RTT (Round Trip Time), which is a time from transmission of a communication signal to reception of the response signal, and the one IP communication IF When the RTT in the unit 11 exceeds a predetermined value defined in advance, a switching instruction signal for switching to the other IP communication IF unit 11 may be notified to the communication switching unit. With this configuration, traffic can be averaged, and reliability can be improved by improving the operating rate of the GW apparatus 2.

  Furthermore, in the above-described first to fourth embodiments, the GW apparatuses 2, 201, 301, 401 further include a log storage unit that stores log data, and the central processing units 12, 202, 302, 402 have IP Information of other GW devices 2, 201, 301, 401 connected to the GW devices 2, 201, 301, 401 and information such as communication traffic are acquired from the compliant AP protocol stack unit 21 and stored in the log storage unit as log data. A communication log acquisition unit to output, a log management unit for managing log data, such as erasing log data after a predetermined time from log data stored in the log storage unit, and outputting log data to the outside A log output unit may be further provided. With this configuration, communication log data is recorded, so that unauthorized access and changes in traffic volume over time can be monitored. Furthermore, it may be configured such that log data can be referred to from a terminal device remotely via the Internet 5.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the wide area system in embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the gateway apparatus in 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the functional block of the central processing part in the gateway apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the creation method of a common object along one specific example. It is a figure which shows the structure of a common object transmission table, and the structure of FP object transmission table. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of an object conversion part. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of an object reverse conversion part. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating an operation when the SC device 3-Aa in the local system 1-A illustrated in FIG. 1 causes the SC device 3-Ba in the local system 1-B to execute “ReadProperty”. It is a figure which shows the structure of the central processing part in GW apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of an event transmission destination subscription information database. It is a figure which shows event subscription request information. It is a figure which shows the structure of the event transmission origin subscription information database. It is a figure which shows the structure of the central processing part in GW apparatus of 3rd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows self-GW apparatus common object survival state information. It is a figure which shows other GW apparatus common object survival state information. It is a figure which shows the structure of the central processing part in GW apparatus of 4th Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of a routing table.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Local system 2 Gateway apparatus 3 Apparatus 4 Transmission path 5 Internet 11 Communication interface part 12,202,302,402 Central processing part 15 3rd memory | storage part 16 Field protocol communication interface part 21,211,311,411 IP conformity application protocol stack Unit 22 object reverse conversion unit 23 object conversion unit 24, 214 field protocol compliant application protocol stack unit 25 common object information management unit 31 common object reception unit 32 accessor module collection unit 33 field protocol notification unit 36 common object notification unit 37 common object Conversion body section 38 Field protocol reception section 41 FP object-common object conversion map storage section 42 Common object Transmission table storage unit 50 FP object transmission table storage unit 53 common object 60 common object transmission table 61 transmission source SC address unit 62 FP object identification information unit 63 transmission destination GW address unit 70 FP object transmission table 71 transmission source GW address unit 72 Common object identification information section 73 Destination SC address section 212 Event transmission section 213 Event reception section 221 Local local system event transmission control section 222 Local local system event monitoring section 223 Other local system event monitoring section 224 Other local system internal event Transmission control unit 312, 423 Common object advertisement unit 313 Common object information acquisition unit 314 Local local system SC device state monitoring unit 321 Accessor module management unit 32 Accessor module 421 routing unit 422 routing table managing unit 3221 Field protocol access

Claims (10)

What is the plurality of local area networks between monitoring control devices that monitor and / or control the devices in a plurality of local area networks in which a field protocol for controlling the devices by operating device information on the devices is used? In a gateway device for two-way communication via different networks,
A first communication unit that communicates with another gateway device via the network;
A second communication unit that communicates with the monitoring control device in the local area network;
A storage unit for storing a conversion map for associating device information of a field protocol used in the local area network with a common object used in the network;
The device information of the field protocol received by the second communication unit is converted into a common object based on the conversion map, and a common message including specific information for specifying the converted common object is transmitted using the first communication unit. A common object conversion unit that transmits to another gateway device;
The specific information included in the common message received by the first communication unit is converted into device information of the field protocol based on the conversion map, and a field protocol message for operating the device information of the converted field protocol is converted. A common object inverse transform unit that transmits to the local area network using the second communication unit,
The common object includes a common interface that can be commonly used in a plurality of field protocols,
The common interface includes at least a get function property for reading numerical information from the device, a set function property for writing numerical information to the device, and an event property for notifying the change of numerical information from the device. A gateway device comprising one. The device detects the field protocol event issued by the device in the local area system from the device information notified from the second communication unit, and notifies the common object conversion unit of the detected field protocol event. An in-system event monitoring unit;
An in-system event transmission control unit that transmits a common message corresponding to a field protocol event converted by the common object conversion unit to another gateway device using the first communication unit;
An event monitoring unit in another system that detects a common message of an event from the common message notified from the first communication unit, and notifies the common object inverse conversion unit of the detected common message;
An event transmission control unit in another system that transmits a field protocol event corresponding to the common message of the event converted by the common object inverse conversion unit into the local area system using the second communication unit; The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein: The storage unit is a destination database in which an event type and a transmission destination of a common message of the event are registered in association with each other, and a transmission in which an event type and a transmission source of the common message in the event are registered in association with each other Remember the original database,
The own-system event transmission control unit refers to the destination database based on the event type when transmitting a common message of the event, and the transmission destination in the common message of the event corresponding to the event type is If registered in the destination database, send to the destination,
The event transmission control unit in the other system refers to the transmission source database when a common message of the event is received, and the type of the event and the transmission source in the common message of the event are registered in the transmission source database. The gateway device according to claim 2, wherein the common object inverse conversion unit is notified in a case. An event subscription request information transmitting unit for transmitting event subscription request information for requesting reception of a common message of an event to another gateway device;
The gateway apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a database creation unit that constructs the transmission destination database based on event subscription request information received from another gateway apparatus. The storage unit stores in advance a conversion map that associates the added common object with the device information of the field protocol,
A common object advertisement unit that advertises the specific information of the added common object to the network when a common object is added;
The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a common object information acquisition unit that enables use of a conversion map of the added common object when specific information of the added common object is received from the network. Gateway device. The storage unit stores an own common object survival information database for registering whether or not a common object can be used in the gateway apparatus, and another common object survival information database for registering whether or not a common object can be used in another gateway apparatus. ,
When the survival state in the monitoring control device in the local area network is monitored and the own common object survival information database is updated according to the survival status of the monitoring control device, and the common object becomes unusable A device state monitoring unit in its own system that advertises the use of the device to the network using the common object advertising unit,
The gateway device according to claim 5, wherein the common object information acquisition unit updates the other common object survival information database when a common object unavailability is received from the network. The storage unit stores a routing table for registering a routing destination of a common message,
The gateway device according to claim 1, further comprising: a routing unit that routes a common message received by the first communication unit based on the routing table. A common object advertising unit that advertises the specific information of the added common object to the network when a common object is newly added to the conversion map;
The gateway apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: a routing table management unit that updates the routing table when the identification information of the added common object is received from the network. The first communication unit includes a hardware communication unit of a physical layer, a device driver that drives the hardware communication unit, and a protocol stack unit of a data link layer or more,
The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein the protocol stack unit implements a plurality of communication protocols in the same layer. The first communication unit includes a hardware communication unit of a physical layer, a device driver that drives the hardware communication unit, and a protocol stack unit of a data link layer or more,
The gateway device according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of hardware communication units.

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