JP2009232099A - Equipment management system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide equipment management system capable of monitoring the operation state of a controller regardless of an operation by a user. <P>SOLUTION: The controller 1 transmits existence confirmation mail through a mail server 4 to a maintenance server 5 at a fixed transmission interval Ta. The maintenance server 5 detects the reception interval Tb of receiving the existence confirmation mail from the controller 1, and when the reception interval Tb of the existence confirmation mail exceeds the monitoring time Tc for which the fixed delay time is added to the transmission interval Ta, determines that it is system abnormality. When determining that it is the system abnormality, the maintenance server 5 transmits reporting mail reporting the system abnormality to the mail address of a terminal unit 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a device management system capable of controlling and monitoring a target device connected to a controller by an electronic mail transmitted from a terminal device to the controller.

  Conventionally, as a device management system of this type, as shown in FIG. 11, a controller in which a target device in the house is connected to a network (Internet) connected to a mail server and a terminal device such as a personal computer or a mobile phone terminal. What is connected to is known. In this device management system, a user transmits an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as an instruction mail) describing an instruction related to control or monitoring of a target device from a terminal device outside the home to a home controller via a mail server. Thus, the controller controls and monitors the target device in the house according to the contents of the instruction mail, and returns an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as a response mail) indicating the control result and the monitoring result to the terminal device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .

  In the device management system, when a sensor that detects the occurrence of an event (for example, a fire) is used as the target device, the controller may notify the terminal device of the event detected by the sensor by e-mail. Is possible.

By the way, in this type of device management system, when the device management system becomes unable to operate normally due to a failure of the controller, it is detected by the sensor as well as controlling and monitoring the target device from the terminal device. Since it becomes impossible to notify the terminal device of the event, the user needs to appropriately monitor whether or not the controller is operating normally. Generally, when a user sends an instruction mail from the terminal device to the controller, the user confirms whether the controller is operating based on whether a response mail for the instruction mail is received by the terminal device. To do. That is, when a response mail is returned to the terminal device, it is determined that the device management system is operating normally.
JP 2006-108927 A

  However, as described above, in the method of monitoring the operation state of the controller based on whether or not a response mail is received by the terminal device, each time the user confirms whether or not the controller is operating, an instruction mail is sent from the terminal device to the user. It is inconvenient because an operation to send is required. Moreover, since it is only possible to check the operating state of the controller when the instruction mail is transmitted from the terminal device, it is necessary to frequently transmit the instruction mail in order to frequently check the operating state of the controller. The burden increases.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a device management system capable of monitoring the operation state of a controller without depending on a user operation.

  The invention of claim 1 includes a controller to which the target device is connected, a mail server connected to a network to which the controller is connected, and a terminal device capable of sending and receiving electronic mail between the controller via the mail server. The controller receives an instruction mail for instructing control or monitoring of the target device from the terminal device, and controls or monitors the target device according to the content of the instruction mail, and the network includes: A maintenance server capable of sending and receiving e-mails to and from the controller via the mail server is connected, and the controller has a life confirmation means for periodically sending a life confirmation mail to the maintenance server. If a survival confirmation email is not received for a specified time, it is determined that the system is abnormal. A system abnormality determination unit that, and having an abnormality informing means for transmitting a notification mail for notifying the system abnormality to the terminal device when it is determined that the system abnormality.

  According to this configuration, the controller periodically transmits a survival confirmation email to the maintenance server by the survival confirmation unit, and the maintenance server sends the terminal by the abnormality notification unit if the survival confirmation email is not received for a predetermined time or more. Since a notification mail for notifying a system abnormality is automatically transmitted to the device, if the device management system cannot be normally operated due to a failure of the controller or the like, the notification mail is transmitted to the terminal device, so that the user It is possible to notify the system abnormality. That is, there is an advantage that the operation state of the controller can be monitored without the user performing an operation of transmitting an instruction mail from the terminal device as in the past.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the controller receives a log request mail from the log storage unit that stores a maintenance log indicating a history of communication with the mail server, and the terminal device. And log notification means for transmitting a log notification mail including a maintenance log to the terminal device.

  According to this configuration, the maintenance log indicating the history of communication between the controller and the mail server is transmitted to the terminal device in response to the log request mail from the terminal device to the controller. The communication state between the controller and the mail server can be confirmed at an arbitrary timing.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the controller includes a log storage unit that stores a maintenance log indicating a history of communication with the mail server, and the maintenance server includes a controller and a mail. Log acquisition means for acquiring the maintenance log from the controller when communication with the server is restored, and when the maintenance log is acquired, the time when the controller last accessed the mail server is extracted and extracted based on the maintenance log And a status notification means for transmitting a status notification mail indicating the received time to the terminal device.

  According to this configuration, when the communication between the controller and the mail server is restored, the terminal device is notified of the time at which the controller last accessed the mail server. When the communication with the controller is restored, it can be confirmed that the communication with the controller has been restored and the period during which the communication with the controller has been disabled.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the controller according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the controller detects a communication abnormality between the mail server and a communication abnormality when detecting a communication abnormality. Communication abnormality notifying means for notifying the communication, and a recovery operation unit operated to stop notification of the communication abnormality notifying means, and once communication abnormality is detected, communication with the mail server is recovered. In addition, the notification by the communication abnormality notification means is continued until the operation unit for recovery is operated.

  According to this configuration, once a communication abnormality between the controller and the mail server is detected, the notification by the communication abnormality notification means continues until the recovery operation unit is operated. It is possible to reliably notify the user that a communication abnormality has occurred. That is, for example, even if a communication error has occurred between the controller and the mail server, but the communication has already been recovered at the time of sending the survival confirmation mail, the maintenance server cannot determine that there is a system error. It is possible to notify the user that a communication abnormality has occurred.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the controller causes the log notification unit to transmit the log notification mail to the maintenance server when the remaining memory capacity of the log storage unit becomes a predetermined value or less. And a log erasing unit for erasing the maintenance log in the log storage unit after transmission of the log notification mail. When the maintenance server receives the log request mail from the terminal device, the log transmits the log notification mail to the terminal device. It has a transfer means.

  According to this configuration, the maintenance log is transferred from the controller to the maintenance server when the remaining memory capacity of the log storage unit becomes a predetermined value or less, and then sent to the terminal device in response to a log request mail from the terminal device to the maintenance server. Therefore, even if the memory capacity of the log storage unit is relatively small, there is an advantage that the maintenance log can be reliably transmitted to the terminal device.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the controller sends an instruction mail only when a password included in the instruction mail matches a preset control password. The target device is controlled or monitored according to the contents of the password, and a password notification mail indicating the control password is sent to the terminal device in response to an operation of the notification operation unit provided on at least one of the device and the target device. It has the password notification means to transmit to.

  According to this configuration, since the control password is notified to the terminal device in accordance with the operation of the notification operation unit provided on at least one of the controller and the target device, even if the user forgets the control password Thus, the user can be notified of the control password, and for example, work such as initialization of the controller and setting of a new control password becomes unnecessary.

  The present invention has an advantage that the operation state of the controller can be monitored without being operated by the user.

(Embodiment 1)
As shown in FIG. 2, the device management system A of the present embodiment includes a controller 1 to which a plurality of target devices 2 are connected, a terminal device (here, a personal computer) 3 including a personal computer, a mobile phone terminal, and the like, A mail server 4 and a maintenance server 5 that transmit and receive electronic mail to and from the controller 1 and the terminal device 3 are connected to a network (Internet) 6.

  Here, as the target device 2, in addition to electric devices installed in houses such as lighting equipment and air conditioning equipment, for example, sensors for detecting the occurrence of events such as suspicious intruders and fires, security cameras, intercoms, and electric devices Various devices such as locks are applied. These target devices 2 are connected to the controller 1 via a home network such as a LAN, and when receiving a control signal (to be described later) from the controller 1 via the home network, control of its own operation according to the control signal. And is configured to be monitored for operating conditions.

  The controller 1 is installed in the house, and electronically transmitted from the terminal device 3 outside the house to the mail server 4 via the network 6 by periodically accessing the mail server 4 via the network 6. Receive email. Here, the user transmits an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as an instruction mail) describing an instruction request related to control or monitoring of the target device 2 from the terminal device 3 outside the home to the controller 1 via the mail server. To do. Thus, when accessing the mail server 4, the controller 1 checks whether or not there is an instruction mail in the mail server 4, and receives the instruction mail if there is an instruction mail addressed to itself.

  The controller 1 that has received the instruction mail transmits a control signal to the target device 2 connected to the controller 1 according to the content of the instruction mail, and controls and monitors the target device 2 by the control signal. Further, the controller 1 returns an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as a response mail) indicating the control result or monitoring result of the target device 2 to the terminal device 3 via the mail server 4. When the occurrence of an event is detected in the target device 2 such as a sensor, the controller 1 to which the target device 2 is connected receives the signal from the target device 2 and an e-mail indicating the occurrence of the event Is transmitted to the terminal device 3 to notify the terminal device 3 of the occurrence of the event. The controller 1 transmits and receives e-mails to and from the mail server 4 using standard mail protocols POP3 (Post Office Protocol Ver. 3) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol).

  By the way, in the above-described device management system A, when the system becomes unable to operate normally due to a failure of the controller 1, the target device 2 is controlled and monitored by an instruction mail from the terminal device 3. Since the occurrence of an event detected by the target device 2 such as a sensor cannot be notified to the terminal device 3, monitoring of whether the controller 1 is operating normally (so-called confirmation of the existence of the controller 1) is appropriately performed. There is a need to do. Therefore, the present embodiment employs the following configuration.

  That is, the controller 1 has a function as a survival confirmation unit that periodically transmits an electronic mail (hereinafter referred to as a survival confirmation mail) to indicate that it is operating normally. Here, the address of the maintenance server 5 connected to the network 6 is set in advance in the controller 1, and the controller 1 sends the survival confirmation mail to the maintenance server 5 as shown in FIG. Via a predetermined time interval (hereinafter referred to as a transmission interval Ta).

  The maintenance server 5 performs a process of receiving an e-mail transmitted from the controller 1 and functions as a system abnormality determination unit that detects a time interval (hereinafter referred to as a reception interval Tb) at which a survival confirmation mail from the controller 1 is received. Have. Therefore, in the maintenance server 5, when the reception interval Tb of the survival confirmation mail exceeds the time (hereinafter referred to as the monitoring time Tc) obtained by adding a certain delay time to the transmission interval Ta, the device management system A operates normally. Judge that it is not. That is, if the maintenance server 5 cannot receive the survival confirmation mail from the controller 1 over the monitoring time Tc, it determines that the system is abnormal. Note that the length of the delay time is set in consideration of a time lag that may occur when the electronic mail is transmitted / received between the controller 1 and the maintenance server 5.

  Furthermore, the maintenance server 5 has an address storage unit (not shown) for storing the mail address of the terminal device 3, and the mail of the terminal device 3 registered in the address storage unit when it is determined that the system is abnormal. It has a function as an abnormality notification means for transmitting an e-mail (hereinafter referred to as a notification mail) for notifying a system abnormality to an address. With this configuration, when the survival confirmation mail is not periodically transmitted from the controller 1 to the maintenance server 5, a notification mail is sent from the maintenance server 5 to the terminal device 3 outside the house as a system abnormality has occurred as shown in FIG. Sent. Note that a plurality of terminal devices 3 may be set as notification mail transmission destinations. In this case, the mail addresses of the plurality of terminal devices 3 are registered in the address storage unit.

  According to the device management system A having the above-described configuration, when the system cannot operate normally due to a failure of the controller 1 or a communication failure between the controller 1 and the maintenance server 5, a system abnormality is detected with respect to the terminal device 3 outside the house. Since the notification mail for notification is automatically transmitted, it is possible to notify the user outside the home of the system abnormality. Therefore, the user can confirm the existence of the controller 1 without any special operation, and compared with the case where the user confirms the existence of the controller 1 by sending an instruction mail to the controller 1 as in the conventional configuration. Thus, the burden on the user can be reduced.

  Here, since the survival confirmation of the controller 1 is performed every time a survival confirmation mail is transmitted from the controller 1 to the maintenance server 5, the survival of the controller 1 is reduced by shortening the transmission interval Ta of the survival confirmation mail. The frequency of confirmation can be increased, thereby enabling the user to be notified immediately of the occurrence of a system abnormality. Therefore, the user can immediately take measures such as restoration of the controller 1 when a system abnormality occurs. The survival confirmation mail transmission interval Ta can be arbitrarily set by accessing a Web server function installed in the controller 1 by the Web browser function of the terminal device 3, for example.

  In the illustrated example, only one controller 1 is connected to the maintenance server 5, but actually, a plurality of controllers 1 can be connected to the maintenance server 5 via the network 6. When a plurality of controllers 1 are connected, the maintenance server 5 is configured to extract a survival confirmation email for each transmission source email address and detect the reception interval Tb for a survival confirmation email with the same transmission source email address. The Then, in the address storage unit, the mail address of the controller 1 is associated with the mail address of the terminal device 3, and when the maintenance server 5 determines that the system is abnormal, the mail address of the transmission source of the survival confirmation mail related to the determination The notification mail is configured to be transmitted to the terminal device 3 associated with the address storage unit.

  By the way, in this embodiment, the controller 1 has a function as communication abnormality determination means for detecting a communication abnormality with the mail server 4. Further, the controller 1 has a function as a communication abnormality notification means for notifying the communication abnormality by light, for example, when the communication abnormality is detected, and a restoration (not shown) operated by the user so as to stop the notification of the communication abnormality. Switch (operation part for recovery). Here, once a communication abnormality is detected, the controller 1 operates the recovery switch even if communication between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 is restored and e-mail can be sent and received. Until it is done, it is configured to continue notification of communication abnormality.

  Specifically, when the controller 1 transmits an e-mail to the mail server 4, if the e-mail transmission is not completed normally (that is, if an e-mail transmission error occurs), the controller 1 is shown in FIG. As described above, the transmission of the electronic mail is retried for a predetermined number of retries (here, twice). Here, since there is a possibility that an e-mail transmission error may temporarily occur due to congestion of the network 6 or the mail server 4, the controller 1 excludes this type of temporary transmission error from the communication abnormality. For the purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, it is determined that a communication error occurs only when an e-mail transmission error is continuously generated one more time than the number of retries (here, three times).

  Thus, when a communication abnormality occurs between the controller 1 and the mail server 4, the controller 1 continues to notify the communication abnormality until the user operates the recovery switch provided in the controller 1. It is possible to reliably notify the user of the occurrence of communication abnormality. In short, although communication abnormality has occurred once, communication has already been recovered at the time of sending the survival confirmation mail, so the maintenance server 5 does not determine that the system is abnormal, and the controller 1 operates normally when the user returns home. Even in such a case, it is possible to reliably notify the user who has returned home of the fact that the communication abnormality has occurred in the past by continuously reporting the communication abnormality. The user who has confirmed the notification can end the notification by operating the recovery switch.

  In the present embodiment, when controlling the target device 2 with the instruction mail, the correct password (“abc123” in the illustrated example) is input in the body of the instruction mail as shown in FIG. 4 in order to improve security. It is an essential requirement to do. That is, the controller 1 is configured to control the target device 2 according to the content of the instruction mail only when a predetermined control password is set in advance and the password included in the instruction mail matches the control password. Has been. Thereby, it is possible to prevent a person other than a legitimate user from transmitting the instruction mail to the controller 1 and controlling the target device 2 illegally.

  However, in this configuration, even if the user is an authorized user, the target device 2 cannot be controlled by the instruction mail unless the correct password is described in the instruction mail. Therefore, the user forgets the correct password (control password). In the present embodiment, a configuration that can notify the user of the control password is adopted in order to cope with the case of the case. Specifically, the controller 1 includes a notification switch (notification operation unit) (not shown), and an e-mail for notifying a control password in accordance with the operation of the notification switch (hereinafter referred to as a password notification mail). And a function as password notifying means for transmitting to the mail address of the terminal device 3. The notification switch is not limited to that provided in the main body of the controller 1 but may be provided in the target device 2 connected to the controller 1.

  According to the above configuration, even if the user forgets the control password, the user can know the control password from the password notification mail transmitted to the terminal device 3 by operating the notification switch of the controller 1. Can do. Therefore, for example, the device management system A can be restored without taking a major measure such as initializing the controller 1 and newly setting a control password.

  Here, the controller 1 according to the present embodiment determines whether or not to transmit a password notification mail in consideration of a combination of operation states of each target device 2 when the notification switch is operated. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, combinations of operation states of the target devices 2 are registered in the controller 1 in advance as a registration table, and the controller 1 indicates the operation states of the target devices 2 when the notification switch is operated. Only when it matches the contents of the registration table, a password notification email is sent. The registration table may be ON (ON), OFF (OFF), or ON / OFF for each of a plurality of target devices (device 1 to device 4 in FIG. 5) 2 connected to the controller 1 ( It is set by selecting one of the three types of operation states (Don't care). The registration table is arbitrarily set by accessing a web server function installed in the controller 1 by the web browser function of the terminal device 3, for example.

(Embodiment 2)
The device management system A according to the present embodiment is different from the device management system A according to the first embodiment in that a function that allows the terminal device 3 to check a maintenance log indicating a communication history between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 is provided. . Here, the maintenance log means a mail server access log or network communication connection information in the controller 1, and here, as shown in FIG. 6, a history of communications performed by the controller 1 with the mail server 4 ( The protocol and communication content) are paired with the time information of the communication to form a maintenance log.

  The controller 1 includes a log storage unit (not shown) for storing the above-described maintenance log, and further receives an email requesting a maintenance log from the terminal device 3 (hereinafter referred to as a log request email), A function as log notifying means for notifying the terminal device 3 of the maintenance log in the log storage unit is provided. Here, when the controller 1 receives the log request mail as shown in FIG. 7, an e-mail including a maintenance log for the mail address of the terminal device 3 that is the transmission source of the log request mail (hereinafter referred to as a log notification mail). Notify the maintenance log by replying.

  According to this configuration, the user can acquire a maintenance log related to communication between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 by transmitting a log request mail from the terminal device 3 to the controller 1. It is possible to confirm the communication status between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 at this timing. Although an example in which the log request mail is transmitted from the terminal device 3 to the controller 1 is shown here, the log request mail may be transmitted from the maintenance server 5 to the controller 1. In this case, the log notification mail is returned to the maintenance server 5 that is the transmission source of the log request mail.

  By the way, if the remaining amount of memory in the log storage unit decreases, there is a possibility that a new maintenance log cannot be stored in the log storage unit. In this embodiment, the remaining amount of memory in the log storage unit is adopted by adopting the following configuration. Can be secured.

  That is, the controller 1 monitors the remaining amount of memory in the log storage unit, and when the remaining amount of memory falls below a predetermined value, transmits a log notification mail to the maintenance server 5 and maintains the log storage unit after transmitting the log notification mail. A function for erasing logs (log erasing means) is provided. As a result, when the remaining amount of memory in the log storage unit decreases, the maintenance log in the log storage unit is automatically transferred to the maintenance server 5 having a relatively large memory capacity, and the maintenance log in the log storage unit is deleted and the remaining memory amount in the log storage unit is deleted. Can be increased.

  Further, the maintenance server 5 has a function as log transfer means for transmitting the log notification mail received from the controller 1 to the terminal device 3 when receiving the log request mail from the terminal device 3. Therefore, the terminal device 3 can acquire a maintenance log from at least one of the log storage unit of the controller 1 and the maintenance server 5 by transmitting a log request mail to both the controller 1 and the maintenance server 5. it can. In addition, in this structure, the terminal device 3 can acquire collectively the maintenance log exceeding the memory capacity of a log memory | storage part, and there also exists an advantage that the frequency of communication concerning acquisition of a maintenance log can be suppressed to the minimum. .

  Hereinafter, the operation of the controller 1 constituting the device management system A of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  For example, when the controller 1 communicates with the mail server 4 for the purpose of obtaining an instruction mail (S1), the controller 1 creates a maintenance log relating to this communication and stores it in the log storage unit (S2). Next, the controller 1 checks the remaining memory capacity of the log storage unit (S3). Here, if the remaining memory capacity is equal to or less than the predetermined value, a log notification mail is transmitted to the maintenance server 5 (S4), and thereafter the maintenance log in the log storage unit is erased (cleared) (S5). On the other hand, if the remaining memory capacity exceeds the predetermined value, the process of steps S4 and S5 is skipped and the process proceeds to the next process (S1 in this case).

  Other configurations and functions are the same as those of the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 3)
The device management system A according to the present embodiment is provided with a function that allows the terminal device 3 to confirm the last access time of the controller 1 with respect to the mail server 4 when the communication between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 is restored. 2 is different from the device management system A in FIG.

  When communication with the mail server 4 becomes impossible once due to a failure or the like, the controller 1 recovers as shown in FIG. 9 (when transitioning from “stopped” to “operating” in the figure). An electronic mail indicating the restoration of the communication (hereinafter referred to as an activation notification mail) is transmitted to the maintenance server 5 via the mail server 4. In the present embodiment, it is determined that the communication between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 has been recovered by restarting the controller 1 or connecting the controller 1 to the network 6. That is, the controller 1 transmits a start notification mail to the maintenance server 5 when the start process of the controller 1 is completed or when the connection to the network 6 is completed by monitoring the connection state to the network 6.

  Upon receiving the activation notification mail, the maintenance server 5 transmits a log request mail for requesting a maintenance log to the controller 1 and receives a reply to the log notification mail including the maintenance log from the controller 1 as shown in FIG. Has a function of acquiring a maintenance log (log acquisition means). Further, when the maintenance server 5 acquires the maintenance log, the maintenance server 5 analyzes the acquired maintenance log, extracts the time when the controller 1 last accessed the mail server 4, and an e-mail indicating the extracted time (hereinafter, status notification mail) Is provided as a status notification means for transmitting to the mail address of the terminal device 3.

  According to the configuration described above, when the cause of the system abnormality (failure of the controller 1 or the like) is resolved and communication between the controller 1 and the mail server 4 is restored, the last access time of the controller 1 with respect to the mail server 4 is the terminal device 3. Will be automatically notified.

  The status notification mail is transmitted to the terminal device 3 in the form as shown in FIG. 10, for example, so that the terminal device 3 that has received the status notification mail has “the system is in an operating state” in the text of the status notification mail. From this part, it can be confirmed that the communication with the controller 1 is restored and the system is in an operating state. Further, from the part of the body of the status notification mail, “The system has been in a suspended state from 15:00 on August 1st to the present.”, The period during which communication with the controller 1 has been disabled (hereinafter referred to as the system suspended period) Can be confirmed. That is, during the system stop period, communication between the controller 1 and the terminal device 3 is not possible, so that the occurrence of an event detected by the target device (sensor) 2 may not be notified to the terminal device 3. Can be suggested to the user.

  Other configurations and functions are the same as those of the second embodiment.

It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation example of Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic system block diagram same as the above. It is a sequence diagram which shows the other operation example same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the instruction mail used for the same as the above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the registration table used above. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the maintenance log used in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation example same as the above. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the controller used above. It is a sequence diagram which shows the operation example of Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the status notification mail used above. It is a schematic system block diagram of a prior art example.

Explanation of symbols

1 Controller 2 Target Device 3 Terminal Device 4 Mail Server 5 Maintenance Server 6 Network A Device Management System

Claims (6)

  A controller to which the target device is connected, a mail server connected to a network to which the controller is connected, and a terminal device capable of sending and receiving e-mail to and from the controller via the mail server. A device management system that receives an instruction mail for instructing control or monitoring of a device from a terminal device and controls or monitors a target device in accordance with the content of the instruction mail. The network includes a controller via a mail server. A maintenance server that can send and receive e-mails is connected, and the controller has a survival confirmation means that periodically sends a survival confirmation mail to the maintenance server. If it is not received over a period of time, it is determined that the system is abnormal. Device management system, characterized in that it comprises means, and abnormality notification unit for transmitting a notification mail for notifying the system abnormality to the terminal device when it is determined that the system abnormality.   The controller, when receiving a log request mail from the terminal device, a log storage unit for storing a maintenance log indicating a history of communication with the mail server, and sending a log notification mail including the maintenance log to the terminal device The device management system according to claim 1, further comprising: a log notification unit configured to perform log notification.   The controller includes a log storage unit that stores a maintenance log indicating a history of communication with the mail server, and the maintenance server performs maintenance from the controller when communication between the controller and the mail server is restored. Log acquisition means for acquiring the log, and when the maintenance log is acquired, the controller extracts the last access time to the mail server based on the maintenance log, and sends a status notification mail indicating the extracted time to the terminal device 2. The device management system according to claim 1, further comprising state notification means for performing the operation.   The controller operates to stop communication abnormality determining means for detecting communication abnormality with the mail server, communication abnormality notifying means for notifying communication abnormality when detecting a communication abnormality, and communication abnormality notifying means being stopped. Once the communication abnormality is detected, the communication abnormality notification means continues the notification until the recovery operation part is operated even if communication with the mail server is recovered. The device management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein:   The controller causes the log notification unit to transmit the log notification mail to the maintenance server when the remaining memory capacity of the log storage unit becomes a predetermined value or less, and after the log notification mail is transmitted, the maintenance log in the log storage unit 3. The log erasing unit for erasing the log, and the maintenance server includes a log transfer unit for transmitting a log notification mail to the terminal device when receiving the log request mail from the terminal device. Equipment management system.   The controller controls or monitors the target device according to the content of the instruction mail only when the password included in the instruction mail matches a preset control password, and the controller and the target device 6. A password notification means for transmitting a password notification mail indicating a control password to a terminal device in response to an operation of a notification operation unit provided in at least one of The device management system according to any one of the above.

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