JP2012182541A - Network-enabled intercom system for collective housing - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an intercom system for collective housing in which a function of transferring the image of a coming-home person captured by a lobby intercom to a server device on a wide-area network, and making the image browsed by providing information of a visitor from a center device to the cellular phone of a person in a dwelling unit is achieved at a low cost.SOLUTION: The intercom system for collective housing comprises an image generation unit 12f which generates the image file of a coming-home person from a video captured by operating a camera 12e when authentication of the coming-home person is successful, and an image transmission unit 11i which outputs the image file of the coming-home person while adding dwelling unit identification information to an intercom line 17 and transmits the image file to a mail transmission server device 21 on a wide-area network 20.

Description

  The present invention relates to an improvement of a network-compatible intercom system having a function of connecting a dwelling unit intercom installed in each room of a residence building to a server device on a wide area network such as the Internet.

  As a conventional technique related to an intercom system, Patent Document 1 discloses that an image captured by a door phone camera and a call voice collected by a microphone are transferred to a center device on a wide area network by a recording / transfer controller connected to a dwelling unit intercom. And the structure which notifies a visitor from the center apparatus to a mobile telephone etc. and browses those images and call voice is disclosed.

JP 2007-235604 A

  However, Patent Document 1 relates to an intercom system for a detached house, and does not describe an intercom system for an apartment house such as a condominium. Therefore, if this technology is applied as it is to an intercom system for an apartment house, there is a problem that the cost increases because it is necessary to provide a recording transfer controller in each room.

  Therefore, the present invention has a function of transferring an image file of a returnee photographed by a lobby intercom to a server device on a wide area network, notifying a visitor from the center device to a mobile phone of a resident, and browsing the image. The purpose is to provide an intercom system for collective housing realized at low cost.

  The present invention relates to a network-compatible apartment house having a function of connecting a dwelling unit intercom and a lobby intercom with a camera through an intercom line and connecting the dwelling unit intercom to a server device on a wide area network through the intercom line. In the intercom system, when the returnee authentication is successful, the returnee image generation unit that generates the returnee image file from the video captured by operating the camera of the lobby intercom, and the generated returnee image file A returnee image transmission unit that adds identification information, outputs it to an interphone line, and transmits it to a mail transmission server device on a wide area network.

  The returnee image generation unit may be provided in a lobby intercom, and the returnee image transmission unit may be provided in a dwelling unit intercom. Further, both the returnee image generator and the returnee image transmitter may be provided in a dwelling unit intercom. Alternatively, both the returnee image generator and the returnee image transmitter may be provided in a lobby intercom.

The dwelling unit intercom further includes a mode operation unit for setting a home or absence mode,
When the image file of the returnee is received from the lobby intercom, the home or absence mode is determined, and if it is in the absence mode, the returnee image file is output to the interphone line and transmitted to the mail transmission server on the wide area network. Let

  In the mail server device, the mail address of the communication terminal is registered in advance corresponding to the dwelling unit identification information, and when the image file of the returnee is received from the intercom system for collective housing, the added dwelling unit identification information is determined. A notification mail for referring to the image of the returnee may be automatically transmitted to the mail address of the corresponding communication terminal.

  According to the present invention, the intercom system for apartment houses is configured to connect to a wide area network through an interphone line when transferring a visitor image of a dwelling unit to the outside. Therefore, it is not necessary to install a recording transfer controller as described in Patent Document 1 for each room and connect each to a wide area network, thereby reducing costs. In addition, since the provider contract is also completed for the entire residence, communication costs can be reduced.

It is a block diagram of the intercom system by this invention. It is a front schematic diagram of a dwelling unit intercom. It is a front schematic diagram of a lobby intercom. It is a figure for demonstrating the signal transmission in an intercom line. It is a table | surface for demonstrating correlation with the dwelling unit identification information in a mail transmission server apparatus, and a mail address. It is an example of a homecoming notification mail. It is a flowchart for demonstrating basic operation | movement.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the intercom system 1 of the present invention connects a dwelling unit intercom 11 having a door phone 11 a having a camera 11 k and a lobby intercom 12 through an interphone line 17. The interphone line 17 has a basic configuration including a gateway device 15 for connecting the dwelling unit intercom 11 to various server devices on the wide area network 20. The wide area network 20 is assumed to be the Internet as an example.

  In addition, the intercom system 1 includes a control device 14 that controls calling of the dwelling unit intercom 11 and the lobby intercom 12, a telephone call, a management room unit (alarm monitoring panel) 13, an authentication device 16 that authenticates the resident who has returned home, and the like. Yes.

  The camera 11k provided in the door phone 11a is not particularly limited. For example, a color or monochrome video signal having a resolution of about 320 × 240 pixels may be output as an analog or digital signal.

  Here, the dwelling unit intercom 11 is configured as a housing information board, and a security sensor (not shown) or the like is connected in addition to the door phone 11a. As basic components, as shown in FIG. 2, a monitor screen 11b composed of a touch panel, a message lamp 11c, a call key 11d, a speaker 11e forming a call unit, a microphone 11f, and the like are provided.

  Further, as a constituent element according to the present invention, a mode operation unit 11g for setting an absence mode or a home mode and an image transmission unit 11i for transmitting a returnee image file to the mail transmission server device 21 are provided.

  The absence mode set by the mode operation unit 11g is a mode for monitoring alarms such as illegal intrusion while going out, and security sensors such as doors and windows are activated. On the other hand, the occupancy mode is a mode in which the alarm monitoring is canceled. In the present invention, as will be described later, an operation is performed so that a returnee image captured by the camera 12e of the lobby intercom 12 can be viewed on a mobile phone or the like. This operation is basically sufficient only in the absence mode. is there.

  The image transmission unit 11i adds dwelling unit identification information to the returnee image file received from the lobby interphone 12, outputs it to the interphone line 17, and causes the gateway device 15 to transmit it to the mail transmission server device 21 on the wide area network 20.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the lobby intercom 12 includes a display window 12a for displaying a room number, an operation unit 12b for designating and calling a room number, a speaker 12c, a microphone 12d constituting a calling unit, and a visitor. The camera 12e etc. which image | photographs are provided. The lobby interphone 12 may be provided with an authentication operation unit 16a connected to the authentication device 16 as an integral body or as a separate body. In this case, if the authentication by the authentication device 16 is successful, the electric lock (not shown) of the lobby door is automatically unlocked. Although the number of lobby interphones 12 is one in the figure, it is desirable to provide a plurality of lobby interphones 12 according to the number of units.

  Moreover, the lobby intercom 12 includes an image generation unit 12f that generates a returnee image file from video captured by operating the camera 12e as a component according to the present invention. The camera 12e may be the same as the camera 11k provided in the door phone 11a. When the authentication device 16 succeeds in authenticating the returnee, the image generation unit 12f generates a return home image file from the video imaged by operating the camera 12e. Specifically, the returnee image file is generated by extracting a predetermined number of frames from the video signal output by the camera 12e and compressing it into a still image file such as JPEG. There is no restriction on the number of files to be generated.

  Note that the image generation unit 12 f may be provided in the dwelling unit intercom 11 instead of the lobby intercom 12. In this case, the lobby interphone 12 transmits a video signal photographed by operating the camera 12e to the dwell unit interphone 11 in the same manner as when dealing with a visitor, and the image generation unit 11i of the dwell unit interphone 11 is transmitted from the lobby interphone 12. A returnee image is generated from the received video signal. As another configuration, the image generation unit 12 f and the image transmission unit 11 i may both be provided in the lobby intercom 12. In this case, the image transmission unit 11 i provided in the lobby intercom 12 inquires the dwelling unit intercom 11 about dwelling unit identification information. In short, the location of the image generation unit 12f and the image transmission unit 11i is not particularly limited as long as the image generation unit 12f and the image transmission unit 11i are provided in the intercom system 1, and may be provided in the control device 14 as a configuration other than the above.

  The manager room 13 is a device that can make a call with the selected intercom 11 or lobby intercom 12 and accepts an abnormality occurrence signal transmitted from the intercom 11 and performs a predetermined response process. As basic constituent elements, a monitor screen, a handset that constitutes a calling unit, an alarm lamp that constitutes an abnormality notification means, a speaker (none of which are shown), and the like are provided.

  The control device 14 is a device for controlling signal transmission between the dwelling unit intercom 11 and the lobby intercom 12 or the manager room device 13, and the dwelling unit intercom 11, the lobby interphone 12, and the manager room unit 13 are connected to this device. Has been. A gateway device 15 is also connected to the control device 14.

  The gateway device 15 is a device shared by all the dwelling intercoms 11 and relays communication between each dwelling unit intercom 11 and a communication device on the wide area network 20 such as the mail transmission server device 21. As a function for this relay, protocol conversion, address conversion, etc. between the intercom line 17 and the wide area network 20 can be performed.

  The authentication device 16 is a device that authenticates a resident by comparing authentication information read from an authentication medium such as a contactless card key and registered authentication information. When the authentication is successful, an authentication operation unit The door electric lock corresponding to 16a is unlocked. For example, in the case of the authentication operation unit 16a attached to the lobby intercom 12, the electric lock of the lobby door is unlocked, but in the case of the authentication operation unit 16a installed in the parking lot, a parking lot door (not shown) The electric lock is unlocked.

  The dwelling unit intercom 11 and the control device 14 are connected by a digital interphone line 17, in which signal transmission specifying a transmission destination and a transmission source address is performed. The physical layer of the protocol is arbitrary, but it is preferable that TCP / IP can be used in the logical layer for the present invention. In this case, each dwelling unit intercom 11 is assigned a unique global IP address or local IP address. The signal transmission between the control device 14 and the lobby intercom 12 or the manager room 13 is the same. The intercom line 17 may be a general twisted pair cable, but may be a dedicated cable. The interphone line 17 has a communication band that allows at least all of the installed lobby interphones 12 to transmit video and audio to and from the communication unit dwelling unit interphone 11 without hindrance.

  In the mail transmission server device 21, the mail address of the communication terminal 22 is registered in advance in association with the dwelling unit identification information. Then, when the returnee image file is received from the gateway device 15, the attached dwelling unit identification information is discriminated and a notification mail for referring to the returnee image file is automatically generated, and the corresponding communication terminal 22 Send to e-mail address.

  The communication terminal 22 is a mobile phone, a personal computer, or the like, and is connected to the wide area network 20 wirelessly or by wire, and receives a notification mail transmitted by the mail transmission server device 21 via a mail server (not shown).

  Next, the basic operation of the intercom system 1 will be described.

  The basic functions and operations of calling and communication control in the intercom system 1 are the same as those of the conventional system. That is, when a call operation is performed with the dwelling unit number designated by the lobby intercom 12, the control unit 14 calls the dwelling unit intercom 11 of the designated dwelling unit. The called intercom 11 makes a call notification with a chime sound. When the call key 11d is operated on the dwelling unit intercom 11, the control device 14 configures an exclusive call channel between the dwelling unit intercom 11 and the lobby interphone 12, and allows the call between the visitor and the dweller. To do. Thereafter, when the call key 11d is operated again, or when a predetermined time has elapsed, the call channel is released. If there are a plurality of lobby intercoms 12, each call channel is controlled exclusively.

  Furthermore, since the video taken by the camera 12e of the lobby intercom 12 is displayed on the dwelling interphone after the calling operation is performed on the lobby intercom 12 until the call channel is released, an exclusive video channel is configured. If it does in this way, it can respond, monitoring the visitor's picture with dwelling intercom 11.

  In addition, the intercom system 1 functions as an alarm monitoring system for an apartment house, and the operation is the same as that of the conventional one. In other words, when the security sensor detects an abnormality, the dwelling unit intercom 11 displays an alarm screen on the monitor screen 11b and outputs an alarm message from the speaker 11e. Moreover, the dwelling unit intercom 11 notifies the manager room device 13 of the occurrence of an abnormality. When the manager room 13 receives the notification, it outputs an alarm. Thereafter, an evacuation message or the like can be output from the dwelling unit intercom 11 that has notified the occurrence of an abnormality or the neighboring dwelling unit intercom 11 according to the operation of the manager. In addition, the occurrence of abnormalities can be transferred to disaster prevention centers.

  In addition, as a characteristic configuration of the present invention, the image of the returnee photographed by the lobby interphone 12 is transferred to the mail transmission server device 21 through the dwelling interphone 11, the interphone line 17, and the gateway device 15, and is sent to the mobile phone or the like by a notification mail. Notification is made so that the visitor image can be browsed. In this way, since the gateway device 15 is used by the dwelling unit intercom 11 in all the rooms of the residence building, it is not necessary to provide an adapter or the like connected to the wide area network 20 for each room, and the cost can be reduced.

  Specifically, when a resident performs an authentication operation with the authentication operation unit 16a attached to the lobby intercom 12, the authentication device 16 authenticates the resident and unlocks the electric lock of the lobby door, and authenticates. Transmit information to the controller. Upon receiving this authentication information, the control device transmits a predetermined control signal to the lobby intercom 12. In response to the control signal, the lobby interphone 12 operates the camera 12e, generates a returnee image file from the video signal, and transmits it to the dwelling interphone 11 through the interphone line 17.

  When the dwelling unit interphone 11 receives the returnee image file, it adds the dwell unit identification information to the file, outputs it to the interphone line 17, and temporarily stores it in the gateway device 15. When the dwelling unit intercom 11 receives the returnee image file from the lobby intercom 12, it determines the home or absence mode, and if it is in the absence mode, transmits the returnee image file to the mail transmission server device 21 by the gateway device 15. Let In this way, useless notification mail is not transmitted to the communication terminal 22.

  The configuration for determining whether or not to send a returnee image file in the home or absence mode is possible by transmitting the returnee image file from the lobby interphone 12 to the gateway device 15 via the dwelling interphone 11. .

  The dwell unit identification information added to the returnee image file may be a unique dwell unit number, but may be a global IP address or a local IP address. Further, the number of the authentication medium possessed by the resident may be further added to the returnee image file.

  The gateway device 15 receives all the fragmented pieces of the returnee image file from the interphone line 17, assembles them into one file, temporarily stores them, and then transmits the files to the mail transmission server device 21 on the wide area network 20. To do. At this time, if necessary, IP address conversion is also performed. If the wide area network 20 is the Internet, the gateway device 15 establishes a connection with the mail transmission server device 21 according to TCP / IP, and then divides the returnee image file into a plurality of packets into the packets. To the wide area network 20.

  The outline of communication in the wide area network 20 is as follows. That is, the network is an aggregate of a plurality of providers (LANs). In the provider, gateway information is set for each host, and route information is set for a router (gateway) that is a gateway. Therefore, a packet sent from the source host of any provider is forwarded to another adjacent provider through the router specified by the gateway information, and the router of the provider that received the forwarding is set there. According to the route information, the packet transfer between the providers is repeated such that the packet is transferred to another provider. In this way, a packet transmitted from the transmission source host finally reaches a transmission destination host belonging to a specific provider via a plurality of providers. A packet for establishing a connection between the gateway device 15 and the mail transmission server device 21 and a packet obtained by dividing the returnee image file are also transmitted by this mechanism.

  The mail transmission server device 21 stores the dwelling unit number and the mail address of the communication terminal 22 in association with each other in the table format as shown in FIG. When the returnee image file is received, the file is saved, and the e-mail address corresponding to the added dwelling unit identification information is specified, and a notification e-mail in a predetermined format with the specified e-mail address added is automatically generated. To the wide area network 20. This notification mail also arrives and is stored in the mail transmission server device 21 that stores mail addressed to the mail address by the above-described mechanism, and is then downloaded by the communication terminal 22 having the mail address.

  The notification mail may include the returnee image file as an attached file, or may include a link for referring to the returnee image file.

  In the above description, when transmitting the returnee image file, the lobby interphone 12 and the dwelling unit interphone 11 may subdivide the files and distribute them in time to output them to the interphone line 17. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, a video and a stream of call signals are transmitted to the intercom line 17 for call processing between the dwelling interphone 11 and the lobby interphone 12. Therefore, in order to prevent the transmission from being interrupted, it is preferable to transmit the returnee image file by transmitting each segment obtained by subdividing the file at predetermined time intervals to reduce the communication band. In this way, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon such as voice or video being interrupted during call processing.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of a notification mail for notifying a visitor, which includes date / time information and three visitor images under the title of visitor notification. In addition, a key number is included as the number of the authentication medium authenticated by the authentication device 15.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the basic operation of the intercom system 1. At time T1, the absence mode operation is performed with the dwelling unit intercom 11.

  At time T2, the authentication device 16 authenticates the resident by the authentication operation at the authentication operation unit 16a attached to the lobby intercom 12, the electric lock of the lobby door is unlocked, and the authentication information is transmitted to the control device. Yes.

  At time T3, the lobby intercom 12 operates the camera 12e according to the control of the control device 14, generates a returnee image file from the video signal, and transmits the file to the dwelling intercom 11 together with the authentication information.

  At time T4, when the dwelling unit intercom 11 receives the returnee image file from the lobby intercom 12, it determines the absence mode, adds dwell unit identification information to the returnee image file, and transmits it to the control device 14 through the intercom line 17. ing. In addition, when the dwelling unit intercom 11 determines not the absence mode but the occupancy mode, the subsequent operation is not performed.

  At time T <b> 5, the control device 14 temporarily stores the returnee image file transmitted through the interphone line 17 and transmits it to the mail transmission server device 21 through the wide area network 20. At time T <b> 6, the mail transmission server device 21 stores the transmitted visitor image, determines the added dwelling unit identification information, and transmits a notification mail to the corresponding communication terminal 22.

  At time T7, the communication terminal 22 has received the notification mail, and operates the link included in the mail to request the returnee image file from the mail transmission server device 21, and at time T8, the reply is returned. A homecoming image file is displayed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Intercom system 11 Dwelling unit intercom 11g Mode operation part 11i Image transmission part 12 Lobby intercom 12e Camera 12f Image generation part 15 Gateway apparatus 16 Authentication apparatus 16a Authentication operation part 17 Interphone line 20 Wide area network 21 Mail transmission server apparatus 22 Communication terminal

Claims (6)

In a network-compatible collective housing intercom system having a function of connecting a dwelling unit intercom and a lobby intercom with a camera via an intercom line and connecting the dwelling unit intercom to a server device on a wide area network through the intercom line.
When the returnee authentication is successful, the returnee image generator for generating the returnee image file from the video taken by operating the camera of the lobby intercom,
An intercom system for a collective housing comprising a returnee image transmission unit that adds dwelling unit identification information to a generated image file of a returnee, outputs it to an interphone line, and transmits it to a mail transmission server device on a wide area network. In claim 1,
The returnee image generation unit is provided in a lobby intercom,
The returnee image transmitting unit is an intercom system for collective housing provided in a dwelling unit intercom. In claim 1,
The return home image generation unit and the return home image transmission unit are an intercom system for collective housing provided in a dwelling unit intercom. In claim 1,
The return home image generation unit and the return home image transmission unit are an intercom system for collective housing provided in a lobby intercom. In any one of Claims 1-4,
The dwelling unit intercom
It further has a mode operation unit to set home or absence mode,
The returnee image transmission unit determines whether the user is at home or in absence mode, and if it is in absence mode, outputs the image file of the returnee to an interphone line and transmits it to a mail transmission server on a wide area network. Intercom system. In any one of Claims 1-5,
In the mail server device, the mail address of the communication terminal is registered in advance corresponding to the dwelling unit identification information, and when the image file of the returnee is received from the intercom system for collective housing, the added dwelling unit identification information is determined. An intercom system for collective housing that automatically transmits a notification mail for referring to the image of the returnee to the mail address of the corresponding communication terminal.

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