JP2013005310A - Communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique with which communication reliability can be improved.SOLUTION: A communication system 1 comprises: a first communication device 10 (11) which transmits device information by wireless communication; one or more second communication devices 20 which transmit received information by cable communication and wireless communication; and an information collection device 5 which collects the device information by wireless communication. One second communication device 21 among the one or more second communication devices 20 is arranged in a position where wireless communication can be performed with the first communication device 11. The first communication device 11 transmits the device information to one of the second communication devices 21 by the wireless communication. The second communication device 21 transmits the device information transmitted from the first communication device 11 by cable communication and wireless communication, and any second communication device 20 among the one or more second communication devices 20 transmits the device information to the information collection device 5 by wireless communication.

Description

  The present invention relates to communication technology.

  Conventionally, wired or wireless communication methods have been adopted, and in recent years, power line communication using a power line has been put into practical use as one of wired communication. Patent Document 1 proposes a communication device that improves communication reliability by performing communication using both power line communication and wireless communication as wired communication.

JP 2010-28572 A

  However, according to the current radio law (as of June 2011), three-phase three-wire or three-phase four-wire power lines are restricted from performing power line communication without authorization. Alternatively, a communication device connected to a three-phase four-wire power line cannot perform power line communication, and a communication system having such a communication device has reduced communication reliability.

  In addition, such a decrease in communication reliability may occur in common in communication systems including communication devices that do not perform wired communication.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the reliability of communication in a communication system including a communication device that does not perform wired communication.

  A first aspect of a communication system according to the present invention includes a first communication device that transmits predetermined information by wireless communication, one or more second communication devices that transmit received information by wired communication and wireless communication, and at least An information collection device that collects the predetermined information by wireless communication, and at least one second communication device of the one or more second communication devices is disposed in a place where wireless communication with the first communication device is possible The first communication device transmits the predetermined information to the at least one second communication device by wireless communication, and the at least one second communication device transmits the predetermined information transmitted from the first communication device. Is transmitted by wired communication and wireless communication, and any one of the one or more second communication devices transmits the predetermined information to the information collecting device by wireless communication. To.

  Moreover, the 2nd aspect of the communication system which concerns on this invention is the said 1st aspect, Comprising: The said 1st communication apparatus is connected to the 1st electric power line of a three-phase three-wire system or a three-phase four-wire system, The first communication device does not perform power line communication via the first power line, and the second communication device is connected to a second power line of a single-phase two-wire type or a single-phase three-wire type, and the second communication The apparatus performs power line communication via the second power line as the wired communication.

  Moreover, the 3rd aspect of the communication system which concerns on this invention is the said 2nd aspect, Comprising: The said information collection device is connected to the said 2nd power line, performs power line communication via the said 2nd power line, The information collection device collects the predetermined information by the power line communication and the wireless communication, and any one of the one or more second communication devices transmits the predetermined information to the wireless communication or the power line communication. To the information collecting device.

  A fourth aspect of the communication system according to the present invention is the second aspect or the third aspect, wherein the first communication device performs power line communication via the first power line. A wireless communication unit that performs wireless communication, and a control unit that controls each communication operation performed by the power line communication unit and the wireless communication unit, and the control unit does not execute the communication operation performed by the power line communication unit. .

  Further, a fifth aspect of the communication system according to the present invention is any one of the second to fourth aspects, wherein the first communication device is an electrical device connected to the first power line. Device information is transmitted as the predetermined information.

  Moreover, the 6th aspect of the communication system which concerns on this invention is the said 5th aspect, Comprising: The information regarding the electric energy consumption of the said electric equipment is contained in the said apparatus information.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the reliability of communication.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the communication system which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the 1st structural example of a 1st communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows the 2nd structural example of a 1st communication apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of a communication path | route of the communication system which concerns on embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the element which attached | subjected the same code | symbol in different drawing shall show the same or corresponding element.

<Embodiment>
[Configuration overview]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication system 1 according to the embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the communication system 1 includes an information collection device 5, a first communication device 10, and a second communication device 20.

  The information collection device 5 has a function of collecting information (device information described later) transmitted from the first communication device 10 and the second communication device 20. The collected information (collected information) is stored in a storage unit in the information collecting apparatus 5 and the information is transmitted to an external server 80 via a personal computer 70 or a network NT as a management apparatus for managing the information. Is done. When the information collection device 5 has the display unit DP, display based on the collected information is performed on the display unit DP.

  The first communication device 10 is provided in association with a large electric device 50 such as an air conditioner, and acquires information related to the electric device 50 (also referred to as “device information”). Then, the first communication device 10 transmits the acquired device information by wireless communication with the information collection device 5 as a transmission destination. The device information transmitted by the first communication device 10 includes, for example, power consumption of the electric device 50, operation information such as an operation mode, temperature information, and the like. The detailed configuration of the first communication device 10 will be described later.

  The second communication device 20 is provided in association with a general electric device 60 such as a personal computer, a television, and lighting, and acquires device information related to the electric device 60. The acquired device information includes, for example, the power consumption amount of the electric device 60 acquired by the power measuring unit 201. The second communication device 20 controls a power line communication unit 202 that performs power line communication (PLC), a wireless communication unit 203 that performs wireless communication, and communication operations performed by the power line communication unit 202 and the wireless communication unit 203. And a control unit 204.

[Configuration Example of First Communication Device 10]
Here, a configuration example of the first communication device 10 will be described in detail. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first configuration example of the first communication device 10, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second configuration example of the first communication device 10. 2 and 3 exemplify a case where a three-phase three-wire power line is adopted as the power line 30B.

  In the first configuration example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first communication device 10 (10 </ b> A) includes a power line communication unit 101 that can perform power line communication, a wireless communication unit 102 that performs wireless communication, and power line communication. And a control unit 103 that controls communication operations performed by the unit 101 and the wireless communication unit 102.

  In the first communication device 10 of the present embodiment, power line communication is not performed. Specifically, the first communication device 10 is connected to a three-phase three-wire type or three-phase four-wire type power line 30B that supplies power to an electric device 50 such as an air conditioner. The power line communication using the power line 30B as a transmission path can be realized. However, in the current radio law (as of June 2011), it is restricted to perform power line communication without authorization on a three-phase three-wire type or three-phase four-wire type power line. Then, the 1st communication apparatus 10 is set as the aspect which does not perform power line communication. Therefore, the control unit 103 of the first communication device 10 does not execute the communication operation by the power line communication unit 101.

  In addition, the first communication device 10A acquires device information from the electrical device 50 such as an air conditioner via the I / Fs 104 and 501 such as a serial interface. The device information acquired by the first communication device 10A is the indoor temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 502 and the operation information such as the operation mode. The control unit 503 of the electric device 50 displays the temperature information and the operation information. Output as device information. The first communication device 10 </ b> A that has acquired the device information generates a transmission signal including the device information in the control unit 103 and transmits the transmission signal wirelessly via the wireless communication unit 102.

  In the second configuration example, as shown in FIG. 3, the first communication device 10 (10B) includes a power line communication unit 101, a wireless communication unit 102, and a control unit 103, similarly to the first communication device 10A described above. Have.

  In addition, the first communication device 10 </ b> B further includes a power measurement unit 105. The power measuring unit 105 is connected to a measuring device 106 such as a CT (Current Transformer) that measures an alternating current, and acquires the power consumption of the electric device 50 as device information based on the measurement result of the measuring device 106. The control unit 103 of the first communication device 10B generates a transmission signal including the device information and transmits the transmission signal wirelessly via the wireless communication unit 102.

  As described above, there are two types of configuration examples of the first communication device 10. The first communication device 10 acquires device information related to the electric device 50, and transmits the device information to the information collection device 5 as a transmission destination. And send.

  Note that the first communication device 10 may have a configuration in which the configuration of the first communication device 10A and the configuration of the first communication device 10B are combined. In this case, the first communication device 10 includes the electric device 50. Power consumption, operation information such as operation mode, temperature information, and the like are acquired as device information.

  In addition, the first communication device 10B may be provided in the vicinity of the electric device 50 and measure the amount of power consumption, or may be installed on a distribution board or a distribution board in which a power line for distributing power to the electric device 50 exists. The aspect provided may be sufficient.

[Communication path in communication system 1]
Next, a communication path in the communication system 1 composed of the devices 5, 10, and 20 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a communication path example of the communication system 1.

  The information collection device 5 and each second communication device 20 in the communication system 1 are each connected to a single-phase two-wire or single-phase three-wire power line 30A. The information collection device 5 and each second communication device 20 are configured to be able to communicate with each other by power line communication using the power line 30A as a transmission path.

  On the other hand, since the 1st communication apparatus 10 does not perform power line communication, the 1st communication apparatus 10 cannot communicate with the information collection apparatus 5 and each 2nd communication apparatus 20 by power line communication.

  The information collecting device 5, the first communication device 10, and the second communication device 20 all have a wireless communication function and are configured to be able to communicate with each other by wireless communication.

  As described above, in the communication system 1, a communication network that transmits and receives (transmits) information using wireless communication is constructed between each first communication device 10 and the information collection device 5, and each second A communication network is constructed between the communication device 20 and the information collection device 5 for transmitting and receiving information using wireless communication and power line communication. In addition, a communication network for transmitting and receiving (transmitting) information using wireless communication is constructed between each first communication device 10 and each second communication device 20.

  Among these communication networks, the communication network configured between each second communication device 20 and the information collecting device 5 transmits and receives the same information using both wireless communication and power line communication. Compared with other communication networks, the network is more reliable. Here, a communication network configured between each second communication device 20 and the information collection device 5 is also referred to as a “double communication network”.

  Moreover, both the 1st communication apparatus 10 and the 2nd communication apparatus 20 also have a function as a relay apparatus. Specifically, when receiving information from the other communication devices 10 and 20, the first communication device 10 relays and transmits the received information using wireless communication. On the other hand, when the second communication device 20 receives information from the other communication devices 10 and 20, the second communication device 20 relays and transmits the received information using both wireless communication and power line communication.

  As described above, when the first communication device 10 and the second communication device 20 function as relay devices, for example, device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 (11) is transferred to the other first communication device 10 ( 12) or a route transmitted to the information collecting device 5 via the second communication device 21 is created. Furthermore, a route is also created in which the information transmitted from the first communication device 11 is transmitted to the information collection device 5 via the second communication device 21 and the second communication device 22 in order.

  Here, as described above, the second communication device 20 is a communication device that transmits and receives information of the same content using both wireless communication and power line communication, and forms a relatively reliable dual communication network. It is a communication device. For this reason, by arranging the second communication device 20 in a range (place) where wireless communication with the first communication device 10 is possible, the device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 is relatively reliable. The data is transmitted to the information collecting device 5 through the duplex communication network. For example, if the second communication device 21 in FIG. 4 is arranged in a place where wireless communication with the first communication device 11 is possible, the device information transmitted from the first communication device 11 is the second as shown in FIG. The data is received by the communication device 21 and transmitted to the information collecting device 5 after obtaining a double communication network.

  As described above, if the second communication device 20 is arranged so as to be communicable with the first communication device 10, a device transmitted from the first communication device 10 even when the communication environment deteriorates and the noise environment changes. Information can be transmitted to the information collecting device 5 with high probability.

  As described above, the communication system 1 includes the first communication device 10 that transmits device information by wireless communication, the one or more second communication devices 20 that transmit received information by wired communication and wireless communication, and wireless communication. And an information collecting device 5 for collecting device information. One of the one or more second communication devices 20 is disposed at a place where the first communication device 10 can wirelessly communicate with the first communication device 10, and the first communication device 10 transmits the device information by wireless communication. The data is transmitted to one second communication device 20. The one second communication device 20 transmits the device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 by wired communication and wireless communication, and any one of the one or more second communication devices 20 is the second communication device. 20 transmits the device information to the information collecting device 5 by wireless communication. In other words, the one second communication device 20 transmits the device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 by wired communication and wireless communication, so that the predetermined information is directly or other second information communication device. Device information is indirectly transmitted to the information collecting device 5 via the communication device.

  In such a communication system 1, since the second communication device 20 transmits the received information using both wireless communication and power line communication, the device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 is temporarily stored in the second communication device. When transmitted to 20, the device information is transmitted via two transmission paths (transmission media) of wireless communication and power line communication. Therefore, according to the communication system 1, there is a high possibility that the device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 reaches the information collection device 5, and the communication reliability in the communication system can be improved.

<Modification>
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the contents described above.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the communication system 1 having two first communication devices 10 and two second communication devices 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1, but the first communication device 10 and the second communication device 20 are illustrated. The number (number) is not limited to this, and may be one or three or more.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although it was set as the aspect which does not perform power line communication by using a three-phase three-wire type or a three-phase four-wire type power line as a transmission line in the 1st communication apparatus 10 based on the present electric wave law. Not. That is, in the current radio wave law, when obtaining approval to perform power line communication using a three-phase three-wire or three-phase four-wire power line, or in a future revision of the radio law, When it is recognized that power line communication is performed using a three-phase four-wire power line, the first communication device 10 may perform power line communication.

  If it is set as the aspect which performs power line communication in the 1st communication apparatus 10, the 1st communication apparatus 10 will be able to mutually communicate with the other 1st communication apparatus 10, the 2nd communication apparatus 20, and the information collection apparatus 5 by power line communication. .

  In the above embodiment, the first communication device 10 is configured to be able to implement power line communication, assuming that the first communication device 10 will perform power line communication in the future. By adopting such a configuration in advance, it becomes possible to secure two transmission paths from the first communication device 10 in the future, so that an optimum communication environment according to the times can be constructed.

  Further, when the first communication device 10 is changed to the mode of performing power line communication, the control unit 103 performs communication using the power line communication unit 101 and the wireless communication unit 102 only by changing the software in the first communication device 10. It is good also as an aspect which enables it to perform operation | movement. Alternatively, when an operation member such as a switch or button provided in the first communication device 10 is operated, the control unit 103 can execute a communication operation using the power line communication unit 101 and the wireless communication unit 102. It is good.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the information collection apparatus 5 was also set as the structure which can be communicated by power line, it is not limited to this.

  Specifically, when the information collection device 5 is not connected to the power line 30A, the information collection device 5 communicates with the first communication device 10 and the second communication device 20 by wireless communication without performing power line communication. . That is, the device information transmitted from the first communication device 10 is finally transmitted to the information collection device 5 by wireless communication.

  When the information collecting device 5 is not connected to the power line 30A, the information collecting device 5 is driven by, for example, a built-in battery.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Communication system 5 Information collecting device 10, 11, 12, 10A, 10B 1st communication device 20, 21, 22 2nd communication device 30A Single phase 2 wire type or single phase 3 wire type power line 30B Three phase 3 wire type or Three-phase four-wire power line 50, 60 Electrical equipment DP display NT network

Claims (6)

A first communication device for transmitting predetermined information by wireless communication;
One or more second communication devices that transmit the received information by wired communication and wireless communication;
An information collecting device for collecting the predetermined information by at least wireless communication;
With
At least one second communication device among the one or more second communication devices is disposed in a place where wireless communication with the first communication device is possible,
The first communication device transmits the predetermined information to the at least one second communication device by wireless communication;
The at least one second communication device transmits the predetermined information transmitted from the first communication device by wired communication and wireless communication,
A communication system in which any one of the one or more second communication devices transmits the predetermined information to the information collection device by wireless communication. The first communication device is connected to a three-phase three-wire or three-phase four-wire first power line,
The first communication device does not perform power line communication via the first power line,
The second communication device is connected to a single-phase two-wire or single-phase three-wire second power line,
The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the second communication device performs power line communication via the second power line as the wired communication. The information collection device is connected to the second power line and performs power line communication via the second power line.
The information collection device collects the predetermined information by the power line communication and wireless communication,
The communication system according to claim 2, wherein any one of the one or more second communication devices transmits the predetermined information to the information collection device by wireless communication or power line communication. The first communication device is
A power line communication unit for performing power line communication via the first power line;
A wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication;
A control unit for controlling each communication operation by the power line communication unit and the wireless communication unit;
Have
The communication system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the control unit does not execute a communication operation by the power line communication unit.   The communication system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first communication device transmits device information related to an electric device connected to the first power line as the predetermined information.   The communication system according to claim 5, wherein the device information includes information regarding power consumption of the electrical device.

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