JP2013207654A - Remote management terminal and remote monitoring service system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow for transmission of the information, collected on the client side over the local network of the client and the Internet, to a remote management center.SOLUTION: A remote management terminal 30 comprises: an install unit 31 for installing an emulator that emulates a browser available in the local network system of a client; and a browser function processing unit 34 which is achieved when the emulator thus installed operates. The browser function processing unit 34 emulates the facility information collected from a building facility system 24 as if the facility information is the information input from an input screen displayed by the browser, and transmits the facility information, in the specification of that browser, to a remote management center over the local network in the client side system, a firewall and the Internet.

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote management terminal device and a remote monitoring service system.

  Conventionally, a remote monitoring service system that remotely monitors equipment such as an elevator installed in a customer facility such as a building from a remote management center is known. The remote monitoring service system periodically collects information necessary for remote monitoring of customer equipment detected by various sensors in the customer's building equipment system, etc., and analyzes each collected information to analyze each equipment. Monitoring. Conventionally, information necessary for remote monitoring is collected from a building equipment system by connecting a remote management center and a customer's building equipment system in a remote location to a network dedicated to the application.

  By the way, in recent years, a local network system is often built in a customer's building. Each information terminal device such as a personal computer (PC) included in the local network system can access the Internet via a local network such as a LAN. Therefore, even in a remote monitoring service system, if a building equipment system that collects information necessary for remote monitoring is connected to a local network on the customer side, the remote management center can provide the customer side without preparing a dedicated network for the application. It is considered possible to collect information necessary for remote monitoring. In other words, if information can be collected via the Internet, it is advantageous from the viewpoint of costs for construction and operation of the system environment.

JP 2000-151823 A JP 2007-133679 A JP 2010-39565 A

  However, companies that serve as customers often have some operational restrictions, such as prohibiting external access to browsers and security used for accessing the Internet, in connection with the use of the local network system. Therefore, even if the building equipment system is connected to the customer's local network, access to the building equipment system from the outside, that is, from the remote management center is not permitted in operation in most cases. In this way, even when it is desired to use the customer's local network to perform data communication between the remote management center and the building equipment system via the customer's local network system and the Internet, It was difficult.

  It is an object of the present invention to enable information collected on the customer side to be transmitted to a remote management center via the customer's local network and the Internet.

  The remote management terminal device according to the present invention is a remote management terminal device installed on the customer side who has a local network system connected to the Internet and is a customer who uses equipment to be remotely monitored by a remote management center. Storage means that is created for each of the browsers and stores browser emulation software that emulates the specifications of the browser, and accepting means for receiving information that identifies browsers that can be used in the customer's local network system; An installation unit that installs browser emulation software corresponding to the browser specified by the information received by the reception unit, and the installed browser emulation software execute the browser. Browser function processing means for realizing the functions of the user, and the browser function processing means uses the browser's local network system and the Internet for the equipment information obtained by monitoring the equipment according to the browser specifications. And transmitting to the remote management center.

  A remote monitoring service system according to the present invention includes a web server installed in a remote management center and a customer who uses a facility to be remotely monitored by the remote management center and has a local network system connected to the Internet. A remote management terminal device installed on the side, the remote management terminal device being created for each of a plurality of browsers, and storing means for storing browser emulation software for emulating the specifications of the browser Receiving means for receiving information identifying a browser that can be used in the customer's local network system; installation means for installing browser emulation software corresponding to the browser specified by the information received by the receiving means; Browser function processing means for realizing the function of the browser by executing installed browser emulation software, and the browser function processing means receives the equipment information obtained by monitoring the equipment. The data is transmitted to the remote management center via the customer's local network system and the Internet according to browser specifications.

  Further, the remote management terminal device has inquiry means for sending an inquiry request for inquiring whether or not there is a communication request to the web server to the browser function processing means, and the web server receives information in response to the inquiry request It is characterized by replying.

  According to the present invention, information collected on the customer side can be transmitted to the remote management center via the customer's local network and the Internet.

  Further, information can be transmitted from the remote management center side to a remote management terminal device connected to the customer's local network.

1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a remote monitoring service system according to the present invention. It is a hardware block diagram of the remote management terminal device in this Embodiment. It is the block block diagram which showed the remote management terminal device in this Embodiment. It is the figure which showed an example of the data structure of the browser information in this Embodiment. It is the flowchart which showed the transmission process of the facility information in this Embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a remote monitoring service system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 shows a configuration in which a remote management center 10 and a customer-side system 20 are connected via the Internet 8 that is an external network.

  The remote management center 10 is a facility on the remote monitoring service providing side that remotely monitors facilities to be remotely monitored by customers, and is provided with a receiving server 11 and a remote management system 12. The receiving server 11 is a web server that receives facility information transmitted from the remote management terminal device 30. The remote management system 12 provides a remote monitoring service to the customer by analyzing the facility information of each facility collected by the receiving server 11.

  The customer-side system 20 is a local network system constructed in a facility such as a customer building, and a customer terminal device 21 such as a PC used by a customer employee or the like and a local network 23 to which the customer terminal device 21 is connected. And a firewall 22 for connecting the local network 23 to the Internet 8. The customer-side system 20 includes a building equipment system 24 for managing building equipment such as an elevator, and a remote management terminal connected to the local network 23 for receiving information sent from the building equipment system 24. Device 30.

  The remote management center 10 is connected to a plurality of customer side systems so as to be accessible via the Internet 8, but the customer side system is basically constructed with the same configuration. Only one is shown for convenience. In addition, the present embodiment is characterized in that the remote management center 10 receives connection information from the customer side system 20 via the Internet 8, and for example, components necessary for detecting an abnormality such as components of the present embodiment. Components that are not related to the description of features are omitted.

  FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the remote management terminal device 30 in the present embodiment. The remote management terminal device 30 in the present embodiment may be realized by a server computer that functions as a gateway. As shown in FIG. 2, the remote management terminal device 30 connects the CPU 1, ROM 2, RAM 3, HDD controller 5 connected to the hard disk drive (HDD) 4, and network controller 6 provided as communication means to the internal bus 7. Composed. Each of the local network 23 and the building equipment system 24 is connected to the network controller 6. In addition, although input means, such as a mouse | mouth and a keyboard, and display means, such as a display, may be provided, the user interface means is not provided so that it may not be operated by the customer side employee.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the remote management terminal device 30 in the present embodiment. The remote management terminal device 30 in the present embodiment includes an installation unit 31, an emulator registration unit 32, an equipment information collection unit 33, a browser function processing unit 34, a control unit 35, a browser information storage unit 38, and an equipment information storage unit 39. doing. The installation unit 31 is provided as an accepting unit, and accepts a browser name and its version as information for specifying a browser that can be used in the customer-side system 20. The browser information storage unit 38 stores a compressed version of a plurality of browser emulation software, as will be described later, but the installation unit 31 is further provided as an installation unit and corresponds to the browser specified by the received information. Browser emulation software (hereinafter also referred to as “emulator”) to be extracted from the browser information storage unit 38, decompressed, and installed. The browser information storage unit 38 stores compressed versions of a plurality of emulators as will be described later. The emulator registration unit 32 registers a compressed version of browser emulation software that is not yet stored in the browser information storage unit 38. To do. The facility information collection unit 33 collects facility information related to facilities such as sensor information detected by various sensors included in the building facility system 24 and accumulates the facility information in the facility information storage unit 39. The browser function processing unit 34 is provided as a browser function processing unit, and implements the function of the browser by executing the browser emulation software installed by the installation unit 31. In the case of the present embodiment, the emulator is realized by software that realizes the processing function in the browser function processing unit 34. However, the information input to the remote management terminal device 30 and the facility information in the case of the present embodiment are as if the emulator. Emulate to handle as input information from the input screen displayed by the browser. Then, the browser function processing unit 34 in the present embodiment transmits the facility information to the remote management center 10 via the local network 23, the firewall 22, and the Internet 8 in the customer side system 20 with the specifications of the browser. The control unit 35 operates in cooperation with the components 31 to 34 to control execution of processing in the remote management terminal device 30. In particular, the control unit 35 in the present embodiment is provided as an inquiry unit, and causes the browser function processing unit 34 to transmit an inquiry request for inquiring the receiving server 11 about the presence or absence of a communication request.

  In general, “emulation” means that one computer or terminal device imitates the operation of another computer or terminal device. In this embodiment, information is input from an input screen displayed by a browser. Converting the data so that it conforms to the specifications of the browser so that it can be handled as if it were information, is called “emulation”. Also, the emulation operation is referred to as “emulation”, and the function that realizes this function (software in this embodiment) is referred to as “emulator”.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a data configuration of browser information stored in the browser information storage unit 38 in the present embodiment. In the browser information, the browser ID is associated with the “use” flag indicating whether or not the emulator is used. Information for identifying the browser is set in the browser ID. In FIG. 4, “BR1” or the like is shown, but in actuality, it may be identified by a combination of the browser name and its version. In the emulator, a compressed version of browser emulation software that emulates the browser is registered. When the software is stored separately, information for specifying the storage location may be set. The “use” flag is flag information for specifying a browser that can be used in the customer-side system 20 and flag information for specifying an installed emulator. In the browser information storage unit 38, a compressed version of the currently existing browser emulator is registered in advance.

  The components 31 to 35 in the remote management terminal device 30 are realized by a cooperative operation of a computer included in the remote management terminal device 30 and a program operating on the CPU 1 mounted on the computer. The storage units 38 and 39 are realized by the HDD 4 mounted on the remote management terminal device 30.

  In addition, the program used in the present embodiment is assumed to be provided from the setting terminal 40, but it is not only provided by communication means but also a computer-readable recording such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. It is also possible to provide the program stored in a medium. The program provided from the communication means or the recording medium is installed in the computer, and various processes are realized by the CPU of the computer executing the program.

  Next, the operation in the present embodiment will be described. Since it is necessary to perform environment setting in advance in order to operate the remote management terminal device 30 in the present embodiment, this environment setting will be described first.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the remote management terminal device 30 is connected to the building equipment system 24 so as to collect information on the equipment, and is also connected to the local network 23 of the customer's network system. Furthermore, since it is necessary to use the setting terminal 40 to perform environment setting in the present embodiment, the setting terminal 40 is connected as shown in FIG. The setting terminal 40 is a portable information terminal device such as a PC carried by a maintenance worker. The setting terminal 40 stores a compressed version of the currently existing emulator. Therefore, the emulator registration unit 32 of the remote management terminal device 30 acquires a list of browsers corresponding to the emulator registered in the browser information storage unit 38 of the remote management terminal device 30 in accordance with a predetermined operation by the maintenance worker. Then, the acquired browser list and the browser list corresponding to the emulator stored in the setting terminal 40 are compared. If there is a browser emulator that is not registered in the browser information storage unit 38, the emulator registration unit 32 reads the compressed version of the emulator from the setting terminal 40, associates the browser ID of the browser with the browser, and Register in the information storage unit 38. In this manner, a compressed version of the emulator corresponding to the browser that currently exists is stored in the remote management terminal device 30. By using the compressed version, consumption of the storage capacity of the HDD 4 is suppressed. If there is an emulator in the remote management terminal device 30 that is not in the setting terminal 40, the corresponding browser may be deleted from the browser information storage unit 38 because it is no longer used.

  The maintenance worker performs a predetermined operation to display a list of browsers corresponding to the emulator registered in the browser information storage unit 38 of the remote management terminal device 30 on the display of the setting terminal 40. A browser that can be used in the customer system 20 is selected from the displayed list of browsers. The maintenance worker is informed by the customer of the types of browsers that can be used in the customer-side system 20. In response to the browser selection operation and installation execution instruction by the maintenance worker, the installation unit 31 of the remote management terminal device 30 reads the compressed version of the emulator corresponding to the selected browser from the browser information storage unit 38 and decompresses it. , Do the installation. In this way, the emulator of the selected browser is made executable. Also, a use flag corresponding to the installed emulator is set (indicated by “◯” in FIG. 4).

  Even when there are a plurality of types of browsers that can be used in the customer side system 20, one browser may be selected and installed.

  The above environment setting may be performed when the remote management terminal device 30 is installed in the customer-side system 20, or when a browser that can be used on the customer side is changed. Note that the installation of the emulator and the registration of the emulator are independent processes, so it is not always necessary to process them as a set.

  When the environment setting is performed as described above, the remote management terminal device 30 executes the following processing. This process will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  First, in the remote management terminal device 30, the facility information collection unit 33 receives information about the facility sent from the building facility system 24 and sequentially stores it in the facility information storage unit 39. The function processing unit 34 (emulator) is periodically activated to instruct transmission of facility information (step 101). That is, when activated, the browser function processing unit 34 retrieves information collected from the previous transmission to the present time from the facility information storage unit 39 (step 102), and calculates the information as it is or as appropriate. To generate equipment information. Then, the facility information is emulated in a browser specification that can be used by the customer side system 20 (step 103). In the present embodiment, an emulator for emulating browser specifications that can be used in the customer-side system 20 is installed and executed, so that the browser function processing unit 34 (emulator) is as programmed. It just needs to work. Then, the browser function processing unit 34 transmits the facility information converted into a format that matches the specifications of the browser that can be used by the customer side system 20 to the remote management center 10 via the local network 23, the firewall 22, and the Internet 8. (Step 104). Since the facility information conforms to the specifications of the browser that can be used in the customer side system 20, it is sent to the receiving server 11 of the remote management center 10 through the local network 23 and the firewall 22 without any problem in operation. The

  In the remote management center 10, upon receiving the facility information sent from the customer side system 20, the receiving server 11 sends it to the remote management system 12. The remote management system 12 recognizes the status of the building equipment installed on the customer side based on the received equipment information. Note that the remote monitoring service itself provided by the remote management system 12 is not the gist of the present invention, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  By the way, in the management of building facilities, there are cases where it is desired to transmit some instruction or information from the remote management center 10 side to the remote management terminal device 30 installed in the customer side system 20. However, as exemplified in the present embodiment, when a firewall 22 is installed in the customer-side system 20 and access from the outside is restricted for security reasons, information cannot be transmitted from the remote management center 10 at the initiative. . Therefore, in the present embodiment, the control unit 35 is instructed to periodically send an inquiry request to the browser function processing unit 34.

  The browser function processing unit 34 transmits an inquiry request to the remote management center 10 in response to the transmission instruction. When receiving the inquiry request transmitted from the customer side system 20, the receiving server 11 in the remote management center 10 inquires about the presence of information to be transmitted to the remote management system 12. If there is information to be transmitted, the receiving server 11 receives the information from the remote management system 12 and transmits it as a response to the inquiry request. In this way, the remote management terminal device 30 can receive information from the remote management center 10. On the other hand, if there is no information to be transmitted, the receiving server 11 may transmit that fact as a response to the inquiry request.

  According to the present embodiment, the facility information can be transmitted from the remote management terminal device 30 to the remote management center 10 using the local network 23 of the customer side system as described above. As a result, facility information can be collected using the Internet 8 without installing a dedicated network between the building facility system 24 and the remote management center 10, thereby reducing the cost required for providing a remote monitoring service. be able to.

  In addition, by making an inquiry from the remote management terminal device 30 to the remote management center 10, information can be transmitted from the remote management center 10 side to the remote management terminal device 30.

  In the present embodiment, a service system that remotely monitors building facilities has been described as an example, but the present invention may be applied to other service systems.

  1 CPU, 2 ROM, 3 RAM, 4 hard disk drive (HDD), 5 HDD controller, 6 network controller, 7 internal bus, 8 Internet, 10 remote management center, 11 receiving server, 12 remote management system, 20 customer side system, 21 Customer terminal device, 22 Firewall, 23 Local network, 24 Building equipment system, 30 Remote management terminal device, 31 Installation part, 32 Emulator registration part, 33 Equipment information collection part, 34 Browser function processing part, 35 Control part, 38 Browser Information storage unit, 39 Equipment information storage unit, 40 Setting terminal.

Claims (3)

In a remote management terminal device installed on a customer side who has a local network system connected to the Internet who is a customer who uses equipment to be remotely monitored by a remote management center,
Storage means created for each of a plurality of browsers and storing browser emulation software for emulating the specifications of the browser;
Accepting means for accepting information identifying browsers available in the customer's local network system;
Installation means for installing browser emulation software corresponding to the browser specified by the information received by the reception means;
Browser function processing means for realizing the function of the browser by executing the installed browser emulation software;
Have
The browser function processing means transmits equipment information obtained by monitoring the equipment to the remote management center via the customer's local network system and the Internet in accordance with the specifications of the browser. Management terminal device. A web server installed in the remote management center;
A remote management terminal device installed on the customer side who has a local network system connected to the Internet and is a customer who uses the equipment to be remotely monitored by the remote management center;
Have
The remote management terminal device
Storage means created for each of a plurality of browsers and storing browser emulation software for emulating the specifications of the browser;
Accepting means for accepting information identifying browsers available in the customer's local network system;
Installation means for installing browser emulation software corresponding to the browser specified by the information received by the reception means;
Browser function processing means for realizing the function of the browser by executing the installed browser emulation software;
Have
The browser function processing means transmits equipment information obtained by monitoring the equipment to the remote management center via the customer's local network system and the Internet in accordance with the specifications of the browser. Monitoring service system. The remote management terminal device has inquiry means for sending an inquiry request for inquiring about the presence or absence of a communication request to the web server to the browser function processing means,
The remote monitoring service system according to claim 2, wherein the web server returns information in response to the inquiry request.

Images