JP2015021271A - Electric equipment control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrict communication with a transmission device from being performed more than necessary, and to improve the convenience of a system by promoting energy saving of the communication.SOLUTION: An electric facility control system 1 includes a reader 2, an authentication device 3, a control device 4, and a detection sensitivity variable circuit 5. The reader 2 detects a radio signal transmitted from an RFID tag 10 by an antenna 2A, reads individual information of the RFID tag 10, and transmits the individual information to the authentication device 3. The authentication device 3 authenticates the RFID tag 10 on the basis of the received individual information, and the control device 4 controls the operating state of an electric facility 6 on the basis of the authentication result of the RFID tag 10 by the authentication device 3. The detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 calculates the frequency of authentication operation for attempting to authenticate the RFID tag 10 by the authentication device 3, and changes the detection sensitivity of the reader 2 on the basis of the frequency of the authentication operation.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical equipment control system having a function of controlling electrical equipment in a management area using a tag such as an RFID tag.

  As a conventional technique, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-168785), a function of switching a system operation mode in a monitoring area using a tag such as an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag is provided. There are known entry / exit management systems. The prior art system has a function of restricting the entrance of the user and controlling the number of users in the monitoring area based on the radio wave (identification information) transmitted from the tag possessed by the user. Further, in the prior art, for example, a function for automatically turning on / off lighting according to the presence / absence of an authenticated user by linking identification information obtained from a tag with indoor lighting is proposed. .

JP 2012-168785 A

  However, when the identification information of the user and the management of lighting are linked, communication with the RFID tag possessed by the user is always executed, and the user who owns the RFID tag can monitor the area (light management area). It is necessary to confirm that it stays at. For this reason, in the prior art, the power source of the button battery or the like built in the RFID tag is consumed at an early stage, and there is a possibility that the frequency of battery replacement, charging, etc. increases, and the convenience of the system is lowered. is there.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and by restricting communication of a transmitting device such as a tag as necessary, the service life of the transmitting device is extended and energy saving is promoted. An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical equipment control system capable of improving the convenience of the system.

  The electrical equipment control system according to the present invention is provided in a management area where a plurality of persons enter and exit, periodically detects a radio signal transmitted from a transmission device carried by an individual in the management area, and is stored in advance in the transmission device. A reading device capable of reading the individual information based on the wireless signal, and an authentication device capable of authenticating the transmitting device storing the individual information based on the individual information read by the reading device; A control device that controls the operating state of the electrical equipment used in the management area based on the authentication result of the transmitting device by the authenticating device, and the frequency of the authentication operation to authenticate the transmitting device by the authenticating device, and the reading device Detecting sensitivity variable means for changing the detection sensitivity when detecting the radio signal based on the frequency of the authentication operation.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can restrict | limit that communication with a transmission device is performed more than needed, and can suppress the transmission operation | movement of a transmission device moderately. Thereby, since the lifetime of a transmission device can be extended and the energy saving can be promoted, it is possible to reduce troubles such as battery replacement and charging of the transmission device. Accordingly, the reading device and the authentication device can be efficiently operated, and the convenience of the system can be improved.

It is a block diagram which shows the electric equipment control system by Embodiment 1 of this invention. In Embodiment 1 of this invention, it is explanatory drawing which shows typically the range of a detection area in the state in which the reader is set to the standard sensitivity. In Embodiment 1 of this invention, it is explanatory drawing which shows typically the range of the detection area in the state which suppressed the detection sensitivity of the reader. In Embodiment 1 of this invention, it is explanatory drawing which shows typically the execution state of sensitivity control according to area. It is a flowchart which shows control of the electric equipment control system by Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In each drawing used in this specification, common elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an electrical equipment control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electrical equipment control system 1 manages an electrical equipment 6 to be described later in accordance with the movement of a person in a management area A set in advance. Here, the management area A corresponds to, for example, a facility, a room, or the like in which a plurality of people can go in and out and management of entry / exit is necessary. The electrical equipment control system 1 includes a reading device 2, an authentication device 3, a control device 4, and a detection sensitivity variable circuit 5. The reading device 2 is provided in the management area A and is received by a plurality of antennas 2A (only one is shown) that performs wireless communication with an RFID tag 10 that is carried by an individual within the management area A and the antenna 2A. A signal processing circuit (not shown) for analyzing the radio signal and reading the individual information.

  For example, the reading device 2 transmits a command signal from the antenna 2A toward the surrounding RFID tag 10 to transmit a radio signal from the RFID tag 10, and detects the radio signal by the antenna 2A. The detected radio signal includes data related to individual information stored in advance in the RFID tag 10. Then, the reading device 2 reads the individual information of the RFID tag 10 based on the detected radio signal, and transmits this individual information to the authentication device 3. Note that the detection of the wireless signal and the reading of the individual information are periodically executed.

  Further, as described later, the reading device 2 includes a plurality of detection areas for performing detection of radio signals and reading of individual information separately for each area in the management area A. As shown in FIG. 2, these detection areas are individually set by a plurality of antennas 2A. The range (width) of each detection area is, for example, a standard detection area Ds, a low sensitivity, as described later. The detection area is changed to D1 or the like.

  The authentication device 3 authenticates individual information read from the RFID tag 10 and is connected to the reading device 2 so that data communication is possible. Each time the individual information is read from the RFID tag 10 by the reader 2, the authentication device 3 is configured to receive the individual information from the reader 2 and authenticate the RFID tag 10 in which the individual information is stored. Yes. In addition, the authentication device 3 is equipped with a storage circuit. In this storage circuit, various data necessary for authentication (for example, registration data of individual information that may be authenticated) and the authentication device 3 are actually used. And individual information authenticated.

  The authentication device 3 authenticates the RFID tag 10 in which the received individual information is stored, for example, by collating the individual information received from the reading device 2 with the stored registration information of the individual information. Here, as a specific example of the authentication operation, when the individual information received from the reading device 2 is included in the registration data, the authentication is established, and the received individual information is not included in the registration data. In this case, authentication is not established.

  On the other hand, the control device 4 controls the operating state of the electrical equipment 6 based on the authentication result of the RFID tag 10 by the authentication device 3, and is connected to the authentication device 3 and the electrical equipment 6. The control device 4 can start and stop the electrical equipment 6 based on the control signal input from the authentication device 3. The detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 changes the detection sensitivity when the reader 2 detects the wireless signal. The detection sensitivity is changed as described later based on the frequency of the authentication operation. In the present embodiment, the electrical equipment 6 is configured by, for example, lighting, an air conditioner, etc. provided in the management area A.

  The RFID tag 10 is composed of a small transmitter that is carried by a person who enters and leaves the management area A, and stores a transmission / reception circuit that transmits and receives a radio signal and individual information that is unique to each RFID tag 10. And a memory circuit. The RFID tag 10 is configured to transmit a radio signal including individual information when a command signal is received from the reader 2.

  The detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 constitutes the detection sensitivity variable means of the present embodiment, and is connected to the reading device 2 and the authentication device 3 so that data communication is possible, and changes the range of each detection area of the reading device 2. It is possible to do. In the present embodiment, the detection sensitivity corresponds to the range of each detection area. To illustrate a specific operation, the detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 first calculates the frequency of the authentication operation for authenticating the RFID tag 10 by the authentication device 3. As described above, this authentication operation includes both a case where authentication is established and a case where authentication is not established. The detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 calculates, for example, the number of authentication operations per unit time as the frequency of the authentication operation, and changes the detection sensitivity of the reading device 2 based on the calculated value.

  Next, a specific method of changing the detection sensitivity will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the range of the detection area when the reading device is set to the standard sensitivity. In this figure, black dots indicate a plurality of antennas 2A mounted on the reading device 2, and a circle centered on each antenna 2A is a detection area range of each antenna 2A in a standard state (hereinafter referred to as a standard detection area Ds). ).

  The reading device 2 transmits a command signal with a radio wave intensity that reaches only within the standard detection area Ds, for example. As a result, the RFID tag 10 existing in the standard detection area Ds receives the command signal, reacts to the command signal, and transmits a radio signal including individual information. Since the reading device 2 receives the wireless signal and reads the individual information, as a result, only the RFID tag 10 existing in the standard detection area Ds is authenticated in the standard state.

  Next, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the range of the detection area in a state where the detection sensitivity of the reading device is suppressed in the first embodiment of the present invention. In this figure, the dotted circle indicates the standard detection area Ds described above, and the solid circle indicates the range of the detection area (hereinafter referred to as the low sensitivity detection area D1) in a state where the detection sensitivity of the reader 2 is suppressed. Show. Both the standard detection area Ds and the low sensitivity detection area D1 are areas set in the management area A, and the radii of these areas Ds and D1 are set in advance. The low sensitivity detection area D1 is set as a narrow range having a smaller radius than the standard detection area Ds.

  The detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 holds the detection sensitivity of the reading apparatus 2 at the standard sensitivity as shown in FIG. 2 when the number of authentication operations per unit time is less than a determination value described later. That is, the range of each detection area is set to the standard detection area Ds. On the other hand, when the number of authentication operations per unit time is equal to or greater than the determination value, as shown in FIG. 3, the standard state is shifted to a state where the detection sensitivity is suppressed, and the detection sensitivity of the reader 2 is changed from the standard sensitivity. Reduce. In this case, the range of each detection area is changed from the standard detection area Ds to the low sensitivity detection area D1.

  Furthermore, if the number of authentication operations per unit time decreases below the judgment value while maintaining a state where detection sensitivity is suppressed, the state shifts from this state to the standard state, and the range of each detection area is reduced. The low sensitivity detection area D1 is returned to the standard detection area Ds. Note that the above-described determination value is set in advance as a boundary value of the number of authentication operations so that it is determined that the detection area range needs to be changed.

  The change of the detection area range may be executed for all the detection areas at the same time, but the sensitivity control for each area may be executed to change the range of each detection area individually. The area-specific sensitivity control will be described below. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an execution state of sensitivity control for each area in the first embodiment of the present invention. The sensitivity control for each area calculates the frequency of the authentication operation by the authentication device 3 separately for each detection area, and individually changes the range of the detection area based on the frequency of the authentication operation in each detection area. .

  More specifically, in area-specific sensitivity control, first, when a radio signal is detected by the reader 2, the detection area where the radio signal is detected, that is, the antenna 2A is specified. Then, the reading device 2 transmits to the authentication device 3 information for identifying the detection area where the wireless signal is detected, together with the individual information read from the wireless signal. Each time the authentication device 3 performs an authentication operation based on the information received from the reading device 2, the authentication device 3 increments a counter of a detection area where a radio signal used for the authentication operation is detected. This counter is prepared for each detection area, and is stored in the authentication device 3, for example.

  The detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 calculates the number of authentication operations per unit time in the detection area based on the increment of the counter in each detection area. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, for the detection area where the number of authentication operations per unit time is less than the determination value, the detection area range is set to the standard detection area Ds. For the detection area where the number of authentication operations per unit time is equal to or greater than the determination value, the detection area range is set to the low sensitivity detection area D1. Thereby, for example, the detection sensitivity of the reading device 2 is suppressed only in a part of the detection areas where the number of RFID tags 10 is large.

  According to the above control, for the detection area where the frequency of the authentication operation of the RFID tag 10 is low, it is determined that the number (number of people) of the RFID tags 10 existing in the detection area is small. The range can be set to the standard detection area Ds. That is, in this case, the detection sensitivity of the reading device 2 can be set to the standard sensitivity (standard state) in the corresponding detection area. As a result, even when the number of people in the detection area is small, the RFID tag 10 can be reliably authenticated using the relatively wide standard detection area Ds, and the electrical equipment 6 can be accurately controlled based on the authentication result. .

  On the other hand, for a detection area with a high frequency of authentication operations, it is determined that there are a large number of RFID tags 10 in the detection area. Therefore, the range of the detection area may be set to the low sensitivity detection area D1 to be narrowed. it can. That is, in this case, in the corresponding detection area, the detection sensitivity of the reading device 2 can be reduced from the standard sensitivity, and the detection sensitivity can be suppressed. Even in this state, since the number of RFID tags 10 is large, detection and authentication of the tags can be stably performed, and the electrical equipment 6 can be accurately controlled based on the authentication result.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to restrict the communication with the RFID tag 10 from being performed more than necessary in each detection area, and appropriately suppress the transmission operation of the RFID tag 10. Thereby, the lifetime of the RFID tag 10 can be extended, energy saving thereof can be promoted, and troubles such as battery replacement and charging of the tag can be reduced. Further, the reading device 2 and the authentication device 3 can be operated efficiently. Therefore, the convenience of the system can be improved.

  Next, a specific operation of the electrical equipment control system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing control of the electrical equipment control system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5 exemplifies processing in one detection area to be controlled. First, in step S1 in FIG. 5, reading processing of the RFID tag 10 is executed by the reading device 2, and individual information read from the wireless signal and information on the detection area where the wireless signal is detected are transmitted to the authentication device 3. To do.

  Next, in step S2, the number of authentication operations is accumulated in the past number, and in step S3, it is determined whether or not there is a change in the accumulated value of the number. If this determination is not established, it is not necessary to change the detection sensitivity of the reading device 2, and thus this routine is terminated as it is. If the determination in step S3 is established, the number of authentication operations per unit time is calculated in step S4, and it is determined whether or not the calculated value is equal to or greater than the above-described determination value.

  When the determination in step S4 is established, the process proceeds to step S5, and the sensitivity reduction process is executed in the detection area to be controlled. In the low sensitivity process, the range of the corresponding detection area is changed or held to the low sensitivity detection area D1. On the other hand, if the determination in step S4 is not established, sensitivity standardization processing is executed in the detection area to be controlled. In the sensitivity standardization process, the range of the corresponding detection area is changed or held to the standard detection area Ds.

  Thus, according to the present embodiment, the detection sensitivity of the reading device 2 can be appropriately adjusted according to the number of RFID tags 10 present in the detection area. In addition, the detection sensitivity adjustment process can be executed individually for each detection area. Thereby, for example, when the number of RFID tags 10 (the number of tags) in the detection area is large, the range of the detection area is further narrowed from the low sensitivity detection area D1, thereby reducing the sensitivity corresponding to the low sensitivity detection area D1. Further, the detection sensitivity can be lowered. That is, the detection sensitivity can be changed in multiple stages according to the number of tags in the detection area, and extra communication with the RFID tag 10 can be reduced as much as possible. Therefore, it is possible to optimize the control of detection sensitivity and further promote energy saving.

  In the first embodiment, the configuration in which the range of the detection area is switched to the standard detection area Ds and the low sensitivity detection area D1 according to the frequency of the authentication operation of the authentication device 3 is exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and in a certain detection area, as the frequency of the authentication operation increases, the range of the detection area is gradually narrowed from the standard detection area Ds, and the detection sensitivity of the reader 2 is continuously increased. It is good also as a structure to reduce to. According to this configuration, the range of the detection area can be continuously reduced and expanded according to the number of tags in the detection area, and the optimum detection sensitivity corresponding to the number of tags can be realized. Therefore, energy saving of the system can be promoted.

  Moreover, in Embodiment 1, the case where constant control was performed with respect to arbitrary time zones was illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be provided with a period variable means for increasing the reading period of the individual information by the reading device 2 in a time zone in which the frequency of use of the electrical equipment decreases compared to other time zones. . As a specific example, the cycle variable means sets the reading cycle of the reading device 2 longer than the daytime at night when facilities such as lighting and air conditioning are not used. As a result, the detection of the radio signal and the reading of the individual information by the reading device 2 are performed at a normal frequency during the daytime, but are performed at a low frequency at night. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform a useless reading operation in the time zone when the RFID tag 10 is not present, and the energy saving of the system can be further promoted.

  In the first embodiment, the electrical equipment 6 is exemplified by equipment such as lighting and air conditioning that operates in the management area A. However, this invention is not restricted to this, It is good also as a structure which controls the various electrical installations 6 including heating etc. FIG. In the first embodiment, a case where a plurality of detection areas are set by a plurality of antennas 2A provided in the reading device 2 is exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention may be applied, or may be applied to a system that performs authentication of the RFID tag 10 by regarding the management area A as one detection area.

  In the first embodiment, the detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 is exemplified as the detection sensitivity variable means. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the detection sensitivity variable means may be realized by a function provided in the reading device 2. That is, in the present invention, the reading device 2 and the detection sensitivity variable circuit 5 may be integrated as a circuit.

  On the other hand, in Embodiment 1, the electric equipment control system which controls an electric equipment according to the movement of the person in the management area | region A was illustrated. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to an entrance / exit management system that authenticates a person who enters and exits the management area A using the RFID tag 10. That is, the electrical equipment control system 1 of the present invention has a function for managing the entrance / exit to the management area A by unlocking and locking a security gate (not shown) based on the authentication result of the RFID tag 10, and the management It is good also as a structure provided with the function which controls the electric equipment 6 according to the authentication state of the RFID tag 10 in the area | region A.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrical equipment control system, 2 Reading apparatus, 2A antenna, 3 Authentication apparatus, 4 Control apparatus, 5 Detection sensitivity variable circuit (detection sensitivity variable means), 6 Electrical equipment, 10 RFID tag (transmitting device)

Claims (6)

Provided in a management area where a plurality of persons enter and exit, periodically detect a radio signal transmitted from a transmission device carried by an individual in the management area, and store individual information stored in advance in the transmission device as the radio signal. A reading device capable of reading based on;
Based on the individual information read by the reader, an authentication device capable of authenticating the transmitting device storing the individual information;
A control device for controlling the operating state of the electrical equipment used in the management area based on the authentication result of the transmitting device by the authentication device;
Detection sensitivity variable means for calculating a frequency of authentication operation for authenticating the transmitting device by the authentication device, and changing a detection sensitivity when the wireless signal is detected by the reading device based on the frequency of the authentication operation; ,
Electrical equipment control system equipped with.   The frequency of the authentication operation is the number of authentication operations performed per unit time by the authentication device, and the detection sensitivity variable means decreases the detection sensitivity of the reading device as the authentication operation frequency increases. The electrical equipment control system according to claim 1.   The frequency of the authentication operation is the number of authentication operations performed per unit time by the authentication device, and the detection sensitivity variable means, when the frequency of the authentication operation is less than a predetermined determination value, The electrical equipment control system according to claim 1, wherein the detection sensitivity of the reading device is held at a standard sensitivity, and the detection sensitivity is reduced from the standard sensitivity when the frequency of the authentication operation is equal to or higher than the determination value. . The reader has a plurality of detection areas for performing the detection of the wireless signal and the reading of the individual information separately for each area in the management area,
The detection sensitivity variable means is configured to calculate the frequency of the authentication operation separately for each detection area and individually change the detection sensitivity of the detection area based on the frequency of the authentication operation in each detection area. The electrical equipment control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   The detection sensitivity varying means counts both when the authentication by the authentication device is established and when the authentication is not established as the authentication operation, and calculates the frequency of the authentication operation per unit time as the frequency The electrical equipment control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.   6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a period variable unit configured to increase a reading period of the individual information by the reading device in a time period in which the frequency of use of the electrical equipment decreases. The electrical equipment control system according to claim 1.

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