JP2019096981A - Gateway and apparatus setting system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a gateway and an apparatus setting system capable of setting an apparatus, using NFC communication, more efficiently.SOLUTION: A gateway 1 for setting a field apparatus 3 via a network on the basis of information received from a portable terminal device 2 by NFC communication includes a NFC function unit 10 for establishing NFC communication in response to connection request from the portable terminal device 2, a setting information acceptance section 11 for accepting the apparatus identification information for identifying the field apparatus 3, sent out from the portable terminal device 2, and the setting information for controlling the field apparatus 3 associated with the apparatus identification information, a setting information storage section 12 for storing the accepted apparatus identification information and the setting information in association with each other, and a setting section 14 for setting the setting information, associated with the apparatus identification information stored in the setting information storage section 12, to the field apparatus 3 identified by the apparatus identification information thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a gateway and a device setting system, and more particularly to a technique for setting a device using near field communication.

  In recent years, with the spread of mobile terminal devices such as smart phones, various electronic devices are equipped with a Near Field Communication (NFC) function.

  Data communication with a device equipped with an NFC function is performed using a portable terminal device equipped with such an NFC function. For example, Patent Document 1 implements NFC communication between a portable terminal device and a device by installing the NFC function in a device such as a controller used in an air conditioning control system or an industrial control system, and the device is not supplied with power. Even if it is, the technique which enables setting of the parameter of apparatus is disclosed. According to the technology described in Patent Document 1, before setting up the power supply equipment of the air conditioning control system or the industrial control system, setting of equipment as work on the site can be performed, so that control of the system can be made efficient.

JP, 2017-143327, A

  However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, in order to use NFC, which is short-distance wireless communication, it is necessary to operate a portable terminal device such as a smartphone near a device such as a controller to set the device. Generally, in an air conditioning control system or an industrial control system, a large number of devices such as controllers are disposed in the field. Therefore, when setting a device using a portable terminal device, it is necessary to move to the installation position of each device, and the time required for the movement becomes a problem. In addition, the device may be mounted at a high place or a dangerous place, and in such a case, setting operation may not be performed near the device.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a gateway and a device setting system capable of setting a device using NFC communication more efficiently.

  In order to solve the problems described above, the gateway according to the present invention is a gateway that performs device setting via a network based on information received from a portable terminal device by near field communication, and from the portable terminal device Control the device associated with the device identification information and the device identification information for identifying the device, sent from the mobile terminal device, and an NFC function unit that establishes near field communication in response to the connection request of Setting information receiving unit for receiving setting information to be stored, a storage unit storing the received device identification information and the setting information in association with each other, and the device identification information stored in the storage unit And a setting unit configured to set the setting information to the device specified by the device identification information.

  In the gateway according to the present invention, the gateway further includes a power supply detection unit that detects that the power supply of the device has been activated, and the setting unit is configured to detect that the power supply of the device is activated by the power supply detection unit. The setting information associated with the device identification information may be set in the device identified by the device identification information.

The device setting system according to the present invention is a device setting system including a mobile terminal device and a gateway connected to the device via a network, wherein the mobile terminal device is
A setting information input unit for inputting the device identification information and the setting information associated with the device identification information; and a portable terminal side NFC function unit for sending a connection request to the gateway to establish short distance wireless communication; And a setting information transmission unit for transmitting the setting information associated with the device identification information, wherein the gateway is the above-described gateway.

  According to the present invention, the gateway and the portable terminal device perform NFC communication, and the gateway receives from the portable terminal device, the device identification information for identifying the device and the device associated with the device identification information for controlling the device. Since setting of the device is performed based on the setting information, more efficient setting of the device using NFC communication is realized.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a device setting system including a gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the gateway according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the gateway according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The components common to the respective drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Embodiment
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a device setting system 1A including a gateway 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the device setting system 1A according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a gateway 1 and a portable terminal device 2, and performs setting of a plurality of field devices 3. The portable terminal device 2 performs NFC communication, and sends setting information for setting the field device 3 to the gateway 1. The gateway 1 sets the plurality of field devices 3 based on the setting information received from the portable terminal device 2 by NFC communication with the portable terminal device 2.

  The gateway 1 is connected to a field device 3 such as a controller via a transmission path L (network). The gateway 1 includes an NFC function unit 10, a setting information receiving unit 11, a setting information storage unit 12, a power detection unit 13, and a setting unit 14.

  The NFC function unit 10 performs well-known near field communication (NFC). The NFC function unit 10 establishes NFC communication in response to a connection request from the mobile terminal device 2. The NFC function unit 10 is realized by, for example, an NFC tag (not shown) including an NFC controller, an NFC antenna, a non-volatile memory, and the like.

  The setting information receiving unit 11 receives device identification information identifying the field device 3 sent from the mobile terminal device 2 and setting information for controlling the field device 3 associated with the device identification information. As the device identification information, for example, address information such as an IP address of the field device 3 is used. The setting information is, for example, information indicating setting or changing of a parameter value in the field device 3.

  The setting information storage unit 12 stores the device identification information received by the setting information receiving unit 11 and the setting information associated with the device identification information. More specifically, the setting information storage unit 12 stores setting information for each field device 3.

  The power source detection unit 13 detects that the power source of the field device 3 has been activated. More specifically, the power supply detection unit 13 monitors the power supply of the field device 3, and the setting information reception unit 11 receives the setting information from among the plurality of field devices 3 connected to the gateway 1 through the transmission path L. When the power of the field device 3 is activated, a detection signal is output to the setting unit 14 described later.

  The setting unit 14 sets the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 12 and associated with the device identification information in the field device 3 specified by the device identification information. More specifically, setting unit 14 receives each field device 3 stored in setting information storage unit 12 when a detection signal indicating that power supply of field device 3 is activated is input from power supply detection unit 13. Address information and the parameter value associated with the address information. Then, the setting unit 14 writes the parameter value via the transmission path L to the field device 3 identified by the read address information.

  The setting unit 14 may transmit setting information to the field device 3 by serial communication. Further, the setting unit 14 may transmit an IP packet indicating setting information to the field device 3 via the transmission path L configured by the IP transmission path.

Next, the configuration of the mobile terminal device 2 will be described.
The mobile terminal device 2 includes an NFC function unit 20 (mobile terminal side NFC function unit), a setting information input unit 21, and a setting information transmission unit 22. The mobile terminal device 2 is realized by, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

  The NFC function unit 20 performs NFC communication. The NFC function unit 20 sends a connection request for NFC communication to the NFC function unit 10 of the gateway 1 and establishes an NFC connection. The NFC function unit 20 is realized by an NFC controller (not shown) and an NFC reader / writer having an NFC antenna and the like.

  The setting information input unit 21 inputs device identification information for identifying the field device 3 in association with setting information for the field device 3. More specifically, the mobile terminal device 2 has an input unit such as a touch panel (not shown), and receives device identification information and setting information from the user via the input unit. For example, the user selects any one of the plurality of field devices 3 from a selection screen or the like displayed on the touch panel. Further, simultaneously with or immediately after the selection of the field device 3, setting information such as a predetermined parameter value is selected by the user. Then, the setting information input unit 21 inputs device identification information identifying the field device 3 selected by the user in association with the corresponding setting information.

  The setting information transmission unit 22 transmits the device identification information input to the setting information input unit 21 and the setting information associated with the device identification information to the gateway 1 by NFC.

[Hardware configuration of gateway]
Next, the hardware configuration of the gateway 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the gateway 100 is a computer including a control unit 102, a communication control device 105, a storage device 106, and an antenna 107 connected via a bus 101, and a program for controlling these hardware resources. It can be realized.

  The control unit 102 includes a CPU 103 and a main storage unit 104. In the main storage unit 104, programs for the CPU 103 to perform various controls and calculations are stored in advance. The control unit 102 realizes the function of the gateway 1 such as the setting unit 14 shown in FIG.

  The communication control device 105 is an input / output interface for connecting various devices, and is a control device for network connection between the gateway 100 and various external electronic devices. The communication control device 105 implements the function of the NFC function unit 10 shown in FIG.

  The storage device 106 includes a readable and writable storage medium, and a drive device for reading and writing various information such as programs and data from and to the storage medium. For the storage device 106, a hard disk or semiconductor memory can be used as a storage medium. The storage device 106 is a device information storage unit 106a, a setting information storage unit 106b, a program storage unit 106c, and other storage devices (not shown), for example, for backing up programs and data stored in the storage device 106. Storage devices and the like.

The device information storage unit 106 a stores identification information such as a physical address unique to the field device 3.
The setting information storage unit 106 b corresponds to the setting information storage unit 12 of FIG. 1.

The program storage unit 106c stores various programs for executing processing necessary for setting the field device 3 such as NFC communication, power detection processing, and setting processing in the present embodiment.
The antenna 107 is an antenna compatible with NFC communication.

[Operation of gateway]
The operation of the gateway 1 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in the portable terminal device 2, device identification information and setting information are input based on the user's operation. When the mobile terminal device 2 moves within the target range of NFC communication, for example, to a range of 10 cm from the gateway 1, the NFC function unit 10 of the gateway 1 receives a connection request from the NFC function unit 20 of the mobile terminal device 2. (Step S1).

  Next, the NFC function unit 10 establishes a connection with the mobile terminal device 2 (step S2). By establishing the NFC connection, the portable terminal device 2 and the gateway 1 can exchange data by NFC.

  Next, the setting information receiving unit 11 is input to the setting information input unit 21 of the mobile terminal device 2 and is sent by the setting information sending unit 22. The device identification information of the field device 3 is associated with the device identification information. And setting information for the field device 3 (step S3).

  Thereafter, the setting information receiving unit 11 associates the device identification information of the field device 3 with the setting information, and stores the information in the setting information storage unit 12 (step S12). Next, among the field devices 3 connected to the gateway 1 via the transmission path L, the power detection unit 13 confirms that the power of the field device 3 for which the setting information has been received by the setting information receiving unit 11 has been activated. If it detects (step S5: YES), a detection signal will be output (step S6). The detection signal output by the power supply detection unit 13 is input to the setting unit 14.

  On the other hand, if the power supply detection unit 13 does not detect that the power supply of the field device 3 of which the setting information is received by the setting information reception unit 11 is activated among the plurality of installed field devices 3 (step S5: NO) And the setting unit 14 stands by until activation of the power supply of the target field device 3 is detected.

  The processes from step S1 to step S4 may be repeatedly performed until the power supply detection unit 13 detects the activation of the power supply of the field device 3. For example, when there is a field device 3 in which setting information has not been registered, the setting information storage unit 12 adds to the field device 3 in which setting information has already been stored. The device identification information and the setting information may be associated and stored.

  Further, in this case, when the setting information receiving unit 11 receives again the setting information of the field device 3 in which the setting information is already stored in step S3, the setting information storage unit 12 updates the latest setting information. A configuration may be employed in which setting information is overwritten and stored.

  Next, when the setting unit 14 receives an input of a detection signal indicating activation of the power supply of the field device 3 from the power supply detection unit 13, the setting associated with the device identification information stored in the setting information storage unit 12. Information is set to the field device 3 specified by the device identification information (step S7).

  More specifically, the setting unit 14 writes setting information such as the parameter value of each field device 3 via the transmission path L by serial communication.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the gateway 1 performs NFC communication with the portable terminal device 2 and receives setting information of the field device 3 associated with the device identification information. The gateway 1 specifies the field device 3 based on the setting information associated with the received device identification information, and sets each field device 3. Thus, the gateway 1 can perform setting of the plurality of field devices 3 more efficiently by using the NFC communication.

  As mentioned above, although the embodiment in the gateway and device setting system of the present invention was described, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and those skilled in the art can assume in the scope of the invention described in the claims. Various modifications are possible.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 100 ... Gateway, 1A ... Equipment setting system, 2 ... Mobile terminal device, 3 ... Field apparatus, 10 ... NFC function part, 11 ... Setting information reception part, 12, 106b ... Setting information storage part, 13 ... Power supply detection part ... 14 setting unit 20 NFC function unit (mobile terminal side NFC function unit) 21 setting information input unit 22 setting information sending unit 101 bus 102 control unit 103 CPU 104 main Storage unit 105: Communication control device 106: Storage device 106a: Device information storage unit 106c: Program storage unit 107: Antenna.

Claims (3)

A gateway configured to set a device via a network based on information received from a portable terminal device by near field communication,
An NFC function unit that establishes near field communication according to a connection request from the mobile terminal device;
A setting information receiving unit that receives device identification information for identifying the device, sent from the mobile terminal device, and setting information for controlling the device, associated with the device identification information;
A storage unit that stores the accepted device identification information and the setting information in association with each other;
A setting unit configured to set the setting information associated with the device identification information stored in the storage unit to a device specified by the device identification information;
A gateway characterized by comprising: In the gateway according to claim 1,
The apparatus further comprises a power supply detection unit that detects that the power supply of the device has started.
The setting unit sets the setting information associated with the device identification information to the device specified by the device identification information when the power detection unit detects that the power of the device is activated. A gateway characterized by An apparatus setting system comprising: a portable terminal apparatus; and a gateway connected to an apparatus via a network, the apparatus setting system comprising:
The portable terminal device is
A setting information input unit for inputting the device identification information and the setting information associated with the device identification information;
A portable terminal side NFC function unit that sends a connection request to the gateway to establish near field communication;
A setting information sending unit for sending the setting information associated with the device identification information;
Equipped with
The said gateway is a gateway of Claim 1 or Claim 2. The apparatus setting system characterized by the above-mentioned.

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