JP2020108110A - Water apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a water apparatus capable of reducing power consumption required for radio transmission, even when radio transmitting multiple types of apparatus information to an external apparatus.SOLUTION: A plug device 100 includes: an apparatus body 20 driven by a battery 46 or a power generation part 50; and a control section 22 for controlling operation of the apparatus body, acquiring multiple types of apparatus information about operation of the apparatus body from a sensor part 34 and the like, and connected with a radio communication unit 24 via a communication line capable of serial communication, and radio transmitting the multiple types of apparatus information to the radio communication unit by serial communication. When detecting change in the state of at least one of the multiple types of apparatus information, the control section transmits at least one type of apparatus information to the radio communication unit, and controls a switching element 88 to operate the radio communication unit only at the time of transmitting at least one type of apparatus information, thus making the radio communication unit radio transmit at least one type of apparatus information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Aspects of the invention generally relate to water handling equipment.

BACKGROUND ART There is known a water supply device installed in a toilet or the like, which does not require power supply from an external power source such as a commercial power source by being driven by a battery or a generator (for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, in such a water supply device, it has been proposed to wirelessly transmit device information to an external device such as a management server so that the external device can manage the usage status of the device and the necessity of maintenance (for example, Patent Document 2).

In order to wirelessly transmit the device information from the water supply device to the external device, it is necessary to provide a communication line and connect the control unit of the water supply device to the wireless communication unit via the communication line. For example, it is necessary to transmit a plurality of pieces of equipment information from the water supply equipment such as the usage status of the equipment and the necessity of maintenance. Therefore, serial communication is preferably used for communication between the control unit and the wireless communication unit.

For example, it is conceivable to provide a dedicated communication line for each piece of device information and transmit a signal indicating the output state or the output stop state. However, in this case, it is necessary to provide a communication line for each of a plurality of pieces of device information and connect the control unit and the wireless communication unit with a plurality of communication lines, which increases the number of communication lines and connection connectors. There is a concern that it will be complicated. For example, there is a possibility that the size of the water supply equipment becomes large and the installation place is restricted, or the waterproof property of the connector part is deteriorated. When the serial communication is used as described above, it is possible to reduce the number of communication lines and suppress the increase in the size of such water supply equipment.

On the other hand, the serial data used in serial communication has a large amount of data compared to the case where a dedicated communication line is provided for each device information and a signal in the output state or the output stop state is transmitted. The power consumption during wireless transmission with the device also increases.

Electric power used in the wireless communication unit is supplied from a battery or a generator of a water supply device or a dedicated battery separately provided in the wireless communication unit. At this time, if the power consumption is large, the power of the generator or the battery is likely to be insufficient, and the water supply device or the wireless communication unit does not operate normally or the frequency of battery replacement increases. As a countermeasure, it is conceivable to supply power to the wireless communication unit from an external power source, but in this case, power source construction or the like is required, and the construction is troublesome.

JP, 2010-159576, A JP, 2018-62776, A

The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such a problem, and provides a water supply device that can reduce power consumption required for wireless transmission even when wirelessly transmitting a plurality of device information to an external device. With the goal.

A first aspect of the present invention is a water supply device that wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information to an external device, the device main body being driven by a battery or a generator, and the operation of the device main body. A plurality of device information related to, is connected to a wireless communication unit via a communication line capable of serial communication, by transmitting the plurality of device information to the wireless communication unit by the serial communication, A control unit for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of device information from the wireless communication unit to the external device, wherein the control unit detects a change in the state of at least one device information among the plurality of device information. And transmitting the at least one device information to the wireless communication unit, operating the wireless communication unit only when transmitting the at least one device information, and wirelessly transmitting the at least one device information to the wireless communication unit. It is a water supply equipment characterized by that.

According to this water supply device, when the control unit detects a change in the state of at least one device information among the plurality of device information, it transmits at least one device information to the wireless communication unit, and at least one device information. The wireless communication unit is operated only when transmitting the device information, and at least one device information is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communication unit, so that the plurality of device information is periodically transmitted even when there is no change in the state of the plurality of device information. Compared with the case of performing the above, the frequency of transmitting the device information to the wireless communication unit can be suppressed, and the frequency of driving the wireless communication unit can be suppressed. As a result, the power consumption of the wireless communication unit due to wireless transmission can be reduced. Further, by operating the wireless communication unit only when transmitting the device information, it is possible to prevent the wireless communication unit from accessing the control unit, and it is possible to reduce the standby power consumption of the wireless communication unit and the control unit. As a result, even when using a communication line capable of serial communication in order to suppress the upsizing of the water supply equipment when constructing a system for managing the condition of the water supply equipment with an external device such as a management server, It is possible to prevent malfunctions in the communication unit and the water supply equipment, increase in the frequency of battery replacement, and the like.

2nd invention is a water supply apparatus characterized by further providing the said wireless communication part in 1st invention, The said apparatus main body supplies the electric power of the said battery or the said generator to the said wireless communication part. is there.

According to this water supply device, the power supply sources of the device main body and the wireless communication unit can be integrated. For example, the configuration of the device body and the wireless communication unit can be simplified as compared with the case where batteries are provided in the device body and the wireless communication unit, respectively, and the labor of maintenance such as battery replacement can be reduced.

In a third aspect based on the first or second aspect, the control unit sets priorities for the plurality of pieces of device information, and detects a change in the state of the device information with higher priority. In response to the detection, the high priority device information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit, and when a change in the state of the low priority device information is detected, the low priority device information of the low priority device information is detected. It is a water supply device characterized in that transmission to a wireless communication unit can be suspended.

According to this water handling equipment, the control unit can select the necessary information in the water handling equipment by setting the priority for the plurality of equipment information. Then, by making it possible to suspend the transmission of low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit, the frequency of wireless transmission of low-priority device information is reduced, and the power consumption of the wireless communication unit by wireless transmission is further reduced. Can be made.

In a fourth aspect based on the third aspect, the control unit integrates a plurality of state changes of the low-priority device information based on detection of a state change of the low-priority device information. The integrated information is generated, and the integrated information is transmitted to the device with the low priority in response to the lapse of a predetermined time or the number of times of detecting the change in the state of the device information with the low priority becomes a predetermined number or more. The water supply device is characterized by transmitting the information to the wireless communication unit.

According to this water supply device, integrated information that integrates a plurality of changes in the state of low priority device information can be transmitted according to the passage of time or the number of times of detection of device information. It is possible to further reduce power consumption due to wireless transmission of the unit.

5th invention is the 3rd or 4th invention, The said apparatus main body supplies the electric power of the said generator to the said wireless communication part, The said control part is generating electric power of the said generator, or the said generator. In the water supply device, the device information with low priority is transmitted to the wireless communication unit during a predetermined time after the end of the power generation.

According to this water supply device, the timing of transmitting device information with low priority can be set within the predetermined time from the power generation or the end of the power generation, and even when the power of the generator is supplied to the wireless communication unit, It is possible to prevent the power consumption of the device main body from becoming insufficient due to the power consumed by the communication unit, and the device main body and the wireless communication unit from malfunctioning.

In a sixth aspect based on the fifth aspect, the device main body has a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage value during power generation by the generator, and the control unit controls the power generation unit during power generation by the generator. When the voltage value detected by the voltage detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the low-priority device information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit.

According to the water supply device, it is possible to more reliably prevent the device main body and the wireless communication unit from malfunctioning due to power shortage of the device main body due to the power consumed by the wireless communication unit. For example, surplus power of the generator can be efficiently used.

In a seventh aspect based on the third or fourth aspect, the device body has a power storage unit that stores the power generated by the power generator, and supplies the power of the power generator to the wireless communication unit. The control unit is a water supply device, which transmits the device information with low priority to the wireless communication unit when the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage unit is equal to or more than a predetermined amount.

According to this water supply device, even when the power of the generator is supplied to the wireless communication unit, the power of the device main body is insufficient due to the power consumed by the wireless communication unit when transmitting the device information of low priority. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the device body and the wireless communication unit from malfunctioning.

In an eighth aspect based on the first or second aspect, the control unit sets a priority for the plurality of pieces of device information and sets a status of at least one piece of device information among the plurality of pieces of device information. When a change is detected, the at least one device information is added with the priority information and transmitted to the wireless communication unit.

According to this water supply device, by adding the priority information to the device information and transmitting it to the wireless communication unit, it becomes possible for the wireless communication unit side to easily determine the selection of necessary information. For example, the configuration of the wireless communication unit can be simplified when causing the wireless communication unit to determine device information of high priority and device information of low priority.

According to the aspect of the present invention, even when wirelessly transmitting a plurality of pieces of device information to an external device, a water supply device that can reduce power consumption required for wireless transmission is provided.

It is explanatory drawing which represents typically the water supply equipment system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing typically the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram showing typically the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing an example of operation of a control part typically. It is a flow chart which represents typically an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a flow chart which shows an example of another operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment typically. 7 is a table schematically showing an example of the relationship between device information and priority. It is a flow chart which shows an example of another operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment typically. 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams that schematically show an example of the integrated information. It is a flow chart which shows an example of another operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment typically. It is a flow chart which shows an example of another operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment typically. It is a flow chart which shows an example of another operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment typically. It is a flow chart which shows an example of another operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment typically. It is a block diagram showing typically the modification of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a perspective view which represents typically the toilet device concerning 2nd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing showing the toilet device concerning 3rd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be appropriately omitted.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a water handling equipment system according to a first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the water supply equipment system 2 includes a management server 4, a network equipment 6, and a water supply equipment 10.

The management server 4 is connected to the network device 6 via the network 8 and communicates with the network device 6 via the network 8. The network 8 is, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network). The network 8 may be a wired connection between the management server 4 and the network device 6, a wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless. The network 8 may be any network that enables communication between the management server 4 and the network device 6.

The network device 6 communicates with the management server 4 via the network 8 and wirelessly communicates with the water supply device 10. The network device 6 is, for example, a gateway that performs conversion between the protocol of the network 8 on the management server 4 side and the protocol of wireless communication on the water supply device 10 side.

The water supply device 10 is, for example, a faucet device, a urinal, or a urinal. The water supply equipment system 2 is used in connection with, for example, a public toilet room. The network device 6 and the water supply device 10 are installed and used in a toilet room, for example. The management server 4 may be installed in the toilet room or may be installed in a room different from the toilet room.

The water supply device 10 wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information related to, for example, the usage status of the water supply device 10 and the necessity of maintenance to the management server 4 via the network device 6 and the network 8. In this way, the water supply device 10 wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information to the external device such as the management server 4.

As a result, in the water supply equipment system 2, the management server 4 can centrally manage the usage status of the water supply equipment 10 and the necessity of maintenance. In the water handling equipment system 2, for example, information such as the usage frequency of the water handling equipment 10 can be stored in the management server 4. Further, in the water supply equipment system 2, for example, a failure of the water supply equipment 10 is detected based on the equipment information from the water supply equipment 10, and the administrator or the like is notified of the failure of the water supply equipment 10 via the management server 4. can do. For example, it is possible to notify an administrator or the like of supplementation or replacement of consumable items such as batteries and toilet paper. As a result, in the water supply system 2, the water supply device 10 can be easily managed even when the water supply device 10 is installed in a public toilet room or the like.

The water supply equipment system 2 includes, for example, a plurality of water supply equipment 10. The management server 4 manages device information wirelessly transmitted from each of the plurality of water supply devices 10. Accordingly, even when a plurality of water supply devices 10 are installed in a public toilet room or the like, it is possible to easily manage the plurality of water supply devices 10. Note that, in FIG. 1, for convenience, four water supply devices 10 are illustrated. The number of water supply devices 10 is not limited to four, and may be any number. The number of water supply devices 10 may be one.

Communication between the network equipment 6 and the water supply equipment 10 may be performed at least by wireless transmission of equipment information from the water supply equipment 10 to the network equipment 6. Further, the communication between the management server 4 and the network device 6 may be performed at least by transmitting the device information from the network device 6 to the management server 4. However, the communication between the network device 6 and the water supply device 10 may be bidirectional communication. The communication between the management server 4 and the network device 6 may be bidirectional communication.

The external device that is the transmission destination for wirelessly transmitting the device information from the water supply device 10 is not limited to the management server 4, and may be any device that requires the device information. Further, for example, when the water supply equipment 10 and the external equipment (management server 4) can directly perform wireless communication, the network equipment 6 may be omitted. The network device 6 is provided as needed and can be omitted.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
In FIG. 2, a faucet device 100 is illustrated as an example of the water supply device 10. Hereinafter, the faucet device 100 will be described as the water supply device 10.

As shown in FIG. 2, the faucet device 100 includes a device body 20 and a control unit 22. The device body 20 includes a faucet 30 (water discharge part), a solenoid valve 32, a sensor part 34, and a generator 36. A battery 46 is removably provided in the device body 20. The battery 46 supplies electric power to the control unit 22 and the like. The control unit 22 controls the operation of the device body 20. The water faucet device 100 detects an object (human body, object, etc.) and automatically discharges water, and discharges water to a washbasin 12 provided on a washbasin.

The washbasin 12 is provided on the upper surface of the washbasin counter 14. The washbasin 12 has a bowl surface 12a. The bowl surface 12 a has, for example, a concave shape that is recessed below the upper surface of the wash counter 14. The faucet 30 is provided, for example, on the wash counter 14 and discharges water to the bowl surface 12 a of the washbasin 12. The faucet 30 has a water discharge port 30a for discharging water, and the water discharged from the water discharge port 30a is provided so as to be discharged into the bowl surface 12a of the washbasin 12. The position where the faucet 30 is attached is not limited to the position above the washbasin counter 14, and may be any position where water can be discharged into the bowl surface 12a, for example, in the washbasin 12 or a wall surface of a building.

The water discharged from the faucet 30 from the water discharge port 30a is supplied through the water supply passage 38. The water supply passage 38 guides water supplied from a water supply source such as a water pipe to the water discharge port 30a. A drain 16 is connected to the washbasin 12. The drainage channel 16 discharges the water spouted from the spout 30a into the bowl surface 12a of the washbasin 12.

The sensor unit 34 is separated from the control unit 22. The sensor unit 34 is housed inside the faucet 30, for example. The solenoid valve 32 and the control unit 22 are housed, for example, below the washbasin. The solenoid valve 32 and the control unit 22 are housed in, for example, a cabinet (not shown) provided below the wash counter 14. The control unit 22 may be provided in the faucet 30, for example. The control unit 22 may be provided separately from the device body 20 or may be provided integrally with the device body 20.

The sensor unit 34 and the control unit 22 are connected by a connection cable 34a. The control unit 22 supplies the power supply voltage to the sensor unit 34 via the connection cable 34a, and controls the sensor unit 34 via the connection cable 34a, for example.

The solenoid valve 32 is provided in the water supply passage 38 and opens and closes the water supply passage 38. When the electromagnetic valve 32 is opened, the water supplied from the water supply passage 38 is discharged from the water outlet 30a, and when the electromagnetic valve 32 is closed, the water supplied from the water supply passage 38 is not discharged from the water outlet 30a. It becomes water.

The solenoid valve 32 is connected to the control unit 22, and the control unit 22 drives the solenoid valve 32 to control the opening/closing operation. The solenoid valve 32 is electrically controlled according to a control signal from the control unit 22, and opens and closes the water supply passage 38. In this way, the electromagnetic valve 32 functions as a water supply valve that opens and closes the water supply passage 38 of the water discharged from the water discharge port 30a.

The solenoid valve 32 is a self-holding solenoid valve (latching solenoid valve), which is a so-called latching solenoid valve, and operates from a closed state to an open state by energizing the solenoid coil in one direction (opening operation). After that, even if the solenoid coil is de-energized, the open state is maintained, and the solenoid coil is energized in the other direction to move from the open state to the closed state (close operation), and then the solenoid coil is de-energized. Even if it remains closed.

The sensor unit 34 detects an object (such as a hand) approaching the water outlet 30a. The water discharge destination of the water discharge port 30a becomes the detection region of the sensor unit 34. The sensor unit 34 detects the position and movement of the target object by transmitting the optical signal and receiving the reflection signal reflected from the target object such as a human body that has received the transmitted optical signal.

The sensor unit 34 is, for example, an optical sensor that uses an optical signal of infrared light. The optical signal transmitted from the sensor unit 34 may be, for example, visible light. Hereinafter, the optical signal will be described as infrared light. The “infrared light” is, for example, light having a wavelength of 0.7 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. Further, for the sensor unit 34, for example, an ultrasonic sensor or a microwave sensor may be used.

The sensor unit 34 is provided inside the faucet 30 near the water outlet 30a, and is arranged so as to transmit an optical signal toward the user side (left side in FIG. 1) of the washbasin. As a result, the sensor unit 34 can detect that a human body is approaching the water outlet 30a, that a hand is extended toward the water outlet 30a from the human body approaching the water outlet 30a, and the like.

The sensor unit 34 inputs a detection signal indicating the detection result of the target object to the control unit 22 via the connection cable 34a. The control unit 22 detects the presence or absence of the target object based on the detection signal input from the sensor unit 34. The control unit 22 detects, for example, the position and movement of the target object based on the detection signal. Then, the control unit 22 controls the opening/closing operation of the electromagnetic valve 32 based on the detection result. The control unit 22 also outputs a control signal to the sensor unit 34 to control the sensing operation of the sensor unit 18.

The generator 36 is provided, for example, on the path of the water supply passage 38 between the faucet 30 and the solenoid valve 32, and when the solenoid valve 32 is opened, power is generated using the flow of water flowing through the water supply passage 38. I do. The generator 36 supplies the generated power to the control unit 22 and the like. In this way, the power of the generator 36 and the power of the battery 46 are supplied to the control unit 22 and the like. The control unit 22 operates by the power supply from the generator 36 or the battery 46. The generator 36 is provided as necessary and can be omitted.

As described above, in the water faucet device 100 of the present embodiment, the opening/closing operation of the solenoid valve 32 is controlled by the control unit 22 controlling based on the detection signal of the sensor unit 34. As a result, water is discharged according to the detection result of the object approaching the water outlet 30a (movement of the user of the washbasin, etc.). The control unit 22 discharges water according to the detection of the target object, and stops the discharge of water according to the non-detection of the target object. That is, in the water faucet device 100, water is automatically discharged while the user is holding his or her hand near the water outlet 30a.

Further, the control unit 22 controls the sensor unit 34 so that the sensor unit 34 does not always operate, but operates at a timing at which sensing is required. Thereby, the power consumption of the sensor unit 34 can be reduced. The control unit 22 reduces the frequency of the sensing operation of the sensor unit 34 to the extent that the user does not feel inconvenient. As a result, the power consumption of the entire faucet device 100 can be reduced.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the faucet device 100 further includes a wireless communication unit 24 for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of device information to the management server 4 (external device). The wireless communication unit 24 is provided separately from the device body 20, for example. The wireless communication unit 24 may be provided integrally with, for example, the faucet 30 of the device body 20.

The device body 20 further includes a power supply circuit 40, a solenoid valve drive circuit 42, and a communication circuit 44. The power supply circuit 40 is connected to the generator 36 and the battery 46. The power supply circuit 40 converts direct-current power supplied from the generator 36 and the battery 46 into direct-current power having a predetermined voltage value, and supplies the direct-current power to the control unit 22, the solenoid valve 32, the sensor unit 34, and the like. The battery 46 is detachably attached to a holder or the like (not shown). The battery 46 is detachably connected to the power supply circuit 40. When the voltage of the battery 46 drops, the battery 46 is replaced.

The power generator 36 includes a power generation unit 50, a rectification unit 52, and a rectification capacitor 54. The power generation unit 50 generates power by the water flow when water is discharged from the faucet 30. The power generation unit 50 outputs AC power corresponding to the rotation of the rotor, for example, by rotating the rotor according to the water flow. The rectification unit 52 rectifies the AC power output from the power generation unit 50 and converts it into rectified power. For example, when the power generation unit 50 outputs pulsating current power or DC power, the rectification unit 52 can be omitted. The rectifying capacitor 54 stores the electric power generated by the power generation unit 50. The rectifying capacitor 54 stores, for example, the rectified power rectified by the rectifying unit 52 and smoothes the rectified power to convert the rectified power into DC power.

The generator 36 supplies the DC power stored in the rectifying capacitor 54 to the power supply circuit 40. Thus, the power supply circuit 40 is supplied with the DC power of the generator 36 and the battery 46. The device body 20 is driven by the DC power of the generator 36 or the battery 46. As described above, the generator 36 is provided as needed and can be omitted. When the generator 36 is omitted, only the DC power of the battery 46 is supplied to the power supply circuit 40, and the device body 20 is driven only by the DC power of the battery 46.

The power supply circuit 40 includes, for example, a power storage unit 60, a voltage conversion circuit 62, a limiting resistor 64, a driving capacitor 66, and a limiter circuit 68.

The power storage unit 60 stores the electric power generated by the generator 36. The power storage unit 60 also stores the DC power supplied from the battery 46. The voltage conversion circuit 62 converts the voltage value of the DC power stored in the power storage unit 60 into DC power having a predetermined voltage value by stepping up or stepping down the voltage value.

The voltage conversion circuit 62 supplies the converted DC power to each unit such as the control unit 22 and the sensor unit 34. Each unit such as the control unit 22 and the sensor unit 34 operates according to the power supply from the voltage conversion circuit 62. Further, the voltage conversion circuit 62 charges the drive capacitor 66 with the converted DC power.

The limiting resistor 64 limits the current and voltage of the DC power supplied from the voltage conversion circuit 62 to the drive capacitor 66. The driving capacitor 66 supplies a current to the solenoid valve 32. In other words, the drive capacitor 66 is a capacitor for driving the solenoid valve 32. A relatively large current flows through the solenoid valve 32. The drive capacitor 66 stores the electric power supplied to the solenoid valve 32, so that the load is momentarily increased during the operation of the solenoid valve 32, and the operations of the control unit 22, the sensor unit 34, the voltage conversion circuit 62, and the like are performed. Prevents instability.

The limiter circuit 68 has a voltage detector 70 and a switching element 72. The voltage detection unit 70 detects the voltage value of the DC power input from the generator 36. In other words, the voltage detector 70 detects the voltage value of the rectifying capacitor 54 of the generator 36. The switching element 72 is provided in parallel with the rectifying capacitor 54 and the power storage unit 60, and forms a branch path different from the path for charging the power storage unit 60.

When the switching element 72 is turned off, no current flows on the branch path side, and the power storage unit 60 is charged. When the switching element 72 is turned on, current also flows on the branch path side, and charging of the power storage unit 60 is suppressed.

The limiter circuit 68 turns off the switching element 72 when the voltage value of the generator 36 is less than the predetermined value, and turns on the switching element 72 when the voltage value of the generator 36 is more than the predetermined value. State. As a result, when the switching element 72 is turned on, the supply of DC power from the generator 36 to the power storage unit 60 is suppressed. Thereby, overcharge of power storage unit 60 can be suppressed.

The solenoid valve drive circuit 42 is connected to the control unit 22 and the solenoid valve 32. In other words, the control unit 22 is connected to the solenoid valve 32 via the solenoid valve drive circuit 42. The solenoid valve drive circuit 42 drives the solenoid valve 32 to open and close under the control of the controller 22.

The communication circuit 44 is connected to the control unit 22. Further, the communication circuit 44 is connected to the wireless communication unit 24 via the communication line 48. That is, the control unit 22 is connected to the wireless communication unit 24 via the communication circuit 44 and the communication line 48.

The wireless communication unit 24 has a control unit 80, a communication circuit 82, and a radio wave transmitting/receiving unit 84. The control unit 80 is connected to the communication circuit 82 and the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84, and controls these operations. The communication circuit 82 is connected to the communication line 48. This enables communication between the control unit 22 and the wireless communication unit 24 of the faucet device 100 via the communication circuit 44, the communication line 48, and the communication circuit 82.

The communication circuits 44 and 82 and the communication line 48 comply with a serial communication standard such as RS-232C. The communication line 48 is a communication line capable of serial communication. In this way, the control unit 22 is connected to the wireless communication unit 24 via the communication line 48 capable of serial communication and performs serial communication with the wireless communication unit 24. The communication circuits 44 and 82 and the communication line 48 may have any configuration that enables serial communication between the control unit 22 and the wireless communication unit 24.

The wireless communication unit 24 is also connected to the power supply circuit 40 via a power supply line 86. The wireless communication unit 24 is connected to the voltage conversion circuit 62 via a power line 86, for example. As a result, the DC power of the voltage conversion circuit 62 is supplied to the wireless communication unit 24. The control unit 80, the communication circuit 82, and the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84 of the wireless communication unit 24 operate according to the power supply from the voltage conversion circuit 62.

Thus, when the faucet device 100 includes the wireless communication unit 24, for example, the device body 20 supplies the power of the generator 36 or the battery 46 to the wireless communication unit 24. The power supplied from the device body 20 to the wireless communication unit 24 is not limited to the DC power of the voltage conversion circuit 62. For example, the power stored in the power storage unit 60 (power before being converted by the voltage conversion circuit 62) may be supplied to the wireless communication unit 24.

On the path of the power supply line 86, a switching element 88 for switching between supplying and stopping the supply of electric power to the wireless communication unit 24 is provided. The switching element 88 is connected to the control unit 22 and switches between an on state (a state in which electric power is supplied) and an off state (a state in which electric power is stopped) under the control of the control unit 22. The control unit 22 switches between the ON state and the OFF state of the switching element 88 to switch between supplying and stopping the supply of electric power to the wireless communication unit 24.

The control unit 22 controls the operation of the device body 20 and acquires a plurality of device information related to the operation of the device body 20. The control unit 22, for example, opens/closes the solenoid valve 32, detects/non-detects the sensor unit 34, and information on defective water discharge of the faucet 30 (rotation/non-rotation of the power generation unit 50 when the solenoid valve 32 is opened). , Information about water-stopping failure of the faucet 30 (rotation/non-rotation of the power generation unit 50 when the solenoid valve 32 is closed), remaining amount of the battery 46, remaining amount of the power storage unit 60, communication error with the sensor unit 34. Information and the like are acquired as a plurality of device information.

The control unit 22 acquires device information on whether the solenoid valve 32 is open or closed based on the operation of the solenoid valve drive circuit 42. The control unit 22 acquires device information of detection/non-detection of the sensor unit 34 based on the detection signal input from the sensor unit 34. For example, the control unit 22 determines that the state of the detection/non-detection device information of the sensor unit 34 has changed in response to the detection/non-detection switching of the sensor unit 34.

The control unit 22 is connected to the power generation unit 50. The control unit 22 acquires the device information of the water discharge failure of the faucet 30 and the device information of the water stop failure of the water faucet 30 by acquiring the rotation information of the rotor of the power generation unit 50 from the power generation unit 50. That is, when the rotor of the power generation unit 50 is not rotating despite the control of opening the solenoid valve 32, the control unit 22 determines that the water discharge is defective and controls the solenoid valve 32 to be closed. If the rotor of the power generation unit 50 is rotating despite the presence of water, it is determined that the water stopping is defective. For example, the control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information of the water discharge defect has changed when determining the water discharge defect, and the state of the device information of the water stop defect has changed when determining the water stop defect. to decide.

The control unit 22 is electrically connected to the battery 46 and detects the voltage of the battery 46. The control unit 22 acquires the device information of the remaining amount of the battery 46 by detecting the remaining amount of the battery 46 based on the voltage of the battery 46 detected by the control unit 22. The control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information regarding the remaining amount of the battery 46 has changed, for example, when the remaining amount of the battery 46 is less than a predetermined value.

The control unit 22 is connected to the voltage detection unit 70. The control unit 22 acquires the device information of the output voltage of the generator 36 from the voltage detected by the power supply detection unit 70. The control unit 22 determines that the output voltage of the generator 36 has changed, for example, when the output voltage of the generator 36 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. Further, control unit 22 is electrically connected to power storage unit 60 and detects the voltage of power storage unit 60. Control unit 22 acquires the device information of the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 by detecting the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 based on the voltage of power storage unit 60 detected by control unit 22. For example, when the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 is less than a predetermined value, control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information regarding the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 has changed.

The control unit 22 acquires the device information of the communication error with the sensor unit 34 based on the input from the sensor unit 34. For example, when the input from the sensor unit 34 is an abnormal value, or when the sensor unit 34 does not respond to the transmission of a predetermined signal to the sensor unit 34, the control unit 22 determines that the sensor unit 34 is not connected to the sensor unit 34. It is determined that a communication error has occurred during the period. For example, when determining that a communication error has occurred, the control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information regarding the communication error with the sensor unit 34 has changed.

The method of acquiring each piece of device information is not limited to the above, and any method may be used. The device information acquired by the control unit 22 is not limited to the above, and may be any information related to the operation of the device body 20.

The control unit 22 transmits the acquired pieces of device information to the wireless communication unit 24 by serial communication. Upon receiving the device information from the control unit 22 via the communication circuit 82, the control unit 80 of the wireless communication unit 24 inputs the received device information to the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84. When the device information is input from the control unit 80, the radio wave transmitting/receiving unit 84 wirelessly transmits the input device information to the network device 6. In other words, the radio wave transmitting/receiving unit 84 wirelessly transmits the input device information to the management server 4 via the network device 6.

The radio wave transmitting/receiving unit 84 inputs the received response signal to the control unit 80, for example, when receiving a response signal such as completion of reception from the network device 6 side (management server 4 side) after transmitting the device information.

As described above, the control unit 22 wirelessly transmits the plurality of device information from the wireless communication unit 24 to the management server 4 by transmitting the plurality of device information to the wireless communication unit 24 by serial communication. As a result, the management server 4 can manage the usage status of the faucet device 100, the failure of the faucet device 100, the necessity of maintenance of the faucet device 100 such as replacement of the battery 46, and the like.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating an example of the operation of the control unit.
FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of the serial data SD generated by the control unit 22.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the control unit 22 acquires a plurality of device information and generates serial data SD that combines the plurality of device information into one. The serial data SD is, for example, a bit string in which a plurality of bits represent a plurality of device information by allocating one device information to one bit.

The control unit 22 transmits the generated serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 by performing serial communication with the wireless communication unit 24 via one communication line 48. As a result, compared to the case where a communication line is provided for each of a plurality of pieces of device information and a plurality of pieces of device information is transmitted via the plurality of communication lines, the number of communication lines and connecting connectors increases, and the communication becomes complicated. It is possible to prevent the stopper device 100 from becoming large and restricting the installation place, and from reducing the waterproof property of the connector portion.

The wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received serial data SD to the management server 4, for example. The wireless communication unit 24 may, for example, convert the serial data SD into another data for wireless communication and wirelessly transmit it to the management server 4.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the control unit 22 acquires a plurality of device information and determines whether any one of the plurality of device information has changed (step S101 in FIG. 5 ).

When the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of equipment information among the pieces of equipment information, the control unit 22 generates serial data SD that combines the pieces of equipment information into one, and generates the generated serial data SD. It transmits to the wireless communication part 24 (step S102 of FIG. 5).

When the states of the pieces of device information have not changed, the control unit 22 turns off the switching element 88 and stops the power supply to the wireless communication unit 24. Then, the control unit 22 switches the switching element 88 from the off state to the on state when detecting the change in the state of at least one of the plurality of pieces of device information, thereby supplying power to the wireless communication unit 24. Supply. Thereby, the control unit 22 operates the wireless communication unit 24 only when transmitting the serial data SD, and causes the wireless communication unit 24 to wirelessly transmit the plurality of device information.

As described above, in the faucet device 100 according to the present embodiment, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of equipment information among a plurality of pieces of equipment information, the serial data SD is wirelessly transmitted. The wireless communication unit 24 is transmitted only to the communication unit 24 when the serial data SD is transmitted, and the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information.

As a result, the frequency of transmitting the device information to the wireless communication unit 24 is suppressed and the wireless communication unit 24 is driven as compared with the case where the plurality of device information is periodically transmitted even when there is no change in the state of the plurality of device information. It is possible to reduce the frequency of making it happen. As a result, the power consumption of the wireless communication unit 24 due to wireless transmission can be reduced. Further, by operating the wireless communication unit 24 only when transmitting the device information, it is possible to prevent the wireless communication unit 24 from accessing the control unit 22 and reduce the standby power of the wireless communication unit 24 and the control unit 22. Can also As a result, when constructing the water supply equipment system 2 that manages the state of the faucet device 100 with an external device such as the management server 4, a communication line capable of serial communication in order to prevent the faucet device 100 from increasing in size. Even if 48 is used, it is possible to prevent malfunctions of the wireless communication unit 24 and the faucet device 100, increase in the frequency of replacement of the battery 46, and the like.

In the faucet device 100, the device body 20 supplies the power of the battery 46 or the generator 36 to the wireless communication unit 24. Thereby, the power supply sources of the device body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 can be integrated. For example, compared to the case where batteries are provided in the device body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 respectively, the configurations of the device body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 can be simplified, and maintenance work such as battery replacement is reduced. be able to.

In the above embodiment, when the change in the state of at least one piece of equipment information among the pieces of equipment information is detected, the serial data SD including the pieces of equipment information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24. Not limited to this, for example, when a change in the state of at least one piece of device information is detected, only at least one piece of device information whose state has changed may be transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 as serial data SD.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when the device information is transmitted by controlling the power supply to the wireless communication unit 24. Without being limited to this, for example, the wireless communication unit 24 is set in a sleep mode in which the operation is suspended, and the wireless communication unit 24 is shifted to the normal operation mode in response to the input of the serial data SD. The wireless communication unit 24 may be operated only when transmitting the. However, by controlling the power supply to the wireless communication unit 24 as described above, the standby power of the wireless communication unit 24 can be further reduced.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, the control unit 22 acquires a plurality of device information and determines whether any one of the plurality of device information has changed (step S201 in FIG. 6 ).

When the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of device information among the plurality of pieces of device information, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the priority of the state-changed device information is high (step S202 in FIG. 6 ). ). At this time, when the states of the plurality of pieces of device information have changed, the control unit 22 determines that the priority is high, for example, when even one of the pieces of device information has a high priority, When the priority of each device information is low, it is determined that the priority is low.

When the control unit 22 determines that the priority is high, the control unit 22 generates the serial data SD in which a plurality of pieces of device information are combined into one, and transmits the generated serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 (step in FIG. 6). S203). At this time, the control unit 22 operates the wireless communication unit 24 only when transmitting the serial data SD, and causes the wireless communication unit 24 to wirelessly transmit a plurality of device information.

On the other hand, when the control unit 22 determines that the priority is low, the control unit 22 suspends the transmission of the serial data SD (step S204 in FIG. 6). When the control unit 22 suspends the transmission of the serial data SD, the control unit 22 stores, for example, the serial data SD for a plurality of times and suspends the serial data SD according to the passage of a predetermined time or the storage of the serial data SD a predetermined number of times. The SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24.

As described above, in this example, when the control unit 22 sets a priority for a plurality of device information and detects a change in the state of device information with a high priority, the serial data is sent in response to the detection. When the SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 and a change in the state of the device information with low priority is detected, the transmission of the serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 can be suspended.

In this way, the control unit 22 can select the necessary information in the faucet device 100 (water supply device) by setting the priority for the plurality of device information. Then, by making it possible to suspend the transmission of low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit 24, the frequency of wireless transmission of low-priority device information is reduced, and the power consumption of the wireless communication unit 24 by wireless transmission is reduced. It can be further reduced.

FIG. 7 is a table schematically showing an example of the relationship between device information and priority.
As shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 22 relates to normal usage of the faucet device 100, such as opening/closing of the solenoid valve 32, detection/non-detection of the sensor unit 34, and remaining amount of the power storage unit 60. Set a low priority for device information.

Then, the control unit 22 of the faucet device 100 includes, for example, information on poor water discharge of the faucet 30, information on defective water stoppage of the faucet 30, remaining amount of the battery 46, information on communication error with the sensor unit 34, and the like. Set a higher priority for device information related to abnormalities.

In this way, the frequency of wireless transmission can be reduced and the power consumption can be reduced by setting the priority of the device information related to the normal urgent situation to low. Then, by setting the priority of the device information regarding the abnormality of high urgency to be high, the abnormality of the faucet device 100 can be promptly transmitted to the management server 4 or the like.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, when it is determined that the priority is high, the serial data SD including a plurality of pieces of device information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24. Not limited to this, for example, when it is determined that the priority is high, only the device information determined to have the high priority may be transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24.

In this example, the priority is set in two stages of "high" and "low". The priority is not limited to two levels and may be set in multiple levels. “High priority” means, for example, a state in which the priority is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. “Low priority” is, for example, a state in which the priority is less than a predetermined threshold value.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S301 to S303 shown in FIG. 8 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S201 to S203 shown in FIG. 6, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When the control unit 22 determines that the priority is low, the control unit 22 stores the determined change in the state of the device information to accumulate the change in the state of the device information (step S304 in FIG. 8). The control unit 22 accumulates the change in the state of the device information in this way, thereby generating integrated information that integrates the change in the state of the device information of low priority a plurality of times. The change in the state of the device information having a low priority may be stored in a storage unit inside the control unit 22 or may be stored in a storage unit external to the control unit 22.

After accumulating the change in the state of the device information, the control unit 22 determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the change in the state of the device information was first accumulated (step S305 in FIG. 8). The predetermined time is, for example, one hour.

When it is determined that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the control unit 22 subsequently determines whether or not the number of accumulated changes in the state of the device information is equal to or greater than the predetermined number (step S306 in FIG. 8). In other words, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the number of times of detecting the change in the state of the device information of low priority is equal to or more than the predetermined number. The predetermined number of times is 100 times, for example.

When the control unit 22 determines that the number of times is less than the predetermined number, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S301 and repeats the same procedure. In FIG. 8, the predetermined number of times is determined and then the predetermined number of times is determined. However, conversely, the predetermined number of determinations may be performed after the predetermined number of times.

If the control unit 22 determines that the predetermined time has elapsed or if it is determined that the predetermined number of times has elapsed, the control unit 22 resets the predetermined time and clears the storage count, and then uses the integrated information as low-priority device information. (Steps S307 to S309 in FIG. 8). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4. The predetermined number of resets and the accumulation count may be cleared, for example, when the serial data SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 in accordance with a change in the state of the device information having a high priority.

As described above, in this example, the control unit 22 generates integrated information that integrates a plurality of state changes of low-priority device information based on detection of a state change of low-priority device information. , The integrated information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 as low priority device information in response to the lapse of a predetermined time or the number of times of detecting the change in the state of the low priority device information being equal to or greater than the predetermined number of times. ..

As described above, according to the lapse of time or the number of times device information is detected, by transmitting the integrated information that integrates a plurality of changes in the state of the device information with low priority, the wireless communication unit 24 consumes wirelessly. The electric power can be further reduced.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, both the determination of the predetermined time and the determination of the predetermined number of times are performed, and the integrated information is transmitted when either one is satisfied. Without being limited to this, only one of the predetermined time determination and the predetermined number of determinations may be performed.

9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams that schematically show an example of the integrated information.
As shown in FIG. 9A, in this example, the integrated information UI is represented as 3-byte data. In the integrated information UI, the first byte represents data indicating that the information is collectively transmitted. The second byte represents data of device information with low priority. The 3rd byte represents data indicating the number of times the state has changed.

For example, when there is a change in the state of device information having a low priority 100 times in one hour, the serial data SD shown in FIG. 4 must transmit 100 bytes of data in 1 byte×100 times. ..

For example, suppose that the device information with low priority is four types: sensor non-detection, sensor detection, solenoid valve closed, and solenoid valve opened. In this case, even if the status changes 100 times per hour, the integrated information UI described above requires only 12 types of data of 4 types×3 bytes, so that the amount of data to be transmitted can be reduced.

In FIG. 9B, for example, at the second byte, “sensor non-detection” and “sensor detection” are collectively set as “sensor state”, and “solenoid valve closed” and “solenoid valve open” are collectively set as “sensor state”. Solenoid valve state". As a result, two types of “sensor state” and “solenoid valve state”×3 bytes=6 bytes need to be transmitted, so that it is possible to further reduce the data to be transmitted.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S401 to S404 shown in FIG. 10 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S301 to S304 shown in FIG. 8, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

After accumulating the change in the state of the device information, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the generator 36 is generating power (step S405 in FIG. 10). When the control unit 22 determines that power is not being generated, the control unit 22 subsequently determines whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed from the end of power generation by the generator 36 (step S406 in FIG. 10). When determining that the predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S401 and repeats the same procedure.

When it is determined in step S405 that power is being generated, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as device information with low priority (step S407 in FIG. 10). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4.

When the control unit 22 determines in step S406 that the predetermined time has not passed from the end of power generation, the control unit 22 proceeds to the process of step S407 and transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as device information with low priority.

As described above, in this example, the control unit 22 wirelessly communicates the integrated information (device information with low priority) during the power generation of the generator 36 or until a predetermined time elapses after the power generation of the generator 36 ends. It is transmitted to the unit 24.

This makes it possible to set the timing of transmitting low-priority device information within a predetermined time after power generation by the power generator 36 or after power generation ends, and when power of the power generator 36 is supplied to the wireless communication unit 24. It is possible to prevent the device body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 from malfunctioning due to insufficient power of the device body 20 due to the power consumed by the wireless communication unit 24.

Although the integrated information is transmitted in this example, a plurality of serial data SD including device information with low priority may be stored and the plurality of serial data SD may be transmitted together.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S501 to S505 shown in FIG. 11 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S401 to S405 shown in FIG. 10, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When it is determined that the generator 36 is generating power, the control unit 22 subsequently determines whether or not the voltage value of the generator 36 detected by the voltage detection unit 70 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (Fig. 11 step S506).

When the control unit 22 determines that the power generation is not being performed and the voltage value is less than the predetermined value, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S501 and repeats the same procedure.

On the other hand, when the control unit 22 determines that the voltage value of the generator 36 detected by the voltage detection unit 70 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as device information with low priority ( Step S507 in FIG. 11). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4.

As described above, in this example, when the voltage value detected by the voltage detection unit 70 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value during the power generation of the power generator 36, the control unit 22 outputs the integrated information (device information with low priority). It is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24.

As a result, it is possible to more reliably prevent the power consumption of the device main body 20 from being insufficient due to the power consumed by the wireless communication unit 24 and the device main body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 from malfunctioning. For example, surplus power of the generator 36 can be efficiently used.

Although the integrated information is transmitted in this example, a plurality of serial data SD including device information with low priority may be stored and the plurality of serial data SD may be transmitted together.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S601 to S604 shown in FIG. 12 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S501 to S504 shown in FIG. 11, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

After accumulating the change in the state of the device information, the control unit 22 determines whether the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage unit 60 of the generator 36 is equal to or more than a predetermined amount (step S605 in FIG. 12). When the control unit 22 determines that the amount of stored electricity is less than the predetermined amount, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S601 and repeats the same procedure.

On the other hand, when the control unit 22 determines that the power storage amount of the power storage unit 60 is equal to or larger than the predetermined amount, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as device information with low priority (step S606 in FIG. 12). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4.

As described above, in this example, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information (device information with low priority) to the wireless communication unit 24 when the power storage amount of the power storage unit 60 is equal to or more than the predetermined amount.

As a result, even when the power of the generator 36 is supplied to the wireless communication unit 24, the power of the device main body 20 is insufficient due to the power consumed by the wireless communication unit 24 when transmitting device information with low priority, It is possible to prevent the device body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 from malfunctioning.

Although the integrated information is transmitted in this example, a plurality of serial data SD including device information with low priority may be stored and the plurality of serial data SD may be transmitted together.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 13, in this example, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one device information among the plurality of device information, the detected at least one device information is assigned a priority level. Information is added (step S702 in FIG. 13).

After that, the control unit 22 generates the serial data SD in which a plurality of pieces of device information are combined into one, and transmits the generated serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 (step S703 in FIG. 13).

In this way, by adding the priority information to the device information and transmitting it to the wireless communication unit 24, it becomes possible for the wireless communication unit 24 side to easily determine the selection of necessary information. For example, when making the control unit 80 of the wireless communication unit 24 determine device information of high priority and device information of low priority, the configuration of the wireless communication unit 24 can be simplified.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram schematically showing a modified example of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment. It should be noted that parts substantially the same in function and configuration as those of the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 14, in the faucet device 100a, the wireless communication unit 24 is provided separately from the faucet device 100a. As described above, the wireless communication unit 24 does not necessarily have to be provided in the faucet device 100a (water supply device). The wireless communication unit 24 may be connectable to the control unit 22 of the faucet device 100a via the communication line 48.

Further, in this example, the wireless communication unit 24 is provided with a dedicated battery 90. The wireless communication unit 24 is driven by the electric power supplied from the battery 90. As described above, the power of the wireless communication unit 24 does not necessarily have to be supplied from the generator 36 or the battery 46 of the device body 20.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 15 is a perspective view schematically showing the toilet device according to the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 15, the toilet device 200 (water supply device) includes a device body 20 and a control unit 22. The device body 20 includes a toilet bowl 202 (water discharge part), a solenoid valve 32, and a sensor part 34. In addition, about the thing substantially same in function and structure as the faucet apparatus 100 demonstrated about the said 1st Embodiment, the same code|symbol is attached|subjected and detailed description is abbreviate|omitted.

The toilet bowl 202 has a concave bowl portion and a spout (not shown) for discharging washing water into the bowl portion. The toilet bowl 202 discharges the wash water supplied through the water supply passage 38 into the bowl portion through the water discharge port to wash away the wastes excreted in the bowl portion. That is, in this example, the toilet bowl 202 functions as a water discharge part. In other words, the toilet bowl 202 is a Western style toilet bowl.

In the toilet device 200 configured in this way, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of device information among a plurality of pieces of device information, as in the first embodiment, the serial data The SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24, the wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when the serial data SD is transmitted, and the plurality of device information is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24. It is possible to provide the toilet device 200 capable of reducing the power consumption required for wireless transmission even when wirelessly transmitting to the external device.

(Third Embodiment)
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing the toilet device according to the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 16, the toilet device 200 (bathroom) includes a device body 20 and a control unit 22. The device body 20 includes a urinal 302 (water discharge part), a solenoid valve 32, and a sensor part 34.

The urinal 302 has a concave bowl portion and a spout (not shown) for discharging washing water to the bowl portion. The urinal 302 flushes the surface of the bowl portion by discharging the cleaning water supplied through the water supply passage 38 into the bowl portion from the spout. That is, in this example, the urinal 302 functions as a water discharge part.

In the toilet device 300 configured as described above, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of device information among a plurality of pieces of device information, as in the first embodiment, serial data is generated. The SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24, the wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when the serial data SD is transmitted, and the plurality of device information is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24. It is possible to provide the toilet device 300 capable of reducing the power consumption required for wireless transmission even when wirelessly transmitting to the external device.

As described above, the water supply device may be a faucet device, a toilet device using a urinal, or a toilet device using a urinal. The water handling equipment is not limited to these and may be any water handling equipment.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. A person skilled in the art appropriately changes the design of the above-described embodiment is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it has the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, etc. of each element included in the faucet device 100, the toilet devices 200, 300, etc. are not limited to those illustrated, but can be changed as appropriate.
Further, each element included in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as long as technically possible, and a combination of these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the features of the present invention.

2 water supply equipment system, 4 management server, 6 network equipment, 8 network, 10 water supply equipment, 12 washbasin, 14 washbasin counter, 16 drainage channel, 18 sensor section, 20 equipment body, 22 control section, 24 wireless communication section , 30 faucet, 32 solenoid valve, 34 sensor section, 36 generator, 38 water supply channel, 40 power supply circuit, 42 solenoid valve drive circuit, 44 communication circuit, 46 battery, 48 communication line, 50 power generation section, 52 rectification section, 54 rectifying capacitor, 60 power storage unit, 62 voltage conversion circuit, 64 limiting resistor, 66 driving capacitor, 68 limiter circuit, 70 voltage detecting unit, 72 switching element, 80 control unit, 82 communication circuit, 84 radio wave transmitting/receiving unit, 86 power supply line , 88 switching element, 90 battery, 100, 100a faucet device, 200 toilet device, 202 urinal, 300 toilet device, 302 urinal

Claims (8)

A water supply device that wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information to an external device,
A device body driven by a battery or a generator,
The operation of the device body is controlled, a plurality of device information related to the operation of the device body is acquired, and the plurality of device information is connected to a wireless communication unit via a communication line capable of serial communication. A control unit that wirelessly transmits the plurality of device information from the wireless communication unit to the external device by transmitting the plurality of device information to the wireless communication unit by serial communication,
Equipped with
The control unit transmits the at least one device information to the wireless communication unit when detecting a change in the state of at least one device information of the plurality of device information, and transmits the at least one device information of the at least one device information. A water supply device, wherein the wireless communication unit is operated only during transmission, and the at least one device information is wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communication unit. Further comprising the wireless communication unit,
The water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the device body supplies electric power of the battery or the generator to the wireless communication unit. The control unit sets priorities for the plurality of pieces of device information, and when a change in the state of the high priority device information is detected, the control unit displays the high priority device information in response to the detection. When transmitting to the wireless communication unit and detecting a change in the state of the device information with low priority, it is possible to suspend transmission of the device information with low priority to the wireless communication unit. The water supply equipment according to claim 1 or 2. The control unit, based on the detection of the change in the state of the device information of the low priority, generates integrated information that integrates the change of the state of the device information of the low priority a plurality of times, a predetermined time or The integrated information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit as the low-priority device information in response to the number of times of detection of a change in the state of the low-priority device information having reached a predetermined number or more. The water supply equipment according to claim 3. The device body supplies electric power of the generator to the wireless communication unit,
The control unit transmits the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit during power generation of the generator or until a predetermined time elapses after power generation of the generator ends. Item 3. The water supply equipment according to item 3 or 4. The device body has a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage value during power generation of the generator,
The control unit transmits the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit when the voltage value detected by the voltage detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value during power generation of the generator. The water supply device according to claim 5. The device body has a power storage unit that stores the power generated by the generator, and supplies the power of the generator to the wireless communication unit,
The water supply device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the control unit transmits the device information with low priority to the wireless communication unit when the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. .. The control unit sets a priority to the plurality of device information, and when the change of the state of at least one device information of the plurality of device information is detected, the control unit sets the priority to the at least one device information. The water supply equipment according to claim 1 or 2, wherein priority information is added and transmitted to the wireless communication unit.

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