JP2021064887A - Hot-water supply system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a hot-water supply system that can secure the convenience of a voice recognition function, and can prevent a water heater and a remote controller from being erroneously operated by the voice recognition function according to a voice that a user intentionally makes a call.SOLUTION: A remote controller 10a of a hot-water supply system 1 equipped with a water heater 2 and the remote controllers 10a and 10b includes a function that makes a call with the other remote controller 10b, which is a call function that is activated in response to a predetermined call start operation on the remote controller 10a or 10b, and a voice recognition function that operates the remote controller 10a or the water heater 2 according to a voice input to the remote controller 10a, and further includes a control device 11 that controls the remote controller 10a such that the voice recognition function is automatically disabled according to the activation of the call function and the voice recognition function is automatically enabled after the completion of the call function.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a hot water supply system including a remote controller.

In a hot water supply system including a water heater and a remote controller (remote control device) for operating the water heater, conventionally, as seen in Patent Document 1, for example, the remote controller has a call function for making a call with another remote controller. , Those equipped with a voice recognition function for operating a water heater or a remote controller in response to voice input are known.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-123878

However, in the remote controller of the system as seen in Patent Document 1, in order for the user to use the voice recognition function, the voice recognition start button switch must be operated each time the user uses the voice recognition function. For this reason, the original convenience of the voice recognition function for enabling various operations of the water heater and the like without requiring manual operation is impaired.

Therefore, it is desirable that the voice recognition function of the remote controller can be automatically used without the user having to manually operate the remote controller. However, in this case, in the remote controller having the call function, it is easy for the user to emit the voice intended for the call without recognizing that the voice recognition function is available. Then, in this case, the voice generated by the user intentionally making a call may be erroneously recognized as the voice for operating the water heater or the remote controller by the voice recognition function, and eventually the water heater or the remote controller may be erroneously operated. is there.

The present invention has been made in view of this background, and the convenience of the voice recognition function can be ensured, and the voice recognition function can be used to erroneously operate the water heater or the remote control according to the voice that the user intentionally makes a call. The purpose is to provide a hot water supply system that can prevent it from being done.

The hot water supply system of the present invention is a hot water supply system including a water heater and a remote controller for operating the water heater.
The remote controller is a function for making a call with another device, and has a call function that is activated in response to a predetermined call start operation in the remote controller or the device, and the remote controller in response to a voice input to the remote controller. Alternatively, it is configured to have a voice recognition function for operating the water heater.
Further, a control device that controls the remote controller so that the voice recognition function is automatically disabled according to the activation of the call function and the voice recognition function is automatically enabled after the end of the call function. (1st invention).

According to the present invention, the voice recognition function of the remote controller is automatically disabled when the call function is activated, and is automatically enabled after the call function is terminated. For this reason, the user who uses the remote controller may erroneously operate the remote controller or the water heater by the voice recognition function according to the voice that is intended to make a call during the period from the start to the end of the call function. Can be prevented. Further, after the call function is terminated, the voice recognition function is automatically enabled, so that the user can use the voice recognition function without the need for manual operation of the remote controller.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the convenience of the voice recognition function can be ensured, and it is possible to prevent the water heater and the remote controller from being erroneously operated by the voice recognition function in response to the voice that the user intentionally makes a call. can do.

In the first invention, the control device further disables the voice call function until a predetermined period elapses after the end of the call function, and activates the voice call function according to the elapse of the predetermined period. It is preferably configured to be effective (second invention).

Here, especially immediately after the end of the call function, the user may emit a voice intended for the call (including a voice related to a call that continues before the end of the call function) without noticing the end of the call function. Cheap. On the other hand, according to the second invention, the voice call function is disabled until a predetermined period of time elapses after the end of the call function, so that the user intentionally makes a call immediately after the end of the call function. It is possible to prevent erroneous operation of the remote control or the water heater by the voice recognition function according to the voice.

In the first invention or the second invention, after the call function is activated, a call is made in a hands-free manner in a period until a predetermined call function end condition is satisfied without requiring an operation on the remote controller. An aspect of the function to be obtained can be adopted (third invention). This third invention is particularly suitable to be combined with the second invention.

That is, when the call function of the remote controller is a function capable of making a hands-free call, the user who uses the remote controller does not notice the end of the call function and emits a voice intended to make a call even after the end of the call function. It's easy to get rid of. On the other hand, according to the present invention, it is effective that the voice recognition function erroneously operates the water heater or the remote controller in response to the voice that the user intentionally utters after the end of the call function. Can be prevented.

The block diagram which shows the whole structure of the hot water supply system of embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which shows the processing of the remote control control device shown in FIG.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. With reference to FIG. 1, the hot water supply system 1 of the present embodiment includes a water heater 2 and one or more remote controllers 10 for operating the water heater 2.

The water heater 2 is a water heater having a known structure. Therefore, although detailed illustration and description are omitted, the water heater 2 heats hot water for hot water supply by a heat source such as a burner, and the heated hot water for hot water supply is used as a hot water tap for kitchens, bathrooms, washrooms, bathtubs, and tableware. It is configured so that it can be supplied to a washing machine or the like.

The water heater 2 is equipped with a main body control device 3 having a function of controlling its operation. The main body control device 3 is composed of, for example, an electronic circuit unit including a microcomputer, a memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), an interface circuit, and the like. Then, the main body control device 3 controls the operation of the water heater 2 (operation control of the heat source, etc.) by the function realized by both or one of the mounted hardware configuration and the program (software configuration).

In the present embodiment, the remote controller 10 included in the hot water supply system 1 includes two remote controllers 10a and 10b, for example, a remote controller 10a arranged in the bathroom (hereinafter, may be referred to as a bathroom remote controller 10a), for example, a remote controller 10b arranged in the kitchen (hereinafter, may be referred to as a bathroom remote controller 10a). Hereinafter, it may be referred to as a kitchen remote controller 10b).

The basic configurations of these remote controllers 10a and 10b are the same, and the bathroom remote controller 10a will be typically described below. The bathroom remote controller 10a includes a remote controller 11 having a function of executing control processing related to its operation, a microphone 12 as a voice input unit, a speaker 13 as a sounding unit that outputs voice, an alarm sound, and the like, and various information. A display unit 14 (for example, a liquid crystal display) for displaying the above, and an operation unit 15 for the user to perform an operation related to the operation of the water heater 2 and an operation related to various functions of the remote controller 10a.

Although detailed illustration is omitted, the operation unit 15 is composed of a plurality of operation switches and the like. In this case, the operation unit 15 includes a call switch 15a that the user operates (for example, a push operation in this embodiment) when a call is made between the bathroom remote controller 10a and the kitchen remote controller 10b. In addition, the operation unit 15 has, for example, a switch for performing ON / OFF operation (start / stop operation) of the operation of the water heater 2, a switch for setting a target value of the hot water supply temperature, and a hot water temperature in the bathtub. A switch for setting a target value of the amount of hot water and a switch for setting a target value of the amount of hot water, a switch for causing the water heater 2 to perform a hot water filling operation for automatically filling a bathtub, and the like are included.

The remote control device 11 is composed of an electronic circuit unit including, for example, a microphone, a memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), an interface circuit, a communication device, etc., and an operation signal corresponding to the operation of the operation unit 15 is input from the operation unit 15. At the same time, an audio signal corresponding to the audio input to the microphone 12 is input from the microphone 12. Further, the remote controller 11 can perform wired or wireless communication with the main body controller 3 of the water heater 2 and other remote controllers (including the kitchen remote controller 10b).

The remote controller 11 has a function of controlling the operation of the speaker 13 and a function of controlling the display of the display unit 14 as a function realized by both or one of the mounted hardware configuration and the program (software configuration), and an operation. It has a function of transmitting information according to the operation of the unit 15 to the main body control device 3 of the water heater 2 and other remote controllers (including the kitchen remote controller 10b).

Further, in the present embodiment, the remote controller 11 has a call function that enables a call between the bathroom remote controller 10a and the kitchen remote controller 10b, and the bathroom remote controller 10a or the like in response to voice input to the microphone 12. It has a voice recognition function that enables operations related to the operation of the water heater 2.

In this case, the remote control device 11 performs a process of transmitting an audio signal corresponding to the voice input to the microphone 12 to the kitchen remote controller 10b in a state where the call function is activated (a state in which the call function is ON), and a process of transmitting the audio signal from the kitchen remote controller 10b. By driving the speaker 13 in response to the received audio signal, it is possible to execute a process of outputting the audio indicated by the received audio signal from the speaker 13.

Further, the remote control device 11 analyzes the voice input to the microphone 12 in the state where the voice recognition function is activated (the voice recognition function is ON), and the voice is related to the operation of the bathroom remote controller 10a or the water heater 2. When the request information is included, a process for controlling the operation of the speaker 13 of the bathroom remote controller 10a or the display of the display unit 14 according to the request information, and a command for the main body control device 3 of the water heater 2 regarding the operation of the water heater 2. The process of transmitting a signal can be executed.

When the remote control device 11 can communicate with an external server via the Internet or the like, it is also possible to execute the process of analyzing the voice in the external server among the above voice recognition functions. .. Alternatively, for example, the main body control device 3 of the water heater 2 may be provided with a function of analyzing voice.

The basic configuration of the kitchen remote controller 10b is the same as that of the bathroom remote controller 10a described above. That is, the kitchen remote controller 10b includes a remote controller 21, a microphone 22, a speaker 23, a display unit 24, and an operation unit 25 (including a call switch 25a), similarly to the bathroom remote controller 10a. The remote control device 21 has the same function as the remote control device 11 of the bathroom remote controller 10a.

The operation units 15 and 25 of the remote controllers 10a and 10b may include operation switches that are different from each other. Further, the information displayed on the display units 14 and 24 of the remote controllers 10a and 10b, the voice guidance information output from the speakers 13 and 23, and the like may include information different from each other.

Supplementally, in the present embodiment, the remote controller 10b corresponds to the device of the present invention with respect to the remote controller 10a, and the remote controller 10a corresponds to the device of the present invention with respect to the remote controller 10b. Further, the remote control devices 11 and 21 correspond to the control device in the present invention.

Next, the processing of the remote controller 11 regarding the activation and stop of the call function and the voice recognition function on one of the remote controllers 10a and 10b, for example, the bathroom remote controller 10a, will be described with reference to FIG.

The remote control device 11 executes the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. In STEP 1, the remote controller 11 determines whether or not the call switch 15a has been pressed, and if the determination result is negative, further in STEP 2, the remote controller of the other party of the call (here). Then, whether or not there is a call start request from the kitchen remote controller 10b) is determined based on whether or not a signal indicating the call start request is received. Then, when the determination result of STEP2 is negative, the remote controller control device 11 repeats the process from STEP1.

Here, the signal indicating the call start request is transmitted from the kitchen remote controller 10b to the bathroom remote controller 10a when the call switch 25a is pressed and operated while the call function is not activated by the kitchen remote controller 10b as the remote controller on the other side. Will be sent. Then, in this case, the determination result of STEP2 becomes affirmative.

In the present embodiment, the pressing operation of the call switches 15a and 25a of the bathroom remote controller 10a and the kitchen remote controller 10b in the state where the call function is not activated corresponds to the call start operation in the present invention. Then, when the call switch 15a or 25a is pressed by either the bathroom remote controller 10a or the kitchen remote controller 10b, the determination result of STEP1 or STEP2 becomes affirmative. At this time, the remote controller 11 then activates the call function of the bathroom remote controller 10a and stops the voice recognition function in STEP 3, and further starts timing of the elapsed time A from the activation of the call function.

At this time, the remote control device 11 that has activated the call function transmits a voice signal corresponding to the user's voice input to the microphone 12 to the kitchen remote control 10b in a situation where the voice signal from the kitchen remote control 10b is not received. Execute the process. In response to this, in the kitchen remote controller 10b, the remote controller 21 drives the speaker 23 in response to the audio signal received from the bathroom remote controller 10a, so that the audio indicated by the audio signal is output from the speaker 23. Therefore, the user who uses the bathroom remote controller 10a can talk to other users who are near the kitchen remote controller 10b.

Further, in this case, the user who uses the bathroom remote controller 10a can make a hands-free call without having to operate the bathroom remote controller 10a until the call function of the bathroom remote controller 10a is terminated.

Further, the remote control device 11 of the bathroom remote controller 10a that has stopped the voice recognition function stops the execution of the voice recognition process that recognizes the request information related to the operation of the bathroom remote controller 10a or the water heater 2 from the voice input to the microphone 12. To do. Therefore, the operation of the bathroom remote controller 10a or the water heater 2 in response to the voice input to the bathroom remote controller 10a becomes invalid.

Next, in STEP 4, the remote controller control device 11 determines whether or not the elapsed time A has reached a predetermined time Ta (for example, 1 minute). When the determination result of STEP 4 is negative, the remote control control device 11 determines whether or not the call switch 15a has been pressed in STEP 5, and when the determination result of STEP 5 is negative. Further, in STEP 6, the remote controller 11 indicates whether or not there is a call termination request for the remote controller (here, the kitchen remote controller 10b) of the other party of the call, and whether or not a signal indicating the call termination request is received. Judgment based on. Then, when the determination result of STEP 6 is negative, the remote controller control device 11 repeats the process from STEP 4.

Here, the signal indicating the call end request is the kitchen remote controller 10b when the call switch 25a is pressed (short press operation) while the call function is activated by the kitchen remote controller 10b as the remote controller on the other side. Is transmitted to the bathroom remote controller 10a. Then, in this case, the determination result of STEP 6 becomes affirmative.

In the present embodiment, a positive determination result in any one of STEP 4 to 6 corresponds to the establishment of the call termination condition in the present invention. Then, when the determination result of any of STEP 4 to 6 becomes affirmative, the remote control device 11 then terminates the call function of the bathroom remote controller 10a in STEP 7, and after the termination of the call function. Starts the time counting of the elapsed time B of.

At this time, the remote control device 11 that has finished the call function stops transmitting the voice signal corresponding to the voice input to the microphone 12 to the kitchen remote controller 10b. Therefore, even if the user inputs voice to the microphone 12, the voice is not output from the speaker 23 of the kitchen remote controller 10b. At this time, the remote control device 11 maintains the state in which the voice recognition function is stopped.

Next, in STEP 8, the remote controller control device 11 executes a process of determining whether or not the elapsed time B has reached a predetermined time Tb (for example, 3 to 5 seconds) until the determination result becomes affirmative. Then, when the determination result of STEP 8 becomes affirmative, the remote controller control device 11 then activates the voice recognition function in STEP 9, and further executes the process from STEP 1 again.

In this case, the remote controller 11 that has activated the voice recognition function starts executing the voice recognition process that recognizes the request information related to the operation of the bathroom remote controller 10a or the water heater 2 from the voice input to the microphone 12. Therefore, the user who uses the bathroom remote controller 10a can operate the bathroom remote controller 10a or the water heater 2 by inputting voice to the bathroom remote controller 10a.

The process of the remote controller 11 regarding the activation and stop of the call function and the voice recognition function in the bathroom remote controller 10a is executed as described above. The processing of the remote control device 21 regarding the activation and stop of the call function and the voice recognition function of the kitchen remote control 10b is also performed in the same manner as the processing of the remote control device 11. In the present embodiment, the call function of the kitchen remote controller 10b is not a hands-free system, and a voice is transmitted to the microphone 22 in a state where the user on the kitchen remote controller 10b side continues to press the call switch 25a of the kitchen remote controller 10b. By inputting, the sound is output from the speaker 13 of the bathroom remote controller 10a. However, the kitchen remote controller 10b can also employ a hands-free call function.

According to the above-described embodiment, in each of the bathroom remote controller 10a and the kitchen remote controller 10b, in addition to the period from the start to the end of the call function, the elapsed time B reaches a predetermined time Tb after the end of the call function. The voice recognition function is automatically stopped within the specified period up to. Therefore, the voice recognition functions of the remote controllers 10a and 10b are disabled in a predetermined period (the period from the activation of the call function to the end of the call function until the elapsed time B reaches the predetermined time Tb). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the remote controllers 10a and 10b and the water heater 2 from being erroneously operated by the voice generated by the user intentionally during the period from the start to the end of the call function.

Further, the call function of the remote controllers 10a and 10b is performed when the determination result of STEP 4 or 6 becomes affirmative without operating the remote controllers 10a and 10b (pressing the call switch 15a or 25a). , Since it is automatically terminated, the user using each of the remote controllers 10a and 10b may not notice that the call function has been terminated.

In particular, since the call function of the bathroom remote control 10a is a hands-free type call function, the user on the bathroom remote control 10a side does not notice the end of the call function until the end of the call function, and the kitchen remote control 10b side. It is easy to emit a voice intended to make a call with the user, and by extension, the voice is likely to be input to the microphone 12 of the bathroom remote control 10a.

Further, in the kitchen remote controller 10b, if the user on the kitchen remote controller 10b side is not aware of the end of the call function, he / she may forget to press and operate the call switch 25a and emit a voice intended for the call. As a result, the voice may be input to the microphone 22.

In these cases, when the voice recognition function is activated immediately after the end of the call function on each of the remote controllers 10a and 10b, the voice input to the microphone 12 or 22 by the user on each of the remote controllers 10a and 10b after the end of the call function. Depending on (voice for a call), the bathroom remote controller 10a or the water heater 2 may be erroneously operated.

However, in the present embodiment, since the voice recognition function is stopped in a predetermined period from the end of the call function until the elapsed time B reaches the predetermined time Tb, the microphones of the remote controllers 10a and 10b are immediately after the end of the call function. Even if the voices intended for the calls of 12 and 22 are input, it is possible to prevent the remote controllers 10a and 10b and the water heater 2 from being erroneously operated accordingly.

Further, the voice recognition functions of the remote controllers 10a and 10b are automatically disabled when the call function is activated, and are activated and enabled immediately after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the end of the call function. Therefore, the user performs a manual operation for activating the voice recognition function from the time when the call function of each remote controller 10a and 10b is activated to the period from the end of the call function to the elapse of a predetermined period. The voice recognition function can be used without having to do it for 10a or 10b. Therefore, the convenience of the voice call function can be enhanced.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and other embodiments may be adopted. In the above embodiment, both the remote controllers 10a and 10b are provided with the voice recognition function, but only one of the remote controllers (for example, the bathroom remote controller 10a) may be provided with the voice recognition function.

Further, the "equipment" in the present invention is not limited to the remote controller for operating the water heater 2, and does not have a function capable of operating the water heater 2 as long as it can make a call with the remote controller 10a or 10b. You may. For example, the "device" may be a communication terminal such as a smartphone or a feature phone.

It is also possible to adopt an embodiment in which the voice call function is disabled only during the period from the start to the end of the call function. In this case, the process of STEP 8 may be omitted, and the process of STEP 9 may be executed instead of starting the time counting of the elapsed time B in STEP 7.

1 ... Hot water supply system, 2 ... Water heater, 10 (10a, 10b) ... Remote control (or device), 11,21 ... Remote control control device (control device)

Claims (3)

A hot water supply system including a water heater and a remote controller for operating the water heater.
The remote controller is a function for making a call with another device, and has a call function that is activated in response to a predetermined call start operation in the remote controller or the device, and the remote controller in response to a voice input to the remote controller. Alternatively, it is configured to have a voice recognition function for operating the water heater.
Further, after the call function is activated, the voice recognition function is automatically disabled according to the activation of the call function, and the voice recognition function is automatically enabled after the call function is terminated. A hot water supply system including a control device for controlling the remote controller. In the hot water supply system according to claim 1,
The control device is configured to disable the voice call function until a predetermined period elapses after the end of the call function, and to enable the voice call function according to the elapse of the predetermined period. The old phone system that is characterized by being there. In the hot water supply system according to claim 1 or 2.
The hot water supply function is characterized in that it is a function capable of making a hands-free call after its activation without requiring an operation on the remote controller until a predetermined call function end condition is satisfied. system.

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