JP2022015146A - Communication system for water-related equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide water-related equipment capable of minimizing communication traffic congestion, increase in communication cost, and data loss and delay caused by switching from a normal mode to a filtering mode.SOLUTION: A water-related equipment communication system provided herein comprises a network device connected to an external device, and multiple water-related devices connected to the network device. Each of the water-related devices comprises a main device body and a communication unit. The network device sends information received from the communication units to the external device. The network device can be operated in a normal mode for sending information and a filtering mode for sending just a portion of information that is sent in the normal mode, where switching from the normal mode to the filtering mode can be done when a change request value is equal to or greater than a threshold value and the network device is in a change accepting state. When the change request value is equal to or greater than the threshold value but the device is not in the change accepting state, a change request is put on hold until the device is in the change accepting state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Aspects of the present invention generally relate to communication systems for water-related equipment.

In recent years, as IoT (Internet of Things) in water-related equipment, for example, connecting water-related equipment to a network via a network device such as a gateway has been performed. As a result, the information obtained in the water-related equipment can be stored in the server (cloud) connected to the network via the network equipment.

Since the information obtained in water-related equipment has a wide range of uses, it is desirable to accumulate more information. However, if all the information obtained by the water supply device is transmitted to the server, the communication traffic may be congested in some cases, and the probability of data loss or data delay may increase. Further, if all the information obtained in the water supply device is transmitted to the server, the data capacity may increase and the communication cost may increase.

Japanese Patent No. 6636892

As a means to solve this problem, by making it possible to execute a normal mode and a filtering mode in which the data capacity of information to be transmitted and the transmission frequency are less than those in the normal mode, the data capacity is increased when the communication traffic is congested. At that time, it is conceivable to reduce the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted by the filtering mode.

However, for example, if the normal mode is changed to the filtering mode when the communication traffic is congested, the load on the control unit becomes large, and data loss or data delay may easily occur.

The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such a problem, and can suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase of communication cost, and can suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode. The purpose is to provide a communication system for water-related equipment.

The first invention includes a network device connected to an external device via a network and a plurality of water-related devices connected to the network device, and the plurality of water-related devices are each with a device main body. The network device has a communication device connected to the device body and transmits information received from the device body to the network device, and the network device transmits the information received from the communication device to the external device via the network. The network device can execute a normal mode of transmitting the information to the device and transmitting the information, and a filtering mode of transmitting a part of the information transmitted in the normal mode, and the network device can execute the mode. , The change accepting state for accepting a change from the normal mode to the filtering mode, the change is when the change request value for requesting the change is equal to or greater than the threshold value and the network device is in the change accepting state. , And even if the change request value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, when the network device is not in the change acceptance state, the water supply device is suspended until the network device is in the change acceptance state. Communication system.

According to the communication system of this water-related device, by providing a network device capable of executing a normal mode and a filtering mode, for example, when communication traffic is congested or the data capacity is increased, transmission is performed more than in the normal mode. Information can be transmitted from a network device to an external device in a filtering mode in which the data capacity of the information to be sent and the frequency of transmission are low. This makes it possible to reduce the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to suppress congestion of communication traffic and increase in communication cost. Even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value, when the network device is not in the change acceptance state, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the network device is in the change acceptance state, so that the communication traffic is increased. It is possible to prevent the load on the control unit of the network device from increasing due to the mode change when the network device is crowded. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

The second invention is the communication system of the water supply device according to the first invention, wherein the network device is in the change acceptance state at a preset time zone.

According to the communication system of this water supply device, even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the preset time zone is reached, so that the communication traffic is generated. It is possible to more reliably suppress the increase in the load on the control unit of the network device due to the mode change during congestion. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

A third aspect of the invention is the communication of the water-related device according to the first invention, wherein the network device is in the change acceptance state during a time period in which the water-related device is used less in the past. It is a system.

According to the communication system of this water supply device, even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the time zone when the usage record of the water supply device is low. By doing so, it is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit of the network device due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

A fourth aspect of the invention is the third aspect of the present invention, wherein at least one of the plurality of water-related devices further includes a human body detection sensor provided in the device main body to detect a human body, and the past use of the water-related device. The time zone in which the human body is rarely used in the actual results is a communication system for water-related equipment, which is characterized in that the time zone in which the human body is less detected in the past detection results by the human body detection sensor.

According to the communication system of this water supply device, even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value, the normal mode is changed to the filtering mode until the time when the human body is detected less in the past detection results by the human body detection sensor. By suspending, it is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit of the network device due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

A fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the network device is in the change acceptance state when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body is equal to or less than a predetermined amount in a predetermined period. It is a communication system for water-related equipment.

According to the communication system of this water supply device, even if the change request value is equal to or more than the threshold value, the normal mode is changed to the filtering mode until the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body becomes a predetermined amount or less in a predetermined period. By suspending the change, it is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit of the network device due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

A sixth aspect of the invention is the first aspect of the invention, wherein at least one of the plurality of water-related devices further includes a human body detection sensor provided in the device main body to detect the human body, and the network device further comprises the human body detection. It is a communication system of a water supply device characterized in that the change acceptance state is set when the human body is not detected by the sensor.

According to the communication system of this water supply device, even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor, so that the communication traffic It is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit of the network device due to the mode change when the system is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

A seventh aspect of the invention is the invention of the water supply device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the change request value is the frequency of transmission of the information from the network device to the external device. It is a communication system.

According to the communication system of this water-related device, when the frequency of transmission of information from the network device to the external device becomes high, the network device is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode, so that the information is transmitted when the communication traffic is congested. It is possible to reduce the data capacity and transmission frequency of information. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

The eighth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to sixth inventions, the change request value is the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device to the external device in a predetermined period. It is a communication system for water-related equipment.

According to the communication system of this water-related device, when the data capacity of information transmitted from the network device to the external device increases in a predetermined period, the network device is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode, and the data capacity is increased. At that time, the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

A ninth aspect of the invention is the water-related device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the change request value is the number of the plurality of water-related devices connected to the network device. Communication system.

According to the communication system of this water-related device, when the number of water-related devices connected to the network device is small, the network device transmits information in the normal mode, and when the number of water-related devices connected to the network device is large. By transmitting information in the filtering mode by the network device, it is possible to reduce the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted when the number of water-related devices connected to the network device is large. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

According to the aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication system for water-related equipment that can suppress congestion of communication traffic and increase in communication cost, and can suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to a change from a normal mode to a filtering mode. To.

It is a block diagram schematically showing the whole communication system of the water-related equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram schematically showing a part of the communication system of the water-related device which concerns on embodiment. It is a table which shows an example of the information transmitted from the water-related device which concerns on embodiment. It is a table which shows an example of the information transmitted in each mode from the network apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows the information transmission operation of the network apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the network equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the network equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a time chart showing an example of the past detection results by the human body detection sensor. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the network equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the network equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the communication system of the water-related equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the communication system of the water-related equipment which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which schematically shows an example of the mode switching operation of the communication system of the water-related equipment which concerns on embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, similar components are designated by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the entire communication system of the water supply device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the network system 200 includes a server 5, an administrator terminal 6, a display unit 7, a network device 10, and a water supply device 20. The network device 10 and the water supply device 20 constitute a communication system 100 for the water supply device.

The server 5 is connected to the network device 10 via the network 8 and communicates with the network device 10 via the network 8. The server 5 is, for example, a cloud server. The network 8 is, for example, the Internet, a LAN (Local Area Network), or the like. The network 8 may be connected to the server 5 and the network device 10 by wire, may be connected wirelessly, or may be a combination of wired and wireless. The network 8 may be any network that enables communication between the server 5 and the network device 10.

In the specification of the present application, "connection" means to be in a communicable state. In other words, "connection" means that signals can be transmitted and received. The signal is, for example, a command signal or a data signal including information.

The network device 10 is connected to the server 5 via the network 8. Further, the network device 10 is connected to a plurality of water-related devices 20. The network device 10 communicates with the server 5 via the network 8 and also communicates with the water supply device 20. The network device 10 is, for example, a gateway that converts the protocol of the network 8 on the server 5 side and the communication protocol of the water supply device 20 side.

The water supply device 20 includes, for example, a hot water washing toilet seat, a toilet bowl, a urinal, an auto soap dispenser, an automatic faucet, an electric water heater, a hand dryer, a paper winder / holder, a remote controller, a tablet, a human feeling / matrix sensor, a door /. Key sensors, stock shelves, lights, speakers, voice players, video displays, biosensors, etc. Each water supply device 20 is connected to a network device 10. The water supply device 20 and the network device 10 may be connected by wire or wirelessly.

The communication system 100 of the water supply device is used in connection with, for example, a public toilet room. The network device 10 and the water supply device 20 are installed and used in, for example, a toilet room. The server 5 may be installed in the toilet room or may be installed in a room different from the toilet room.

The communication system 100 for water-related equipment includes, for example, a plurality of network equipment 10 and a plurality of water-related equipment 20 connected to each network equipment 10. In other words, the communication system 100 of the water supply device has, for example, a plurality of groups, and each group includes one network device 10 and a plurality of water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10. The communication system 100 of the water supply device may have at least one group. That is, the communication system 100 of the water supply device may have at least one network device 10 and two or more water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10.

In this example, the communication system 100 of the water supply device has the first to third groups GR1 to GR3. The first group GR1 has a network device 10a and a plurality of water-related devices 20a connected to the network device 10a. The second group GR2 has a network device 10b and a plurality of water-related devices 20b connected to the network device 10b. The third group GR3 has a network device 10c and a plurality of water-related devices 20c connected to the network device 10c. The network devices 10a to 10c are connected to, for example, the same router in order to connect to the network 8.

Each water supply device 20 transmits, for example, a plurality of information regarding the usage state, operation, failure, etc. of each water supply device 20 to the server 5 via the network device 10 and the network 8. In this way, each water peripheral device 20 transmits a plurality of information about each water peripheral device 20 to an external device such as the server 5.

As a result, in the communication system 100 of the water-related equipment, information regarding a plurality of water-related equipment 20 can be centrally managed by the server 5. In the communication system 100 of the water supply device, for example, information such as the frequency of use of the water supply device 20 can be stored in the server 5. Further, in the communication system 100 of the water supply device, for example, based on the information from the water supply device 20, it is possible to notify the administrator or the like of the failure of the water supply device 20 via the server 5. Further, in the communication system 100 of the water supply device, for example, based on the information from the water supply device 20, it is possible to notify the administrator or the like of the replenishment or replacement of consumables such as batteries and toilet paper. As a result, in the communication system 100 of the water supply device, even when the water supply device 20 is installed in a public toilet room or the like, it is possible to facilitate the management of the water supply device 20.

For communication between the network device 10 and the water supply device 20, at least information may be transmitted from the water supply device 20 to the network device 10. Further, for communication between the server 5 and the network device 10, at least information may be transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5. However, the communication between the network device 10 and the water supply device 20 may be bidirectional communication. The communication between the server 5 and the network device 10 may be bidirectional communication.

The destination external device for transmitting information from the water peripheral device 20 is not limited to the server 5, and may be any device that requires information.

The administrator terminal 6 and the display unit 7 are connected to the server 5 by wire or wirelessly, respectively. The administrator terminal 6 and the display unit 7 display, for example, information from the water supply device 20 stored in the server 5. The administrator terminal 6 may transmit a signal or the like to the water supply device 20 via, for example, the server 5, the network 8, and the network device 10.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing a part of the communication system of the water supply device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the network device 10 has a first communication unit 11, a second communication unit 12, a control unit 13, and a storage unit 14.

The first communication unit 11 is connected to the water supply device 20 and the control unit 13, and communicates between the water supply device 20 and the control unit 13. The first communication unit 11 includes a transmission unit 11a and a reception unit 11b. The transmission unit 11a of the first communication unit 11 transmits information to the water supply device 20. The receiving unit 11b of the first communication unit 11 receives the information from the water supply device 20.

The second communication unit 12 is connected to the server 5 and the control unit 13, and communicates between the server 5 and the control unit 13. The second communication unit 12 has a transmission unit 12a and a reception unit 12b. The transmission unit 12a of the second communication unit 12 directly or indirectly transmits information to the server 5. The receiving unit 12b of the second communication unit 12 receives the information from the server 5.

The control unit 13 is connected to the first communication unit 11, the second communication unit 12, and the storage unit 14. The control unit 13 transmits the information received from the water supply device 20 via the first communication unit 11 to the server 5 via the second communication unit 12. Further, the control unit 13 transmits the information received from the server 5 via the second communication unit 12 to the water supply device 20 via the first communication unit 11.

The storage unit 14 stores the mode setting of the network device 10. More specifically, the storage unit 14 stores the setting of the normal mode and the setting of the filtering mode. As will be described later, the storage unit 14 may store a plurality of submode settings as the filtering mode settings.

The water supply device 20 includes a device main body 25, a communication device 26, and a human body detection sensor 28. The device main body 25 has a control unit (not shown) that controls the operation of the water supply device 20. The device body 25 is connected to the communication device 26 and the human body detection sensor 28.

The human body detection sensor 28 is connected to the device main body 25. The human body detection sensor 28 detects a human body in a space provided with a water supply device 20 (for example, a toilet room), and transmits the detection result to the device main body 25. The device body 25 transmits information such as the detection result of the human body detection sensor 28 to the communication device 26. The human body detection sensor 28 is provided as needed and can be omitted.

The communication device 26 is, for example, a radio wave module that communicates with the network device 10 by radio waves. The communication device 26 is connected to the device main body 25. The communication device 26 is attached to, for example, the device main body 25. The communication device 26 has a first communication unit 21, a second communication unit 22, and a control unit 23.

The first communication unit 21 is connected to the device main body 25 and the control unit 23, and communicates between the device main body 25 and the control unit 23. The first communication unit 21 includes a transmission unit 21a and a reception unit 21b. The transmission unit 21a of the first communication unit 21 transmits information to the device main body 25. The receiving unit 21b of the first communication unit 21 receives information from the device main body 25.

The second communication unit 22 is connected to the network device 10 and the control unit 23, and communicates between the network device 10 and the control unit 23. The second communication unit 22 includes a transmission unit 22a and a reception unit 22b. The transmission unit 22a of the second communication unit 22 transmits information to the network device 10. The receiving unit 22b of the second communication unit 22 receives the information from the network device 10.

The control unit 23 is connected to the first communication unit 21 and the second communication unit 22. The control unit 23 transmits the information received from the device main body 25 via the first communication unit 21 to the network device 10 via the second communication unit 22. Further, the control unit 23 transmits the information received from the network device 10 via the second communication unit 22 to the device main body 25 via the first communication unit 21.

When the information is transmitted from the device main body 25, the communication device 26 receives the information via the first communication unit 21. When the information is received from the device main body 25, the communication device 26 transmits the received information to the network device 10 via the second communication unit 22. When the information is transmitted from the communication device 26, the network device 10 receives the information via the first communication unit 11. Upon receiving the information from the communication device 26, the network device 10 transmits the received information to the server 5 via the second communication unit 12. When the signal is transmitted from the server 5 to the device main body 25 or the communication device 26, the signals are transmitted in the reverse order.

When transmitting information to the server 5, the network device 10 transmits the information to the server 5 based on the setting of the normal mode or the setting of the filtering mode stored in the storage unit 14. That is, when the network device 10 transmits the information to the server 5, the network device 10 transmits the information in the normal mode or the filtering mode. In other words, the network device 10 can execute the normal mode and the filtering mode.

The network device 10 transmits at least a part of the information from the communication device 26 in the normal mode. That is, the network device 10 transmits a part or all of the information from the communication device 26 in the normal mode. The network device 10 transmits, for example, all the information from the communication device 26 in the normal mode. In other words, the network device 10 does not limit, for example, the information to be transmitted in the normal mode.

On the other hand, the network device 10 transmits only a part of the information transmitted in the normal mode in the filtering mode. That is, in the filtering mode, the network device 10 transmits a part of the information transmitted in the normal mode, and does not transmit another part of the information transmitted in the normal mode. In other words, the network device 10 limits the information to be transmitted in the filtering mode. The data capacity of the information transmitted in the filtering mode is smaller than the data capacity of the information transmitted in the normal mode.

In the following, among the information transmitted in the normal mode, the information not transmitted in the filtering mode is referred to as "filtering target" information. Further, among the information transmitted in the normal mode, the information transmitted in the filtering mode is referred to as "filtering non-target" information. The "filtering non-targeted" information is, in other words, information transmitted in both the normal mode and the filtering mode, that is, information transmitted regardless of the mode.

By providing the network device 10 capable of executing the normal mode and the filtering mode in this way, for example, when the communication traffic is congested or the data capacity is increased, the data capacity of the information to be transmitted is increased as compared with the normal mode. Information can be transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 in the filtering mode in which the transmission frequency is low. This makes it possible to reduce the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted. Therefore, it is possible to suppress congestion of communication traffic and increase in communication cost.

FIG. 3 is a table showing an example of information transmitted from the water supply device according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a table showing an example of information transmitted in each mode from the network device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the information transmitted from the water supply device 20 is, for example, information on the usage state of the device body 25 (usage information), information on the operation of the device body 25 (operation information), and information on the device body 25. Includes information about failures (failure information). The usage information includes, for example, information on human body detection, sitting detection, winding motion detection, entry / exit detection, local cleaning, toilet bowl cleaning, ejection, ventilation, operation, main body interlocking, reproduction, output, acquired biological information, and the like. The operation information includes, for example, information regarding room temperature and the like.

Further, the information transmitted from the water supply device 20 may include, for example, information (remaining amount information) regarding the remaining amount of consumables used in the device main body 25. Further, the information transmitted from the water supply device 20 may include, for example, information on various usage histories of the device main body 25, various setting states, various remote settings, various information requests, and the like. The information transmitted from the water supply device 20 differs depending on, for example, the type of the water supply device 20 (device body 25).

As shown in FIG. 4, when the water-related device 20 (equipment body 25) is a warm water washing toilet seat, the water-related device 20 has failure information, remaining amount information, remote setting, response to information request, usage information, and operation. Information such as information is transmitted to the server 5 via the network device 10. More specifically, the device main body 25 transmits these information to the communication device 26. The communication device 26 receives these information from the device main body 25 and transmits it to the network device 10. The network device 10 receives these information from the communication device 26 and transmits the information to the server 5.

In this example, the device main body 25 transmits information on board reset occurrence, cleaning abnormality detection, thermistor abnormality, memory abnormality, self-determination, switch short-circuit failure, and the like as failure information. Further, the device main body 25 transmits information related to remote control battery exhaustion information and the like as remaining amount information. Further, the device main body 25 or the communication device 26 transmits information regarding a response to the usage information request, a response to the failure maintenance information request, a response to the memory read request, and the like as a response to the information request. In addition, as usage information, the device body 25 has a seating state, a seating sensor continuously ON, a toilet bowl cleaning, a human body detection state, a toilet seat / toilet lid state, a local cleaning state, a nozzle / water force position, various temperatures, an onomatopoeia reproduction device, and pairing. Send information about such things. Further, the device main body 25 transmits information on room temperature, power saving state, temperature step value, etc. as operation information.

As described above, when the network device 10 transmits the information received from the device main body 25 to the server 5 via the communication device 26, the network device 10 transmits the information in the normal mode or the filtering mode. In FIG. 4, among the information transmitted from the device main body 25 to the network device 10 via the communication device 26, the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 is “◯” in each mode, and the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 10 is shown in FIG. Information that is not transmitted to 5 is indicated by "x". That is, the information indicated by "x" in FIG. 4 is an example of the information to be filtered.

In this example, in the normal mode, the network device 10 transmits all of the failure information, the remaining amount information, the remote setting, the response to the information request, the usage information, and the operation information to the server 5. On the other hand, in the filtering mode, the network device 10 transmits a part of failure information, remaining amount information, remote setting, information request, and usage information (such as a seated state) to the server 5, and another part of the usage information (seating state, etc.). (Human body detection status, etc.), operation information is not transmitted to the server 5.

In this way, in the filtering mode, the information related to the failure of the device main body 25 is not limited, and the information related to the detection result of the human body detection sensor 28 is limited, so that the data capacity and the transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted can be reduced while reducing the device. The failure of the main body 25 can be notified immediately. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the deterioration of usability in the filtering mode. The detection result of the human body detection sensor 28 may repeat detection and non-detection even when a person crosses in front of the device body 25 when moving in the toilet space, and the number of times of information transmission and the capacity are likely to increase. Tend. Therefore, by preventing the detection result of the human body detection sensor 28 from being transmitted in the filtering mode, it is possible to more efficiently suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

In the filtering mode, the network device 10 may limit the information regarding the detection result of the seating sensor instead of limiting the information regarding the detection result of the human body detection sensor 28. Alternatively, the network device 10 may limit the information regarding the detection result of the seating sensor in addition to the information regarding the detection result of the human body detection sensor 28 in the filtering mode.

Further, the information transmitted in both the normal mode and the filtering mode includes information on the failure of the device main body 25, and the information transmitted in the normal mode and not transmitted in the filtering mode is information on the operation result of the user with respect to the device main body 25. May include. That is, in the filtering mode, the network device 10 does not limit the information regarding the failure of the device body 25, but may limit the information regarding the operation result of the user with respect to the device body 25.

In this way, in the filtering mode, the information about the failure of the device main body 25 is not limited, and the information about the operation result of the user with respect to the device main body 25 is limited, so that the data capacity and the transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted can be reduced. , It is possible to immediately notify the failure of the device main body 25. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the deterioration of usability in the filtering mode.

The filtering mode may have, for example, a plurality of submodes. In this example, the filtering mode has two submodes, a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, among the usage information, the information related to the seating state, the seating sensor continuously ON, and the toilet bowl cleaning is set as non-filtering information. On the other hand, in the second mode, among the usage information, only the information related to the seating state is set as the non-filtering information, and the information related to the seating sensor continuous ON and the toilet bowl cleaning is set as the filtering target information. That is, in the second mode, the filtering target is wider than in the first mode.

As described above, since the filtering mode has a plurality of submodes, the filtering setting can be finely changed according to the congestion status of the communication traffic and the data capacity status. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

The administrator can arbitrarily set the information to be filtered and the information not to be filtered. More specifically, for example, the administrator transmits a signal relating to the change of the filtering mode setting from the administrator terminal 6 to the network device 10 via the server 5, and the signal is stored in the storage unit 14 of the network device 10. You can rewrite the settings of the filtering mode. As described above, the setting of the filtering mode can be changed according to the usage status of the water supply device 20 and the like after the use of the water supply device 20 is started.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically showing an information transmission operation of the network device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the network device 10 waits until information is received from the communication device 26 (step S101: No). Upon receiving the information from the communication device 26 (step S101: Yes), the network device 10 determines whether or not it is in the normal mode (step S102).

In the case of the normal mode (step S102: Yes), the network device 10 transmits the received information to the server 5 (step S103). In the case of the filtering mode (step S102: No), the network device 10 determines whether or not the received information is not subject to filtering (step S104).

When the received information is not subject to filtering (step S104: Yes), the network device 10 transmits the received information to the server 5 (step S103). When the received information is the target of filtering (step S104: No), the network device 10 ends without transmitting the received information to the server 5.

Information that was not transmitted in the filtering mode may be deleted in the network device 10, or is transmitted to the server 5 after being stored in the network device 10 under certain conditions, for example, for a certain period, a certain capacity, and a certain number of times. You may.

The server 5 may, for example, transmit a signal (mode information request signal) requesting the network device 10 to transmit information regarding the mode. By transmitting to the server 5 information regarding whether the network device 10 that has received the mode information request signal is in the normal mode or the filtering mode, the server 5 obtains information regarding the filtering state of the network device 10. Can be done. The mode information request signal may be transmitted from the server 5 to the network device 10 periodically every time a predetermined time elapses, or every time the server 5 receives information from the network device 10. Alternatively, the administrator may perform the operation at any time via the administrator terminal 6.

Hereinafter, switching between the normal mode and the filtering mode will be described.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the network device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 6, the network device 10 maintains the normal mode until there is a request to change to the filtering mode (step S201: No). When there is a request for change to the filtering mode (step S201: Yes), the network device 10 determines whether or not the change is accepted (step S202). In this example, the network device 10 is in the change acceptance state at the preset time zone. That is, in this example, the network device 10 determines in step S202 whether or not it is a preset time zone. The preset time zone is, for example, a time zone in which the frequency of use of the water supply device 20 is assumed to be low, for example, at night (between midnight and 6:00 am).

The time determination may be performed by the network device 10, the communication device 26, or the server 5. That is, the network device 10 itself may recognize the time and enter the change acceptance state, or the communication device 26 or the server 5 may recognize the time and put the communication device 26 in the change acceptance state.

If it is not a preset time zone (step S202: No), the network device 10 suspends the change to the filtering mode until the preset time zone is reached. When the preset time zone is reached (step S202: Yes), the network device 10 executes the change to the filtering mode (step S203).

More specifically, for example, when the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, the network device 10 executes the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode within a preset time zone. On the other hand, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the filtering mode, the network device 10 changes from the normal mode to the filtering mode until the preset time zone is reached, if it is not the preset time zone. Is put on hold, and when the preset time zone is reached, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is executed.

When the network device 10 is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode, the network device 10 transmits a signal indicating that the normal mode has been changed to the filtering mode to the server 5 (step S204). More specifically, for example, when the network device 10 is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode, the network device 10 transmits a signal indicating that the filtering mode has started to the server 5.

In this way, even if the change request value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (that is, even if there is a mode change request), when the network device 10 is not in the change acceptance state, the normal mode is used until the network device 10 is in the change acceptance state. By suspending the change from to the filtering mode, it is possible to suppress an increase in the load applied to the control unit 13 of the network device 10 due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

Further, even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value (that is, even if there is a mode change request), the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the preset time zone is reached. It is possible to more reliably suppress an increase in the load applied to the control unit 13 of the network device 10 due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

Further, when the normal mode or the filtering mode is changed, the network device 10 transmits a signal indicating which mode is the normal mode or the filtering mode to the server 5, so that the administrator can easily grasp the filtering status. can do. Therefore, the water supply device 20 can be managed more easily.

The change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is performed, for example, in the same manner as in steps S201 to S204 of FIG. In this case, for example, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 executes the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode within a preset time zone. On the other hand, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 changes from the filtering mode to the normal mode until the preset time zone is reached, if it is not the preset time zone. Is put on hold, and when the preset time zone is reached, the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is executed. Then, when the network device 10 is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode, the network device 10 transmits a signal indicating that the filtering mode has ended to the server 5.

When changing from the filtering mode to the normal mode, step S202 in FIG. 6 may be omitted. That is, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 may execute the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode without determining whether or not the time zone is set in advance. ..

FIG. 7 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the network device according to the embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a time chart showing an example of past detection results by the human body detection sensor.
As shown in FIG. 7, in this example, the mode switching operation is performed in the same manner as in FIG. 6, except that the conditions for entering the change acceptance state are different. Note that, since step S301, step S303, and step S304 in FIG. 7 are substantially the same as steps S201, S203, and S204 in FIG. 6, the description thereof will be omitted.

In this example, the network device 10 is in the change acceptance state at the time when the human body is not detected in the past detection results by the human body detection sensor 28. That is, in this example, the network device 10 determines in step S302 whether or not it is a time zone in which the detection of the human body is small. The time zone in which the human body is rarely detected is calculated from, for example, the presence or absence of human body detection every 30 minutes for the past 7 days.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the actual number of human body detections per hour. As shown in FIG. 8, from the past detection results by the human body detection sensor 28, it is possible to obtain the time zone TZ1 in which the human body is detected less and the time zone TZ2 in which the human body is detected more frequently. The threshold value of the number of times of human body detection per hour for distinguishing between the time zone TZ1 in which the human body is detected less and the time zone TZ2 in which the human body is detected in a large amount can be set to an arbitrary value.

More specifically, for example, when the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, the network device 10 executes the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode if the time zone TZ1 is less detected by the human body. do. On the other hand, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the filtering mode, the human body is not detected in the time zone TZ1 (that is, in the time zone TZ2 in which the human body is detected frequently). The change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the time zone TZ1 with less detection of the human body is reached, and the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is executed when the time zone TZ1 with less detection of the human body is reached.

In this way, even if the change request value is equal to or higher than the threshold value (that is, even if there is a mode change request), it is normal until the time zone TZ1 in which the human body is detected less in the past detection results by the human body detection sensor 28. By suspending the change from the mode to the filtering mode, it is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit 13 of the network device 10 due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

If there is no past detection record by the human body detection sensor 28, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode and the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode are performed immediately when the change request value exceeds the threshold value. ..

The change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is performed, for example, in the same manner as in steps S301 to S304 of FIG. 7. In this case, for example, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 executes the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode if there is little detection of the human body. On the other hand, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 changes from the filtering mode to the normal mode until the time zone when the human body is not detected is small, unless the time zone when the human body is detected is small. When the change of the human body is not detected at all, the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is executed. Then, when the network device 10 is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode, the network device 10 transmits a signal indicating that the filtering mode has ended to the server 5.

When changing from the filtering mode to the normal mode, step S302 in FIG. 7 may be omitted. That is, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 may perform the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode without determining whether or not the time zone has little detection of the human body. good.

Further, the determination as to whether or not the time zone in which the human body is detected is small may be performed by the network device 10, or may be performed by the communication device 26 or the server 5.

As described above, the network device 10 may be in the change acceptance state during the time zone when the use of the water supply device 20 is low in the past usage record. Whether or not the water supply device 20 is used is determined by, for example, the presence or absence of human body detection by the human body detection sensor 28. That is, the time zone in which the human body is less detected in the past detection results by the human body detection sensor 28 can be regarded as the time zone in which the water supply device 20 is less used in the past usage results. Alternatively, whether or not the water supply device 20 is used may be determined by, for example, whether or not the device main body 25 or the remote controller is operated. That is, a time zone in which the operation of the device main body 25 or the remote controller is small may be regarded as a time zone in which the water supply device 20 is rarely used in the past.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the network device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 9, in this example, the mode switching operation is performed in the same manner as in FIG. 6, except that the conditions for entering the change acceptance state are different. Note that, since step S401, step S403, and step S404 in FIG. 9 are substantially the same as steps S201, S203, and S204 in FIG. 6, the description thereof will be omitted.

In this example, the network device 10 is in the change acceptance state when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 is equal to or less than the predetermined amount in the predetermined period. That is, in this example, in step S402, the network device 10 determines whether or not the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 in a predetermined period is equal to or less than a predetermined amount. The predetermined period referred to here is, for example, one hour.

More specifically, for example, when the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 in a predetermined period is not more than a predetermined amount. Perform a change from normal mode to filtering mode. On the other hand, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the filtering mode, if the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 exceeds the predetermined amount in the predetermined period, the device main body 10 is in the predetermined period. The change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the data capacity of the information transmitted from the 25 becomes less than the predetermined amount, and when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 becomes the predetermined amount or less in the predetermined period. , Perform a change from normal mode to filtering mode.

In this way, even if the change request value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (that is, even if there is a mode change request), the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 during a predetermined period is usually equal to or less than a predetermined amount. By suspending the change from the mode to the filtering mode, it is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit 13 of the network device 10 due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

The change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is performed, for example, in the same manner as in steps S401 to S404 of FIG. In this case, for example, when the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the normal mode, if the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 in a predetermined period is not more than a predetermined amount, the network device 10 is selected from the filtering mode. Perform a change to normal mode. On the other hand, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, if the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 exceeds the predetermined amount in the predetermined period, the device main body 10 is in the predetermined period. The change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is suspended until the data capacity of the information transmitted from the 25 is less than the predetermined amount, and when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 is less than the predetermined amount in the predetermined period. , Perform a change from filtering mode to normal mode. Then, when the network device 10 is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode, the network device 10 transmits a signal indicating that the filtering mode has ended to the server 5.

When changing from the filtering mode to the normal mode, step S402 in FIG. 9 may be omitted. That is, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 does not determine whether or not the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body 25 is equal to or less than the predetermined amount in the predetermined period, and the filtering mode is performed. May perform a change from to normal mode.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the network device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 10, in this example, the mode switching operation is performed in the same manner as in FIG. 6, except that the conditions for entering the change acceptance state are different. Since step S501, step S503, and step S504 in FIG. 10 are substantially the same as steps S201, S203, and S204 in FIG. 6, the description thereof will be omitted.

In this example, the change acceptance state is a state in which the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor 28. That is, in this example, the network device 10 determines in step S502 whether or not the human body is detected by the human body detection sensor 28.

More specifically, for example, when the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, if the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor 28, the network device 10 changes from the normal mode to the filtering mode. Execute. On the other hand, if the human body is detected by the human body detection sensor 28 when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the filtering mode, the network device 10 starts from the normal mode until the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor 28. The change to the filtering mode is suspended, and when the human body is no longer detected by the human body detection sensor 28, the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is executed.

In this way, even if the change request value is equal to or greater than the threshold value (that is, even if there is a mode change request), the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is suspended until the human body is no longer detected by the human body detection sensor 28. As a result, it is possible to more reliably suppress the load on the control unit 13 of the network device 10 due to the mode change when the communication traffic is congested. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.

The change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is performed, for example, in the same manner as in steps S501 to S504 of FIG. In this case, for example, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, if the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor 28, the network device 10 executes the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode. On the other hand, if the human body is detected by the human body detection sensor 28 when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 starts from the filtering mode until the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor 28. The change to the normal mode is suspended, and when the human body is no longer detected by the human body detection sensor 28, the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is executed. Then, when the network device 10 is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode, the communication device 26 transmits a signal indicating that the filtering mode has ended to the server 5.

When changing from the filtering mode to the normal mode, step S502 in FIG. 10 may be omitted. That is, when the network device 10 receives the signal requesting the change to the normal mode, the network device 10 executes the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode without determining whether or not the human body is detected by the human body detection sensor 28. You may.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the communication system of the water supply device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 11, when the network device 10 is in the normal mode (step S601: Yes), the server 5 determines whether or not the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 is less than the first threshold value. (Step S602). The transmission frequency is, in other words, the number of transmissions in a predetermined period. The predetermined period is, for example, one month. The predetermined period can be set to any period, and may be one week, one day, one hour, or the like.

When the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 is less than the first threshold value (step S602: Yes), the server 5 ends the flow without transmitting the signal requesting the mode change. On the other hand, when the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 becomes equal to or higher than the first threshold value (step S602: No), the server 5 transmits a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode (step S603).

As described above, in this example, a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode is transmitted based on the transmission frequency of information from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device). That is, in this example, the change request value for requesting the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is the frequency of information transmission from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device).

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, and is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode when the change is being accepted.

When the network device 10 is in the filtering mode (step S601: No), the server 5 determines whether or not the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 is equal to or higher than the second threshold value (step S604). The second threshold value may be, for example, the same as the first threshold value or may be smaller than the first threshold value. Further, the predetermined period of the second threshold value may be the same as, for example, the predetermined period of the first threshold value, or may be different from the predetermined period of the first threshold value.

When the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 is equal to or higher than the second threshold value (step S604: Yes), the server 5 ends the flow without transmitting a signal requesting the mode change. On the other hand, when the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 becomes less than the second threshold value (step S604: No), the server 5 transmits a signal requesting a change to the normal mode (step S605).

As described above, in this example, a signal requesting a change to the normal mode is transmitted based on the transmission frequency of information from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device). That is, in this example, the change request value for requesting the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is the frequency of information transmission from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device).

The server 5 may transmit a signal requesting a change to the normal mode after a predetermined period (for example, one month) has elapsed. That is, the network device 10 may be changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode after a predetermined period has elapsed. In other words, the change request value requesting the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode may be the elapsed time.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the normal mode, and is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode when the change is being accepted.

In this way, when the frequency of transmitting information from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device) increases, the network device 10 is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode, so that the information to be transmitted when the communication traffic is congested. Data capacity and transmission frequency can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

In this example, the server 5 requests the mode change, but the mode change request may be made by the network device 10. That is, the control of FIG. 11 may be performed by the control unit of the server 5 or may be performed by the control unit 13 of the network device 10. When the control of FIG. 11 is performed by the control unit 13 of the network device 10, the transmission / reception of the signal requesting the mode change can be omitted.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the communication system of the water supply device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 12, when the network device 10 is in the normal mode (step S701: Yes), the server 5 has a data capacity of information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 in a predetermined period of less than the third threshold value. It is determined whether or not (step S702). The data capacity of the information transmitted in the predetermined period is, in other words, the amount of transmitted data in the predetermined period. The predetermined period is, for example, one month. The predetermined period can be set to any period, and may be one week, one day, one hour, or the like.

When the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 in a predetermined period is less than the third threshold value (step S702: Yes), the server 5 does not transmit a signal requesting the mode change, but instead performs a flow. finish. On the other hand, when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 becomes equal to or greater than the third threshold value in a predetermined period (step S702: No), the server 5 transmits a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode (step S702: No). Step S703).

As described above, in this example, a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode is transmitted based on the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device) in a predetermined period. That is, in this example, the change request value for requesting the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device) in a predetermined period.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, and is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode when the change is being accepted.

When the network device 10 is in the filtering mode (step S701: No), the server 5 determines whether or not the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 in a predetermined period is equal to or greater than the fourth threshold value (step S704). ). The fourth threshold value may be the same as, for example, the third threshold value, or may be smaller than the third threshold value. Further, the predetermined period of the fourth threshold value may be the same as, for example, the predetermined period of the third threshold value, or may be different from the predetermined period of the third threshold value.

When the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 in a predetermined period is equal to or greater than the fourth threshold value (step S704: Yes), the server 5 does not transmit a signal requesting the mode change, but instead performs a flow. finish. On the other hand, when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 becomes less than the fourth threshold value in a predetermined period (step S704: No), the server 5 transmits a signal requesting a change to the normal mode (step S704: No). Step S705).

As described above, in this example, a signal requesting a change to the normal mode is transmitted based on the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device) in a predetermined period. That is, in this example, the change request value for requesting the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device) in a predetermined period. As described above, the change request value requesting the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode may be an elapsed time.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the normal mode, and is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode when the change is being accepted.

In this way, when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device 10 to the server 5 (external device) increases in a predetermined period, the network device 10 is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode, and the data capacity increases. In addition, the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

In this example, the server 5 requests the mode change, but the mode change request may be made by the network device 10. That is, the control of FIG. 12 may be performed by the control unit of the server 5 or may be performed by the control unit 13 of the network device 10. When the control of FIG. 12 is performed by the control unit 13 of the network device 10, the transmission / reception of the signal requesting the mode change can be omitted.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the mode switching operation of the communication system of the water supply device according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 13, the network device 10 determines whether or not the number of the water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is less than a predetermined number (step S801). The number of water-related devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is, in other words, the number of communication devices 26 connected to one network device 10. The predetermined number can be set to any number, for example, 10 units.

When the number of water peripheral devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is less than a predetermined number (step S801: Yes), the network device 10 transmits a signal requesting a change to the normal mode (step S802).

Thus, in this example, a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode is transmitted based on the number of water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10. That is, in this example, the change request value for requesting the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode is the number of the water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the normal mode, and is changed from the filtering mode to the normal mode when the change is being accepted. The transmission / reception of a signal requesting a mode change can be omitted.

On the other hand, when the number of the water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is a predetermined number or more (step S801: No), the network device 10 transmits a signal requesting the change to the filtering mode (step S803).

As described above, in this example, a signal requesting a change to the normal mode is transmitted based on the number of the water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10. That is, in this example, the change request value for requesting the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode is the number of the water supply devices 20 connected to the network device 10. As described above, the change request value requesting the change from the filtering mode to the normal mode may be an elapsed time.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the network device 10 receives a signal requesting a change to the filtering mode, and is changed from the normal mode to the filtering mode when the change is being accepted. The transmission / reception of a signal requesting a mode change can be omitted.

In this way, when the number of water-related devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is small, the network device 10 transmits information in the normal mode, and when the number of water-related devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is large, the network device 10 is used. By transmitting information in the filtering mode, 10 can reduce the data capacity and transmission frequency of the information to be transmitted when the number of water-related devices 20 connected to the network device 10 is large. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase in communication cost.

In this example, the network device 10 requests the mode change, but the mode change request may be made by the communication device 26 or the server 5. That is, the control of FIG. 13 may be performed by the control unit 13 of the network device 10, the control unit 23 of the communication device 26, or the control unit of the server 5.

Further, in the examples of FIGS. 6 to 13, it is determined whether or not the network device 10 is in the change acceptance state after receiving the signal requesting the mode change, but whether or not it is in the change acceptance state. The determination may be made before transmitting the signal requesting the mode change. That is, even if the change request value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, when the change acceptance state is not reached, the transmission of the signal requesting the mode change may be suspended until the change acceptance state is reached. In other words, the mode change may be suspended by the network device 10 or by the server 5 (external device).

More specifically, step S202 in FIG. 6, step S302 in FIG. 7, step S402 in FIG. 9, and step S502 in FIG. 10 are before step S603 (step S605) in FIG. 11 and in FIG. 12, respectively. It may be performed before step S703 (step S705) and before step S802 (step S803) of FIG.

As described above, according to the embodiment, there is provided a water supply device that can suppress the congestion of communication traffic and the increase of communication cost, and can suppress the occurrence of data loss and data delay due to the change from the normal mode to the filtering mode. be able to.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. The above-mentioned embodiments which have been appropriately designed by those skilled in the art are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, dimensions, material, arrangement, and the like of each element included in the communication system 100 of the water supply device are not limited to those exemplified, and can be appropriately changed.
Further, the elements included in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as long as technically possible, and the combination thereof is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as the features of the present invention are included.

5 server, 6 administrator terminal, 7 display unit, 8 network, 10, 10a-10c network equipment, 11, 12 first and second communication units, 11a, 12a transmitter unit, 11b, 12b receiver unit, 13 control unit, 14 Storage unit, 20, 20a to 20c Water supply equipment, 21, 22 First and second communication units, 21a, 22a transmitter unit, 21b, 22b receiver unit, 23 control unit, 25 equipment body, 26 communication equipment, 28 human body Detection sensor, 100 communication system of water supply equipment, 200 network system, GR1 to GR3 1st to 3rd group

Claims (9)

Network devices that are connected to external devices via the network,
A plurality of water-related devices connected to the network device,
Equipped with
The plurality of water-related devices each have a device body and a communication device connected to the device body and transmitting information received from the device body to the network device.
The network device transmits the information received from the communication device to the external device via the network.
The network device is
The normal mode for transmitting the above information and
Of the information transmitted in the normal mode, the filtering mode for transmitting some information and
Is feasible and
The network device has a change acceptance state for accepting a change from the normal mode to the filtering mode.
The above change
It is executed when the change request value for requesting the change is equal to or greater than the threshold value and the network device is in the change acceptance state.
A communication system for water-related equipment, characterized in that, even if the change request value is equal to or greater than a threshold value, when the network device is not in the change acceptance state, the network device is suspended until the change acceptance state is reached. The communication system for water-related equipment according to claim 1, wherein the network device is in the change acceptance state at a preset time zone. The communication system for a water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the network device is in the change acceptance state during a time period when the water supply device is not used in the past. At least one of the plurality of water-related devices further includes a human body detection sensor provided in the device body to detect the human body.
The water-related device according to claim 3, wherein the time zone in which the water-related device is used less in the past is a time zone in which the human body is less detected in the past detection results by the human body detection sensor. Communications system. The communication system for water-related equipment according to claim 1, wherein the network device enters the change acceptance state when the data capacity of the information transmitted from the device main body is equal to or less than a predetermined amount in a predetermined period. .. At least one of the plurality of water-related devices further includes a human body detection sensor provided in the device body to detect the human body.
The communication system for a water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the network device is in the change acceptance state when the human body is not detected by the human body detection sensor. The communication system for a water peripheral device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the change request value is a frequency of transmitting the information from the network device to the external device. The communication of the water peripheral device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the change request value is a data capacity of the information transmitted from the network device to the external device in a predetermined period. system. The communication system for a water supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the change request value is the number of the plurality of water supply devices connected to the network device.

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