JP3295861B2 - Centralized monitoring system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centralized monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of distributed units by a monitoring center. A place where an automatic device operated by a customer, such as an automatic cash dispenser or a vending machine for various kinds of articles, is installed, where a maintenance person is usually not resident. For this purpose, a centralized monitoring system for monitoring a plurality of automatic devices in a monitoring center in a centralized manner has been put to practical use. In such a centralized monitoring system, a customer may need to notify a monitoring center of a failure of an automatic device or the like. In such a case, there is a demand for efficient communication between a supervisor at a monitoring center and a customer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a conventional example, in which 31 is a monitoring center, 32 is a monitored unit, 33a is a data line, 33
b is a voice dedicated line, 34 is an automatic device such as an automatic cash dispenser of a bank operated by a customer, a vending machine for various goods such as juices, 35 is a telephone for a customer to contact a monitoring center, 36 is data. A transmission interface unit, 37 is a voice interface unit, 38 is a monitoring console, and 39 is a telephone for a supervisor.

The monitored section 32 includes an automatic device 34 such as an automatic cash dispenser and a telephone 35, and may further include a monitoring television camera. There is also known a configuration in which a shutter is closed so that a customer does not enter during a time period when business is not performed, such as at night. In this case, an intrusion sensor or the like is installed. The monitoring center 31 includes a monitoring console 38 having a display device or the like for indicating whether the monitored unit 32 is normal or abnormal, and a telephone 39.
When a surveillance television camera is installed in a television, a monitor television is installed.

Various kinds of data are transmitted and received between the automatic device 34 of the monitored unit 32 and the monitoring console 38 of the monitoring center 31 via the data transmission interface unit 36 and the data line 33a. Is received by the monitoring console 38, the display device displays the status such as whether the automatic device 34 is normal or abnormal.

[0005] A customer who operates the automatic device 34 has a telephone 3
When the handset 5 is picked up, it is received by the telephone 39 of the monitoring center 31 via the voice interface unit 37 and the dedicated line 33b. Thereby, the customer can talk with the observer of the monitoring center 31 and report a faulty point of the automatic device 34.

[0006]

Since the telephone 39 of the monitoring center 31 and the telephone 35 of the monitored unit 32 are connected by the dedicated line 33b, the customer calls the supervisor of the monitoring center 31 using the telephone 35. Although the operation is simple, the dedicated line 33b for communication is required together with the data line 33a, so that there is a disadvantage that the cost of a system for centrally monitoring a large number of the monitored units 32 distributed is increased.

Further, since the number of supervisors at the monitoring center 31 is the minimum, if there are incoming calls from a large number of monitored units 32 via the dedicated line 33b, all incoming calls cannot be handled. As a result, there is a problem that the service to the customer in the monitored unit 32 is deteriorated. The present invention
It is an object of the present invention to enable a customer who has made a call to make a call under the control of a monitoring center, and to be able to sufficiently cope with concentration of incoming calls.

[0008]

Referring to FIG. 1, the centralized monitoring system according to the present invention includes a monitoring center 1 and a plurality of monitored units 2.
In a centralized monitoring system that monitors
The monitored unit 2 includes an automatic device 4 operated by a customer and a telephone 5
, A terminal adapter 6 and a terminal adapter 7. The terminal adapter 7 has an interface function between the terminal adapter 6 and the line 3. And a control unit for the telephone 5. The control unit transmits to the monitoring center 1 when the telephone 5 is off-hook.
When the call is confirmed and the monitoring center 1 confirms the response,
The calling station information spoken machine 5 and sent to the monitoring center 1 through the terminal adapter 7 and line 3, and to listen on-hook state to the calling phone, the calling station
A calling control unit 8 for repeatedly notifying until on-hook ,
On- hook state when call information from monitoring center 1 is detected
And an incoming call control unit 9 for calling the calling telephone which is waiting at . Reference numeral 10 denotes a telephone of the monitoring center 1.

[0009]

When the circuit 3 connecting the monitoring center 1 and the monitored unit 2 is an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line, various data between the automatic device 4 and the monitoring center 1 are , For example, can be transmitted and received as data packets via the D channel.
The voice signal between the telephone 5 and the telephone 10 of the monitoring center 1 can be transmitted by the B channel . Further, since the connection between the monitoring center 1 and the monitored unit 2 can be established via the ISDN exchange, only one line 3 is required for the monitored unit 2 and the line is connected when necessary.

When the customer uses the telephone 5 to make a call with the supervisor of the monitoring center 1, picking up the handset of the telephone 5, the calling control unit 8 of the terminal adapter 6 detects off-hook, and sends it to the monitoring center 1. In response to the call from the monitoring center 1, calling telephone information including the number of the monitored unit 2 and the calling telephone number is transmitted to the monitoring center 1. Then, the calling telephone is notified by voice synthesis, tape reproduction, or the like, so that the monitoring center is in the on-hook state because the monitoring center is being called.

The monitoring center 1 receives the calling telephone information from the monitored unit 2 and displays the calling telephone information on a display device or the like of the monitoring console. The monitor designates the calling telephone to which the call is to be made according to the displayed contents and sends out the call information. Upon receiving this call information, the incoming call control section 9 of the monitored section 2 sends a calling signal to the calling telephone, and the telephone 10 of the monitoring center 1 and the calling telephone are connected by off-hook of the calling telephone, and the customer A call will be made between the person and the guard.

[0012]

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention.
Is a monitoring center, 12 is a monitored unit, 13 is an ISDN switching network, 14 is an automatic device, 15 is a telephone, 16 is a terminal adapter, 17 is a terminal adapter, 18 is a main control unit, 19
Is a procedure processing unit, 20 is a call management unit, 21, 24, and 25 are interface units, 22 is a terminal monitoring control unit, 23 is a call control unit, 26 is a terminal adapter, 27 is a monitoring console, and 28 is a telephone.

The monitored unit 12 includes a plurality of automatic cash dispensers,
An automatic device 14 such as a vending machine for various articles, a single or a plurality of telephones 15, a terminal adapter 16, and a terminal adapter 17 are provided. The terminal adapter 16 processes and controls data of each unit. A main control unit 18, a procedure processing unit 19 for processing a procedure for data communication, and an ISD
A call management unit 20 that performs call management using the N-channel D channel
A terminal monitoring and control unit 22 for controlling operation start and stop of the automatic device 14 or collecting status information;
A call control unit 23 having an on-hook / off-hook detection and voice notification function;
24, 25 and the like.

The main control unit 18 and the call control unit 23 constitute a control unit for the telephone set 15, and the main control unit 18, the procedure processing unit 19, the call management unit 20, and the terminal monitoring control unit 22 transmit and receive data. It constitutes the control unit. The call control unit 8 of FIG. 1 includes an on-hook / off-hook detection function, a notification function, and a telephone information transmission function of the call control unit 23. The call information detection function and the call The incoming call control section 9 of FIG. 1 is configured to include a signal transmission function.

The monitoring center 11 includes a monitoring console 27 having various display devices and various operation keys for displaying information such as the calling telephone and the like while displaying the normal / abnormal state of the monitored unit 12 and the like. And a plurality of telephones 28
It has a configuration in which it is connected via a terminal adapter 26 to the SDN line.

The ISDN switching network generally has a basic interface of 2B + D. The terminal adapters 17 and 26 separate and multiplex the B and D channels, and perform AD conversion and DA conversion on the B channel. Conversion is performed. Between the terminal adapter 17 and the interface unit 21, for example, an RS-232C interface for packetizing and transmitting data through the D channel can be used. Also terminal adapter 17
An analog audio signal is transmitted between the telephone and the interface unit 24, and can be connected together with the telephone set 15 by a modular jack or the like. In addition, various data are transmitted between the interface unit 25 and the automatic device 14. It should be noted that the ISDN switching network may be a broadband ISDN switching network such as 23B + D.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention, in which the customer who operates the automatic device 14 of the monitored unit 12
When the handset of the telephone 15 is picked up due to a failure of the automatic device 14 or the like, the call control unit 23 detects this off-hook and performs an automatic call processing to the monitoring center 11. That is, in FIG. 3, it is determined whether or not an off-hook is detected (1), and automatic dial transmission is performed by the off-hook detection (2).

The monitored unit 12 and the monitoring center 11 are connected via the ISDN exchange network 13 by automatic dial transmission to the monitoring center 11, and a call signal is transmitted to the monitoring center 11 via the D channel. Is
An incoming call is detected by the automatic response function of the terminal adapter 26 or the monitoring console 27 (a), and a call signal from the ISDN exchange network 13 is answered (b). Monitored part 12
When the response of the monitoring center 11 is confirmed by the terminal adapter 17 or the like (3), the calling telephone information including the number of the monitored unit 12 and the number of the calling telephone is transmitted to the call control unit 23 or the main control unit by the D channel. It is sent out under the control of 18 (4).

The call control unit 23 notifies the calling telephone of the on-hook standby by using a synthesized voice or a tape playback voice such as, for example, "I am in contact. Please put the handset back and wait." 5). Then, it is determined whether or not the calling telephone is on-hook (6), and the notification to the calling telephone is repeatedly performed until the on-hook standby is performed.

The monitoring center 11 receives the calling telephone information via the D channel (c), and displays the information of the calling telephone on the display device of the monitoring console 27 (d). At this point, the ISDN line between the monitoring center 11 and the monitored unit 12 has been disconnected. Alternatively, the connected line can be put on hold. Then, the supervisor looks at the display of the calling telephone information, designates a desired calling telephone, and transmits the call information (e). For example, by indicating the display position of the calling telephone, or by inputting the number of the monitored unit 12 from the monitoring console 27, the ISDN
A call is made to the monitored unit 12 via the switching network 13.

The monitored unit 12 waits with the calling telephone set in an on-hook state, responds to a call signal from the ISDN switching network 13, and receives call information via the ISDN switching network 13 from the monitoring center 11 ( 7) A call signal is sent to the calling telephone (8). That is, a call signal is transmitted from the call control unit 23 to the telephone specified by the call information. Then, it is determined whether the calling telephone has gone off-hook in response to the calling signal (9), and the calling signal is transmitted until the calling telephone goes off-hook. In this case, if no response is made even after a predetermined time elapses after the timer is started, the transmission of the call signal can be stopped to shift to the line disconnection processing.

When the calling telephone of the monitored unit 12 responds to the calling signal, the telephone 28 of the monitoring center 11 and the calling telephone of the monitored unit 12 are connected via the B channel of the ISDN line. Thus, a call is made between the two (10) and (f). Upon termination of the call, a disconnection process is performed by one of the on-hook (11),
(G).

In this case, it is also possible to send a line disconnection instruction from the monitoring center 11 and perform a line disconnection process under the control of the call control unit 23 of the terminal adapter 16. Also, the monitoring center 11 can issue a call instruction to the monitored unit 12 to the monitored unit 12, and the monitored unit 12 can call the monitoring center 11 according to the call instruction. Also, when a busy tone (for example, 400 Hz) due to the on-hook of the telephone set 28 of the monitoring center 11 being detected by the call control unit 23 during a call, the line disconnection processing is performed. Further, when an incoming call is received from a source other than the monitoring center 11, the call control unit 23 performs a forced disconnection process by detecting ringing at that time. Thereby, the connection between the monitoring center 11 and the monitored unit 12 can be made via the ISDN switching network 13, and it is impossible to use the telephone 15 of the monitored unit 12 to communicate with the telephone other than the telephone 28 of the monitoring center 11. In addition, unauthorized use of the telephone 15 can be prevented. Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which various data is transmitted and received to and from the automatic device 14 using the B channel of the ISDN line.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the monitored unit 2 including the automatic device 4 operated by the customer and the telephone 5 is provided.
In a system in which monitoring is performed centrally at the monitoring center 1 via the line 3, when a call is made from the telephone 5 of the monitored unit 2 to the telephone 10 of the monitoring center 1, the monitoring is performed by the selection control of the monitoring center 1. Since the telephone call with the telephone 5 of the unit 2 is enabled, even if calls to the monitoring center 1 are concentrated, it is easy for the supervisor to respond and the line 3 is connected to the IS.
If a DN line is used, only one line is required for the monitored unit 2, and there is an advantage that the configuration is extremely economical as compared with the case where a dedicated line is used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Monitoring center 2 Monitored part 3 Line 4 Automatic device 5 Telephone 6 Terminal adapter 7 Terminal adapter 8 Outgoing call control part 9 Incoming call control part 10 Telephone

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-1-307354 (JP, A) JP-A-5-30216 (JP, A) JP-A-4-96463 (JP, A) JP-A-63-63 285058 (JP, A) JP-A-2-285845 (JP, A) JP-A-64-78066 (JP, A) JP-A-63-9348 (JP, A) JP-A-5-122389 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 11/00-11/10 H04M 3/48

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A centralized monitoring system comprising a monitoring center (1) and a plurality of monitored units (2), wherein the monitoring center (1) monitors the monitored unit (2) via a line (3). Wherein the monitored unit (2) is an automatic device (4) operated by a customer.
, A telephone (5), a terminal adapter (6), and a terminal adapter (7), and the terminal adapter (7) has an interface function between the terminal adapter (6) and the line (3). wherein the terminal adapter (6) is provided with the controller for transmitting and receiving control section and said telephone (5) of data between the automatic apparatus (4) the monitoring center (1), said control unit, The off-hook of the telephone (5)
Calls the monitoring center (1) and responds to the monitoring center (1).
By confirming the answer, the calling telephone information of the calling telephone (5 ) is transmitted to the monitoring center (1) via the terminal adapter (7) and the line (3) , and the to listen on-hook state Te
A call control unit (8) for repeatedly notifying until the calling telephone goes on-hook, and an incoming call for detecting the call information from the monitoring center (1) and calling the calling telephone on standby in the on-hook state. A centralized monitoring system comprising a control unit (9).