JP3812441B2 - Water heater - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hot water supply device that can quickly detect safety by detecting the movement of a bather in a bathroom. By accumulating daily water level sensor signal patterns as statistical information, the user can slip in a bathtub. When a signal different from the normal pattern is detected, such as when the child falls down or falls down in the remaining hot water, a notification signal that promptly confirms the bathtub can be generated.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a device for watching the safety of the bathroom, an image sensor is installed in the bathroom, or the displacement of the hot water in the bathtub is detected by the water level sensor of the water heater to check whether the bather is moving. When the immobility continues beyond a predetermined time, a notification signal is issued to urge the bather to awaken by sounding a melody or synthesized sound, or to prompt the family in the kitchen or the like to check the situation through a remote control etc. A watching device has been proposed.
[0003]
However, in recent years, many cases have been reported in which children fall into the remaining hot water in the bathtub during the day, or accidentally slip their feet when entering or leaving the tub and fall into the bathtub and fall underwater. However, in such a case, there are cases where the conventional method of detecting whether or not immobility delays the timing of notification or cannot cope with time zones other than bathing.
[0004]
On the other hand, according to our questionnaire survey, bathing behavior is often repeated every day with the same pattern. Therefore, if such bathing behavior is patterned and memorized based on the water level sensor signal, for example, When a change in the water level that occurs when a child falls outside the bathing time of the day, or a large change in the water level that occurs when the child falls in the water during a fall, a warning signal is generated. By encouraging family members and related service entities to check the bathtub, it is thought that it can be useful for early detection of abnormal situations and accident prevention.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a hot water supply apparatus of the present invention includes a water level sensor means for detecting a water level in a bathtub, and a component in a predetermined frequency range included in every predetermined time width from a water level signal from the water level sensor means. Control means for storing the frequency table of the occurrence frequency for each time zone in a state where the body motion signal whose intensity has exceeded a predetermined threshold value is stored as a bathing pattern, and newly stored in the frequency table from the signal of the water level sensor means When a state exceeding the frequency of occurrence of the time zone is detected, it is provided with a notification means for generating a neglect signal such as a buzzer sound or notification outside the bathroom, and detects a signal different from the daily pattern. It is possible to provide a hot water supply apparatus capable of promptly reporting when an occurrence of abnormality is estimated.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water level sensor means for detecting a water level of a bathtub, and a body motion signal obtained by calculating a component intensity in a predetermined frequency range included in every predetermined time width from a water level signal from the water level sensor means. Control means for storing a frequency table of occurrence frequency for each time zone in a state exceeding a predetermined threshold as a bathing pattern, and the frequency of occurrence of the time zone newly stored in the frequency table from the signal of the water level sensor means is exceeded. When a state is detected, it is provided with notification means for generating a neglect signal such as a buzzer sound or a notification outside the bathroom. With this configuration , the body movement can be detected with high accuracy by calculating the amplitude value for each fixed time width from the water level signal of the water level sensor means as the body movement signal. In addition, it is possible to watch over abnormalities in the bathtub during times when bathing is not normally performed.
[0007]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a water level sensor means for detecting a water level of a bathtub, and a body motion signal obtained by calculating a component intensity in a predetermined frequency range included in every predetermined time width from a water level signal from the water level sensor means. A control means for storing a frequency table of duration time in a state exceeding a predetermined threshold as a bathing pattern; and a body movement continuation threshold value that can continue the duration time of the state based on the frequency table; It is equipped with a notification means for generating a neglect signal such as a buzzer sound or a notification outside the bathroom when a state that continues beyond the body movement continuation threshold is newly detected from the signal, and inadvertently due to a fall or the like It can monitor abnormally long body movements that occur when submerged.
[0008]
The invention according to claim 3, and sets a predetermined value as an initial value of the incoming bath pattern, intended for updating the bathing pattern by any time reflects the signal value accompanying the practical use, even between equipment installation It is possible to improve the detection accuracy in a non-period.
[0009]
The invention of claim 4 is for setting the frequency components in a band region including a part or all of 0.7Hz～2Hz, can the high accuracy detection to discriminate the disturbance signal in one common home bathtub It can be.
[0010]
【Example】
Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic diagram of a bathroom and the configuration of each means. 1 is a bather, 2 is a bathtub, 3 is a circulation port for piping automatically with hot water by adding piping to a water heater, 4 is a water level sensor means installed in the piping route with the circulation port 3 in the water heater The voltage signal according to the water level in the bathtub 2 is output. 6 is a remote control outside the bathroom of a water heater installed in the kitchen or living room, and 7 is a remote control in the bathroom installed in the bathroom. In recent years, an intercom function has been added to the remote control of a hot water heater, and hot water heaters have been made available that allow a family member to replenish bathroom fixtures or exchange conversations about the state of bather 1 Have been doing. Also in this embodiment, a description will be given of a configuration in which such a remote controller 6 outside the bathroom and a remote controller 7 in the bathroom are used as notification means for reporting outside the bathroom and confirming the safety of the bather. Reference numeral 5 denotes control means for performing control of the entire hot water heater such as the combustion section and the electromagnetic valve, communication control with the remote controller 6 outside the bathroom and the remote controller 7 inside the bathroom.
[0012]
Next, an example of a method for detecting a body motion from a signal of the water level sensor means 4 and determining a body motion, a processing method for determining input / output traps, and the like will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2A is an example of a signal waveform from the water level sensor means 4. The horizontal axis indicates the elapsed time t, the vertical axis indicates the signal voltage, and the increase in the signal voltage indicates the increase in the water level. A decrease in voltage indicates a decrease in water level. (B) in FIG. 2 shows signal intensity when a signal component in a predetermined frequency region generated due to body movement is extracted from (a), and the signal shown in (a) in (b) of FIG. The signal intensity around 1 Hz included in the constant time width Δt of (t−Δt) to t is sequentially plotted as a value at time t. FIG. 2 shows an example in which the bather 1 enters the bathtub 2 at time t1, leaves the bath at time t5, enters the washing area, enters hot water again at t6, and discharges water at t10. During this time, body movement occurs in the bathtub 2 at times t2, t3, t4, t7, t8, t9, and the like.
[0013]
As shown in (a) of FIG. 2, since changes in the water level signal accompanying a rapid rise or fall of the water level are detected during hot water or hot water, the change is compared with a preset threshold value. Hot water and hot water can be determined. For example, at the time of entering the tank at time t1, the water level signal rises from Vo to Vi, and the rise width ΔV = Vi−Vo is compared to see if it exceeds a predetermined entry determination threshold value Vth. Can be determined. Similarly, when leaving the tank, the tank can be determined by comparing the descending width ΔV with a threshold value.
[0014]
Further, as a signal processing method for detecting the body motion signal during bathing and the presence or absence of body motion, the signal amplitude Vpp generated during Δt as shown at time t1 in FIG. There is a method of calculating as a motion signal and viewing this body motion signal with a predetermined determination threshold value Vth ′. Further, as a method for detecting with good S / N, as shown in FIG. 2B, the intensity of the signal component in the frequency region related to body movement is calculated as a body movement signal, and this is compared with the body movement determination threshold value Vth1. A method is also possible. In addition, since the intensity of the signal component in this frequency range is generally detected more greatly than in the case of body movement in the bathtub at the time of entry / exit, these are entered / output. It is also possible to use a method for determining the entry / exit by comparing with the determination threshold value Vth2.
[0015]
Regarding the predetermined frequency range due to body movement, according to our experiments, a signal of 0.7 to 2.0 Hz is particularly likely to appear due to body movement in the general household bathtub size. If it is set so as to cover a part or the whole of this band, it is effective in discriminating noise and the like caused by the commercial power supply frequency of the water heater.
[0016]
Next, an example of storing as a bathing pattern based on the signal of FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, as an example of a bathing pattern, FIG. 3 is a histogram showing the duration and occurrence frequency of body motion detection with body motion, and the horizontal axis shows the body motion duration time divided by time width Ta. The vertical axis indicates the frequency at which the body movement duration corresponding to the time is detected. For example, at time t1 to t1 + Tb in FIG. 2A, body motion is detected with a duration of Tb exceeding the threshold value Vth2, and if there is a relationship of Ta ≦ Tb <2Ta, for example, the frequency of this section Ta to 2Ta Is counted up once. Based on this histogram, the threshold value Tth of the body movement continuation time for generating the notification signal is determined, and when the body movement continuation time exceeding this threshold value Tth is actually detected, the person can slip into the bathtub and stagnate. It is assumed that an unexpected situation has occurred, and a notification signal for confirming the bathtub to the family is generated through the remote controller 6 outside the bathroom.
[0017]
As a method of determining the threshold value Tth from the bathing pattern, a method of setting a weighted average value, a method of determining the maximum frequency or a maximum value exceeding a predetermined frequency by multiplying by a certain ratio, an average value m or a standard A statistical method or the like that calculates the deviation σ and determines m + 3σ can be used.
[0018]
Next, FIG. 4 is an example showing another example of the bathing pattern. In FIG. 4, the horizontal axis indicates the time when the day is divided every two hours, and the vertical axis indicates FIG. The average value of the body motion signal which is the signal intensity in the body motion frequency range shown in FIG. The example of FIG. 4 shows that bathing takes place in the night bathing time zone and the morning bathing time zone, as indicated by large values such as Vev, and in the early morning and daytime hours when bathing is not normally performed. Is recorded as a small value such as Vday. This bathing pattern value is used as a threshold value for each time zone, and when a signal exceeding this threshold value is detected, a notification signal is generated to confirm the bathtub to the family through the remote controller 6 outside the bathroom as in FIG. is there. By this method, if a large water level change occurs unexpectedly during the daytime, such as when a child falls into the remaining hot water, a signal exceeding the Vday of the bathing pattern is detected and a notification signal is generated. Therefore, an abnormality in a time zone where bathing is not normally performed can be detected immediately.
[0019]
As described above, the example of recording the average value of the body motion signal as the bathing pattern has been described in the description of FIG. 4, but other arithmetic values such as a cumulative value may be used. Of course, it may be set in units of several minutes according to the storage capacity of the control means 5 or the like.
[0020]
The notification signal may be provided with a method of notifying an external hospital or emergency service entity by a communication function, or contacting a family member or an acquaintance using e-mail or the like. In the above description, the configuration in which the notification means is integrated with the remote controller of the water heater has been described. However, in a bathroom or the like that does not include a water heater, a communication means such as an intercom or a water level sensor means is separately configured. Of course, it doesn't matter.
[0021]
Finally, it is considered effective to customize the bathing pattern described in the present embodiment and the threshold value calculated based on it, reflecting the situation of the bathing pattern of each household, but after installation, etc. In a period when a sufficient amount of data cannot be accumulated, a method of setting an initial value based on statistical information such as a manufacturer as an initial value is also effective. In this case, the threshold value is reset to a constant value instead of the histogram shown in FIG. 4 when the mode is set so as not to be reflected in the bathing pattern when the case is clearly different from the normal life pattern due to going out. It is even more effective if a dedicated mode that can be selected with a switch or the like is provided, such as a mode that allows children to watch over falls even during normal bathing hours. Furthermore, when the bathing pattern is accumulated, it is possible to make a more accurate determination by setting individual identification information and separating it by family such as grandfather, grandmother, and child.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the signal from the water level sensor means for detecting the water level of the bathtub is stored as a bathing pattern, and when a water level sensor signal deviating from the bathing pattern is detected, a buzzer sound or bathroom By generating a notification signal such as a notification to the outside, when a water level signal different from the daily bathing pattern is detected and an occurrence of an abnormality is estimated, a hot water supply device capable of prompt notification can be realized. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of each control means in an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 2A and 2B are examples of signal voltage and frequency processing of a water level sensor means in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a histogram showing an example of a bathing pattern in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of a bathing pattern in an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bather 2 Bathtub 3 Circulation port 4 Water level sensor means 5 Control means 6 Remote control outside a bathroom (notification means)
7 Remote control in bathroom (informing means)

Claims (4)

The water level sensor means for detecting the water level of the bathtub, and the time when the body motion signal obtained by calculating the component intensity of the predetermined frequency range included in every predetermined time width from the water level signal from the water level sensor means exceeds a predetermined threshold value Control means for storing a frequency table of occurrence frequency for each band as a bathing pattern, and a buzzer sound when a state exceeding the frequency of occurrence of the time zone newly stored in the frequency table is detected from the signal of the water level sensor means A hot water supply device provided with a notification means for generating a neglect signal such as a notification outside the bathroom. The water level sensor means for detecting the water level of the bathtub, and the continuation of the state in which the body motion signal calculated from the water level signal from the water level sensor means and the component intensity in the predetermined frequency range included at every predetermined time width exceeds the predetermined threshold Control means for storing a frequency table of time as a bathing pattern, and a body movement continuation threshold that can continue the duration of the state based on the frequency table, and the body movement continuation threshold is newly calculated from the signal of the water level sensor means A hot water supply apparatus provided with an informing means for generating a neglect signal such as a buzzer sound or a notification to the outside of the bathroom when a state of continuing beyond is detected . The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a predetermined value is set as an initial value of the bathing pattern, and the bathing pattern is updated by reflecting a signal value accompanying actual use as needed. Hot water supply device according to claim 1, wherein setting the frequency components in the bandwidth that includes some or all of 0.7Hz～2Hz.

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