JP3866523B2 - Alarm monitoring device and alarm monitoring method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an alarm monitoring device and an alarm monitoring method for notifying a user in a remote place of an alarm generated in a facility.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In facilities such as high-rise buildings, apartment houses, hospitals and factories, various facilities are provided. For example, the facilities include facilities such as air conditioning facilities, electrical facilities, crime prevention facilities, disaster prevention facilities, and heat source facilities, and these facilities include a large number of various devices.
[0003]
In recent years, intelligent buildings and the like have been provided with building management devices that can input sensor information from various devices, indoor temperature and humidity in the building, and manage the state of these points (monitoring points). This building management apparatus is arranged in the central monitoring room of the building, collects data from various monitoring points, and displays various information on the screen based on this data. The building manager monitors the facilities in the building while looking at the display screen of the building management apparatus.
[0004]
When the alarm information is given from the monitoring point, the building management apparatus displays the alarm information on the screen. Recently, with the development of network and communication technology, users who are remotely located in the building using general-purpose lines and mechanisms (for example, building owners, maintenance personnel, maintenance contractors, equipment contractors, etc.) I will also notify you. In this case, the following method can be used as the alarm notification method.
[0005]
[Alarm notification by phone]
User telephone numbers related to various monitoring points are registered. When an alarm is generated, the user's phone number related to the monitoring point (alarm point) that generated the alarm is called during registration, and the called phone number is automatically called to notify that the alarm has occurred. , Request a response. If there are multiple phone numbers registered in the alarm point, call all of them and inform them that an alarm has occurred.
[0006]
[Alarm notification by e-mail]
The user's mail address related to various monitoring points is registered. When an alarm is generated, the user's email address related to the monitoring point (alarm point) that generated the alarm is called during registration, and an e-mail is sent to the called email address to notify that the alarm has occurred. Request. If there are multiple e-mail addresses registered in the alarm point, an e-mail is sent to all of them to notify that an alarm has occurred. In addition to a message notifying the occurrence of an alarm, images and data files of the situation before and after the alarm may be attached to the e-mail.
[0007]
[Alarm notification on the alarm notification screen that runs on the browser]
The IP address of the user side computer related to various monitoring points is registered. When an alarm occurs, the IP address of the computer on the user's side related to the monitoring point (alarm point) that generated the alarm is called during registration, and an alarm is displayed on the alarm notification screen that operates on the computer browser of the called IP address. Notify the occurrence of
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this way, there are three methods for alarm notification. These notification methods have the following advantages and disadvantages. When only one of these notification methods is used, There were cases where notification could not be performed or alarm notification was delayed, and the reliability of the alarm notification could not be ensured.
[0009]
[Pros and cons of alarm notification by phone]
When a plurality of telephone numbers are called, the telephone numbers are called one after another according to a priority order such as a registration order. In this case, it takes time to make a call, and it is impossible to make calls to a large number of parties at a time, so the real-time property is low. Also, if you are busy or absent, it will be routed later and the alarm notification will be delayed (cons). However, the user equipment only needs to have a telephone, and there is no need to prepare dedicated equipment (advantages).
[0010]
[Pros and cons of e-mail alert notification]
Since the e-mail is stored in the mail server, the alarm cannot be notified even if the user computer is not activated. In addition, it is possible to notify an alarm to a large number of opponents at a time, and the amount of information that can be notified can be increased (advantages). However, since whether or not the e-mail has arrived depends on the scan cycle for the mail server of the computer on the user side, it is not possible to perform alarm notification in real time. In addition, there is a case where the alarm notification cannot be performed because the mail server is down (cons).
[0011]
[Pros and cons of alarm notification on the alarm notification screen that runs on the browser]
Since the occurrence of the alarm is notified on the alarm notification screen of the user's computer, the real time property is high. By combining the buzzer and voice, it is possible to notify the notification of the alarm and to make the user surely confirm the alarm. Detailed information can also be viewed (advantages). However, if the computer is not started or the network is down, the alarm notification cannot be performed, and the information of the alarm generated during this time is lost (cons).
[0012]
The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and the object of the present invention is reliability that can reliably notify a user in a remote place when an alarm is generated in a facility. It is an object to provide an alarm monitoring device and an alarm monitoring method with high accuracy.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve such an object, the first invention (the invention according to claim 1) includes a telephone notification means for performing alarm notification by telephone, an e-mail notification means for performing alarm notification by e-mail, and an alarm. Browser notification means that performs notification on the browser of the computer on the user's computer, and an alarm notification ranking table that defines the relationship between the alarm urgency level and the notification means used and the order of use The alarm notification rank table storage means, and when an alarm is generated, the combination of the notification means corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and the use order thereof are read from the alarm notification rank table, and the combination of the read notification means telephone notification means, or to select two or more e-mail notifying means and browser notifying means, using the notification means selected according to the read usage order according to It is obtained to perform the notification of the broadcast.
[0014]
According to the present invention, when an alarm is generated in the facility, the combination of the notification means corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and the use order thereof are read from the alarm notification ranking table, and the read notification means Any two or more of telephone notification means, email notification means and browser notification means are selected according to the combination (phone notification means and email notification means, telephone notification means and browser notification means, email notification means and browser notification means, The telephone notification means, the e-mail notification means, and the browser notification means), according to the read usage order, the selected notification means is used to notify the user at the remote place of the alarm.
For example, when the generated alarm is an emergency alarm, the telephone notification means, the email notification means, and the browser notification means are selected according to the alarm notification ranking table, and the browser notification means, the telephone notification means, and the email notification means are used. With order. As a result, the alarm notification is performed by using the three notification means of the browser notification means, the telephone notification means, and the e-mail notification means in combination, and the alarm notification cannot be performed by one of the selected notification means. However, the alarm notification is performed by the remaining notification means. In addition, the notification means used according to the urgency level of the alarm, such as an emergency alarm, a heavy alarm, a light alarm, and a caution, and the order of use thereof can be changed, and it becomes possible to take a detailed response on a case-by-case basis.
[0016]
According to a second invention (invention according to claim 2) , in the first invention, confirmation means for confirming whether or not an alarm notified to the user side has been received is provided.
According to the present invention, when an alarm occurs in the facility, any two or more of the telephone notification means, the e-mail notification means, and the browser notification means are selected, and the user who is in a remote place using the selected notification means An alarm is notified. Then, after the notification of this alarm, it is confirmed whether or not the notified alarm is received. For example, in the case of a telephone notification means, if there is a call record, it is determined that it has been received. In the case of e-mail notification means, it is determined that a reply mail is received. In the case of the browser notification means, if there is a reception confirmation signal, it is determined that it has been received.
[0017]
Further, the third invention (the invention according to claim 3) includes a telephone notification process for performing alarm notification by telephone, an e-mail notification process for performing alarm notification by e-mail, and alarm notification by a user's computer. A browser notification process performed on the alarm notification screen that operates on the browser, a process of storing an alarm notification ranking table that defines the relationship between the alarm urgency level and the combination of notification processes to be used and the order of use, and an alarm has occurred In this case, the combination of the notification process corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and the use order thereof are read from the alarm notification ranking table, and any of the telephone notification process, the e-mail notification process, and the browser notification process is performed according to the combination of the read notification processes And a step of notifying an alarm using a notification step selected in accordance with the read use order .
[0018]
According to the present invention, when an alarm is generated in the facility, a combination of notification processes corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and a use order thereof are read from the alarm notification ranking table, and the read notification process Any two or more of a telephone notification process, an email notification process, and a browser notification process are selected according to the combination (phone notification process and email notification process, telephone notification process and browser notification process, email notification process and browser notification process, The telephone notification process, the e-mail notification process, and the browser notification process), and the selected notification process is used to notify the user at the remote place according to the read usage order.
For example, when the generated alarm is an emergency alarm, the telephone notification process, the e-mail notification process, and the browser notification process are selected according to the alarm notification ranking table, and the browser notification process, the telephone notification process, and the e-mail notification process are used. With order. As a result, the alarm notification is performed by combining the three notification processes of the browser notification process, the telephone notification process, and the e-mail notification process, and the alarm notification cannot be performed in one of the selected notification processes. However, the alarm notification is performed by the remaining notification steps. In addition, the notification process used according to the urgency level of the alarm, such as an emergency alarm, a heavy alarm, a light alarm, and a caution, and the order of use thereof can be changed, and it becomes possible to take a detailed response on a case-by-case basis.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system including an embodiment of an alarm monitoring apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a building, 2 is a building management device (alarm monitoring device) provided in the central monitoring room of this building 1, 3 is a controller, 4 is an air conditioning equipment, power equipment, disaster prevention equipment, security equipment, heat source equipment It is equipment such as. The facility 4 includes a large number of various devices, and various information from the monitoring points in these facilities is given to the building management apparatus 2 through the controller 3 and the communication line LAN. The controllers 3 are distributed in the building 1.
[0020]
As shown in FIG. 2, the building management apparatus 2 includes a CPU 2-1, a ROM 2-2, a RAM 2-3, and interfaces 2-4 and 2-5. The CPU 2-1 operates in accordance with a program stored in the ROM 2-2 while accessing the RAM 2-3. The CPU 2-1 is connected to the network 5 via the interface 2-5, and is connected to the communication line LAN in the building 1 via the interface 2-4. A computer 5 and a telephone 7 on the user side are connected to the network 5.
[0021]
In the ROM 2-2, a telephone number table in which user phone numbers related to various monitoring points in the building 1 are registered, a mail address table in which user mail addresses related to various monitoring points in the building 1 are registered, IP address table in which the IP addresses of user computers related to various monitoring points in building 1 are registered, alarm urgency ("emergency alarm", "major alarm", "light alarm", "caution") An alarm notification function (telephone notification function, e-mail notification function, browser notification function) to be used in response to this and an alarm notification ranking table table (see FIG. 3) for specifying the order of use are stored.
[0022]
FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of processing operations unique to the present embodiment performed by the building management apparatus 2. When the alarm information is given from the monitoring point in the building 1 (step 401), the CPU 2-1 of the building management device 2 checks the urgency of the alarm information (step 402).
[0023]
Then, based on the urgency level (alarm urgency level) obtained in step 402, the alarm notification ranking table table in the ROM 2-2 is referenced to determine the selection of the alarm notification function to be used and the order of use (step 403). ), Alarm notification is performed using the alarm notification function selected according to the determined order (step 404).
[0024]
[In case of emergency / major alarm]
When the emergency level of the alarm is “emergency alarm” or “heavy alarm”, the CPU 2-1 selects a browser notification function, a telephone notification function, and an e-mail notification function, and (1) browser notification function → (2) In the order of the telephone notification function → (3) e-mail notification function, alarm notification is performed using these functions.
[0025]
[(1) Alarm notification using browser notification function]
The CPU 2-1 calls the IP address of the user's computer related to the monitoring point where the alarm is generated from the IP address table in the ROM 2-2, and sends the alarm information to the computer of the called IP address.
[0026]
This alarm information is sent to the computer 6 on the user side via the network 5 and displayed on an alarm notification screen operating on the browser of the computer 6. At this time, the computer 6 informs that the alarm information has been sent from the building management apparatus 2 by a buzzer or a voice. The computer 6 on the user side is always connected to the network 5 with the browser activated.
[0027]
Thus, the user can immediately know the occurrence of the alarm on the alarm notification screen operating on the browser of the computer 6. Further, detailed information of the notified alarm can be browsed on the alarm notification screen. When the user confirms the alarm notification on the alarm notification screen, the user presses a confirmation button on the screen, for example. Then, a reception confirmation signal is sent to the building management apparatus 2 to notify that the user has confirmed the alarm notification on the alarm notification screen of the computer 6.
[0028]
[▲ 2 ▼ Alarm notification using the telephone notification function]
The CPU 2-1 calls the telephone number of the user related to the monitoring point where the alarm has occurred from the telephone number table in the ROM 2-2, calls the telephone number that has been called, and informs that the alarm has occurred. If the phone is busy or absent, the next number is called after a predetermined number of redials. At the time of alarm notification by telephone, the CPU 2-1 records a call with the other party.
[0029]
[(3) Alert notification using e-mail function]
The CPU 2-1 calls the user's mail address related to the monitoring point where the alarm has occurred from the mail address table in the ROM 2-2, and sends an e-mail to the called mail address. This electronic mail is sent to a mail server (not shown) via the network 5. In addition to the message notifying the occurrence of the alarm, the e-mail is attached with images and data files of the situation before and after the alarm is generated.
[0030]
The computer 6 on the user side accesses the mail server, for example, every 10 minutes, checks whether an email has arrived, and downloads the received email. The user can know the occurrence of the alarm by opening the downloaded electronic mail. When the electronic mail is opened, the computer 6 sends a reply mail to the building management apparatus 2.
[0031]
[In case of light alarm]
When the emergency level of the alarm is “light alarm”, the CPU 2-1 selects a browser notification function, a telephone notification function, and an e-mail notification function, and (1) a telephone notification function → (2) a browser notification function → ▲ 3 In order of the e-mail notification function, alarm notification is performed using the function.
[Caution]
When the urgency level of the alarm is “caution”, the CPU 2-1 selects a browser notification function, a telephone notification function, and an e-mail notification function, and (1) e-mail notification function → (2) browser notification function → ▲ 3) In order of the telephone notification function, alarm notification is performed using the function.
[0032]
[Confirmation of alarm notification reception]
After the CPU 2-1 notifies the alarm by using the three alarm notification functions together as described above, the CPU 2-1 checks whether or not the user has received the notified alarm (step 405). The reception confirmation of this alarm notification is performed as follows.
[0033]
[Confirmation of alarm notification reception using the browser notification function]
When the alarm notification is performed using the browser notification function, when the alarm notification is confirmed on the alarm notification screen of the user's computer 6 (when the confirmation button is pressed), the notification of the alarm is confirmed. A reception confirmation signal is sent to the building management apparatus 2. If a reception confirmation signal is sent from the computer 6 on the user side (YES in step 501 shown in FIG. 5A), the CPU 2-1 of the building management apparatus 2 determines that the alarm notification has been received (step 502). .
[0034]
If no reception confirmation signal is sent (NO in step 501), the browser notification function is used to notify the alarm again (step 503). Then, after a predetermined time, the reception confirmation signal from the computer 6 on the user side is checked (step 501). If the reception confirmation signal is not sent even after repeating N times (YES in step 504), the other party is confirmed. A call is made (step 505), and it is confirmed whether or not an alarm notification on the alarm notification screen has been received.
[0035]
[Confirmation of alarm notification reception using the phone notification function]
When alarm notification is performed using the telephone notification function, the CPU 2-1 of the building management apparatus 2 records a call with the other party. The CPU 2-1 searches the call record (step 506 shown in FIG. 5B), and if there is a call record with the other party (YES in step 507), it determines that the alarm notification has been received (step 508). If there is no call record (NO in step 507), the alarm is notified again using the telephone notification function (step 509).
[0036]
[Confirmation of alarm notification reception using e-mail function]
When the alarm notification is performed using the electronic mail function, when the downloaded electronic mail is opened on the computer 6 on the user side, a reply mail is sent to the building management apparatus 2. The CPU 2-1 of the building management apparatus 2 searches for a reply mail stored in the mail server (step 510 shown in FIG. 5C), and if there is a reply mail (YES in step 511), the alarm notification has been received. (Step 512).
[0037]
If there is no reply mail (NO in step 511), an alarm is notified again using the e-mail notification function (step 513). Then, after a certain period of time, the reply mail stored in the mail server is searched (step 510), and if there is no reception confirmation signal after repeating N times (YES in step 514), the other party is called ( Step 515), it is confirmed whether or not an alarm notification by e-mail has been received.
[0038]
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the building management apparatus 2 that performs the processing operation as described above. The building management apparatus 2 includes an alarm processing unit 2A, a telephone notification unit 2B, an e-mail notification unit 2C, a browser notification unit 2D, and an alarm notification reception confirmation unit 2E as processing function units. The storage function unit includes a telephone number storage unit 2F, a mail address storage unit 2G, an IP address storage unit 2H, and an alarm notification rank table storage unit 2I. The telephone number storage unit 2F stores a telephone number table or the mail address storage unit 2G stores a mail address table. The IP address storage unit 2H stores an IP address table, and the alarm notification rank table storage unit 2I stores an alarm notification rank table.
[0039]
When the alarm processing unit 2A is given alarm information notifying the occurrence of an alarm from the monitoring point, the alarm processing unit 2A refers to the alarm notification ranking table stored in the alarm notification ranking table storage unit 2I and uses the alarm notification unit (phone) The notification unit 2B, the e-mail notification unit 2C, and the browser notification unit 2D) are selected and the usage order of the selected alarm notification unit is determined. Then, a command is sent to the selected alarm notification unit to operate in the determined order of use. For example, in the case of an emergency alert, the telephone notification unit 2B, the e-mail notification unit 2C, and the browser notification unit 2D are selected, and (1) browser notification unit 2D → (2) telephone notification unit 2B → (3) e-mail The operation is performed in the order of the notification unit 2B.
[0040]
The telephone notification unit 2B calls the telephone number of the user related to the monitoring point where the alarm has occurred from the telephone number storage unit 2F, calls the telephone number that has been called, and notifies that the alarm has occurred.
The e-mail notification unit 2C calls the e-mail address of the user related to the monitoring point where the alarm has occurred from the e-mail address storage unit 2G, sends an e-mail to the e-mail address that has been called, and notifies that the alarm has occurred.
The browser notification unit 2D calls the IP address of the user's computer related to the monitoring point where the alarm has occurred from the IP address storage unit 2H, and sends alarm information to the computer of the called IP address to notify that the alarm has occurred. .
[0041]
The alarm notification receiving unit 2E receives an instruction from the alarm processing unit 2A after notification of the alarm using the telephone notification unit 2B, the e-mail notification unit 2C, and the browser notification unit 2D. Check whether or not is received. Reception confirmation of this alarm notification is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG.
[0042]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the alarm notification to the user in the remote place is performed by using the three alarm notification functions together, so the alarm notification cannot be performed with one alarm notification function. However, the alarm notification is performed by the remaining alarm notification functions. Thereby, it becomes possible to reliably notify the alarm generated in the building 1 to the user in a remote place for various conditions, and to ensure the reliability of the alarm notification.
[0043]
In the above-described embodiment, the browser notification function, the telephone notification function, and the e-mail notification function are all selected and used. However, the telephone notification means and the e-mail notification means, the telephone notification means and the browser are selected. You may make it select and use two, such as a notification means, an e-mail notification means, and a browser notification means.
[0044]
In the above-described embodiment, when the browser notification function, the telephone notification function, or the e-mail notification function is used, the number of users who notify the alarm may be narrowed down according to the urgency level of the alarm. For example, “Emergency Warning” and “Heavy Warning” notify all registered users of the alarm, but “Light Warning” and “Caution” notify the alarm only to specialized personnel and equipment suppliers. It is good.
[0049]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, according to the first invention (third invention), when an alarm is generated in the facility, the combination of notification means corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and the order of use thereof are alarmed. Any one of a telephone notification unit (telephone notification step), an e-mail notification unit (e-mail notification step), and a browser notification unit (browser notification step) read out from the notification order table and according to the combination of the read out notification units One or more of the selected notification means (notification process) is selected because at least one of the selected notification means (notification process) is selected and the alarm is notified to the user at the remote location using the selected notification means according to the read usage order. Even if the notification means (notification process) cannot give an alarm notification, the remaining notification means (notification process) will give the alarm notification and ensure the reliability of the alarm notification. It can become. Further, it is possible to change the notification means used in accordance with the degree of urgency of the alarm, such as an emergency alarm, a heavy alarm, a light alarm, and a caution, and the order of use thereof, and take a detailed response on a case-by-case basis.
[0050]
According to the second invention, in the first invention, since the confirmation means for confirming whether or not the alarm notified to the user side has been received, the call record is confirmed, the reply mail is confirmed, the reception is performed. It is possible to reliably notify the alarm by confirming the confirmation signal.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system including an embodiment of an alarm monitoring device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a building management apparatus (alarm monitoring apparatus) in this system.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an alarm notification ranking table used in this building management apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a specific processing operation performed by the building management apparatus.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of reception confirmation processing in this flowchart.
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the building management apparatus.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Building, 2 ... Building management apparatus (alarm monitoring apparatus), 2-1 ... CPU, 2-2 ... ROM, 2-3 ... RAM, 2-3, 2-4 ... Interface, 2A ... Alarm processing part, 2B ... telephone notification part, 2C ... e-mail notification part, 2D ... browser notification part, 2E ... alarm notification reception confirmation part, 2F ... telephone number storage part, 2G ... mail address storage part, 2H ... IP address storage part, 2I ... alarm Notification order table storage unit, 3 ... controller, 4 ... equipment, 5 ... network, 6 ... computer, 7 ... telephone,

Claims (3)

In an alarm monitoring device for notifying users in remote locations of alarms generated in the facility,
Telephone notification means for performing notification of the alarm by telephone;
E-mail notification means for notifying the alarm by e-mail;
Browser notification means for performing notification of the alarm on an alarm notification screen operating on a browser of a user computer;
Alarm notification rank table storage means for storing an alarm notification rank table that defines the relationship between the urgency level of the alarm and the combination of the notification means to be used and the order of use thereof;
When the alarm is generated, the combination of the notification means corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and the use order thereof are read from the alarm notification ranking table, and the telephone notification means and the e-mail according to the read notification means combination A combination notification unit that selects any two or more of the notification unit and the browser notification unit, and notifies the alarm using the selected notification unit in accordance with the read use order. Alarm monitoring device. 2. The alarm monitoring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reception confirmation unit configured to confirm whether or not an alarm notified to the user by the combination notification unit is received . In the alarm monitoring method for notifying users in remote locations of alarms generated in the facility,
A telephone notification process for performing notification of the alarm by telephone;
An e-mail notification process for notifying the alarm by e-mail;
A browser notification step for performing notification of the alarm on an alarm notification screen that operates on a browser of a user computer;
Storing an alarm notification ranking table that defines a relationship between an urgent level of the alarm and a combination of the notification means to be used and a use order thereof;
When the alarm is generated, the combination of the notification means corresponding to the urgency level of the generated alarm and the use order thereof are read from the alarm notification ranking table, and the telephone notification step, the e-mail according to the combination of the read notification means Selecting any two or more of the notification step and the browser notification step, and notifying the alarm using the selected notification step according to the read use order; and
An alarm monitoring method comprising:

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