JP4888378B2 - Remote monitoring and control system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote monitoring control system for controlling a load with a predetermined control signal transmitted by a time division multiplex transmission system.

  For a unique address that uniquely identifies a plurality of control terminals that control the load, a control signal including control data is transmitted by a multiplex transmission method according to the switch operation of the operation terminal assigned with this address. Thus, a remote monitoring control system for performing remote control (remote monitoring control) for controlling a load connected to the control terminal has been devised.

  This remote monitoring control system is a lighting control system capable of centrally controlling a plurality of lighting fixtures that are loads provided in a wide space such as a store, a factory, a warehouse, and the like. Such a lighting control system is a user-friendly control system capable of remotely operating a plurality of lighting fixtures freely with a wireless transmitter and controlling lighting / non-lighting of the plurality of lighting fixtures collectively. It has become.

  By the way, such an illumination control system has a function for coping with aged deterioration caused by using a lighting fixture as a load for a long period of time. Specifically, in the control terminal connected to the load, by measuring the operating time of the load or counting the number of times the relay is opened and closed, by notifying the information to the host device that remotely monitors the lighting control system, Aging deterioration can be confirmed at any time. By referring to such information notified to the host device, the system administrator can roughly grasp the replacement timing of the lighting equipment that is the load and the control terminal connected to the load.

As described above, when it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in some electrical component, a technique has been devised for notifying a higher-level device such as a host computer through a communication unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2006-302086 A

  However, in the method of notifying the host device of the value obtained by measuring the operating time of the load in the conventional lighting control system and the value obtained by counting the number of times of opening and closing of the relay, the system administrator who manages the lighting control system is able to approximate the consumable parts. Although the replacement time can be grasped, there is a problem that if the replacement work is not actually performed, an electrical component deteriorated over time is used as it is. If an electrical component that has deteriorated over time is used as it is, not only will the normal operation of the system be disturbed, but various problems will be caused from the viewpoint of safety.

  In order to solve such a problem, control is performed by the host device so that the switch operation of the operation terminal constituting the illumination control system is invalidated according to the deterioration state of the consumable parts transmitted by the control terminal. It is possible.

  However, the operation terminal that is switched by the user is not only connected so as to configure the lighting control system and request load control by the multiplex transmission method, but also to the lighting control system. In some cases, it is connected to the control terminal. When there is an operation terminal connected to be local to the lighting control system in this way, the host device is notified of the deterioration of the lighting fixture as a load and the control terminal connected to the load. Accordingly, even if the operation by the operation terminal is controlled to be invalidated, the switch operation by the operation terminal connected to be local cannot be invalidated. There exists a problem that the operation | movement request | requirement with respect to an instrument will be made | formed.

  Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described circumstances, and a load control terminal constituting the remote monitoring and control system, aged deterioration caused by using the load for a predetermined period has been detected. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a remote monitoring control system capable of reliably executing the use restriction of the remote monitoring control system.

The remote monitoring and control system of the present invention includes a transmission unit, a switch terminal connected to the transmission unit via a signal line, and a load control terminal for controlling a load. Connected to a communication network in a remote monitoring control system that controls a load specified by an address set in association with the switch terminal and the load control terminal by a transmission signal transmitted by a transmission method And a monitoring device that monitors the remote monitoring and control system connected to the signal line via an interface device that interconnects the signal line and the communication network, and the load control terminal includes the load control terminal. Operating time measuring means for measuring the operating time for turning on the switch and the number of opening / closing times for measuring the number of opening / closing operations of the opening / closing mechanism for controlling the load Measuring means, and first transmission means for transmitting at least one of the operating time measured by the operating time measuring means and the opening / closing frequency measured by the opening / closing frequency measuring means to the monitoring device via the interface device. And a control means for controlling the load control terminal in response to a control signal transmitted from the monitoring device via the interface device, wherein the monitoring device is a first controller of the load control terminal. When at least one of the operation time and the number of opening and closing times transmitted by the transmission unit exceeds a predetermined value corresponding to each of the operation time and the switching frequency, a load is set as a control signal for the control unit of the load control terminal. Signal generating means for generating a function stop signal instructing to stop the function to be controlled, and the function generated by the signal generating means Have a second transmitting means for transmitting a stop signal to the load control terminal through the interface device, the load control terminal is near the temperature detection for detecting the temperature of the switching mechanism vicinity of controlling the load Means, an atmosphere temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the atmosphere in which the load control terminal is installed, a temperature in the vicinity of the opening / closing mechanism detected by the vicinity temperature detecting means, and the atmosphere detected by the atmosphere temperature detecting means Temperature difference calculation means for calculating a temperature difference with the temperature of the atmosphere in which the load control terminal is installed, and the control means has a temperature difference calculated by the temperature difference calculation means exceeding a predetermined value. Accordingly, the load control terminal is controlled to stop the function of controlling the load .

  In the remote monitoring control system of the present invention, at least one of the operation time measured by the operation time measuring means and the number of opening / closing times measured by the opening / closing number measuring means is controlled by the control means of the load control terminal. The control is performed so as to stop the function of controlling the load of the load control terminal in response to exceeding a predetermined value corresponding to each.

  In the remote monitoring control system of the present invention, when the load control terminal is controlled by the control means to stop the function of controlling the load of the load control terminal, the load control terminal is opened and closed. A device life notification means is provided for notifying the monitoring device via the interface device that the life of the device is controlled by the mechanism or the load control terminal.

  According to the present invention, the load control terminal constituting the remote monitoring and control system, in the previous stage of reaching the life of the consumable member in response to the detection of the aging deterioration caused by using the load for a predetermined period, The use restriction of the remote monitoring control system can be surely executed.

Further, according to the present invention, the information indicating the aging deterioration of the load control terminal such as the number of opening and closing, the operation time, and the information indicating the aging deterioration of the load connected to the load control terminal are stored in the host device of the remote monitoring control system. Since the notification is made, an appropriate maintenance time can be presented to the system administrator.

  In addition, according to the present invention, when the temperature in the vicinity of the opening / closing mechanism of the load control terminal constituting the remote monitoring control system exceeds a predetermined temperature, the use restriction of the remote monitoring control system is reliably executed. Can do.

  In addition, according to the present invention, the temperature control in the vicinity of the opening / closing mechanism of the load control terminal stops all the functions for controlling the load, and the life of the load controlled by the opening / closing mechanism of the load control terminal and the load control terminal is reduced. Since it is notified to the host device of the remote monitoring and control system, an appropriate maintenance time can be presented to the system administrator.

  Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a strict control process in consideration of the influence of the place where the load control terminal is installed.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, a remote monitoring control system shown as an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the remote monitoring control system is connected to a transmission unit 10, a plurality of multiplex transmission switch terminals 11, and a lighting fixture 13 as a load, and a plurality of relay terminals 12 ( Terminal unit) and the interface device 20 are connected via a two-wire signal line Ls.

  Such a remote monitoring and control system realizes desired control over a load by transmitting a signal having the following format.

  The transmission unit 10 sends the transmission signal Vs having the format shown in FIG. 2A to the signal line Ls. As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the transmission signal Vs includes a start pulse ST indicating the start of signal transmission, mode data MD indicating the signal mode, address data AD for individually identifying each terminal, and lighting equipment. Bipolarity comprising control data CD for controlling a load such as 13, checksum data CS for detecting transmission errors, and a signal return period WT which is a time slot for receiving a return signal (monitoring data) from each terminal ( ± 24V) time division multiplexed signal. The transmission signal Vs having such a format is modulated and transmitted by pulse width modulation as shown in FIG.

  The multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 and the relay terminal 12 receive the control data CD of the transmission signal Vs when the address data AD included in the transmission signal Vs received via the signal line Ls matches its own address. At the same time, the monitoring data is returned as a current mode signal (a signal sent by short-circuiting between the signal lines Ls via an appropriate low impedance) in synchronization with the signal return period WT of the transmission signal Vs.

  The transmission unit 10 includes a dummy signal transmission unit (not shown) and an interrupt processing unit. The dummy signal transmission unit always performs polling in which the mode data MD is set to the dummy mode and the transmission signal Vs in which the address data AD is changed cyclically is always transmitted. On the other hand, the interrupt processing unit generates the interrupt signal Vi when the interrupt signal Vi as shown in FIG. 2C is generated from the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 in synchronization with the start pulse ST of the transmission signal Vs in the dummy mode. The generated multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 is accessed and monitoring data is returned.

  Based on the returned monitoring data, the transmission unit 10 generates control data CD to the relay terminal 12 that controls the corresponding load, and time-division multiplex transmission of the control data CD via the signal line Ls. By doing so, the lighting fixture 13 which is a desired load is controlled to be turned off and on.

  For example, when the operation switch 11a of the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 is operated to be turned on or turned off, the interrupt signal Vi is sent to the signal line Ls.

  In response to the interrupt signal Vi, the transmission unit 10 sends out a transmission signal Vs for searching for the address of the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 that has made the interrupt. When the interrupt is received by the transmission unit 10, the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 that has received the interrupt returns its own unique address as monitoring data.

  The transmission unit 10 that has received this monitoring data determines the interrupted multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 and then sends the transmission signal Vs having the address data AD of the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 to make access. Then, the operation data corresponding to the operation of the operation switch 11a and the address data assigned to the operation switch 11a are returned as monitoring data.

  The transmission unit 10 generates the control data CD based on the operation data of the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 returned as the monitoring data, and preliminarily stores the address data and the address data based on the address data returned as the monitoring data. With reference to the table stored in association with each other, the address data AD for delivering the control data CD to the relay terminal 12 connected to the lighting fixture 13 to be controlled is acquired.

  The transmission unit 10 time-division multiplex-transmits the transmission signal Vs including the control data CD thus generated and the acquired address data AD via the signal line Ls. The relay terminal 12 specified by the address data AD of the transmission signal Vs similarly controls the lighting and extinguishing of the lighting fixture 13 specified by the operation of the multiplex transmission switch terminal 11 based on the control data CD of the transmission signal Vs. To do.

  The interface device 20 connected to the signal line Ls shown in FIG. 1 has a communication network 21 having a free wiring topology, for example, Ethernet (not shown), in addition to a transmission signal terminal which is a connection interface with the signal line Ls. A connection interface with Ethernet (registered trademark) or LON (Local Operating Network: registered trademark) is provided, and data communication can be performed with the monitoring device 22 using a predetermined communication protocol corresponding to the communication network 21. The monitoring device 22 functions as a host device (host) of a remote monitoring control system connected via the interface device 20.

  The interface device 20 transmits a control signal transmitted in response to a command request from the monitoring device 22 connected via the communication network 21 to the transmission unit 10 via the signal line Ls. The transmission unit 10 that has received the control signal transmits this control signal to the relay terminal 12. And the relay terminal 12 will control the lighting fixture 13 which is a load of a remote monitoring control system according to the received control signal.

  Specifically, the monitoring device 22 includes information indicating the aging deterioration of the relay terminal 12 transmitted from the relay terminal 12 via the transmission unit 10 and the interface device 20, and a load connected to the relay terminal 12. The function stop which instruct | indicates to stop the function which controls the load of the relay terminal device 12, when any one of the information which shows aged deterioration of the lighting fixture 13 which exceeded is exceeded the predetermined value corresponding to each A signal is generated and transmitted to the relay terminal 12 via the interface device 20 and the transmission unit 10.

  Next, the configuration of the relay terminal 12 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the relay terminal 12 includes a multiplex transmission signal terminal 31 connected to the signal line Ls, a power supply circuit 32 that supplies power to the relay terminal 12, and a multiplex transmission signal terminal 31. Multiple transmission signal transmission / reception unit 33 for transmitting / receiving transmission signals to / from transmission unit 10 connected to signal line Ls, and address setting unit for setting a unique address in response to an address setting request made by a dip switch or an address setting unit 34, a relay 36 for turning on / off a lighting fixture connected to the load control output terminal 37, a relay drive circuit 35 for controlling the relay 36, and a relay contact monitor circuit for monitoring the relay contact state of the relay 36 38 and a signal processing CPU 39 that controls the relay terminal 12 in an integrated manner.

  The signal processing CPU 39 measures the number of times the relay 36 is opened and closed from the state of the relay contact monitored by the relay contact monitor circuit 38 as information indicating the aging of the relay terminal 12. Further, the signal processing CPU 39 controls the relay 36 by the relay drive circuit 35 as information indicating the aging of the luminaire 13 that is a load connected to the relay terminal 12, and the operation time when the luminaire is turned on. Measure.

  The signal processing CPU 39 transmits the above opening / closing times and operation time to the monitoring device 22 via the transmission unit 10 and the interface device 20 at a predetermined timing. The signal processing CPU 39 does not necessarily transmit both the number of times of opening and closing and the operation time, but transmits at least one of them.

  The monitoring device 22 monitors whether the number of opening / closing operations and the operation time transmitted from the relay terminal device 12 exceed predetermined values corresponding to each, and in response to exceeding either one, a function stop signal is sent. Generate. The generated function stop signal is transmitted to the signal processing CPU 39 of the relay terminal 12, and the signal processing CPU 39 stops all functions for controlling the load connected to the relay terminal 12. The function stop signal is canceled only when the signal processing CPU 39 of the relay terminal 12 receives the function stop cancel signal transmitted from the monitoring device 22.

  Therefore, even if the lighting apparatus 13 can be controlled by a switch locally connected to the remote monitoring control system, the relay terminal 12 constituting the remote monitoring control system, the lighting apparatus as a load. In response to the detection of aging deterioration caused by using 13 for a predetermined period, it is possible to reliably execute the use restriction of the remote monitoring control system before reaching the life of the consumable member.

  The information indicating the aging deterioration of the relay terminal 12 such as the number of times of opening and closing and the operation time and the information indicating the aging deterioration of the lighting fixture 13 which is a load connected to the relay terminal 12 are higher-level devices of the remote monitoring control system. Since the monitoring device 22 is notified, an appropriate maintenance time can be presented to the system administrator.

  In the above description, information indicating the aging deterioration of the relay terminal 12 such as the number of times of opening and closing and the operation time, and the information indicating the aging deterioration of the luminaire as a load connected to the relay terminal 12 are displayed on the host device by the monitoring device 22. A certain monitoring device 22 is notified, and the function of controlling the load connected to the relay terminal 12 by the monitoring device 22 is stopped. However, the signal processing CPU 39 of the relay terminal 12 may perform the function. Good.

  In this case, the signal processing CPU 39 monitors whether the number of opening / closing operations and the operation time exceed predetermined values corresponding to each of them, and stops all the functions for controlling the load in response to exceeding either of them. Let When the signal processing CPU 39 is controlled to stop all the functions for controlling the load, the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 and the life of the lighting fixture 13 that is a load controlled by the relay terminal 12 are transmitted. The monitoring device 22 is notified via the unit 10 and the interface device 20.

  As described above, even when the signal processing CPU 39, that is, the relay terminal 12 itself executes the function stop process corresponding to the deterioration over time, the function stop release signal transmitted from the monitoring device 22 is used to release the function stop. Only when the signal is received by the signal processing CPU 39 of the relay terminal 12.

  Therefore, even if the lighting apparatus 13 can be controlled by a switch locally connected to the remote monitoring control system, the relay terminal 12 constituting the remote monitoring control system, the lighting apparatus as a load. In response to the detection of aging deterioration caused by using 13 for a predetermined period, it is possible to reliably execute the use restriction of the remote monitoring control system before reaching the life of the consumable member.

  Further, due to the aging of the relay terminal 12 and the aging of the lighting fixture 13 that is a load connected to the relay terminal 12, all the functions for controlling the load are stopped, and the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12, the relay terminal Since the monitoring device 22 that is the host device of the remote monitoring control system is notified that the life of the lighting fixture 13 that is a load controlled by the monitoring device 12 is, it is possible to present an appropriate maintenance time to the system administrator. it can.

  Subsequently, a control process corresponding to a temperature rise in the vicinity of the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 that becomes a predetermined temperature or higher will be described. The temperature in the vicinity of the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 may rise outside the guaranteed range of device operation due to welding due to aging of the relay 36, overload use, accidental accidents, and the like. Thus, when the temperature rises, if the remote monitoring control system is continuously used without maintenance, there is a risk of causing a fire or a fatal failure.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, the relay terminal 12 is provided with a relay vicinity temperature sensor 41 for measuring the temperature in the vicinity of the relay 36, and the signal processing CPU 39 monitors the temperature in the vicinity of the relay 36. Thus, it is possible to realize control that avoids the problems described above. The relay vicinity temperature sensor 41 is installed so that the temperature of the terminal part 36A of the relay 36 installed on the board | substrate 50 can be measured, for example, as shown in FIG. The temperature in the vicinity of the relay 36 detected by the relay vicinity temperature sensor 41 is input to the signal processing CPU 39.

  In response to this, the signal processing CPU 39 monitors whether or not the temperature detected by the relay vicinity temperature sensor 41 exceeds a predetermined value, and controls the load in response to exceeding the predetermined value. To stop all. When the signal processing CPU 39 is controlled to stop all the functions for controlling the load, the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 and the life of the lighting fixture 13 that is a load controlled by the relay terminal 12 are transmitted. The monitoring device 22 is notified via the unit 10 and the interface device 20.

  Thus, even when the signal processing CPU 39, that is, the relay terminal 12 itself performs the function stop process in response to the temperature rise near the relay 36, the function transmitted from the monitoring device 22 is used to cancel the function stop. This is only when the stop cancellation signal is received by the signal processing CPU 39 of the relay terminal 12.

  Accordingly, even when the lighting fixture 13 can be controlled by a switch locally connected to the remote monitoring control system, the temperature in the vicinity of the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 constituting the remote monitoring control system. When the temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature, it is possible to reliably execute the use restriction of the remote monitoring control system.

  Further, the temperature control in the vicinity of the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 stops all the functions for controlling the load, and it is remotely monitored that the life of the load controlled by the relay 36 of the relay terminal 12 and the relay terminal 12 is reached. Since the monitoring device 22 which is a higher-level device of the control system is notified, an appropriate maintenance time can be presented to the system administrator.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the relay terminal 12 is provided with an ambient temperature sensor 42 that detects the ambient temperature of the place where the relay terminal 12 is installed, so that the place where the relay terminal 12 is installed. Therefore, it is possible to realize a stricter control process in consideration of the influence of the above. The ambient temperature sensor 42 is installed as far as possible from the vicinity of the relay 36. The ambient temperature detected by the ambient temperature sensor 42 is input to the signal processing CPU 39.

  The signal processing CPU 39 calculates a temperature difference between the ambient temperature and the temperature in the vicinity of the relay 36 detected by the relay vicinity temperature sensor 41, and in response to the calculated temperature difference exceeding a predetermined value, Control to stop all functions that control

  Thereby, the exact | strict control processing which considered the influence by the place where the relay terminal device 12 is installed is realizable.

  The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention. For this reason, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made depending on the design and the like as long as the technical idea according to the present invention is not deviated from this embodiment. Of course, it is possible to change.

It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the remote monitoring control system shown as embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the format of the transmission signal transmitted in the said remote monitoring control system. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of the relay terminal of the said remote monitoring control system. It is a figure for demonstrating another structure of the relay terminal of the said remote monitoring control system. It is a figure for demonstrating the installation position of the relay vicinity temperature sensor installed in the said relay terminal device. It is a figure for demonstrating another structure of the relay terminal of the said remote monitoring control system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Transmission unit 11 Multiple transmission switch terminal 12 Relay terminal 13 Lighting fixture 20 Interface apparatus 21 Communication network network 22 Monitoring apparatus 35 Relay drive circuit 36 Relay 36A Terminal part 38 Relay contact monitor circuit 39 CPU for signal processing
41 Temperature sensor near the relay 42 Ambient temperature sensor

Claims (3)

A transmission unit, a switching terminal connected to the transmission unit via a signal line, a load control terminal for controlling a load, and a transmission signal transmitted from the transmission unit to the signal line by a multiplex transmission method. In the remote monitoring control system for controlling the load specified by the address set in association with the switch terminal and the load control terminal,
A monitoring device for monitoring the remote monitoring and control system connected to the signal line via an interface device connected to the communication network and interconnecting the signal line and the communication network;
The load control terminal is
An operation time measuring means for measuring an operation time for turning on the load;
An open / close frequency measuring means for measuring the open / close frequency of the open / close mechanism for controlling the load;
First transmission means for transmitting at least one of the operation time measured by the operation time measurement means and the number of opening / closing times measured by the opening / closing number measurement means to the monitoring device via the interface device;
Control means for controlling the load control terminal according to a control signal transmitted from the monitoring device via the interface device,
The monitoring device, in response to at least one of the operation time and the number of opening and closing times transmitted by the first transmission means of the load control terminal exceeds the predetermined value corresponding to each, As a control signal for the control means of the load control terminal, a signal generation means for generating a function stop signal instructing to stop the function of controlling the load;
Have a second transmitting means for transmitting a stall signal generated by said signal generating means to the load control terminal via said interface device,
The load control terminal includes: a proximity temperature detection unit that detects a temperature in the vicinity of an opening / closing mechanism that controls the load; an ambient temperature detection unit that detects a temperature of an atmosphere in which the load control terminal is installed; A temperature difference calculating means for calculating a temperature difference between the temperature in the vicinity of the opening / closing mechanism detected by the detecting means and the temperature of the atmosphere in which the load control terminal detected by the atmosphere temperature detecting means is installed;
The control means controls to stop the function of controlling the load of the load control terminal when the temperature difference calculated by the temperature difference calculation means exceeds a predetermined value. Remote monitoring and control system. The control means of the load control terminal is
In response to at least one of the operation time measured by the operation time measuring means and the number of opening / closing times measured by the opening / closing frequency measuring means exceeding a predetermined value corresponding to each, the load control terminal The remote monitoring control system according to claim 1, wherein control is performed so as to stop a function of controlling the load of the remote control. The load control terminal is controlled by the opening / closing mechanism of the load control terminal or the load control terminal when the control means controls to stop the function of controlling the load of the load control terminal. 3. The remote monitoring control system according to claim 1, further comprising a device life notification unit that notifies the monitoring device via the interface device that the device has a device life of a load.

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