JP5126769B2 - Home automation system with peak cut function - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a home automation system, and in particular has a function of performing peak cut control using the home automation system and determining that the terminal device is controlled by the peak cut control in the vicinity of the terminal device. It relates to home automation systems.

The home automation system is a system for organically linking home appliances defined by the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association standard JEM1427 HA terminal (JEM-A), and has the functions of device control and monitoring. A home bus which is a common transmission path serving as a transmission path for control and monitoring signals, a controller for controlling and monitoring the terminal device via the home bus, and the home bus existing between the home bus and the terminal device A home automation system (hereinafter referred to as HA system) comprising an interface unit (hereinafter referred to as IFU) having a function for ensuring the consistency of interface conditions of terminal devices, and terminal equipment of household devices controlled and monitored by the controller. ) Is known (for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

A control system using the HA system is currently widely used, but a controller in the HA system is provided in one place in a residence to which the HA system is applied, and the terminal device in each room is connected to the IFU. In general, the controller and the terminal device are provided at different locations in different rooms (for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

JP-A-4-368092 FIG. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-67119 FIG. 1 and FIG. Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association Standard JEM1427 HA Terminal (JEM-A) Established on June 5, 1987

When attention is paid to the on / off state of the terminal device, the on / off state of the terminal device changes when the normal manual on / off operation, on / off operation with the remote control attached to the terminal device, For example, six on / off operations, such as when a main breaker or branch breaker is operating, such as when an overcurrent occurs in the power source, when a power failure occurs due to power transmission from the power station being stopped, and when an on / off operation is controlled by the HA system. There are factors that change the state.

Here, aside from normal manual on / off, when the on / off state changed due to other factors, it was not easy to immediately determine which factor caused the on / off state to change. In other words, when the operation state is changed to the stop state, the power supply is stopped because the circuit breaker is activated due to an overcurrent, etc. Whether it is a cut-off operation due to a power failure due to the stoppage of power transmission from the power station, or a cut-off operation due to the control by the HA system has been turned off. Depending on the time of day, it was not possible to make a determination immediately, and for the residents there was a problem that it was not convenient to recover because it was not possible to immediately grasp what caused the disconnection. .

In particular, the home automation system is used to monitor the magnitude of the current flowing in the electric circuit and, when the magnitude of the current exceeds a predetermined threshold, a peak cut control function that causes a predetermined terminal device to stop. In this case, there is a problem that it becomes more difficult to determine the reason why the terminal device is turned off due to an increase in the factor that changes the on / off state of the terminal device, and the convenience is not good for restoration. .

In addition, whether the control is performed by the HA system even though the power supply to devices that require constant power supply (for example, refrigerators, timer devices, pumps, air conditioners, etc.) has been stopped by determining the cause of the turning-off operation and making an error. It is difficult to know whether the main circuit breaker or branch circuit breaker has stopped due to an overcurrent in the circuit, or the power transmission from the power station has stopped. There was a problem that the convenience of life was impaired.

Therefore, the object of the present invention was made in view of the problems described above,
By providing the IFU with an HA control discriminating means capable of discriminating that the peak cut control has been performed in the HA system, at least the peak cut control is controlled when the operation state of the terminal device is changed near the location where the terminal device is installed. The purpose is to provide a home automation system with a peak cut function that can be discriminated reliably at low cost and does not impair the convenience of life.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in claim 1 of the present invention, when a current flowing through an electric circuit exceeds a predetermined threshold, a peak for outputting a control signal for stopping a predetermined terminal device to a common transmission line. A controller having a cut control function, an interface unit for receiving a control signal for causing the predetermined terminal device to be stopped via the common transmission path, and converting the control signal into a control signal for controlling the terminal device; and the interface unit And a terminal automation device connected and controlled by a connection line, the controller performing peak cut control and outputting a control signal that causes the terminal device to stop wherein the control signal output determination means for the terminal equipment to determine whether or not stopped by interferon Provided Suyunitto, the said control signal output determination unit, a photocoupler of the output signal is interposed on the control line for transmitting, and the terminal device is in the stop state or an operation state control signal to the terminal equipment The output signal of the photocoupler interposed on the monitor line for monitoring is connected together, and after receiving the output signal from the photocoupler interposed on the control line, within a predetermined time, A peak cut control that includes a light emitting diode that is turned on when an output signal from a photocoupler interposed on the monitor line changes, and causes the predetermined terminal device to be stopped from the controller. It is possible to determine in the vicinity of the terminal device that the operation state of the terminal device has been stopped by outputting a signal. It is obtained by providing a home automation system with a peak cut function as characterized.

This makes it possible to determine whether or not at least peak cut control has been performed in the vicinity of the location where the terminal device to be controlled is installed, and at the time of changing the operating state of the terminal device. It is possible to provide an HA system that does not impair the convenience.

In addition , when a control signal is output from the controller to the terminal device, the control signal output discriminating means can be operated using the control signal transmitted through the common transmission line as a trigger, and the operation state of the terminal device. The control signal output discriminating means can be operated when the motor actually stops, thus enabling accurate discrimination.

Further, the control signal output determining means may be configured to receive a drive signal directly from the controller and drive the home automation system with a peak cut function.

Thus, when the controller outputs a control signal, the control signal output discriminating means can be driven by outputting the drive signal at the same time, and the control signal output discriminating means can be independently operated without outputting the control signal. Since it can be driven, it is possible not only to discriminate control but also to discriminate a plurality of information such as information at the time of abnormality, and an interface unit with higher added value can be provided.

According to the present invention, by providing the IFU with HA control determining means that can determine that peak cut control has been performed in the HA system, at least when the terminal device is in an operating state change in the vicinity of the location where the terminal device is installed. It is possible to provide a home automation system with a peak cut function that can be reliably discriminated while being controlled by the peak cut control at a low cost and does not impair the convenience of life.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a home automation system with a peak cut function according to the first embodiment. As described above, as defined by the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association standard JEM 1427 HA terminal (JEM-A), the home bus 40, which is a common transmission path serving as a transmission path for control and monitoring signals, is passed through the home bus 40. Controller 1 for controlling and monitoring the terminal devices 3, 7, 11, existing between the home bus 40 and the terminal devices 3, 7, 11, and interface conditions between the home bus 40 and the terminal devices 3, 7, 11 And IFUs 2, 6, 10 having a function for ensuring the consistency of the devices, and terminal devices 3, 7, 11, etc. of home devices controlled and monitored by the controller 1.

In FIG. 1, the controller 1 is connected to a current transformer 1001 that measures the magnitude of the current flowing in the electric circuit 1000 and is connected to IFUs 2, 5, and 8 via a home bus (control signal line) 40. The IFUs 2, 5, and 8 are connected to terminal devices 3, 7, and 11 to be controlled through connection lines 5, 9, and 13, respectively. Each IFU is provided with HA control discrimination means 4, 8, and 12. The HA control determining means is configured such that when the controller 1 outputs a control signal for performing peak cut control of a predetermined terminal device, the HA control determining means corresponding to the terminal device operates. . For example, when the controller 1 controls the terminal device 3 as a control target, the HA control determination unit 4 is configured to operate.

FIG. 2 shows an internal block diagram of the controller 1. Note that IFU and terminal devices are shown as 2 and 3 as examples. Since other IFUs and terminal devices are equivalent, description thereof will be omitted.

The controller 1 receives the output from the control / monitor and the current transformer 1001, calculates the current magnitude, compares it with a previously stored current magnitude threshold, and compares the threshold with the current magnitude of the circuit. Is exceeded, a control unit 100 that performs predetermined peak cut control, an output unit 101 that is electrically connected to the control unit 100 and outputs a control signal to the IFU via a control signal line, and a terminal device And a receiving unit 102 for receiving a monitor signal for monitoring an operation or a stopped state via the IFU.

When performing peak cut control, the control unit 100 outputs a control command to the output unit 101, and the output unit 101 outputs a control signal to the IFU 2 via a common transmission path.

The IFU 2 that has received the control signal internally converts the control signal into a control signal for the terminal device 3 and outputs the control signal to the terminal device 3 through the connection line 5. At this time, the HA control determination means operates using the control signal as a trigger.

The terminal device 3 that has been in the stop state upon receiving the control signal transmits the monitor signal indicating the operation or stop state to the IFU 2, and the monitor signal is monitored by the IFU 2 suitable for the common transmission path. Is received by the receiver 102 of the controller 1.

FIG. 3 shows an internal block diagram of the IFU 2. The IFU 2 according to the present invention basically has a HA terminal configuration in accordance with the JEM-A standard. The IFU includes two sets of photocouplers that perform signal conversion for control and monitoring, and control signals. Control terminals C1 and C2 and monitor terminals M1 and M2 for connecting the line and the monitor signal line. A communication line for connecting to the home bus 40 (control signal line) is provided upstream of the photocoupler. Other IFUs and terminal devices have the same configuration.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the logical condition of the IFU is in accordance with the logical condition of the HA terminal according to the JEM-A standard. FIG. 6A shows the transmission condition of the control signal, and a pulse of Tp = 200 to 300 ms is transmitted. The terminal device reverses the operating state by this signal. The pulse interval is defined as Ti = 200 ms or more. FIG. 6 (b)
Indicates a monitor signal condition, and is defined so as to be inverted in Tr = 350 ms or less after receiving a control signal pulse. By monitoring this monitor signal, it can be confirmed on the controller side that the terminal device has reversed the operating state. In this way, the basic configuration and logical conditions in the home automation system are configured to conform to the JEM-A standard.

Reference numeral 21 denotes a control signal conversion unit configured by a photocoupler that receives a control signal output from the controller 1 via the common transmission path 40 and converts the signal into a control signal for controlling the terminal device 3. Reference numeral 22 denotes a monitor signal conversion unit configured by a photocoupler that receives a monitor signal from the terminal device 3 and converts it into a monitor signal to be received by the controller 1 via the common transmission path 40.

Reference numeral 200 denotes a control signal output discriminating means for discriminating that a peak cut control signal is outputted from the controller 1, and is provided on the control line 401 and the monitor line 402.

The control signal output discriminating means 200 has a photocoupler 201 on the control line 401 and a photocoupler 202 on the monitor line 402, and operates with the control signal and the monitor signal as a trigger. It is configured to be input to. The control signal converter 21 has a photocoupler input unit and a photocoupler 201 input unit, and the monitor signal converter unit 22 has a photocoupler input unit and a photocoupler 202 input unit connected in series, respectively. The signal and the monitor signal can be acquired.

A light emitting diode 303 is connected to the microcomputer 200, and after receiving an output from the photocoupler 201, there is a predetermined change in the monitor signal from the terminal device within a predetermined time, and the output from the photocoupler 202. It is configured to determine whether or not the light emitting diode 203 is turned on when the terminal device is operated by HA control.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. The second embodiment shows an example in which the control signal output discriminating means 210 is driven by receiving a drive signal directly from the controller 1. In this case, the controller 1 receives the output from the configuration of the controller 1 of FIG. 2, that is, the control / monitor and the current transformer 1001, calculates the current magnitude, and stores the current magnitude stored in advance. A control unit 100 that performs predetermined peak cut control when the current value of the electric circuit exceeds the threshold, and is electrically connected to the control unit 100 via a control signal line. In addition to an output unit 101 that outputs a control signal to the IFU and a reception unit 102 that receives a monitor signal for monitoring the operation or stop state of the terminal device via the IFU, the output unit 101 is electrically connected to the control unit. And a control signal output discriminating means driving unit 104 for operating the control signal output discriminating means 210, and the control signal output discriminating means driving unit 1 It is connected by a dedicated signal line 41 and 4 and the control signal output determination unit 210.

The configuration of the second embodiment is such that the control signal output discriminating means 210 is separately provided in the IFU 2 while maintaining the configuration of the HA terminal according to the above-mentioned JEM-A standard. The control signal output discriminating means 210 is constituted by a circuit in which a light emitting diode 211 and a power source 212 are connected in series, and a part of the circuit is extended to the controller 1 as a signal line. When the peak cut control signal is transmitted by the controller 1, the circuit is closed so that the power supply 212 is supplied to the light emitting diode 211. As a result, when the controller 1 outputs a signal for peak cut control, the control signal output discriminating means 210 can be driven at the same time to control lighting / extinction of the light emitting diode 211.

As a modification of the second embodiment, a configuration using the control signal output determining means 220 having the configuration using the latch relay shown in FIG. 5 may be used instead of the control signal output determining means 210. The control signal output discriminating means 220 includes a latch relay 221, a light emitting diode 221, and a power source 223 that inverts and maintains the state when an input is received, and the latch relay 221 is activated. When the circuit is closed, a power source 224 is supplied to the light emitting diode 222 to light up. A configuration in which the drive signal is directly supplied from the controller 1 to the input portion of the latch relay 221 to drive the latch relay 201 to turn on or off the light emitting diode.

Thereby, when a control signal is output from the controller 1, the light emitting diode is turned on in the IFU 2, so that the resident can easily determine that the control by the peak cut control has been performed.

In addition, when a control signal is transmitted from the controller 1 to the terminal device 3, if the monitor signal state does not invert even after a predetermined time has passed, some abnormality (terminal device side abnormality, common transmission) Therefore, it is assumed that the control signal output discriminating means 210 and 220 are provided with a plurality of light emitting diodes, and that the control has been performed and the abnormality has occurred. It may be configured to distinguish and light that the occurrence of the occurrence. As a result, it is possible not only to discriminate control but also to discriminate a plurality of information such as information at the time of abnormality, and an interface unit with higher added value can be provided.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, and can be freely improved and modified as necessary without departing from the gist of the invention. Instead of the used light emitting diode, a speaker as a sounding means may be used. In this case, a control signal output determination unit may be configured by newly providing an audio data processing unit that operates in response to the drive signal transmitted from the controller. Further, a voice data storage unit and a voice data processing unit may be provided on the controller side, and a voice, a buzzer sound, etc. may be issued from a speaker provided on the IFU side. As a result, it is possible to clearly and audibly recognize the control by the controller in the vicinity of the terminal device, and it is possible to provide a low-cost interface unit by using a general voice IC or microcomputer.

Further, the controller and the control signal output determining means are provided with a wireless transmission / reception unit capable of wireless communication with each other, and a signal line connecting the control signal output determining means and the controller described in the third embodiment. It is good also as a structure which carried out wireless. The wireless transmitter / receiver is intended to operate the control signal output discriminating means wirelessly. Therefore, in addition to the specific low power wireless method and the weak radio wave method that are generally used, the IEEE802.15.4 standard. You may comprise using various radio | wireless systems, such as the ZigBee system and the Bluetooth system currently used. Since it is possible to arrange the control signal output discriminating means at a desired position of the resident in the vicinity of the terminal device by configuring it so that wireless communication is possible, it is possible to recognize the control by the controller while at the original HA terminal. It is possible to provide an interface unit that can determine that control has been performed by an HA system that is very convenient to use because an electric wire to be laid out other than the common transmission line is unnecessary.

Further, instead of the light emitting diode in the control signal output discriminating means described above, for example, an organic EL panel or a liquid crystal panel is used, and the fact that the control is performed from the controller is displayed by a picture or a character. When driving the control signal output discriminating means from the controller, by transmitting the drive signal to another path, for example, the controller and the mail server can send a signal via a LAN or a communication line (such as RS232C or RS485 system). By connecting to a mobile phone or computer owned by a resident by sending a predetermined signal to send mail to a predetermined mail address from a mail server connected to the Internet network separately. You may comprise so that it may notify by e-mail that control was made.

Moreover, it may replace with the battery used in the above-mentioned Example, and you may comprise so that it may supply from the terminal device side connected with the said IFU. The problem of battery consumption can be solved. In addition, if the battery is a rechargeable battery and a charging circuit is provided as appropriate, the state of the control signal output discriminating means can be maintained and the control state can be confirmed in the event of a power failure.

There is a possibility that the home automation system with a peak cut function in the present invention can be flexibly applied to a conventional home automation system.

It is a block diagram of a home automation system. It is an internal block diagram of other controllers of the first embodiment. It is an internal block diagram of IFU. It is a block diagram of IFU of a 2nd Example. It is the figure which showed the modification of the 2nd Example. It is the figure which showed the logical condition by JEM-A standard.

Explanation of symbols

1 Controller 2 IFU
3 Terminal equipment 4 HA control discrimination means 5 Connection line 6 IFU
7 Terminal equipment 8 HA control discrimination means 9 Connection line 10 IFU
11 Terminal equipment 12 HA control discrimination means 13 Connection line 40 Common transmission path (home bus)
41 signal line 81 signal line 121 signal line 1000 electric circuit 1001 current transformer 101 output unit 102 reception unit 104 control signal output determination unit drive unit 21 control signal conversion unit 22 monitor signal conversion unit 200 control signal output determination unit 201 latch relay 202 light emission Diode 203 Microcomputer 210 Control signal output determining means 211 Light emitting diode 212 Power supply 220 Control signal output determining means 221 Latch relay 222 Light emitting diode 223 Power supply 401 Control line 402 Monitor line 300 Microcomputer 301 Photocoupler 302 Photocoupler 303 Light emitting diode

Claims (1)

When the current flowing through the circuit exceeds a predetermined threshold,
A controller having a peak cut control function for outputting a control signal for causing a predetermined terminal device to be stopped to a common transmission line;
An interface unit that receives a control signal that causes the predetermined terminal device to be stopped through the common transmission path, and converts the control signal into a control signal that controls the terminal device;
A home automation system comprising a terminal device connected to the interface unit and connected via a connection line and controlled,
The controller performs peak cut control,
Provided in the interface unit is a control signal output discriminating means for discriminating whether or not the terminal device has been stopped by outputting a control signal that causes the terminal device to be stopped .
The control signal output discrimination means includes
An output signal of a photocoupler interposed on a control line for transmitting a control signal to the terminal device,
And an output signal of a photocoupler interposed on a monitor line for monitoring whether the terminal device is in an operating state or a stopped state is connected together,
After receiving the output signal from the photocoupler interposed on the control line, within a predetermined time,
A light emitting diode that is controlled to be turned on when there is a change in the output signal from the photocoupler interposed on the monitor line,
The peak cut control signal that causes the predetermined terminal device to be in a stopped state is output from the controller, so that the operation state of the terminal device can be determined in the vicinity of the terminal device. A home automation system with a peak cut feature.

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