JP7052288B2 - Relay device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a relay device that relays communication between a hot water utilization facility and a management server.

The communication device needs to be set for communication. For example, in Patent Document 1, a wireless device that communicates by wireless LAN, and a wireless communication unit that communicates in either an access point mode or a station mode, and a wireless communication unit perform wireless communication. The communication setting unit is equipped with a communication setting unit for making settings for the above, and the communication setting unit acquires setting information from the terminal device operating in the station mode after setting the operation mode of the wireless communication unit to the access point mode. A wireless device is described in which a wireless communication unit sets a setting for communication in a station mode based on the setting information.

JP-A-2015-103990

By the way, conventionally, as a system for remotely monitoring hot water utilization equipment such as a water heater, for example, information such as the operating state of the hot water utilization equipment is transmitted from a relay device connected to the hot water utilization equipment via a user-owned router. Some are sent to a management server connected to a communication network such as the Internet.

Here, when the relay device is connected to the user-owned router by a wired LAN, when the worker sets the communication setting of the wired LAN of the relay device or confirms the communication status of the relay device, it is for work. The communication terminal was connected to the user-owned router by a wired LAN. However, if the router has connection restrictions due to the wired LAN operation rules set by the user, the work communication terminal may not be able to connect to the router. In this case, the wired LAN communication settings or relay device for the relay device may not be possible. There is a problem that the work of checking the communication status of is not possible.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and is a relay device capable of performing wired LAN communication settings and the like using a communication terminal even when the router to be connected by wire has connection restrictions. Is intended to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the relay device according to an aspect of the present invention is a relay device for communicating with a hot water utilization facility and also communicating with a management server via a router, and is a relay device for communicating with the router. A wired LAN communication unit for performing wired communication between each other and a wireless LAN communication unit for performing wireless communication with an external communication terminal are provided, and the wireless LAN communication unit communicates with the wired LAN from the communication terminal. Upon receiving the request for setting, the wired LAN communication unit is configured to perform communication setting for performing wired communication with the router based on the request.

According to this configuration, in addition to the wired LAN communication unit connected to the router, a wireless LAN communication unit for wireless communication with an external communication terminal is provided. Then, the worker can operate the communication terminal and set the communication setting for performing the wired communication with the router to the wired LAN communication unit via the wireless LAN communication unit by the wireless communication from the communication terminal. Therefore, even if the router to which the relay device is connected by wire has a connection restriction, the communication terminal can perform wireless communication with the wireless LAN communication unit to implement the communication setting of the wired LAN.

A first determination unit for determining whether or not the communication status with the hot water utilization facility is normal, and a second determination unit for determining whether or not the communication status with the management server is normal. When the wireless LAN communication unit receives a request for a determination result from the first determination unit or the second determination unit from the communication terminal, the requested determination result is transmitted from the wireless LAN communication unit to the communication. It may be configured to send to the terminal.

According to this configuration, the worker operates the communication terminal and determines the communication status with the hot water utilization equipment and the communication status with the management server via the wireless LAN communication unit. Can be obtained with a communication terminal. Therefore, even if the router to which the relay device is connected by wire has connection restrictions, it is possible to check the communication status between the relay device, the hot water utilization facility, and the management server.

The wireless LAN communication unit may be configured to function as a wireless LAN access point when performing wireless communication with the communication terminal.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention provides a relay device having the configuration described above and capable of performing wired LAN communication settings and the like using a communication terminal even when a router to be connected by wire has connection restrictions. It has the effect of being able to do it.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication system including a relay device of an example of the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for setting the communication setting of the wired LAN between the relay device and the router. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a wired LAN communication setting screen displayed on the display unit of the communication terminal. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a communication status display screen displayed on the display unit of the communication terminal.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals throughout all the drawings, and the overlapping description thereof will be omitted. Further, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a communication system including a relay device of an example of the embodiment of the present invention.
This communication system is a relay device dedicated to a water heater that is communicably connected to a water heater 1 (for example, a combustion heating type water heater), which is an example of hot water utilization equipment, and a controller 1a built in the water heater 1. 2 and a management server 5 composed of a computer connected to a communication network 4 such as the Internet. The management server 5 communicates with the relay device 2 via the communication network 4 and the router 3 connected to the communication network 4. The router 3 is owned by a resident (user of the water heater 1) of the house in which the water heater 1 is installed.

Further, the communication terminal 6 is a terminal for workers, and a notebook computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like can be used.

The water heater 1 is installed at a predetermined place outdoors or indoors of a house, and has a hot water supply function for supplying hot water to a kitchen, a bathtub, or the like. The water heater 1 is, for example, a combustion heating type water heater (heat source machine), and is connected to a heat exchanger, a combustion device that heats the heat exchanger using gas or kerosene as fuel, a heat exchanger, and the like, and a flow path of hot water. A pipe, a fuel pipe, various sensors, a controller 1a, and the like are housed in the housing. The controller 1a is composed of, for example, a microcomputer having a CPU and a memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and controls the operation of the entire water heater 1.

The relay device 2 is connected to the controller 1a of the water heater 1 by a 2-core cable C1 that serves as a communication line. As a result, mutual communication (two-way communication) is performed between the relay device 2 and the controller 1a of the water heater 1 via the 2-core cable C1. Further, the relay device 2 is connected to the router 3 by the LAN cable L1, and when the communication setting of the wired LAN is set, the communication with the router 3 by the wired LAN is possible.

That is, the relay device 2 executes communication processing with the controller 1a of the water heater 1 and also executes communication processing with the management server 5 performed via the router 3 and the communication network 4. For example, the relay device 2 converts the device information transmitted from the controller 1a of the water heater 1 into a communication format and transmits the device information to the management server 5 via the router 3 and the communication network 4. Further, the information transmitted from the management server 5 via the communication network 4 and the router 3 is converted into a communication format and transmitted to the controller 1a of the water heater 1.

Here, as the device information transmitted from the controller 1a of the water heater 1 to the management server 5 via the relay device 2, the device configuration information first transmitted from the controller 1a of the water heater 1 after the power is turned on, the water heater 1 There is operation state information, error information, etc. indicating the operation state of the water heater 1 periodically (for example, at 1-hour intervals) transmitted from the controller 1a of the above. Here, the device configuration information is information indicating the type of the water heater 1, and the operation state information is information including the hot water supply set temperature, the number of combustion operations, the combustion operation time, and the like of the water heater 1. The error information is information indicating the abnormality when some abnormality occurs in the water heater 1.

Further, the relay device 2 periodically communicates with the management server 5 (so-called heart) after a certain period of time (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed from the end of the last (most recent) communication with the management server 5. It is configured to perform beat communication).

The management server 5 includes a storage unit that stores device information transmitted from the controller 1a of the water heater 1 via the relay device 2 and the like. The management server 5 may be composed of a plurality of computers connected to the communication network 4.

Next, the relay device 2 will be described in detail. The relay device 2 includes, for example, a control unit 20, a communication unit 21, a wired LAN communication unit 22, a wireless LAN communication unit 23, an AP switch 24, and the like. The control unit 20 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer having a CPU and a memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and controls the operation of the entire relay device 2.

The communication unit 21 performs communication processing for communicating with the controller 1a of the water heater 1 via the 2-core cable C1.

The wired LAN communication unit 22 is connected to the router 3 by the LAN cable L1 and communicates with the management server 5 via the router 3 and the communication network 4. At this time, the wired LAN communication unit 22 performs communication processing with the router 3 for performing LAN communication based on, for example, an Ethernet (registered trademark) standard.

The control unit 20 causes the wired LAN communication unit 22 to transmit the information transmitted from the controller 1a of the water heater 1 and transmitted to the management server 5 among the information received by the communication unit 21. Further, the control unit 20 causes the communication unit 21 to transmit the information transmitted from the management server 5 and received by the wired LAN communication unit 22 to the controller 1a.

The AP switch 24 is a switch for turning on / off the function of the wireless LAN access point. For example, when the AP switch 24 is pressed by a worker or the like, the control unit 20 causes the wireless LAN communication unit 23 to function as a wireless LAN access point. At this time, the communication terminal 6 can be connected to the relay device 2 by wireless LAN. Then, the wireless LAN communication unit 23 performs communication processing with the communication terminal 6 for performing wireless communication based on the wireless LAN standard.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure when the relay device 2 is set to communicate with the router 3 on a wired LAN. Here, for example, the relay device 2 and the controller 1a of the water heater 1 are connected by a 2-core cable C1, and the procedure after connecting the relay device 2 and the router 3 by the LAN cable L1 will be described.

First, in step S1, when the worker presses the AP switch 24 of the relay device 2, the control unit 20 causes the wireless LAN communication unit 23 to function as a wireless LAN access point.

Next, in step S2, the worker operates the communication terminal 6 to connect the communication terminal 6 to the relay device 2. Specifically, the relay device 2 is selected from the list of access points displayed on the screen of the display unit of the communication terminal 6, and the encryption key is input.

Next, in step S3, when the communication terminal 6 is connected to the wireless LAN communication unit 23 in step S2 above, the wireless LAN communication unit 23 dynamically assigns an IP address to the communication terminal 6 by the DHCP function. That is, the wireless LAN communication unit 23 functions as a DHCP server, and the communication terminal 6 functions as a DHCP client.

Next, in step S4, the worker operates the communication terminal 6 to access the wireless LAN communication unit 23, and causes the display unit of the communication terminal 6 to display the communication setting screen of the wired LAN. Specifically, using the Web browser of the communication terminal 6,
By entering the corresponding URL (for example, "http://192.168.0.1/html/ipconf.html"), the communication setting screen of the wired LAN is displayed. At this time, the wireless LAN communication unit 23 functions as a Web server.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a wired LAN communication setting screen displayed on the display unit (display) 61 of the communication terminal 6.

On the communication setting screen of FIG. 3, the worker can select either "automatically acquire an IP address" or "use the next IP address". In FIG. 3, "Obtain an IP address automatically" is selected. When the setting button B1 is clicked in this state, for example, automatic setting command information (request for communication setting of the first wired LAN) is transmitted to the wireless LAN communication unit 23. Then, the automatic setting command information is transmitted from the wireless LAN communication unit 23 to the wired LAN communication unit 22 via the control unit 20. Upon receiving the automatic setting command information, the wired LAN communication unit 22 acquires and stores information such as an IP address assigned by the DHCP function of the router 3. At this time, the router 3 functions as a DHCP server, and the wired LAN communication unit 22 functions as a DHCP client. This completes the communication setting of the wired LAN in the relay device 2 (step S5 in FIG. 2).

If the router 3 does not have a DHCP function, select "Use the following IP address" on the communication setting screen shown in FIG. 3, and select the IP address, etc. (IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, etc.) in the lower column. When the information of the DHCP server) is input and the setting button B1 is clicked, the manual setting command information (request for the communication setting of the second wired LAN) including the input information such as the IP address is transmitted to the wireless LAN communication unit 23. Will be done. Further, the manual setting command information is transmitted from the wireless LAN communication unit 23 to the wired LAN communication unit 22 via the control unit 20. When the wired LAN communication unit 22 receives the manual setting command information, it acquires and stores information such as an IP address included in the manual setting command information. This completes the communication setting of the wired LAN in the relay device 2 (step S5 in FIG. 2).

Even when the router 3 is replaced, the wired LAN communication setting (change of communication setting) can be performed in the same manner as described above.

Next, a case of checking the communication status of the relay device 2 and the like will be described. When the worker wants to check the communication status of the relay device 2, for example, after step S3, the corresponding URL (for example, "http://192.168.0.1/" is used by using the Web browser of the communication terminal 6. ") Can be displayed to display the communication status display screen.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a communication status display screen displayed on the display unit (display) 61 of the communication terminal 6.

On the communication status display screen of FIG. 4, in the upper column, as the current communication status of the relay device 2, the current communication status between the relay device 2 and the water heater 1 and the relay device 2 and the management server 5 are displayed. The current communication status between them is displayed. “Water heater OK” in the display screen of FIG. 4 indicates that the communication state between the relay device 2 and the water heater 1 is normal, and “server OK” indicates that the relay device 2 and the management server 5 are connected to each other. It indicates that the communication status between them is normal. If the communication status is abnormal (communication failure), for example, "NG" is displayed instead of "OK".

The control unit 20 functions as a first determination unit for determining whether or not the communication state between the communication unit 21 is normal each time the communication unit 21 executes communication processing with the water heater 1 (controller 1a). have. Further, the control unit 20 functions as a second determination unit that determines whether or not the communication state between the two is normal each time the wired LAN communication unit 22 executes communication processing with the management server 5. have. Then, the control unit 20 stores the determination results of the first determination unit and the second determination unit.

Here, the control unit 20 has a normal communication state when the communication unit 21 and the wired LAN communication unit 22 can receive a response or information from the communication partner as normal data in response to the request transmitted to the communication partner. Is determined to be. On the other hand, when the communication unit 21 and the wired LAN communication unit 22 cannot receive the response or information from the communication partner as normal data (when abnormal data is received) in response to the transmitted request, the request is transmitted. If there is no response from the communication partner even after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is determined that the communication status is abnormal. Further, when the communication unit 21 and the wired LAN communication unit 22 can receive the information unilaterally sent from the communication partner as normal data, they determine that the communication state is normal and receive the information as normal data. If it cannot be done (abnormal data is received), it is determined that the communication status is abnormal. The normal data is not abnormal data in which the data value cannot be discriminated due to noise or the like, but data in which the data value can be accurately discriminated. In the above, the communication partner of the communication unit 21 is the controller 1a of the water heater 1, and the communication partner of the wired LAN communication unit 22 is the management server 5.

Further, "DHCP enabled" in the middle column of the display screen of FIG. 4 indicates that information such as an IP address is assigned to the wired LAN communication unit 22 by the DHCP function of the router 3. If this is not the case, that is, if "Use the following IP address" is selected on the communication setting screen of FIG. 3 and information such as the IP address is input and set, for example, "DHCP invalid" is displayed. To. The control unit 20 stores information (DHCP valid / invalid information) as to whether or not information such as an IP address is assigned to the wired LAN communication unit 22 by the DHCP function of the router 3, and this information is displayed. ..

Further, the information such as the IP address surrounded by the square frame in the lower column of the display screen of FIG. 4 is the information currently set in the wired LAN communication unit 22.

Therefore, the control unit 20 makes a display request (request for a determination result by the first and second determination units) of the communication status display screen as shown in FIG. 4 transmitted from the communication terminal 6 via the wireless LAN communication unit 23. Upon receipt, the communication status between the information indicating the communication status with the water heater 1 that was most recently determined and stored (determination result by the first determination unit) and the management server 5 that was determined and stored most recently is displayed. The wireless LAN communication unit contains information including the information to be shown (determination result by the second determination unit), the above-mentioned DHCP valid / invalid information, and information such as an IP address set (stored) in the wired LAN communication unit 22. It is transmitted to the communication terminal 6 via 23. As a result, the communication status display screen as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the display unit of the communication terminal 6. In this example, both the request for the determination result by the first determination unit and the request for the determination result by the second determination unit are simultaneously transmitted from the communication terminal 6, but are configured to be transmitted separately. You may. For example, a request for a determination result by the first determination unit (or the second determination unit) is transmitted from the communication terminal 6, and in response to the request, the determination result by the first determination unit (or the second determination unit) is transmitted from the wireless LAN communication unit 23. Is transmitted to the communication terminal 6, and the determination result may be displayed on the display unit of the communication terminal 6.

For example, when the information to be transmitted from the relay device 2 to the management server 5 is not received by the management server 5, the worker displays the communication status information (determination result) of the relay device 2 on the communication terminal 6. By doing so, the communication status can be confirmed. In addition, it becomes easy to find out the faulty part by looking at the information of the communication state. For example, when the management server 5 cannot receive the operation status information periodically transmitted from the controller 1a of the water heater 1, the communication status displayed on the communication status display screen of the communication terminal 6 is "water heater NG." , "Server OK", it is possible to infer a communication failure between the relay device 2 and the controller 1a of the water heater 1. Further, in the same case, if the communication status is "water heater OK" or "server OK", it can be inferred that some failure of the controller 1a of the water heater 1 is made.

In this example, when the TOP button B2 is clicked on the communication setting screen of FIG. 3, the communication status display screen of FIG. 4 can be displayed. Further, by clicking the NEXT button B3 on the communication status display screen of FIG. 4, the communication setting screen of FIG. 3 can be displayed. Further, by clicking the AP mode OFF button B4, the function of the wireless LAN communication unit 23 as a wireless LAN access point can be terminated. By pressing the AP switch 24 again, the function of the wireless LAN communication unit 23 as a wireless LAN access point can be terminated.

In the relay device 2 of the present embodiment, in addition to the wired LAN communication unit 22 connected to the router 3 owned by the user, the wireless LAN communication unit 23 for wireless communication with the work communication terminal 6 operated by the worker is provided. I have. Then, the worker operates the communication terminal 6 and sets the wired LAN communication for performing wired communication with the router 3 to the wired LAN communication unit 22 via the wireless LAN communication unit 23 by wireless communication from the communication terminal 6. (Initial setting and setting change) can be performed.

Further, the worker operates the communication terminal 6 and acquires the information of the determination result of the communication state between the relay device 2, the water heater 1, and the management server 5 to the communication terminal 6 via the wireless LAN communication unit 23. And since it can be displayed, the communication status can be confirmed.

As described above, even if the router 3 to which the relay device 2 is connected by wire has a connection restriction, the communication terminal 6 can perform wireless communication with the wireless LAN communication unit 23 to implement the communication setting of the wired LAN. At the same time, it is possible to confirm the communication status of the relay device 2.

Further, in the above embodiment, the water heater 1 is mentioned as an example of the hot water utilization equipment, but the water heater 1 may have other functions as well as the hot water supply function. For example, it may have a hot water pouring function connected to the bathtub and filling the bathtub with hot water and a reheating function of the bathtub water. Further, it may have a hot water heating function that is connected to the hot water type heating terminal and circulates hot water between the hot water type heating terminal. Further, the hot water utilization equipment is not limited to the water heater, and may be, for example, a filtration device or the like in which a circulation flow path is provided between the water heater and the hot water in the bathtub flowing through the circulation flow path.

From the above description, many improvements and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above description should be construed as an example only and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best aspects of carrying out the present invention. The details of its structure and / or function can be substantially changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful as a relay device or the like that can implement communication settings for a wired LAN using a communication terminal even when the router to be connected by wire has connection restrictions.

1 Water heater 2 Relay device 3 Router 4 Communication network 5 Management server 6 Communication terminal 20 Control unit 21 Communication unit 22 Wired LAN communication unit 23 Wireless LAN communication unit

Claims (2)

It is a relay device for communicating with the hot water utilization equipment and also communicating with the management server via the router.
A wired LAN communication unit for performing wired communication with the router,
A wireless LAN communication unit for wireless communication with an external communication terminal,
Equipped with
When the wireless LAN communication unit receives a request for wired LAN communication setting from the communication terminal, the wired LAN communication unit is configured to perform communication setting for performing wired communication with the router based on the request. Ori,
The first determination unit for determining whether or not the communication state with the hot water utilization equipment is normal, and
A second determination unit that determines whether or not the communication status with the management server is normal, and
Further prepare
When the wireless LAN communication unit receives a request for a determination result from the first determination unit or the second determination unit from the communication terminal, the requested determination result is transmitted from the wireless LAN communication unit to the communication terminal. Constructed,
Relay device. The wireless LAN communication unit is configured to function as a wireless LAN access point when performing wireless communication with the communication terminal.
The relay device according to claim 1 .

Images