JP7230505B2 - Plumbing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Aspects of the present invention relate generally to plumbing equipment.

2. Description of the Related Art Among plumbing equipment installed in toilets and the like, there is known a product that does not require power supply from an external power source such as a commercial power source by being driven by a battery or a generator (for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, in such plumbing equipment, it has been proposed to wirelessly transmit equipment information to an external device such as a management server, so that the usage status of the equipment, the necessity of maintenance, etc. can be managed by the external equipment (for example, Patent document 2).

In order to wirelessly transmit device information from a plumbing device to an external device, it is necessary to provide a communication line and connect the control unit of the plumbing device to the wireless communication unit via the communication line. Plumbing equipment needs to transmit a plurality of pieces of equipment information such as the usage status of the equipment and whether or not maintenance is required. Therefore, it is preferable to use serial communication for communication between the control unit and the wireless communication unit.

For example, it is conceivable to provide a dedicated communication line for each piece of device information and transmit a signal indicating an output state or an output stop state. However, in this case, a communication line must be provided for each of a plurality of pieces of equipment information, and the control unit and the wireless communication unit must be connected with the plurality of communication lines, resulting in an increase in the number of communication lines and connectors. There is a concern that it will become complicated. For example, there is a possibility that the installation location will be limited due to the increase in the size of the plumbing equipment, or the waterproofness of the connector portion will be lowered. When serial communication is used as described above, it is possible to reduce the number of communication lines and suppress the increase in size of plumbing equipment.

On the other hand, the amount of serial data used in serial communication is large compared to the case where a dedicated communication line is provided for each device information and a signal indicating an output state or an output stop state is transmitted. Power consumption during wireless transmission with devices also increases.

The power used by the wireless communication unit is supplied from a battery of a plumbing device or a generator, or supplied from a dedicated battery provided separately in the wireless communication unit. At this time, if the power consumption is large, the electric power of the generator and the battery is likely to run short, and the plumbing equipment and wireless communication unit may not operate normally, and the frequency of battery replacement may increase. As a countermeasure, it is conceivable to supply power from an external power source to the wireless communication unit, but in this case, power supply construction or the like is required, and the construction takes time and effort.

JP 2010-159576 A JP 2018-62776 A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such problems, and provides a plumbing equipment capable of reducing the power consumption required for wireless transmission even when information on a plurality of devices is wirelessly transmitted to an external device. With the goal.

A first invention is a plumbing device that wirelessly transmits a plurality of pieces of device information to an external device, comprising: a device main body driven by a battery or a generator; and is connected to a wireless communication unit via a communication line capable of serial communication, and by transmitting the plurality of device information to the wireless communication unit through the serial communication, a control unit that wirelessly transmits a plurality of pieces of device information from the wireless communication unit to the external device, wherein the control unit detects a change in the state of at least one of the plurality of pieces of device information; and transmitting the at least one device information to the wireless communication unit, operating the wireless communication unit only when the at least one device information is transmitted, and causing the wireless communication unit to wirelessly transmit the at least one device information. It is a plumbing device characterized by

According to this plumbing equipment, when the control unit detects a change in the state of at least one piece of equipment information among a plurality of pieces of equipment information, the control unit transmits at least one piece of equipment information to the wireless communication unit, By operating the wireless communication unit only when transmitting the device information and causing the wireless communication unit to wirelessly transmit at least one piece of device information, a plurality of pieces of device information are periodically transmitted even when there is no change in the state of the pieces of device information. Compared to the case where the device information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit, the frequency of transmitting the device information to the wireless communication unit can be suppressed, and the frequency of driving the wireless communication unit can be suppressed. This makes it possible to reduce power consumption by wireless transmission of the wireless communication unit. Further, by operating the wireless communication unit only when transmitting the device information, it is possible to prevent the wireless communication unit from accessing the control unit, and it is possible to reduce standby power consumption of the wireless communication unit and the control unit. As a result, when constructing a system that manages the status of plumbing equipment with an external device such as a management server, wireless It is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions in the communication unit and plumbing equipment, the increase in the frequency of battery replacement, and the like.

A second invention is a plumbing device according to the first invention, further comprising the wireless communication unit, wherein the device main body supplies power of the battery or the generator to the wireless communication unit. be.

According to this plumbing device, the power supply source for the device main body and the wireless communication unit can be combined into one. For example, compared to the case where a battery is provided for each of the device main body and the wireless communication unit, the configurations of the device main body and the wireless communication unit can be simplified, and maintenance work such as battery replacement can be reduced.

In a third aspect based on the first or second aspect, the control unit sets priorities for the plurality of pieces of device information, and when a change in the state of the device information with high priority is detected, transmits the high-priority device information to the wireless communication unit in response to the detection, and when detecting a change in the state of the low-priority device information, transmits the low-priority device information The plumbing equipment is characterized by being able to suspend transmission to the wireless communication unit.

According to this plumbing equipment, the control unit can select necessary information for the plumbing equipment by setting priorities for a plurality of pieces of equipment information. By making it possible to suspend the transmission of low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit, the frequency of wireless transmission of low-priority device information can be reduced, further reducing the power consumption of wireless transmission by the wireless communication unit. can be made

In a fourth aspect based on the third aspect, the control unit integrates a plurality of state changes of the low-priority device information based on detection of a state change of the low-priority device information. and, in response to the elapse of a predetermined time or the number of detections of changes in the state of the low-priority device information becoming equal to or greater than a predetermined number of times, the integrated information is transmitted to the low-priority device. The plumbing equipment is characterized in that the information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit as information.

According to this plumbing device, it is possible to transmit integrated information that integrates a plurality of state changes of low-priority device information according to the passage of time or the number of detections of device information. It is possible to further reduce power consumption due to wireless transmission of the part.

In a fifth aspect based on the third or fourth aspect, the device main body supplies electric power of the generator to the wireless communication section, and the control section controls the power generation of the generator or the power generation of the generator. and transmitting the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit until a predetermined time elapses after the end of power generation.

According to this plumbing equipment, the timing for transmitting equipment information with low priority can be set during power generation or within a predetermined time after the end of power generation. It is possible to suppress malfunctions of the device body and the wireless communication section due to insufficient power of the device body due to the power consumed by the communication section.

In a sixth aspect based on the fifth aspect, the device main body has a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage value during power generation by the generator, and the control unit detects the voltage during power generation by the generator. In the plumbing equipment, the equipment information with the low priority is transmitted to the wireless communication unit when the voltage value detected by the voltage detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

According to this plumbing device, it is possible to more reliably prevent malfunctions of the device main body and the wireless communication unit due to insufficient power of the device main body due to the power consumed by the wireless communication unit. For example, it is possible to efficiently utilize the surplus electric power of the generator.

In a seventh aspect based on the third or fourth aspect, the device main body has an electricity storage unit that stores electric power generated by the generator, and supplies the electric power of the generator to the wireless communication unit. Preferably, the control unit transmits the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit when the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

According to this plumbing device, even when the power of the generator is supplied to the wireless communication unit, the power consumed by the wireless communication unit when transmitting low-priority device information causes the power of the main body of the device to run short. , malfunction of the device main body and the wireless communication unit can be suppressed.

In an eighth invention based on the first or second invention, the control unit sets priorities for the plurality of pieces of equipment information, and determines the state of at least one piece of equipment information among the plurality of pieces of equipment information. The plumbing equipment is characterized in that, when a change is detected, the priority information is added to the at least one piece of equipment information and transmitted to the wireless communication unit.

According to this plumbing equipment, by adding priority information to the equipment information and transmitting the equipment information to the wireless communication unit, it is possible for the wireless communication unit to easily determine the selection of necessary information. For example, the configuration of the wireless communication unit can be simplified when making the wireless communication unit determine the device information with high priority and the device information with low priority.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to the aspect of this invention, the plumbing apparatus which can reduce the power consumption required for wireless transmission is provided, also when a plurality of apparatus information is wirelessly transmitted to an external apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is explanatory drawing which represents typically the plumbing equipment system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is explanatory drawing which represents typically the faucet apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing a faucet device according to a first embodiment; FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an example of the operation of a control unit; It is a flowchart which represents typically an example of operation|movement of the faucet apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment; It is a table|surface which represents typically an example of the relationship between apparatus information and a priority. 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment; FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams schematically showing an example of integrated information. 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment; 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment; 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment; 9 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment; It is a block diagram which represents typically the modification of the faucet apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing a toilet device according to a second embodiment; It is an explanatory view showing a toilet device according to a third embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the same reference numerals are given to the same constituent elements, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the plumbing equipment system according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1 , the plumbing equipment system 2 includes a management server 4 , network equipment 6 , and plumbing equipment 10 .

The management server 4 is connected to the network equipment 6 via the network 8 and communicates with the network equipment 6 via the network 8 . The network 8 is, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network). The network 8 may connect the management server 4 and the network device 6 by wire, may be connected wirelessly, or may be a combination of wired and wireless connections. Network 8 may be any network that allows communication between management server 4 and network devices 6 .

The network device 6 communicates with the management server 4 via the network 8 and wirelessly communicates with the plumbing device 10 . The network device 6 is, for example, a gateway that performs conversion between the protocol of the network 8 on the management server 4 side and the wireless communication protocol on the plumbing device 10 side.

The plumbing device 10 is, for example, a faucet device, a toilet, or a urinal. The plumbing equipment system 2 is used, for example, in association with public restrooms. The network device 6 and the plumbing device 10 are installed and used in a toilet room, for example. The management server 4 may be installed in the toilet room, or may be installed in a room separate from the toilet room.

The plumbing equipment 10 wirelessly transmits a plurality of pieces of equipment information related to, for example, the usage status of the plumbing equipment 10 and whether maintenance is required or not to the management server 4 via the network equipment 6 and the network 8 . Thus, the plumbing equipment 10 wirelessly transmits a plurality of pieces of equipment information to external equipment such as the management server 4 .

As a result, in the plumbing equipment system 2, the management server 4 can centrally manage the usage status of the plumbing equipment 10, the necessity of maintenance, and the like. In the plumbing equipment system 2, information such as the frequency of use of the plumbing equipment 10 can be accumulated in the management server 4, for example. Further, in the plumbing equipment system 2, for example, a failure of the plumbing equipment 10 is detected based on the equipment information from the plumbing equipment 10, and the administrator or the like is notified of the failure of the plumbing equipment 10 via the management server 4. can do. For example, a manager or the like can be notified of the replenishment or replacement of consumables such as batteries and toilet paper. Thus, in the plumbing equipment system 2, even when the plumbing equipment 10 is installed in a public toilet room or the like, the plumbing equipment 10 can be easily managed.

The plumbing equipment system 2 has, for example, a plurality of plumbing equipment 10 . The management server 4 manages device information wirelessly transmitted from each of the plurality of plumbing devices 10 . As a result, even when a plurality of plumbing devices 10 are installed in a public restroom or the like, the plurality of plumbing devices 10 can be easily managed. In addition, in FIG. 1, the four plumbing apparatus 10 are illustrated for convenience. The number of plumbing devices 10 is not limited to four, and may be any number. The number of plumbing equipment 10 may be one.

Communication between the network device 6 and the plumbing device 10 may be at least wireless transmission of device information from the plumbing device 10 to the network device 6 . Also, communication between the management server 4 and the network device 6 should be at least transmission of device information from the network device 6 to the management server 4 . However, the communication between the network device 6 and the plumbing device 10 may be two-way communication. Communication between the management server 4 and the network device 6 may be bidirectional communication.

The external device to which the device information is wirelessly transmitted from the plumbing device 10 is not limited to the management server 4, and may be any device that requires device information. Further, for example, when the plumbing device 10 and the external device (management server 4) can directly communicate wirelessly, the network device 6 may be omitted. The network device 6 is provided as required and can be omitted.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 2 illustrates a faucet device 100 as an example of the plumbing equipment 10 . Below, the faucet apparatus 100 is demonstrated as the plumbing apparatus 10. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the faucet device 100 includes a device body 20 and a control section 22 . The device main body 20 has a faucet 30 (water discharge section), an electromagnetic valve 32 , a sensor section 34 and a generator 36 . A battery 46 is detachably provided in the device main body 20 . The battery 46 supplies power to the control unit 22 and the like. The control section 22 controls the operation of the device body 20 . The faucet device 100 detects an object (a human body, an object, etc.) and automatically stops water discharge, and stops water discharge to the washbowl 12 provided in the washbasin.

The washbasin 12 is provided on the upper surface of the washstand counter 14 . The basin 12 has a bowl surface 12a. The bowl surface 12a has, for example, a recessed shape that is recessed below the upper surface of the wash counter 14 . The faucet 30 is provided, for example, on the washbasin counter 14 and discharges water to the bowl surface 12a of the washbasin 12 . The faucet 30 has a spout 30a for spouting water, and is provided so that the water spouted from the spout 30a is spouted into the bowl surface 12a of the washbowl 12. As shown in FIG. The position where the faucet 30 is attached is not limited to above the washbasin counter 14, and may be any position where water can be discharged into the bowl surface 12a, such as the inside of the washbasin 12 or the wall surface of a building.

Water discharged from the faucet 30 through the water outlet 30 a is supplied through a water supply passage 38 . The water supply channel 38 guides water supplied from a water supply source such as a water pipe to the water outlet 30a. A drainage channel 16 is connected to the washbasin 12 . The drainage channel 16 discharges water spouted into the bowl surface 12a of the washbasin 12 from the spout 30a.

The sensor section 34 is separated from the control section 22 . The sensor unit 34 is housed inside the faucet 30, for example. The solenoid valve 32 and the controller 22 are housed, for example, under the washbasin. The solenoid valve 32 and the control unit 22 are housed, for example, in a cabinet (not shown) provided below the wash counter 14 . Note that the control unit 22 may be provided inside the faucet 30, for example. The control unit 22 may be provided separately from the device main body 20 or may be provided integrally with the device main body 20 .

The sensor section 34 and the control section 22 are connected by a connection cable 34a. For example, the control unit 22 supplies power supply voltage to the sensor unit 34 via the connection cable 34a, and controls the sensor unit 34 via the connection cable 34a.

The solenoid valve 32 is provided in the water supply path 38 and opens and closes the water supply path 38 . When the solenoid valve 32 is opened, the water supplied from the water supply passage 38 is discharged from the spout 30a, and when the solenoid valve 32 is closed, the water supplied from the water supply passage 38 is stopped from being spouted from the spout 30a. water state.

The solenoid valve 32 is connected to the controller 22, and the controller 22 drives the solenoid valve 32 to control the opening/closing operation. The solenoid valve 32 is electrically controlled in accordance with a control signal from the controller 22 to open and close the water supply passage 38 . Thus, the electromagnetic valve 32 functions as a water supply valve that opens and closes the water supply path 38 for water spouted from the spout 30a.

The solenoid valve 32 is a self-holding solenoid valve (latching solenoid valve) called a so-called latching solenoid valve, and is operated from a closed state to an open state (opening operation) by energizing a solenoid coil in one direction. After that, the open state is maintained even if the power to the solenoid coil is cut off, and when the solenoid coil is energized in the other direction, it moves from the open state to the closed state (close operation), and then cuts off the power to the solenoid coil. It remains closed.

The sensor unit 34 detects an object (such as a hand) approaching the spout 30a. The water discharge destination of the water discharge port 30 a is the detection area of the sensor section 34 . The sensor unit 34 transmits an optical signal and receives a reflected signal reflected from an object such as a human body that receives the transmitted optical signal, thereby detecting the position, movement, and the like of the object.

The sensor unit 34 is, for example, an optical sensor using an optical signal of infrared light. The optical signal transmitted from the sensor unit 34 may be, for example, visible light. In the following description, the optical signal is assumed to be infrared light. In addition, "infrared light" is, for example, light with a wavelength of 0.7 μm or more and 1000 μm or less. Further, for the sensor section 34, for example, an ultrasonic sensor, a microwave sensor, or the like may be used.

The sensor unit 34 is provided inside the faucet 30 near the spout 30a, and is arranged so as to transmit an optical signal toward the user side of the washbasin (the left side in FIG. 1). Accordingly, the sensor unit 34 can detect that a human body has approached the water discharge port 30a, or that a human body that has approached the water discharge port 30a has extended a hand toward the water discharge port 30a.

The sensor unit 34 inputs a detection signal representing the detection result of the object to the control unit 22 via the connection cable 34a. The control unit 22 detects the presence or absence of the object based on the detection signal input from the sensor unit 34 . The control unit 22 detects the position, movement, etc. of the object based on the detection signal, for example. Then, the control unit 22 controls the opening/closing operation of the electromagnetic valve 32 based on this detection result. Also, the control unit 22 outputs a control signal to the sensor unit 34 to control the sensing operation of the sensor unit 18 .

The generator 36 is provided, for example, on the path of the water supply passage 38 between the water faucet 30 and the solenoid valve 32, and generates electricity by utilizing the flow of water flowing through the water supply passage 38 when the solenoid valve 32 is opened. I do. The generator 36 supplies the generated power to the control unit 22 and the like. Thus, the power of the generator 36 and the power of the battery 46 are supplied to the control unit 22 and the like. The control unit 22 operates by power supply from the generator 36 or the battery 46 . Note that the generator 36 is provided as necessary and can be omitted.

As described above, in the water faucet device 100 of the present embodiment, the opening/closing operation of the electromagnetic valve 32 is controlled by the controller 22 controlling based on the detection signal of the sensor 34 . As a result, water is spouted according to the detection result of the object approaching the water spout 30a (such as the movement of the user of the washbasin). The control unit 22 spouts water when the object is detected, and stops water spouting when the object is not detected. That is, in the faucet device 100, water is automatically spouted while the user holds out his/her hand or the like near the spout 30a.

Further, the sensor unit 34 does not always operate, but is controlled by the control unit 22 so as to operate at the timing when sensing is required. As a result, the power consumption of the sensor section 34 can be reduced. For example, the control unit 22 reduces the frequency of the sensing operation of the sensor unit 34 to the extent that the user does not feel inconvenient. As a result, the power consumption of the entire water faucet device 100 can be reduced.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram schematically showing the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the water faucet device 100 further includes a wireless communication unit 24 for wirelessly transmitting a plurality of device information to the management server 4 (external device). The wireless communication unit 24 is provided separately from the device body 20, for example. The wireless communication unit 24 may be provided integrally with the faucet 30 of the device body 20, for example.

The device body 20 further includes a power supply circuit 40 , a solenoid valve drive circuit 42 and a communication circuit 44 . The power supply circuit 40 is connected with the generator 36 and the battery 46 . The power supply circuit 40 converts DC power supplied from the generator 36 and the battery 46 into DC power having a predetermined voltage value, and supplies the DC power to the control unit 22, the solenoid valve 32, the sensor unit 34, and the like. The battery 46 is detachably attached to a holder (not shown) or the like. Battery 46 is detachably connected to power supply circuit 40 . When the voltage of the battery 46 drops, the battery 46 is replaced.

The generator 36 has a power generation section 50 , a rectification section 52 and a rectification capacitor 54 . The power generation unit 50 generates power by the water flow when water is spouted from the faucet 30 . The power generation unit 50 outputs AC power according to the rotation of the rotor, for example, by rotating the rotor according to the water flow. The rectification unit 52 rectifies the AC power output from the power generation unit 50 and converts it into rectified power. For example, if the power generation unit 50 outputs pulsating current power or DC power, the rectification unit 52 can be omitted. The rectifying capacitor 54 stores the electric power generated by the power generation section 50 . The rectifying capacitor 54, for example, stores the rectified power rectified by the rectifying section 52 and smoothes the rectified power, thereby converting the rectified power into DC power.

The generator 36 supplies the DC power stored in the rectifying capacitor 54 to the power supply circuit 40 . In this manner, the power supply circuit 40 is supplied with DC power from the generator 36 and the battery 46 . The device main body 20 is driven by the DC power of the generator 36 or the battery 46 . As mentioned above, the generator 36 is optional and can be omitted. When the generator 36 is omitted, only the DC power of the battery 46 is supplied to the power supply circuit 40, and the device body 20 is driven only by the DC power of the battery 46. FIG.

The power supply circuit 40 has, for example, a power storage unit 60 , a voltage conversion circuit 62 , a limiting resistor 64 , a drive capacitor 66 and a limiter circuit 68 .

The power storage unit 60 stores power generated by the generator 36 . Also, the power storage unit 60 stores the DC power supplied from the battery 46 . The voltage conversion circuit 62 steps up or steps down the voltage value of the DC power stored in the power storage unit 60 to convert the DC power to a predetermined voltage value.

The voltage conversion circuit 62 supplies the converted DC power to each unit such as the control unit 22 and the sensor unit 34 . Each unit such as the control unit 22 and the sensor unit 34 operates according to power supply from the voltage conversion circuit 62 . Also, the voltage conversion circuit 62 charges the drive capacitor 66 with the converted DC power.

The limiting resistor 64 limits the current and voltage of the DC power supplied from the voltage conversion circuit 62 to the driving capacitor 66 . Drive capacitor 66 supplies current to solenoid valve 32 . The drive capacitor 66 is, in other words, a capacitor for driving the solenoid valve 32 . A relatively large current flows through the solenoid valve 32 . The drive capacitor 66 stores the power supplied to the solenoid valve 32, and when the solenoid valve 32 operates, the load momentarily increases and the operation of the control unit 22, the sensor unit 34, the voltage conversion circuit 62, etc. Prevent instability.

The limiter circuit 68 has a voltage detector 70 and a switching element 72 . The voltage detector 70 detects the voltage value of the DC power input from the generator 36 . In other words, the voltage detector 70 detects the voltage value of the rectifying capacitor 54 of the generator 36 . Switching element 72 is provided in parallel with rectifying capacitor 54 and power storage unit 60 and forms a branch path different from the path for charging power storage unit 60 .

When switching element 72 is turned off, current does not flow through the branch path, and power storage unit 60 is charged. When switching element 72 is turned on, a current also flows through the branch path, and charging of power storage unit 60 is suppressed.

For example, the limiter circuit 68 turns off the switching element 72 when the voltage value of the generator 36 is less than a predetermined value, and turns on the switching element 72 when the voltage value of the generator 36 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value. state. Thus, when switching element 72 is turned on, the supply of DC power from generator 36 to power storage unit 60 is suppressed. As a result, overcharging of power storage unit 60 can be suppressed.

The solenoid valve drive circuit 42 is connected to the control section 22 and the solenoid valve 32 . In other words, the controller 22 is connected to the solenoid valve 32 via the solenoid valve drive circuit 42 . The solenoid valve driving circuit 42 drives the solenoid valve 32 to open and close based on the control of the control section 22 .

The communication circuit 44 is connected with the control section 22 . Also, the communication circuit 44 is connected to the wireless communication section 24 via a communication line 48 . That is, the control section 22 is connected to the wireless communication section 24 via the communication circuit 44 and the communication line 48 .

The wireless communication section 24 has a control section 80 , a communication circuit 82 and a radio wave transmission/reception section 84 . The control unit 80 is connected to the communication circuit 82 and the radio wave transmitting/receiving unit 84 and controls their operations. The communication circuit 82 is connected with the communication line 48 . This enables communication between the control unit 22 and the wireless communication unit 24 of the faucet device 100 via the communication circuit 44 , the communication line 48 and the communication circuit 82 .

Communication circuits 44, 82 and communication line 48 conform to a serial communication standard such as RS-232C, for example. A communication line 48 is a communication line capable of serial communication. Thus, the control unit 22 is connected to the wireless communication unit 24 via the communication line 48 capable of serial communication, and performs serial communication with the wireless communication unit 24 . The configuration of the communication circuits 44 and 82 and the communication line 48 may be any configuration that enables serial communication between the control section 22 and the wireless communication section 24 .

Also, the wireless communication unit 24 is connected to the power supply circuit 40 via the power supply line 86 . The wireless communication unit 24 is connected to the voltage conversion circuit 62 via a power line 86, for example. As a result, the DC power of the voltage conversion circuit 62 is supplied to the wireless communication unit 24 . The control unit 80 , the communication circuit 82 , and the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84 of the wireless communication unit 24 operate according to power supplied from the voltage conversion circuit 62 .

Thus, when the water faucet device 100 includes the wireless communication unit 24 , for example, the device body 20 supplies power from the generator 36 or the battery 46 to the wireless communication unit 24 . Note that the power supplied from the device body 20 to the wireless communication section 24 is not limited to the DC power of the voltage conversion circuit 62 . For example, power stored in the power storage unit 60 (power before being converted by the voltage conversion circuit 62 ) may be supplied to the wireless communication unit 24 .

A switching element 88 is provided on the path of the power line 86 for switching between supplying and stopping the supply of power to the wireless communication unit 24 . The switching element 88 is connected to the control unit 22 and switches between an on state (a state in which power is supplied) and an off state (a state in which power supply is stopped) based on the control of the control unit 22 . By switching the switching element 88 between an ON state and an OFF state, the control unit 22 switches between supplying and stopping power supply to the wireless communication unit 24 .

The control unit 22 controls the operation of the device body 20 and acquires a plurality of pieces of device information related to the operation of the device body 20 . The control unit 22 controls, for example, the opening/closing of the electromagnetic valve 32, the detection/non-detection of the sensor unit 34, and information on the water discharge failure of the faucet 30 (rotation/non-rotation of the power generation unit 50 when the electromagnetic valve 32 is opened). , water shutoff failure information of the faucet 30 (rotation/non-rotation of the power generation unit 50 when the solenoid valve 32 is closed), the remaining amount of the battery 46, the remaining amount of the storage unit 60, the communication error with the sensor unit 34 Information, etc., is acquired as multiple pieces of device information.

The control unit 22 acquires the open/close device information of the electromagnetic valve 32 based on the operation of the electromagnetic valve driving circuit 42 . Based on the detection signal input from the sensor section 34 , the control section 22 acquires device information indicating detection/non-detection of the sensor section 34 . The control unit 22 determines that the detection/non-detection state of the device information of the sensor unit 34 has changed, for example, according to the switching of the detection/non-detection of the sensor unit 34 .

Control unit 22 is connected to power generation unit 50 . The control unit 22 acquires the device information of the water discharge failure of the faucet 30 and the device information of the water stop failure of the faucet 30 by acquiring the rotation information of the rotor of the power generation unit 50 from the power generation unit 50 . That is, when the rotor of the power generation unit 50 is not rotating even though the control to open the electromagnetic valve 32 is performed, the control unit 22 determines that water discharge is defective, and performs control to close the electromagnetic valve 32. If the rotor of the power generation unit 50 is rotating despite the fact that the rotor is present, it is determined that the water stoppage is defective. For example, the control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information of the water discharge failure has changed when determining the water discharge failure, and determines that the state of the water stop failure device information has changed when the water stop failure is determined. to decide.

Control unit 22 is electrically connected to battery 46 and detects the voltage of battery 46 . The control unit 22 detects the remaining amount of the battery 46 based on the voltage of the battery 46 detected by the control unit 22 , thereby acquiring device information about the remaining amount of the battery 46 . For example, when the remaining amount of the battery 46 becomes less than a predetermined value, the control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information regarding the remaining amount of the battery 46 has changed.

The control section 22 is connected to the voltage detection section 70 . The control unit 22 acquires device information of the output voltage of the generator 36 from the voltage detected by the power supply detection unit 70 . The control unit 22 determines that the output voltage of the generator 36 has changed, for example, when the output voltage of the generator 36 exceeds a predetermined value. Control unit 22 is electrically connected to power storage unit 60 and detects the voltage of power storage unit 60 . Control unit 22 acquires device information about the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 by detecting the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 based on the voltage of power storage unit 60 detected by control unit 22 . For example, when the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 becomes less than a predetermined value, control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information of the remaining amount of power storage unit 60 has changed.

Based on the input from the sensor section 34 , the control section 22 acquires the device information of the communication error with the sensor section 34 . For example, when the input from the sensor section 34 is an abnormal value, or when there is no response from the sensor section 34 in response to transmission of a predetermined signal to the sensor section 34, the control section 22 and the sensor section 34 It is determined that a communication error has occurred during For example, when determining that a communication error has occurred, the control unit 22 determines that the state of the device information regarding the communication error with the sensor unit 34 has changed.

Note that the acquisition method of each device information is not limited to the above, and any method may be used. Moreover, the device information acquired by the control unit 22 is not limited to the above, and may be arbitrary information related to the operation of the device body 20 .

The control unit 22 transmits the obtained pieces of device information to the wireless communication unit 24 through serial communication. Upon receiving the device information from the control unit 22 via the communication circuit 82 , the control unit 80 of the wireless communication unit 24 inputs the received device information to the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84 . When the device information is input from the control unit 80 , the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84 wirelessly transmits the input device information to the network device 6 . In other words, the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84 wirelessly transmits the input device information to the management server 4 via the network device 6 .

For example, when receiving a response signal such as reception completion from the network device 6 side (management server 4 side) after transmitting the device information, the radio wave transmission/reception unit 84 inputs the received response signal to the control unit 80 .

In this way, the control unit 22 wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information from the wireless communication unit 24 to the management server 4 by transmitting a plurality of device information to the wireless communication unit 24 by serial communication. As a result, the management server 4 can manage the usage status of the water faucet device 100, failure of the water faucet device 100, necessity of maintenance of the water faucet device 100 such as replacement of the battery 46, and the like.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an example of the operation of the control unit.
FIG. 4 schematically shows an example of the serial data SD generated by the control section 22. As shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 22 acquires a plurality of pieces of device information and generates serial data SD in which the pieces of device information are integrated. The serial data SD is, for example, a bit string representing a plurality of pieces of device information with a plurality of bits by assigning one piece of device information to one bit.

The control unit 22 transmits the generated serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 by serially communicating with the wireless communication unit 24 via one communication line 48 . As a result, compared to the case where a communication line is provided for each of a plurality of pieces of device information and a plurality of pieces of device information are transmitted via the plurality of communication lines, the number of communication lines and connectors increases, which makes things complicated. It is possible to prevent the plug device 100 from increasing in size and restricting the installation location, and from lowering the waterproofness of the connector portion.

The wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received serial data SD to the management server 4, for example. The wireless communication unit 24 may, for example, convert the serial data SD into other data for wireless communication and wirelessly transmit the data to the management server 4 .

FIG. 5 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 22 acquires a plurality of pieces of device information and determines whether or not the state of any of the pieces of device information has changed (step S101 in FIG. 5).

When the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one device information among the plurality of device information, the control unit 22 generates serial data SD in which the plurality of device information are combined into one, and sends the generated serial data SD. It is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 (step S102 in FIG. 5).

When the state of the plurality of pieces of device information has not changed, the control unit 22 turns off the switching element 88 and stops power supply to the wireless communication unit 24 . When the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one device information among the plurality of device information, the control unit 22 switches the switching element 88 from the OFF state to the ON state, thereby supplying power to the wireless communication unit 24. supply. Thereby, the control unit 22 operates the wireless communication unit 24 only when transmitting the serial data SD, and causes the wireless communication unit 24 to wirelessly transmit a plurality of pieces of device information.

As described above, in the water faucet device 100 according to the present embodiment, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one device information among a plurality of device information, the serial data SD is wirelessly transmitted. The wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when the serial data SD is transmitted, and the wireless communication unit 24 is caused to wirelessly transmit a plurality of device information.

As a result, the frequency of transmitting the device information to the wireless communication unit 24 is suppressed and the wireless communication unit 24 is driven, compared to the case where the multiple device information is periodically transmitted even when there is no change in the state of the multiple device information. You can reduce the frequency of Thereby, power consumption by wireless transmission of the wireless communication unit 24 can be reduced. In addition, by operating the wireless communication unit 24 only when transmitting the device information, it is possible to suppress the wireless communication unit 24 from accessing the control unit 22, thereby reducing standby power consumption of the wireless communication unit 24 and the control unit 22. can also As a result, when constructing the plumbing device system 2 that manages the state of the water faucet device 100 by an external device such as the management server 4, a communication line capable of serial communication is used to suppress the size of the water faucet device 100. Even if 48 is used, malfunctions of the wireless communication unit 24 and the water faucet device 100 and frequent replacement of the battery 46 can be suppressed.

In addition, in the faucet device 100 , the device body 20 supplies power from the battery 46 or the generator 36 to the wireless communication section 24 . Thereby, the power supply source for the device main body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 can be integrated into one. For example, compared to the case where a battery is provided for each of the device main body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24, the configuration of the device main body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 can be simplified, and maintenance work such as battery replacement can be reduced. be able to.

In the above embodiment, serial data SD including a plurality of pieces of device information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 when a change in the state of at least one of the pieces of device information is detected. Without being limited to this, for example, when a change in the state of at least one device information is detected, only at least one device information whose state has changed may be transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 as serial data SD.

Further, in the above embodiment, by controlling the power supply to the wireless communication unit 24, the wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when the device information is transmitted. Without being limited to this, for example, by setting the wireless communication unit 24 to a sleep mode in which the operation is suspended, and shifting the wireless communication unit 24 to the normal operation mode according to the input of the serial data SD, the device information The wireless communication unit 24 may be operated only when transmitting the . However, by controlling the power supply to the wireless communication unit 24 as described above, the standby power of the wireless communication unit 24 can be further reduced.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 22 acquires a plurality of pieces of device information and determines whether or not the state of any of the pieces of device information has changed (step S201 in FIG. 6).

When detecting a change in the state of at least one piece of device information among a plurality of pieces of device information, the control unit 22 determines whether the device information whose state has changed has a higher priority (step S202 in FIG. 6). ). At this time, if the state of a plurality of device information changes, the control unit 22 determines that the priority is high if, for example, even one of the plurality of device information has a high priority. If the priority of each item of device information is low, it is determined that the priority is low.

When determining that the priority is high, the control unit 22 generates serial data SD in which a plurality of pieces of device information are combined into one, and transmits the generated serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 (step in FIG. 6). S203). At this time, the control unit 22 operates the wireless communication unit 24 only when transmitting the serial data SD, and causes the wireless communication unit 24 to wirelessly transmit a plurality of device information.

On the other hand, when determining that the priority is low, the control unit 22 suspends the transmission of the serial data SD (step S204 in FIG. 6). When suspending the transmission of the serial data SD, the control unit 22 accumulates the serial data SD for a plurality of times, for example, and stores the suspended serial data according to the passage of a predetermined time or the accumulation of the serial data SD for the predetermined number of times. SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 .

Thus, in this example, the control unit 22 sets priorities for a plurality of pieces of equipment information, and when detecting a change in the state of equipment information with a high priority, serial data is sent in response to the detection. SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24, and transmission of the serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 can be suspended when a change in the state of the low-priority device information is detected.

In this way, the control unit 22 can select necessary information for the faucet device 100 (plumbing equipment) by setting priorities for a plurality of pieces of equipment information. By enabling the transmission of low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit 24 to be suspended, the frequency of wireless transmission of low-priority device information can be reduced, and power consumption by wireless transmission of the wireless communication unit 24 can be reduced. can be further reduced.

FIG. 7 is a table schematically showing an example of the relationship between device information and priority.
As shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 22 controls the normal usage status of the water faucet device 100, such as opening/closing of the electromagnetic valve 32, detection/non-detection of the sensor unit 34, remaining amount of the power storage unit 60, and the like. Set a low priority for device information.

Then, the control unit 22 controls the faucet device 100, for example, information on the water discharge failure of the faucet 30, information on the water stoppage failure of the faucet 30, remaining amount of the battery 46, information on communication error with the sensor unit 34, and the like. Set a high priority for device information related to errors.

In this way, by setting the priority of the device information relating to the normal use state with low urgency to a low level, the frequency of wireless transmission can be reduced, and the power consumption can be reduced. By setting a high priority for equipment information related to a highly urgent abnormality, the abnormality of the water faucet device 100 can be quickly transmitted to the management server 4 or the like.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, when it is determined that the priority is high, serial data SD in which a plurality of pieces of device information are integrated is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 . Without being limited to this, for example, when it is determined that the priority is high, only the device information determined to have the high priority may be transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 .

In this example, the priority is set in two stages of "high" and "low". The priority is not limited to two stages, and may be set in multiple stages. "High priority" is, for example, a state in which the priority is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold. "Low priority" is, for example, a state in which the priority is less than a predetermined threshold.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S301 to S303 shown in FIG. 8 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S201 to S203 shown in FIG. 6, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When determining that the priority is low, the control unit 22 accumulates the state change of the device information by storing the determined state change of the device information (step S304 in FIG. 8). By accumulating changes in the state of the device information in this way, the control unit 22 generates integrated information that integrates multiple changes in the state of the device information with low priority. The change in the state of the device information with low priority may be stored in a storage unit inside the control unit 22 or may be stored in a storage unit externally attached to the control unit 22 .

After accumulating the change in the state of the device information, the control unit 22 determines whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the change in the state of the device information was first accumulated (step S305 in FIG. 8). The predetermined time is, for example, one hour.

If the control unit 22 determines that the predetermined time has not passed, then it determines whether or not the accumulated number of changes in the state of the device information is equal to or greater than the predetermined number (step S306 in FIG. 8). In other words, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the number of detections of changes in the state of the low-priority device information is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The predetermined number of times is, for example, 100 times.

If the control unit 22 determines that the number of times is less than the predetermined number, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S301 and repeats the same procedure. In FIG. 8, the predetermined number of determinations are performed after the predetermined time of determination, but on the contrary, the predetermined time of determination may be performed after the predetermined number of determinations.

When the control unit 22 determines that the predetermined time has elapsed or has exceeded the predetermined number of times, the control unit 22 resets the predetermined time and clears the accumulated number of times. (steps S307 to S309 in FIG. 8). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4 . The predetermined number of resets and the clearing of the accumulated number may be performed, for example, when the serial data SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 in response to a change in the state of the device information with high priority.

Thus, in this example, the control unit 22 generates integrated information that integrates multiple state changes of the low-priority device information based on the detection of the state change of the low-priority device information. , in response to the elapse of a predetermined period of time or the number of detections of changes in the state of low-priority device information exceeding a predetermined number of times, the integrated information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 as low-priority device information. .

In this way, by transmitting integrated information that integrates multiple state changes of low-priority device information in accordance with the passage of time or the number of detections of device information, consumption by wireless transmission of the wireless communication unit 24 can be reduced. Power can be further reduced.

Note that in the example shown in FIG. 8, both the determination for a predetermined time period and the determination for a predetermined number of times are performed, and integrated information is transmitted when either one of them is satisfied. Without being limited to this, only one of the determination of the predetermined time period and the determination of the predetermined number of times may be performed.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are explanatory diagrams schematically showing an example of integrated information.
As shown in FIG. 9A, in this example, the integrated information UI is represented as 3-byte data. In the integrated information UI, the first byte represents data indicating collective transmission. The second byte represents data of device information with low priority. The third byte represents data indicating the number of times the state has changed.

For example, if the status of low-priority equipment information changes 100 times per hour, the serial data SD shown in FIG. .

For example, assume that the low-priority equipment information includes four types of sensor non-detection, sensor detection, solenoid valve closed, and solenoid valve open. In this case, even if there are 100 status changes in one hour, the integrated information UI only needs to transmit 12 bytes (4 types x 3 bytes), so it is possible to reduce the amount of data to be transmitted.

In FIG. 9B, for example, in the second byte, "sensor non-detection" and "sensor detection" are collectively referred to as "sensor state", and "solenoid valve closed" and "solenoid valve open" are collectively referred to as " "solenoid valve state". As a result, only 2 types of "sensor state" and "solenoid valve state" x 3 bytes = 6 bytes are required to be transmitted, so it is possible to further reduce the amount of data to be transmitted.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S401 to S404 shown in FIG. 10 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S301 to S304 shown in FIG. 8, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

After accumulating changes in the state of the device information, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the generator 36 is generating power (step S405 in FIG. 10). If the controller 22 determines that it is not generating power, then it determines whether or not a predetermined time has passed since the generator 36 finished generating power (step S406 in FIG. 10). When determining that the predetermined time has passed, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S401 and repeats the same procedure.

If it is determined in step S405 that power is being generated, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as low-priority device information (step S407 in FIG. 10). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4 .

When the control unit 22 determines in step S406 that the predetermined time has not elapsed since the end of power generation, the process proceeds to step S407, and transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as low-priority device information.

Thus, in this example, the control unit 22 wirelessly communicates integrated information (equipment information with low priority) during power generation by the power generator 36 or until a predetermined time has elapsed after power generation by the power generator 36 is completed. 24.

As a result, the timing for transmitting the low-priority device information can be set during the power generation of the power generator 36 or within a predetermined time after the end of power generation. It is possible to prevent malfunction of the device body 20 and the wireless communication section 24 due to insufficient power of the device body 20 due to the power consumed by the wireless communication section 24 .

In this example, integrated information is transmitted, but a plurality of serial data SD including device information with low priority may be stored and transmitted collectively.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S501 to S505 shown in FIG. 11 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S401 to S405 shown in FIG. 10, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When determining that the generator 36 is generating power, the control unit 22 subsequently determines whether or not the voltage value of the generator 36 detected by the voltage detection unit 70 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (Fig. 11 step S506).

If the control unit 22 determines that the power generation is not in progress or determines that the voltage value is less than the predetermined value, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S501 and repeats the same procedure.

On the other hand, when the control unit 22 determines that the voltage value of the generator 36 detected by the voltage detection unit 70 is equal to or higher than the predetermined value, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as low-priority device information ( step S507 in FIG. 11). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4 .

Thus, in this example, when the voltage value detected by the voltage detection unit 70 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value while the power generator 36 is generating power, the control unit 22 outputs the integrated information (equipment information with low priority). It is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24 .

As a result, malfunction of the device body 20 and the wireless communication section 24 due to insufficient power of the device body 20 due to the power consumed by the wireless communication section 24 can be suppressed more reliably. For example, the surplus electric power of the generator 36 can be efficiently utilized.

In this example, integrated information is transmitted, but a plurality of serial data SD including device information with low priority may be stored and transmitted collectively.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
Since the processing of steps S601 to S604 shown in FIG. 12 is substantially the same as the processing of steps S501 to S504 shown in FIG. 11, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

After accumulating changes in the state of the device information, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the amount of electricity stored in the electricity storage unit 60 of the generator 36 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount (step S605 in FIG. 12). When the control unit 22 determines that the amount of stored electricity is less than the predetermined amount, the control unit 22 returns to the process of step S601 and repeats the same procedure.

On the other hand, when the control unit 22 determines that the power storage amount of the power storage unit 60 is equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, the control unit 22 transmits the integrated information to the wireless communication unit 24 as low-priority device information (step S606 in FIG. 12). Upon receiving the integrated information, the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits the received integrated information to the management server 4 .

Thus, in this example, the control unit 22 transmits integrated information (equipment information with low priority) to the wireless communication unit 24 when the power storage amount of the power storage unit 60 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

As a result, even when the power of the generator 36 is supplied to the wireless communication unit 24, the power consumed by the wireless communication unit 24 causes the power of the device body 20 to run short when transmitting device information with a low priority. Malfunctions of the device main body 20 and the wireless communication unit 24 can be suppressed.

In this example, integrated information is transmitted, but a plurality of serial data SD including device information with low priority may be stored and transmitted collectively.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of another operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 13, in this example, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of device information among a plurality of pieces of device information, priority is given to at least one piece of the detected device information. Information is added (step S702 in FIG. 13).

After that, the control unit 22 generates serial data SD in which a plurality of pieces of device information are combined into one, and transmits the generated serial data SD to the wireless communication unit 24 (step S703 in FIG. 13).

By adding the priority information to the device information and transmitting it to the wireless communication unit 24 in this way, it becomes possible for the wireless communication unit 24 to easily determine whether or not to select necessary information. For example, the configuration of the wireless communication unit 24 can be simplified when the control unit 80 of the wireless communication unit 24 determines high-priority device information and low-priority device information.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram schematically showing a modification of the faucet device according to the first embodiment. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are given to the parts that are substantially the same as those of the above-described embodiment in terms of function and configuration, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
As shown in FIG. 14, in the faucet device 100a, the wireless communication unit 24 is provided separately from the faucet device 100a. Thus, the wireless communication unit 24 does not necessarily have to be provided in the water faucet device 100a (plumbing equipment). It is sufficient that the wireless communication unit 24 can be connected to the control unit 22 of the faucet device 100a via the communication line 48 .

Also, in this example, the wireless communication unit 24 is provided with a dedicated battery 90 . The wireless communication section 24 is driven by power supplied from the battery 90 . Thus, power for the wireless communication unit 24 does not necessarily have to be supplied from the generator 36 or the battery 46 of the device body 20 .

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 15 is a perspective view schematically showing the toilet device according to the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 15 , the toilet device 200 (plumbing device) includes a device main body 20 and a control section 22 . The device body 20 has a toilet bowl 202 (water discharger), an electromagnetic valve 32 and a sensor section 34 . It should be noted that the same reference numerals are given to parts that are substantially the same in terms of function and configuration as the water faucet device 100 described in relation to the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The toilet bowl 202 has a concave bowl portion and a spout (not shown) for discharging cleansing water into the bowl portion. The toilet bowl 202 washes away excreted dirt and the like in the bowl portion by discharging flushing water supplied through the water supply path 38 into the bowl portion from the spout. That is, in this example, the toilet bowl 202 functions as a water discharger. The toilet bowl 202 is, in other words, a Western-style seated toilet bowl.

In the toilet apparatus 200 configured as described above, as in the first embodiment, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of equipment information among a plurality of pieces of equipment information, the serial data SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24, the wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when serial data SD is transmitted, and the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits information on a plurality of devices. It is possible to provide the toilet apparatus 200 capable of reducing the power consumption required for wireless transmission even when wirelessly transmitting to an external device.

(Third Embodiment)
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing the toilet device according to the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 16 , the toilet device 200 (water area) includes a device main body 20 and a control section 22 . The device main body 20 has a urinal 302 (water discharge section), an electromagnetic valve 32 and a sensor section 34 .

The urinal 302 has a concave bowl portion and a spout (not shown) for discharging cleansing water into the bowl portion. The urinal 302 flushes the surface of the bowl portion by discharging cleansing water supplied through the water supply passage 38 into the bowl portion from the spout. That is, in this example, the urinal 302 functions as a water discharger.

In the toilet apparatus 300 configured as described above, as in the first embodiment, when the control unit 22 detects a change in the state of at least one piece of equipment information among a plurality of pieces of equipment information, the serial data SD is transmitted to the wireless communication unit 24, the wireless communication unit 24 is operated only when serial data SD is transmitted, and the wireless communication unit 24 wirelessly transmits information on a plurality of devices. It is possible to provide the toilet apparatus 300 that can reduce the power consumption required for wireless transmission even when wirelessly transmitting to an external device.

Thus, the plumbing equipment may be a faucet device, a toilet device using a urinal, or a toilet device using a urinal. The plumbing equipment is not limited to these, and may be any plumbing equipment.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the invention is not limited to these descriptions. Appropriate design changes made by those skilled in the art with respect to the above embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, etc. of each element included in the faucet device 100, the toilet devices 200 and 300, etc. are not limited to those illustrated and can be changed as appropriate.
Moreover, each element provided in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as long as it is technically possible, and a combination of these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the features of the present invention.

2 Plumbing Equipment System 4 Management Server 6 Network Equipment 8 Network 10 Plumbing Equipment 12 Washbasin 14 Wash Counter 16 Drainage Channel 18 Sensor Part 20 Device Body 22 Control Part 24 Wireless Communication Part . 54 Rectification Capacitor 60 Power Storage Unit 62 Voltage Conversion Circuit 64 Limiting Resistor 66 Drive Capacitor 68 Limiter Circuit 70 Voltage Detection Unit 72 Switching Element 80 Control Unit 82 Communication Circuit 84 Radio Wave Transmission/Reception Unit 86 Power Line , 88 switching element, 90 battery, 100, 100a faucet device, 200 toilet device, 202 toilet bowl, 300 toilet device, 302 urinal

Claims (4)

A plumbing device that wirelessly transmits a plurality of device information to an external device,
a device main body driven by a battery or a generator;
a wireless communication unit that controls the operation of the device main body, acquires a plurality of device information related to the operation of the device main body, is connected to a wireless communication unit via a communication line capable of serial communication, and transmits the plurality of device information to the device main body; a control unit that wirelessly transmits the plurality of device information from the wireless communication unit to the external device by transmitting to the wireless communication unit by serial communication;
with
The control unit transmits the at least one device information to the wireless communication unit when a change in the state of at least one device information among the plurality of device information is detected, and the at least one device information operating the wireless communication unit only at the time of transmission, causing the wireless communication unit to wirelessly transmit the at least one device information ;
The control unit sets priorities for the plurality of pieces of device information, and when detecting a change in the state of the device information with the high priority, responds to the detection and updates the device information with the high priority. When sending to the wireless communication unit and detecting a change in the state of the low-priority device information, it is possible to suspend transmission of the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit,
The device main body supplies power of the generator to the wireless communication unit,
The control unit transmits the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit during power generation of the generator or until a predetermined time has elapsed after the power generation of the generator is completed. rotating equipment. Further comprising the wireless communication unit,
2. The plumbing device according to claim 1, wherein the device main body supplies power of the battery or the generator to the wireless communication unit. The control unit generates integrated information that integrates a plurality of state changes of the low-priority device information based on the detection of the state change of the low-priority device information, and after a predetermined time elapses or The integrated information is transmitted to the wireless communication unit as the low-priority device information in response to detection of a change in the state of the low-priority device information being detected a predetermined number of times or more. The plumbing equipment according to claim 1 or 2 . The device main body has a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage value during power generation of the generator,
The control unit transmits the low-priority device information to the wireless communication unit when the voltage value detected by the voltage detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined value while the generator is generating power. Plumbing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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