JPH0220164A - Remote monitor equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To confirm the operation condition of terminal equipment without sending a data request signal by automatically transmitting specific data from the terminal equipment to a control device at an answering time according to a condition being set by the control device when a public subscriber telephone line is out of use by a communication device. CONSTITUTION:It is constantly monitored by a line use detection circuit 10 as to whether or not a telephone line 4 is in use for a telephone set 3 and when the line 4 is out of use for the telephone 3, a logical value of the output signal of the line use detection circuit 10 turns to be 1. When a specific time is set by an instruction signal from a center 2, the logical value of the output signal of a timer circuit 11 turns to be 1. Next, a control circuit 5 gives an operation instruction signal from a signal line 23 to a data generation circuit 8 after confirming the connection between the center 2 and terminal equipment 1 and the specific data from the data generation circuit 8, namely, line check answering data are inputted into the control circuit 5 through a signal line 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Application Field> The present invention relates to a remote monitoring device for monitoring equipment such as building equipment via a general subscriber telephone line.

<Prior art> Figure 2 shows a plurality of terminal devices that monitor monitored locations such as building equipment, and a network of terminal devices that are connected to these terminal devices via general subscriber telephone lines. This shows the configuration of a conventional remote monitoring device equipped with a management device that performs transmission and reception, in which a center 2 where a center manager is permanently stationed connects a general subscriber telephone line 4 to a plurality of terminal devices 1 to n where the manager is absent. connected via.

These n terminal devices 1 to n have the same configuration, and as shown in FIG. 2, one line monitoring circuit 7. Switch 61 communication circuit 9. It includes a control circuit 5 and a data generation circuit 8. A switching device 6 is connected to the general subscriber telephone line 4 via a line monitoring circuit 7, a telephone 3 is connected as a communication device to the switching terminal a of the switching device 6, and a communication circuit is connected to the switching terminal a of the switching device 6. 9 is connected.

Further, the control circuit 5 and the switching device 6 are connected by a signal line 21, the control circuit 5 and the communication circuit 9 are connected by a signal line 22.24, and the control circuit 5 and the line monitoring circuit 7 are connected by a signal line 27. Further, a data generation circuit 8 is connected to the control circuit 5 through signal lines 23 and 26.

In the conventional remote monitoring device configured as described above, in order to confirm at the center 2 that the terminal device 1 is operating under normal pressure, the center 2 first outputs a data request signal to the terminal device 1. . This data request signal is received by the line monitoring circuit 7 via the general subscriber telephone line 4 and inputted to the control circuit 5 from the signal line 27. In response to this data request signal, the control circuit 5 inputs a switching command signal from the signal line 21 to the switch 6, and switches the switch 6 to the switching terminal side when the telephone 3 is not in use.

Next, after confirming the connection between the center 2 and the terminal device 1, the control circuit 5 inputs a start command signal to the data generation circuit 8 from the signal line 23, and based on this start command signal, the data generation circuit 8 outputs , line check response data is on signal line 2
6 to the control circuit 5. The line check response data inputted to the control circuit 5 in this way is inputted to the Nara circuit 9 through the signal line 22, modulated by the communication circuit 9, and sent to the line monitoring circuit via the switching terminal of the switching device 6. 7
is input. Furthermore, this line check response data is transmitted from the line monitoring circuit 7 to the center 2 via the general subscriber telephone line 4.

In this way, by receiving the line check response data in response to the data request signal at the center 2, it is confirmed that the terminal device 1 is operating normally. As mentioned above, since the &i manager is not present on terminal device 1, when performing data communication between terminal device 1 and center 2, it is confirmed that terminal device 1 operates normally in this way. After t, data communication between the center 2 and the terminal device 1 is started.

The above explanation has focused on the operation between the center 2 and the terminal device r1, but between the center 2 and other terminal devices (terminal devices 1 to 0 including C2 to n), a preset order of Then, the operation is periodically checked based on the data request signal from the center 2 as described above, and data communication is performed.

<Problem to be Solved by the Invention> In the conventional remote monitoring device described above, even if the request signal is output from the center 2, if the telephone 3 is in use, the telephone line 4 is switched to the switching terminal of the switching device 6. Since the terminal device 1 is connected to the telephone 3 via the terminal 1, no line check response data is issued.

In this case, the center 2 side cannot determine whether the reason why the line check response data in response to the request signal is not issued from the terminal device It1 is due to a failure of the terminal device 1 or because the telephone set 3 is in use. In addition, in this type of remote monitoring device, if, for example, terminal device 1 does not respond to line check response data during periodic inspection of terminal devices 1 to n, it is detected that terminal device l has not been inspected. Remember.

After checking other terminal devices 2 to n in a predetermined order.

A complicated automatic inspection means for inspecting the terminal device 1 again is required, which increases manufacturing costs. Furthermore, even if such automatic testing means is used, as long as the telephone set 3 is in use, unnecessary operations are repeated and efficient testing cannot be performed.

When such a situation occurs, it may be possible to dispatch an investigator to the terminal device each time to investigate the reason why line check response data is not being issued, but it is possible that the use of telephone 3 is the cause. In such cases, the investigator may end up wasting his or her time.

The present invention has been made in view of the current state of this type of remote monitoring device as described above, and its purpose is to efficiently monitor the operating status of multiple terminal devices without issuing a data request signal from a management device. An object of the present invention is to provide a remote monitoring device with a simple configuration that can be easily checked.

Means for Solving the Problems> In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of terminal devices for monitoring a monitored location, and a general subscriber telephone system to which communication equipment is commonly connected to these terminal devices. In a remote monitoring device that is connected via a line and includes a management device that sends and receives data to and from the terminal device and centrally controls the terminal device, a response corresponding to a command from the management device is provided. response signal setting means for setting a time and emitting a response signal at the response time; and line monitoring means for monitoring the use of the general subscriber telephone line by the communication equipment and outputting a non-use signal when the telephone line is not in use. and a data transmission means for outputting predetermined data from the terminal device to the management device in a state where the response signal and the non-use signal are output, the terminal device being provided with.

<Function> In the present invention, the line monitoring means monitors whether or not the general subscriber telephone line connecting the terminal device and the management device is being used by the 5 communication devices, and the general subscriber telephone line is put out of use. If so, a non-use signal is output from the first line monitoring means.

Further, the response signal setting means sets a response time and issues a response signal at a predetermined time, for example, in response to a command from the management device.

On the other hand, the data transmission means detects the unused signal from the line monitoring means and the response signal from the response signal setting means, and when the unused signal and the response signal are output, data transmission is started. By operating the means, predetermined data is transmitted from the terminal device to the management device.

In this way, during the response time according to the conditions set in the percentage management device, if the general subscriber telephone line is not being used by communication equipment, the specified data is automatically transmitted from the terminal device to the data transmission means. Transmit to management device. Therefore, in the management device, the operating state of the terminal device is confirmed by the data automatically transmitted by the data transmission means without issuing a data request signal.

<Example> Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail using FIG. 1.

Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and the same parts as in FIG. 2 already explained are given the same reference numerals. In the conventional remote monitoring device described using FIG. 2, the input terminal of a line use detection circuit 10 and the input terminal of a timer circuit 11 are connected to the control circuit 5. and 1 line usage detection circuit 1
The output terminal of o and the output terminal of the timer circuit 11 are
It is connected to the input terminal of the D circuit 120, and the output terminal of the AND circuit 12 is connected to the control circuit 5.

The configuration of other parts in the embodiment is the same as the conventional remote monitoring device already explained using FIG.

In an embodiment with such a configuration, the telephone 3 is used as a communication device, the center 2 constitutes a management device, the timer circuit 11 constitutes a response signal setting means, and the one-line usage detection circuit 10 constitutes a line monitoring means. death.

AND circuit 12% data generation circuit 8 and control circuit 5,
It constitutes a data transmission means.

Next, the operation of the embodiment will be explained.

In the embodiment, whether or not the telephone line 4 is being used by the telephone 3 is constantly monitored by the line use detection circuit 1°, and when the telephone line 4 is not being used by the telephone 3, the line is not being used. The logical value of the output signal of the detection circuit 10 becomes 1''°.

Furthermore, when the predetermined time set by the command signal from the center 2 is reached, the logical value of the output signal of the timer circuit 11 becomes 1''.
becomes.

Also, the logical value of the output signal of the line usage detection circuit 10 is l”
And when the logical value of the output signal of the timer circuit 11 is 1', the logical value of the output signal of the AND circuit 12 is 1''.The control circuit 5 determines that the logical value of the output signal of the AND circuit 12 is 1" is detected.

A switching command signal is input from the control circuit 5 to the switch 6 via the signal line 21, and the switching command signal switches the switch 6 to the switching terminal side.

Next, after confirming the connection between the center 2 and the terminal device 1, the control circuit 5 gives a start command signal from the signal line 23 to the data generation circuit 8. Data, ie, line check response data, is input to the control circuit 5 via the signal line 26. The line check response data inputted to the control circuit 5 in this way is inputted to the communication circuit 9 from the signal line 22, converted by the first communication circuit 9, and then sent to the switching terminal of the switching device 6 for line monitoring. It is input to circuit 7. The line check response data thus modulated and input to the single line monitoring circuit 7 is transmitted to the center 2 via the general subscriber telephone line 4.

At the center 2, by demodulating the modulated line check response data transmitted via the general subscriber telephone line 4, it is possible to confirm that the terminal device 1 is operating normally. Such operations are performed for all terminal devices 1 to n.

This is performed periodically in a predetermined order.

In this case, even if the reception of data from vJ number of terminal devices is congested, multiple general subscriber telephone lines are installed and the lines are representative, so it is easy to receive multiple data. It becomes.

In this way, the embodiment has a simple configuration and can be used without issuing a data request signal from the center 2 when the telephone 3 is not used on the general subscriber line 4.

One-line check response data is automatically and periodically transmitted to the center 2 at the response time corresponding to the command from the center 2, and the operating status of the terminal equipment fil~n can be easily checked at the center 2Vr'. You can do it.

After confirming that the telephone 3 is not being used on the general subscriber telephone line 4, line check response data is transmitted from the terminal devices 1 to n to the center 2.

The normal operation of the terminal devices 1 to n is efficiently confirmed.

Transmission and reception are performed between the center 2 and the terminal devices 1 to n, and efficient and accurate centralized management of the terminal devices 1 to n can be performed.

In the embodiment, a configuration in which a plurality of terminal devices are connected to one center will be described [However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and some of the plurality of terminal devices may be connected to other terminal devices. It is also possible to configure it as a management device for multiple terminal devices. Further, in the embodiment, a telephone is used as the communication device, but this is not limited to the embodiment; for example, a facsimile or other terminal device can be used as the communication device.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, a timer circuit is used as a response signal setting means, which is activated by a command signal from the center and issues a response signal at the response time; however, this is not limited to the embodiment; It is also possible to use a circuit that issues a response signal after a predetermined period of time after the output, or a circuit that issues a response signal after a hit time has elapsed. Although the timer circuit is provided separately in the embodiment, it may be provided within the control circuit.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained in detail above, according to the present invention, the present invention has a simple configuration and does not issue a data request signal.

Provided is a remote monitoring device that can periodically and automatically efficiently check the operating state of a terminal device and efficiently centrally manage the terminal device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a front view showing the configuration of a conventional remote monitoring device. 1 to n... terminal device, 2... center,
3... Telephone, 4... General subscriber telephone line, 5... Control circuit, 7... Line monitoring circuit, 8... Data Generation circuit, 9...
Communication circuit, 10...Line use detection circuit, 11.
...Timer (g) 1st path.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of terminal devices that monitor a monitored location are connected to these terminal devices via a common subscriber telephone line to which communication equipment is commonly connected, and data is sent and received with the terminal devices. A remote monitoring device comprising: a management device for centrally managing the terminal device; line monitoring means for monitoring the use of a subscriber telephone line by the communication device and outputting a non-use signal when the telephone line is not in use; A remote monitoring device characterized in that the terminal device is provided with data transmission means for outputting the information to the management device.