JPH0223918B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention is a method for transmitting detection information from an abnormal condition detector installed inside a dwelling unit to detect abnormal conditions such as fire or gas leaks to the outside of the dwelling unit by wireless transmission. The present invention relates to an abnormal state alarm device that transmits information to a receiver installed in a vehicle.

(Prior art) Conventionally, in a gas leak alarm system intended for general households such as apartment complexes, a gas leak alarm is installed inside the dwelling unit, and an alarm unit or a gas cutoff device is installed outside the dwelling unit. By connecting a signal line between the two, in the event of a gas leak, a gas leak alarm will be sent not only to the inside of the residence but also to the outside. Or the gas cutoff device can be controlled.

However, since it is necessary to install equipment inside and outside the dwelling unit and connect signal lines between them, for existing houses, it is necessary to drill holes in the walls etc. to lay the signal lines, and equipment work is required. This became a problem and became a factor that hindered the spread of gas leak alarm devices.

Therefore, the present inventors have proposed a gas leak alarm device that connects the gas leak alarm inside the dwelling unit and the alarm unit or gas cutoff device outside the dwelling unit using a wireless line, thereby eliminating the need for signal line installation work. .

By the way, in the case of such a wireless gas leak alarm system, the power supply for the transmitter in the dwelling unit is
Like gas leak alarms, from the electrical outlet inside the residence.
100V power is supplied to reduce power consumption.
When the detection state of the gas leak detector changes, for example from a normal state to a gas leak state, detection information is transmitted only during a fixed transmission time.

This problem of power supply is also the same for receivers installed outside the residence.In order to eliminate the need for power supply installation work, a built-in battery power source is installed, and similarly, in order to reduce power consumption, receivers installed outside the residence are equipped with a built-in battery power source. I am trying to set a reception frame time during which this is performed intermittently.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, when a gas leak is detected, the transmitter transmits the detection information only once for a certain period of time, while the receiver transmits the detection information intermittently during the reception window. If the detection information is received by setting , since the transmission and reception are not synchronized, the detection information will be sent either intermittently during the set reception time or during the free time between them. It is unknown whether the reception time is intermittently set, and reception is possible only within the reception time slot set intermittently, so if noise occurs at a timing that covers this reception time slot, the detection information from the transmitter may be incorrectly detected. There was a problem that the data could not be received at all, or could not be received at all.

Therefore, it is possible to continuously receive the detection information from the transmitter, but while this improves the reception accuracy of the receiver, the continual operation of the receiver increases the receiver's battery power consumption. However, there was still room for improvement.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is intended to enable the receiver side to reliably receive detection information even if temporary noise occurs. ,
When the abnormal condition detector detects an abnormal condition such as a gas leak, the transmitter is driven while the abnormal condition continues and abnormal information is repeatedly transmitted via radio waves within a certain transmission time frame set intermittently. Abnormality information is received by a receiver within a reception frame time that is set intermittently every reception period shorter than the transmission frame time, and an alarm is activated based on the information received from the receiver.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the present invention.

First, to explain the configuration, a transmitter 2 is installed in the dwelling unit shown on the left. Detection information is transmitted via radio waves. Gas leak alarm 1 is powered by commercial AC 100V, with 6V in normal monitoring mode and 6V in gas leak detection.
12V, further reduced to 0V when a trouble is detected that causes the power to go down.
A voltage signal is output according to the detection state.
The transmitter 2 transmits detection information according to the detection state from the transmitting antenna 3 by FM radio waves only when the detection state of the gas leak alarm 1 changes, that is, when the state changes from a steady monitoring state to a gas leak detection state. Here, if the gas leak alarm 1 detects a gas leak, the transmitter 2 detects the gas leak as shown in FIG.
That is, while the abnormality detection state continues, the transmission information is repeatedly transmitted intermittently during the set transmission time period T1 via the pause time T5.

On the other hand, a receiver 5 equipped with a receiving antenna 4 and an alarm device 6 that warns of abnormalities are installed outside the residence shown on the right side, and the receiver 5 receives the transmitted radio waves from the transmitter 2 and reproduces the detected information. , determines the detection content from the address and data thickness included in the detection information, and then sends the alarm 6
to output gas leak information. The receiver 5 has a built-in battery as a power source, and in order to reduce battery consumption, the receiver 5 receives the transmitted radio waves only in the reception window time T3, which is set intermittently with an interval time T4 as shown in FIG. Let's do it. Furthermore, the alarm device 6 is equipped with a shutoff means such as a buzzer and a lamp to warn of gas leakage and trouble, or a solenoid valve that closes the gas main valve in the event of gas leakage.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the transmitter of FIG. 1. The transmitter 2 is equipped with a voltage comparator that detects the normal output of 6V and the gas leakage output of 12V output as a voltage signal from the gas leak alarm 1.
Discrimination circuit 7 that discriminates the detection state based on the voltage signal
Then, while the discrimination output from the discrimination circuit 7 is being obtained, the transmission control circuit 8 supplies power to continuously output the transmittal letter for a predetermined fixed transmission time period T1, for example, one minute. We are prepared. The transmission control circuit 8 has a built-in timer circuit that repeatedly turns on and off at predetermined intervals, and when a signal indicating a gas leak is obtained from the discrimination circuit 7, the timer circuit is activated while the gas leak signal continues. is driven to supply power during an intermittent transmission frame time T1 that is repeated after a pause time T5. The transmitter 2 also includes a data code setting circuit 9 that sets a data code as an information pulse containing its own address and data based on the discrimination output of the discrimination circuit 7, and a transmission control circuit 8 that supplies power for a certain period of time. The information pulse given from the data code setting circuit 9 to VHF or UHF
Period T2 from the transmitting antenna 3 on the FM radio wave of the band
It is equipped with a modulation oscillation circuit 10 that transmits data every time. It also includes a power supply circuit 11 that supplies power to each circuit section, and a test circuit 12 that outputs a code signal indicating a gas leak to the data code setting circuit 9 and instructs the data code setting circuit 9 to perform a gas leak test.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of the receiver of FIG. 1. The receiver 5 detects the VHF or UHF band FM radio waves received by the receiving antenna 4,
An FM receiving circuit 13 obtains a digital signal corresponding to the information pulse, and an information pulse as a digital signal output from the FM receiving circuit 13 is shaped into a waveform and reproduced as a pulse, and an address included in the information pulse is verified. A code processing circuit 14 that decodes the data code when it matches its own address and outputs a processed signal based on the decoding result, and activation for activating the alarm 6 every time an output from the code processing circuit 14 is obtained. It includes a starting circuit 15 that outputs a signal for a time T6.

On the other hand, the FM receiving circuit 13 receives an intermittent reception frame time.
As a means for setting T3, a power supply control circuit 16 is provided, and a power supply circuit 17 using a battery supplies power to the FM receiving circuit 13 every interval time T4, and this intermittent power supply time is set as the reception frame time T3 in the FM reception circuit 13.

The receiver 5 can receive the transmitted radio waves only within this reception window time T3. In addition, when the code processing circuit 14 receives the reception output from the FM reception circuit 13, it starts a built-in retrigger timer and supplies the output of the retrigger timer to the power supply control circuit 16, so that even if the reception time period T3 has elapsed, the retrigger timer is activated. The power supply voltage is supplied to the FM receiving circuit 13 for a certain holding time To determined by , so that the reception ready state is maintained. This holding time To is set to be longer than twice the period T2 of the transmitted information in order to ensure that the information pulse reception process is performed reliably. Reference numeral 18 denotes a battery voltage drop detection circuit, which outputs a signal indicating that the battery voltage has dropped to the alarm 6 via the starting circuit 15 when the battery voltage in the power supply circuit 17 drops below a certain level, thereby detecting the drop in battery voltage. Display. The alarm device 6 is also equipped with a shutoff means such as a solenoid valve for closing the gas main valve, and the shutoff means is operated based on an alarm activation signal from the starting circuit 15 to close the gas main valve.

Here, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the mutual relationship between the setting times will be summarized and explained.
The transmission frame time T1 of the transmission information from the receiver 5 is set longer than the interval time T4 at the receiver 5.
T4 is set to be sufficiently longer than the reception window time T3. This reception frame time T3 is set to be at least 1.5 times longer than the period T2 of the transmission information. Furthermore, the transmission information pause time T5 is set to be sufficiently shorter than the interval time T4. That is, the mutual time relationships are defined as T1>T4 T4≫T3 T3≧1.5×T2 T5<T4.

Next, the operation will be explained.

FIG. 4 is a signal waveform diagram showing the operation when the gas leak alarm 1 detects a continuous gas leak state.

For example, if gas leak alarm 1 detects a gas leak at time t1, the output voltage of gas leak alarm 1 rises from 6 V to 12 V, and outputs a 12 V voltage signal indicating a gas leak. . Second
In the illustrated transmitter 2, the discrimination circuit 7 receives the voltage signal 12V from the gas leak alarm 1, discriminates that there is a gas leak, and outputs discrimination information to the transmission control circuit 8. Transmission control circuit 8
When inputting the discrimination output from the discrimination circuit 7, it supplies transmission power to the modulation oscillation circuit 10 during the transmission frame time T1 that is intermittently set in advance, that is, the transmission frame time T1 that is repeated with a pause time T5. do. At the same time, discrimination information indicating gas leakage from discrimination circuit 7 is given to data code setting circuit 9, and data code setting circuit 9 sends an information pulse consisting of its own address and data indicating gas leakage to modulation oscillation circuit 10. Output. The modulation oscillation circuit 10 modulates the information pulse based on the information pulse from the data code setting circuit 9, and repeatedly transmits the modulated information pulse every cycle T2 over the intermittently set transmission frame time T1 from the transmitting antenna 3 to FM radio waves. Send as.

As shown in Figure 4, the transmission information from the transmitter 2 is transmitted during the transmission time frame as shown by the enlarged arrow.
During T1, n information pulses are repeatedly transmitted, and as shown further enlarged by the arrow, each information pulse has, for example, an address of 12 bits and data of 4 bits.
It consists of a pulse code consisting of bits.

On the other hand, on the side of the receiver 5 shown in FIG.
The setting of T3 is performed every interval time T4, and when transmission information is transmitted from the transmitter 2 from time t1 over the transmission frame time T1, the FM reception circuit 13 transmits this information via the reception antenna 4. Transmission information is received in a reception frame time corresponding to transmission frame time T1. This transmission information includes n information pulses, and the code processing circuit 14 decodes the content of the first information pulse received during the reception window time T3, compares it with its own address, and determines that they match. Then, it starts the built-in retrigger timer. The power supply control circuit 16 maintains power supply to the FM reception circuit 13 for a predetermined retention time T ₀ by activating a retrigger timer built in the code processing circuit 14 . This maintenance of power supply every time an information pulse is received continues until the final information pulse is received, and when the nth and final information pulse is received, the retrigger timer of the code processing circuit 14 starts to Stops after retention time T ₀ has elapsed.
At the stop timing of the retrigger timer, the gas leak detection information obtained by decoding the data of the information pulse in the code processing circuit 14 is output to the starting circuit 15. The activation circuit 15 outputs an alarm activation signal indicating a gas leak to the alarm device 6 for a time T6. Thereafter, similarly, the receiver 5 repeats the detection information reception process every time transmission information from the transmitter 2 is obtained, that is, every intermittent transmission time period T1 while repeating after a pause time T5. The alarm device 6 has a starting circuit 15
Based on the alarm activation signal indicating a gas leak from the gas leak, a gas leak alarm is issued and at the same time a built-in solenoid valve is activated to close the gas main valve.

FIG. 5 is a signal waveform diagram showing the operation when the gas leak alarm device 1 returns to the steady monitoring state within the transmission time period T1 after detecting a gas leak.

Referring to FIG. 5, the operation when gas leakage, that is, the abnormality detection state changes to the steady monitoring state, will be described.

As shown in Fig. 5, at time t2, which is within the transmission time frame T1 after the gas leak alarm 1 detects a gas leak, the steady monitoring state is restored and the output voltage drops from 12V to 6V. As shown in FIG. 2, when the discriminator circuit 7 in the transmitter 2 receives a voltage signal indicating the steady monitoring state from the gas leak alarm 1, that is, 6V, it determines that the transmitter 2 is in the steady monitoring state. It outputs a determination signal to the transmission control circuit 8 and data code setting circuit 9 indicating that it is in the steady monitoring state. Data code setting circuit 9
outputs an information pulse consisting of its own address and a data code indicating the steady monitoring state to the modulation oscillation circuit 10 based on the discrimination signal from the discrimination circuit 7.
The modulation oscillation circuit 10 is supplied with power from the transmission control circuit 8 and transmits a normal signal, which is frequency-modulated from the information pulse from the data code setting circuit 9, that is, a code signal indicating a steady monitoring state, to the antenna 3. Send via. This normal signal is transmitted only during 2 to 3 information pulses (normal signal) after the voltage reaches 6V.

On the other hand, in the receiver 5, the transmission frame time starts from time t1.
The FM receiving circuit 13, which has continued to process the reception of transmitted information during T1, and which had been receiving and processing the detection information indicating a gas leak, receives a normal signal at time t2 and enters the steady monitoring state. The received information indicating that the restoration has been restored is output to the code processing circuit 14. The code processing circuit 14 decodes the final information pulse obtained from the FM receiving circuit 13, and when it determines that it is in a steady monitoring state, it prevents the alarm operation of the alarm device 6 by prohibiting the signal output to the starting circuit 15. . Therefore, compared to a method in which the gas leak detection signal continues to be transmitted even if the gas leak detection status returns to normal in the middle of the transmission time T1, resulting in a false alarm, the present invention detects the gas leak in the middle of the transmission time T1. As soon as the state is restored to normal, the system immediately switches to transmitting a normal signal, so that false alarms are not issued on the receiving side due to malfunctions in primary gas leak detection, and high reliability can be achieved.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, when the abnormal condition detector detects an abnormal condition such as a gas leak, the transmitter is driven and set intermittently while the abnormal condition continues. Within a certain transmission time frame,
Abnormality information is repeatedly transmitted via radio waves, this abnormality information is received by a receiver within a reception period set intermittently at each reception period shorter than the transmission period, and an alarm is activated based on the information received from the receiver. By doing this, the receiver side has a chance of receiving abnormality information from the transmitter intermittently and multiple times.
Even if temporary noise occurs, detection information indicating a gas leak can be reliably received, resulting in a significant improvement in reliability. Furthermore, on the transmitter side, by transmitting intermittent detection information, it is possible to suppress an increase in power consumption of the battery power source.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the transmitter of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the receiver of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an abnormality detection state. FIG. 5 is a signal waveform diagram showing the operation when the abnormality continues, and FIG. 5 is a signal waveform diagram showing the operation when the steady monitoring state is restored after abnormality detection. 1: Gas leak alarm, 2: Transmitter, 3: Transmitting antenna, 4: Receiving antenna, 5: Receiver, 6: Alarm, 7: Discrimination circuit, 8: Transmission control circuit, 9: Data code setting circuit, 10: Modulation oscillation circuit, 11: Power supply circuit, 12: Test circuit, 13:
FM receiving circuit, 14: code processing circuit, 15: starting circuit, 16: power supply control circuit, 17: power supply circuit, 18: battery voltage drop detection circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A transmitter transmits detection information for a certain period of time only when the detection state of the abnormal state detector changes, and then stops the transmission, and transmits the radio waves intermittently. In an abnormal condition alarm device that receives information in a receiving section only within a reception time frame and operates an alarm section based on the received information, the receiving section has a battery power source and receives detection information transmitted from a transmitting section. The alarm section extends the reception state and receives the next detection information based on the decoding result of the detection information received each time the detection information is received in the reception frame time, and when it is determined that the last detection information has been received, the alarm section The transmission unit includes means for once stopping transmission of the detection information while an abnormal state detection signal is input from the abnormal state detector, and then repeatedly transmitting the detection information for a certain period of time. An abnormal condition warning device comprising: