WO2001065825A2

WO2001065825A2 - Device for monitoring premises comprising an emergency telephone

Info

Publication number: WO2001065825A2
Application number: PCT/FR2001/000569
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean Martin
Original assignee: Midi Constructions Metalliques Micome
Priority date: 2000-03-01
Filing date: 2001-02-27
Publication date: 2001-09-07
Also published as: FR2805951A1; WO2001065825A3

Abstract

The invention concerns a device (1) for monitoring premises (220, 225, 230, 235) from a control station (235), comprising connection means for connecting an emergency telephone (55) located in the premises to be monitored to a telephone exchange (32) of the national telephone network. The invention is characterised in that the connecting means comprise a slave device RD located in the premises to be monitored and a master device BT located in the control station. The master BT and slave RD devices exchange only digital data through a single internal line (45). The invention is particularly useful for managing the operation of one or several lifts from a common monitoring station.

Description

DEVICE FOR MONITORING A PREMISES INCLUDING A

EMERGENCY TELEPHONE

The invention relates to a monitoring device comprising a master device located in a control room and at least one slave device located in a room to be monitored comprising an emergency telephone. The invention is more particularly interesting in the case where a large number of information has to be exchanged between the room to be monitored and the control room. The invention can for example be used to monitor the operation of an elevator, consisting of a mobile cabin in a column.

In the case of an elevator, all the mechanical and electromechanical devices necessary for the normal operation of the cabin, in particular a motor and an associated control device, are placed in a control room, for example located at the foot of the column. Electronic devices for monitoring the operation of the lift are also installed in the control room; they include in particular a microcontroller connected to a data acquisition card to receive analog information supplied by measurement devices usually located in the elevator car. Currently, the essential role of the microcontroller is to block the operation of the cabin in the event of an abnormal situation, for example if the doors are opened or if there is an overload of the cabin.

Most elevator cars have an alarm button and an emergency telephone to allow the user to notify outside personnel in the event of a breakdown or accident. The emergency telephone is connected to a telephone line of the national telecommunications network and allows you to call an extension given telephone number, for example that of a guard or that of a rescue center.

An emergency telephone is identical to a conventional telephone, it has a microphone and a loudspeaker and it allows the user to communicate orally with the person called. Like any phone, an emergency phone can transmit voice live in both directions. However, it is not always possible to choose the external unit called. An elevator car can also include warning devices, such as for example a device indicating that the lighting in the car is defective. These alert devices are intended to warn, in the event of abnormal operation of the elevator, a person responsible for monitoring the elevator who, depending on the severity of the defect found, requests immediate intervention or envisages a maintenance operation to prevent any potential risk for the user. Such alert devices most often provide analog information which is transmitted, via a flexible two-wire cable, to the microcontroller located in the control room. Maintenance personnel regularly come to inspect the control room to consult the information provided by the warning systems and act accordingly.

A major drawback of current devices is that they are often heavy and expensive to implement. Indeed, a two-wire cable is necessary to connect each alert device to the control room. In particular, installing an emergency telephone and an alert button in an elevator requires connecting the elevator car to the control room by six wires (two for the loudspeaker, two for the microphone and two for the push button). Add one additional warning device requires the addition of an additional two-wire cable.

Another disadvantage of current devices is the limited distance between the control room and the elevator car for the same cost and / or weight problems due to the number of cables and their length. This distance is also limited by line losses on the analog signals carried by the cables. The number of warning devices in the elevator is of course limited for the same reasons.

In addition, maintenance personnel must regularly access the control room to monitor the overall condition of the lift, or more generally that of the room to be monitored.

In addition, if several elevators are installed on the same site, there are generally as many emergency telephones as there are elevators, each telephone being connected to a different telephone line from the national network. This obviously involves significant operating costs.

The problems mentioned above have been exposed in the context of managing the operation of an elevator. However, similar problems can be encountered more generally in the context of managing the operation of a room to be monitored and its content (electrical, mechanical devices, etc. in operation) from a remote control room. In view of the drawbacks of current surveillance devices, the subject of the invention is a device for monitoring a room which comprises in particular connection means for establishing voice communication between an emergency telephone located in the room to be monitored and a means of external communication. According to one embodiment of the monitoring device of the invention, the connection means comprise a first slave device located in the room to be monitored, a second slave device, and a master device located in the control room. The first slave device exchanges analog data relating to voice communication with the emergency telephone. The master device exchanges analog or digital data with the external communication means via a communication network. Finally, the master device exchanges digital data with the first slave device or the second slave device via the same internal line. The external communication means is for example a telephone external to the monitoring device. The external communication means can also be a control station comprising for example a central unit and voice communication means having a function similar to that of a conventional telephone.

The communication network is for example a national telephone network or a digital communication network, of the Internet and / or Intranet type. An Intranet network is a network, public or private, geographically limited to a group of buildings of any size, it is most often connected to the Internet. Such networks are known and commonly used elsewhere.

The monitoring device of the invention thus makes it possible to connect the emergency telephone installed in the room to be monitored by means of external communication, via the slave device and the master device. It thus allows a person located in the room to be monitored to communicate easily with the outside, for example to request help or report an anomaly. The device of the invention thus ensures the usual function of the emergency telephone.

The internal line can be a two-wire line or a radio link, it is used in this second case to exchange digital data by radio communication between the master and slave devices.

The invention thus provides a monitoring device which greatly limits the number of cables necessary for communication (voice communication and / or exchange of digital data) between the room to be monitored and a control room associated with the room to be monitored and in which is installed the master device: a single internal line, two-wire line or radio link is sufficient between the room to be monitored and the control room.

The control room is within the framework of the invention any place, in which the master device is installed. Of course, in the case where the invention is used on an installation already comprising a control room, a maintenance room, or a technical room, the latter is preferably used.

The invention therefore thus limits the cost of installation and maintenance of the monitoring device, while increasing the overall volume of information that can be transmitted.

For this, the invention uses the advantages of digital communication. With the invention, the distance between the room to be monitored and the control room is no longer limited by cost and / or cable weight problems, since a single internal two-wire line is sufficient to connect the room to be monitored at the control room. This simple two-wire line can even be eliminated if radio communication is planned.

The room to be monitored can for example be a cabin and / or an elevator column in a building, and the control room can for example be located outside the building, or be the room to be monitored itself. As the device according to the invention makes it possible to connect the emergency telephone of the premises to be monitored to an external communication means by means of a communication network of the national telephone network type or network of the Internet and / or Intranet type, it is possible to use an external means of communication located at any distance from the premises to be monitored, for example located in another city or another continent.

Preferably, the master device of the invention comprises: - a master modem connected to the internal line via a first switch, - a central unit for managing the signal flows on the internal line, and - a first control circuit to close the first switch when a digital signal is detected on the internal line or when an instruction is received from the central unit.

The master device can also include a memory connected to the central unit for storing digital data transmitted on the internal line by the slave device.

According to one embodiment, the master device further comprises a line coupler (possibly including a radio transmitter / receiver system), connected between the master modem and the communication network to adapt configuration parameters of the master modem to corresponding parameters of the communication network, said communication network being a national telephone network or a digital communication network of the Internet and / or Intranet type.

According to another embodiment, the device master includes: a first line coupler connected to a first communication network of the Internet and / or Intranet type, - a second line coupler connected to a second communication network of the national telephone network type,

- a detection circuit, to detect an availability state of the first communication network, and - a switch, to connect the master modem to the first line coupler if the availability status is positive, or to the second line coupler, otherwise .

The master device thus makes it possible to benefit from the advantages of the Internet-type communication network, when possible, while guaranteeing the immediate establishment of communication between the emergency telephone and the external means of communication, including in the case where the digital network is not available (communication network saturated, broken, etc.).

Preferably, the first and / or second slave device of the invention comprises: - a slave modem connected on the one hand to the internal line by means of a second switch and on the other hand to the emergency telephone , and - a second control circuit to close the second switch when an alarm button is pressed or when an instruction is received from the slave modem or when a signal is detected on the internal line. The monitoring device of the invention can advantageously be supplemented by one or more measurement devices connected to one and / or the other of the slave devices. The measuring devices each supply an analog signal relating to the evolution of a parameter of the room to be monitored, the analog signal being transmitted to the master device by the slave device by through the internal line. The parameters of the room to be monitored are for example the room temperature, the smoke level, an indication concerning the state (open or closed) of a door, the weight of a cabin in the case of an elevator, a indication concerning the state of a means of lighting the room, etc.

Thus, with the invention, it is possible to transmit to the external communication means not only information relating to abnormal operation of the cabin, for example by means of the emergency telephone located in the cabin, but also information on the normal operation of the elevator by means of the measuring devices located in the room to be monitored. The invention thus makes it possible for example to better plan predictive maintenance operations and therefore to limit the risks of plant failure. In addition, whatever the number of measuring devices used, a single two-wire line is sufficient to transmit to the control room all the information provided by the measuring devices. This internal line can even be deleted if radio communication is planned between the room to be monitored and the control room. It will also be noted that with the invention, it is no longer necessary to access the installation control room, to provide emergency interventions or to plan maintenance operations. The distance between the room to be monitored and the external communication means receiving all the information is no longer limited. It is then possible to consider managing the operation of the surveillance room from another country for example.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the means for connecting the monitoring device comprise several slave devices, possibly located in different premises to be monitored, and connected to the single master device via the same internal line, each slave device being able to exchange digital data with the master device.

For this, each slave device is identified by an identifier code, and each digital signal present on the internal line is preceded by the identifier code of one of the slave devices. Furthermore, each slave device comprises a decoder for detecting the identifier code preceding a digital signal on the internal line. Finally, the master device also comprises means for detecting the identifying code preceding a digital signal on the internal line and thus identifying the slave device which transmits a digital signal on the internal line.

Ideally, any digital signal present on the internal line includes an indication of the urgency of the information it contains. In this case, in the embodiment of the central unit of the master device, priority management means will be provided for processing all the signals received from one or the other of the slave devices.

Preferably, the identifier code of a slave device comprises a series of successive signals of fixed duration and variable frequency.

The invention thus also makes it possible to manage an assembly comprising several slave devices located in one or more premises to be monitored, by using a single master device located in a single control room and a single telephone line (or a radiotelephone link) connected to the network. national telephone. Several slave devices can thus be installed in the same elevator, one in the cabin, one on the cabin and one in the bottom of the column for example. Slave devices can also be located in different rooms to watch, for example in different elevators.

The master device and all the slave devices are connected together by a single internal line and the monitoring device operates in a multipoint network. The master device can indeed communicate, that is to say exchange data, with each slave device and conversely, each slave device can communicate with the master device. The master device centralizes the information flows from the slave devices, manages their degree of priority as well as the connections to the single telephone line of the national network. Thus, thanks to a simple addressing mode, in which each slave device is identified by an identifying code, the master device of the invention identifies which slave device transmits a digital signal to it via the internal line. In the same way, thanks to its decoder, each slave device knows whether a digital signal present on the internal line is intended for it or not.

Finally, the invention makes it possible to make two people communicate via one of two emergency telephones located in two different premises to be monitored and connected to different slave devices. The connection between the two emergency telephones is established via the master device. Such a service, free since the telephone line connecting the slave devices and the master device is an internal line, is very advantageous for example for maintenance operations.

The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, the description referring to the attached drawings in which: - the figure

1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a monitoring device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram of a second embodiment of the monitoring device of the invention.

The monitoring device 1 of the invention comprises, in accordance with FIG. 1, a master device BT and a slave device RD. Preferably, the master device BT is located in a control room and the slave device RD is located in a room to be monitored, which is for example an elevator car. These two premises can be quite distant from each other, for example several meters, or even several hundred kilometers. They can also be confused.

In the diagram in FIG. 1, the master device BT is connected to a communication network of the national telephone network type, comprising in particular an external line 31 and a telephone exchange 32. The master device can thus exchange data with an external telephone 33 connected to the communication network.

The master BT device comprises an input / output terminal 11 connected to the telephone line (or outside line) 31 of the national network and a power input terminal 12 to receive a DC voltage Vcc, for example of 12 V. The master device BT and the slave device RD are connected together by an internal line 45 connected between an input / output terminal 13 of the master device BT and an input / output terminal 51 of the slave device RD. The internal line 45 allows on the one hand the exchange of digital data between the master BT and RD slave devices and on the other hand the power supply of the RD slave device.

By numerical data, we must understand here a bit frame, of a possibly variable number of bits, comprising a first group of bits of fixed size indicating the start of the frame, a second group of bits of variable size comprising data and / or instruction words and a third group of bits of fixed size indicating the end of the frame. Preferably, the first group of bits includes information indicating the priority level of the digital data and optionally information indicating the content of the second group of bits (data, instructions, etc.).

Digital data is transmitted by the devices BT, RD on the internal line 45 in the form of a digital signal which is an analog signal modulated in amplitude and or in frequency by the binary digits of the data to be transmitted. The information rate, that is to say the number of binary digits transmitted per second, is for example 33.6 KBPS. In the description which follows, the expression "digital signal" will be used to designate an analog signal modulated in amplitude and or in frequency, and containing a digital data in the form of a frame of bits.

The master device BT of FIG. 1 essentially comprises a master modem 15, a central unit 20, a memory 23, a control circuit 25, a switch 29 and a line coupler 30. All the elements of the master device include a terminal d power input (not shown in Figure 1) connected to the power input terminal 12 to receive the voltage Vcc. The master modem 15 comprises three data input / output terminals 16, 17, 18, connected respectively to the input / output terminal 13 via the switch 29, to an input / output terminal 21 from the central unit 20 and to the input / output terminal 11 of the master BT device via the line coupler 30. The master modem 15 includes analog / digital conversion, modulation and demodulation circuits for converting digital data into analog data or, conversely, from analog data to digital data. The master modem 15 can also include an internal memory, coding / decoding circuits and circuits for controlling and managing the information exchanged. All these circuits are known and are not detailed in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity. The central unit 20 comprises an input / output terminal 22 connected to an input / output terminal of the memory 23, for exchanging instructions and / or data with the memory 23. The control circuit 25 comprises two terminals 26, 27 and a control output terminal 28, respectively connected to the output terminal 19 of the master modem 15, to the input / output terminal 13 of the master BT device and to a control input terminal of switch 29.

The control circuit 25 opens or closes the switch 29, according to an instruction from the central unit 20 and / or the presence (or absence) of signal on the internal line 45.

The line coupler 30 is a circuit which adapts configuration parameters of the master modem 15 to corresponding parameters of the external line 31, which may possibly vary from one country to another. Adding a line coupler 30 makes it possible to obtain a standard BT master device which can be easily connected to any national or international telephone network, without modification of the BT master device.

The slave device RD comprises two data input / output terminals 51, 52 connected respectively to the internal two-wire line 45 and to an emergency telephone 55, and a control input terminal 53 connected to an alarm button 56. The emergency telephone 55 and the alarm button 56 are of course accessible to a person located in the room to be monitored and close to the RD slave device.

The RD slave device essentially comprises a slave modem 60, a switch 70 and a control circuit 80. The slave modem 60 comprises two data input / output terminals 61, 62, two input terminals 63, 64 and one terminal 65. The data input / output terminal 61 is connected to the emergency telephone 55. The data input / output terminal 62 is connected to a data input / output terminal of the switch 70 of which another data input / output terminal is connected to the data input / output terminal 51 of the slave device RD. The first control input terminal 63 is connected to the output terminal of the alarm button 56 to receive an AL control signal and the second input terminal 64 receives an ON / OFF control signal. The slave modem 60 includes analog / digital conversion circuits, modulation and demodulation circuits for converting digital data into analog data or vice versa, from analog data to digital data. The slave modem 60 can also include an internal memory, coding / decoding circuits and circuits for controlling and managing the information exchanged. All these circuits are known and are not detailed in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity. Preferably but not necessarily, the slave modem 60 is identical to the master modem 15, which simplifies the implementation of the device of the invention. The control circuit 80 comprises three control input terminals 81, 82, 83 and it supplies an ON / OFF logic signal on a control output terminal 84 connected on the one hand to a control input terminal of the switch 70 and on the other hand to the second control input terminal 64 of the slave modem 60. The control input terminals 81, 82, 83 are connected respectively to the alarm button 56, to the data input / output terminal 51 of the slave device RD and to the command output terminal 65 of the slave modem 60 to receive the command signal CP. The control circuit 80 comprises a detector 85, a decoder 90, and three logic gates 95, 96, 97. The detector 85 comprises a data input terminal connected to the input terminal 82 of the control circuit 80 and it supplies, on a control output terminal, a FREE logic signal which is equal to "1" if no signal is present on the internal line 45, that is to say if no data transmission is in progress. course between the master BT and slave RD devices. The decoder 90 comprises a data input terminal connected to the input terminal 82 of the control circuit 80 and it supplies, on a control output terminal, a logic signal ONCODE. The MONCODE signal takes the logic value "1" when an analog signal representative of a code identifying the slave device is detected on the internal line 45. Conversely, the MONCODE signal takes the logic value "0" when a digital signal indicating an end of bit frame is detected on the internal line 45.

The first logic gate 95 of the OR type comprises two input terminals connected respectively to the command output terminal 65 of the slave modem 60 and to the alarm button 56. The second logic gate 96 of the AND type comprises two input terminals respectively connected to the control output terminal of the detector 85 and to an output terminal of the first logic gate 95. Finally, the third logic gate 97 of the OR type comprises two input terminals connected respectively to the command output terminal of the decoder 90 and to the output terminal of the second logic gate 96. The third logic gate 97 provides the ON / OFF control signal on an output terminal connected to the output terminal 84 of the control circuit 80.

The monitoring device of FIG. 1 allows the slave device RD to transmit digital data (data and / or instructions) to the master device BT in the following manner.

The slave modem 60 provides a CP signal equal to "1" and the first gate 95 provides a logic "1". If the internal line 45 is free, that is to say if no data exchange is in progress between the master devices BT and slave RD, the detector 85 provides a FREE signal equal to "1" and the decoder 90 provides a MONCODE logic signal equal to "0", the second gate 96 then provides a logic "1" and the ON / OFF signal changes to "1". The switch 70 closes, and the slave modem 60 transmits, on the internal line 45, a code identifying the slave device RD, followed by a digital signal relating to the digital data to be transmitted. The identifier code is an analog signal containing information indicating that the following digital data is transmitted by the slave device RD. The control circuit 25 detects a digital signal on the internal line 45 and closes the switch 29. The master modem 15 receives the digital signal and transmits the digital data it contains to the central unit 20. The signal CP takes the logic value "0" when the data is completely transmitted.

If the internal line 45 is not free, the detector 85 supplies a FREE signal equal to "0" and the signal CP is maintained at "1". A data transfer is in progress between the BT master and RD slave devices, the MONCODE signal is equal to "1" (data transfer from the BT master device to the RD slave device). The ON / OFF signal is equal to "1" and the switch 70 is closed. At the end of the transfer, the decoder 90 detects a digital signal at the end of the frame (i.e. at the end of transfer), the MONCODE signal takes the logic value "0" and switch 70 opens.

The detector 85 detects that the internal line 45 is free and provides a FREE signal equal to "1". The control signal CP being always equal to "1", the doors 95, 96 and 97 provide a logical "1", the ON / OFF signal takes the logical value "1". The switch 70 closes, and the slave modem 60 transmits the digital signal containing the digital data on the internal line 45. The control circuit 25 detects a signal on the internal line 45 and closes the switch 29. The master modem 15 receives the digital signal and transmits the data it contains to the central unit 20. The CP signal finally takes the logic value "0" when the data is completely transmitted, the ON / OFF signal returns to "0", the switch 70 opens and the FREE signal changes to "1".

Similarly, the monitoring device of FIG. 1 allows the master device BT to transmit digital data (data and / or instructions) to the slave device RD. For example, to send an instruction to the slave device RD, the central unit 20 sends corresponding control signals to the master modem 15 and to the control circuit 25 which closes the switch 29 if the internal line 45 is free, or waits until the line becomes free in the opposite case. The master modem 15 then transmits on the internal line 45 the identifier code of the slave device RD followed by the digital data to be transmitted.

The identifier code and the digital data present on the internal line 45 are detected by the control circuit 80. The detector 85 provides a FREE signal equal to "0", the decoder 90 provides a MONCODE signal equal to "1", the signal ON / OFF changes to "1" and the switch 70 closes: the slave modem 60 receives the digital signal containing the digital data transmitted by the master BT device. The monitoring device of FIG. 1 also allows a person located in the room to be monitored to communicate orally with an outside person, via telephones 55 and 33. In this case, telephone 55 plays the usual role of an emergency telephone. For example, a person in the room to be monitored presses the alarm button 56, the control signal AL takes the logical value "1", the alarm is memorized by the slave modem 60 and the signal CP changes to "1 ". If line 45 is free, the FREE signal is equal to "1" and the MONCODE signal takes the value "0". The switch 70 closes and the slave modem 60 transmits an instruction to the master device BT via the internal line 45, to request communication with the external telephone set 33.

The switch 29 is closed by the control circuit 25, the instruction is received by the master modem 15 and transmitted to the central unit 20, which sends control signals to the master modem 15 and to the line coupler 30 to compose an emergency telephone number, stored for example in memory 23 or in the internal memory of the master modem 15. The modem 15 then transmits, on the external line 31, a series of successive analog signals of fixed duration and variable frequency, a number corresponding to a given frequency and the series of signals corresponding to the telephone number of the station 33. The telephone exchange 32 of the external network then connects the line 31 with the station 33 and an oral communication can take place between the station 55 and the station 33. This dialing method is known in the telecommunications field under the term "voice frequency dialing".

When a person speaks into the microphone of the station 33, a signal representative of the words spoken is transmitted to the master modem 15 which, on instruction from the central unit 20, transmits on the internal line 45 the identifier code of the slave device RD followed by a digital datum corresponding to the words emitted. The digital data is then received by the slave modem 60 which transmits a signal corresponding to the loudspeaker of the emergency telephone 55. Conversely, when a person speaks into the microphone of the emergency station 55, an analog signal representative of the words transmitted is transmitted to the slave modem 60 which transmits corresponding digital data on the internal line 45. The digital data is then received by the master modem 15 which transmits an analog signal corresponding to the loudspeaker of the external telephone 33. A transmission of oral data (or an oral communication) thus takes place between the two stations 55 and 33.

The diagram in FIG. 1 shows an example of implementation of the invention. Nevertheless, improvements (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1) and / or variants of this example can be envisaged.

For example, it is possible to add one or more measuring devices 98 to the room to be monitored. The measuring devices are, for example, a smoke detector, a camera or a push button on which the user can press to signal defective lighting or other information. More generally, a measuring device 98 is a device which provides digital and / or analog information relating to the normal and / or abnormal operation of the room to be monitored. The measurement devices 98 are connected to the slave modem 60. On the instruction of the master BT device, the slave modem 60 transmits to it the information provided by the measurement devices 98. Depending on its degree of priority, the data is then immediately used, transmitted on the outside line for example, or stored in memory 25 to be used later. With such measuring devices, the invention allows monitoring of the normal operation of the elevator continuously and remotely, and no longer only of the abnormal operation (role of the emergency telephone 55).

The monitoring device of the invention can also be improved by connecting, to the central unit 20, control means and / or display means. Such means allow, for example, maintenance personnel to test the correct functioning of the master BT device, the RD slave device, the emergency telephone 55 and / or the measurement devices 98 which are connected to the BT slave device. Such means also allow the user to choose the information to be requested from the slave device and to manage the flow of information that it provides. For example, the control and / or display means are used to request information from a particular measurement device 98. The control and / or display means can be located far from the control room containing the master BT device. In this case, the control and / or display means generally comprise a control station 34 connected to the telephone exchange 32 by means of a modem which may be identical to the master 15 and / or slave 60 modems. The control station 34 includes for example a central unit, a keyboard and a display terminal. A person can thus control and monitor the operation of the elevator without necessarily having physical access to the monitoring device. The control and / or display means may also include a keyboard 35 and a display terminal 36 located in the control room and connected to the master device BT. The monitoring system can also be improved by adding a control room to the control room. additional emergency telephone 37 connected to the central unit 20. Such an improvement may for example facilitate maintenance operations in the room to be monitored by allowing two people located respectively in the room to be monitored and in the control room to communicate easily between them via the internal line 45 or with the outside via the external telephone line 31. This improvement is advantageous insofar as it does not entail additional operating costs since line 45 is an internal line and that the external line 31 is already present. Of course an alarm button 38 can also be added in the control room to trigger an emergency call. In this case, it is directly connected to the central unit 20.

With the monitoring device of the invention, the microcontroller usually placed in the elevator control room is no longer necessary to monitor the operation of the car since this role can be performed directly by the master BT device. However, if such a controller (39, in dotted lines in FIG. 1) is present, on an existing installation for example, it is possible to connect it directly to the central unit 20 of the master device BT via bus 40 data and / or control in order to centralize at the level of the LV master device all information relating to the normal and / or abnormal operation of the room to be monitored. In the above description of the operation of the monitoring device of the invention, the identifier code of the RD slave device is systematically transmitted on the internal line 45 before the transfer of digital data, either by the RD slave device to indicate that '' it is the sender of the data, either by the master BT device to indicate to which is intended for digital data. The identifier code is thus used to identify the RD slave device. However, in the case of the device in FIG. 1, it is not imperative to identify the slave device since there is only one, it is therefore not necessary to systematically precede a transfer digital data by transferring the identifier code of the slave device. The decoder 90 also becomes superfluous and can be deleted, as can the third logic gate 97. The size of the device is thus minimized as well as the duration of a data transfer.

In the diagram in FIG. 1, the monitoring device is physically connected to the telephone exchange 32 by the intermediary of the external line 31. However, it is easy to envisage connecting the master BT device to the telephone exchange 32 by via a radio link, such as that commonly used today for mobile phones and more generally radio communication. It suffices to replace the line coupler 30 of the master device with a radio transmitter / receiver module which has the same role: transmit information to the telephone exchange (telephone numbers, data relating to an oral communication, data relating to the operation of the contents of the room to be monitored, etc.) at the external telephone exchange 32. The external physical line 31 becomes of course superfluous in this case and can be deleted. The example of Figure 1 can also be improved by adding a second line coupler 41, and a switch 42 (shown in dotted lines in Figure 1).

The second line coupler 41 comprises two inputs / outputs, one of which is connected to a digital communication network 43. The network 43 is for example the Internet, or a local digital network (Intranet network) private or public. The line coupler notably comprises means for adapting parameters of the configuration parameters of the modem 15 to corresponding parameters of the network 43, and thus allowing the exchange of digital data between the modem 15 and the network 43.

Of course, the outside telephone 33 and / or the control station 34 are connected to the network 43 (link not shown).

The switch 42 comprises three inputs / outputs, connected respectively to terminal 18 of the master modem 15, to an input terminal of the coupler 30 and to a terminal of the coupler 41. The switch 42. The switch connects the terminal 18 of the modem 15 either at coupler 41, or at color 30, depending on a DISPO signal.

A detector (not shown in FIG. 1) is also added, which provides the active DISPO signal if the network 43 is available, that is to say if it is possible to connect to this network. If no connection is possible, then the signal AVAILABLE and inactive.

Thus improved, the master device comprises means for connecting to a digital network of the Internet type, and means for connecting to a national telephone network.

When this digital network is accessible, then, the master device BT exchanges data with it preferably, in particular for reasons of cost, of volume of transportable information. On the other hand, if the digital network is not available, then the master device connects to the national telephone network. The connection of the emergency telephone 55 with the external means of communication (telephone 33 or control station 34) is always guaranteed. The diagram in FIG. 2 shows how the invention can be implemented simply when there are several premises to be monitored. The elements of Figures 1 and 2 having the same reference are identical. The diagram in FIG. 2 comprises three elevators 220, 240, 260, each comprising a cabin 225, 245, 265 movable in a column 230, 250, 270, and a control room 235, 255, 275. The three elevators are by example three elevators in the same building or three elevators located in different buildings, possibly distant from each other. Each control room 235, 255, 275 includes, among other things, all the mechanical and electromechanical devices necessary for the operation of the corresponding cabin. The device of FIG. 2 also includes a master BT device and five slave devices RDI to RD5, all connected together by a single internal line 45. The master BT device is located in one of the control rooms, for example room 235, and it is connected to an external telephone line 31. The five slave devices RDI to RD5 are located respectively in cabin 225 of the first elevator 220, in cabin 245 and in the control room 255 of the second elevator 240, in cabin 265 and at the bottom of column 270 of the third elevator 260. To each slave device are connected an emergency telephone 55 and an alarm button 56, and possibly measuring devices 98. These elements are not shown in FIG. 2 for clarity. Each slave device RDI to RD5 is also characterized by a specific identifier code known to the master device BT.

The identifier code is an analog signal containing information identifying the RD slave device. Preferably, the identifier code is a signal of predefined duration and of given frequency, characteristic of the RD slave device. Such a code is simple to use because it is already known to the master 15 and slave 60 modems for dialing telephone numbers (principle of voice frequency dialing, commonly known as the DTMF principle). Twelve signals, of the same duration but of different frequency, are thus predefined and stored in modems 15, 60, each signal corresponding to a key on a standard telephone keypad. The use of these identifying codes therefore does not require the addition of additional coding and / or decoding circuits to be implemented in the master and / or slave devices.

However, other types of code can be envisaged to identify the slave devices. In particular, it is possible to use a digital code, which will be transmitted by the modems in the form of a modulated analog signal, in the same way as the other digital data transmitted. Any other form of signal can also be considered. Optionally, the decoder of the RD slave device, the contents of the memories, the coding / decoding conversion circuits, and the control circuits of the master and / or slave modems will have to be adapted, according to the choice of a particular code. The diagram in FIG. 2 is given here only by way of nonlimiting example. The number of elevators 220, 240, 260 and the number of slave devices RDI to RD5 are of course at the choice of the user. Similarly, the slave devices can be placed in different places, such as for example the top of a cabin or on each floor of a building in which an elevator is located.

The device of FIG. 2 allows the master device BT to transmit digital data to any one of the slave devices RDI to RD5, in the example which follows the slave device RDI. For this, the central unit 20 provides control signals and the data to be transmitted to the master modem 15. If the internal line 45 is free, the control circuit 25 closes the switch 29 and the master modem 15 transmits on the line internal 45 the RDI slave device identifier code followed by digital data. The detector 80 of each slave device RDI to RD5 provides a FREE signal equal to "0". The decoders 90 of the slave devices RD2 to RD5 detect the identifier code but do not recognize their respective identifier code and supply a MONCODE signal equal to "0". On the contrary, the decoder 90 of the targeted RDI slave device recognizes its identifier code and provides a MONCODE signal equal to "1". The switch 70 of the RDI slave device closes and the slave modem 60 receives the digital data supplied by the master BT device.

Similarly, any of the slave devices, for example, the RDI device can transmit digital data to the master BT device. It will be assumed here that the switch 70 of the RDI device is open, either because the internal line 45 is free, or because the data passing over the internal line 45 is not addressed to the RDI device. To transmit data to the master device BT, the modem 60 of the slave device RDI supplies a signal CP to the control circuit 80. If the internal line 45 is free, the second gate 96 provides a logic "1", the signal ON / OFF goes to "1" and the switch 70 closes: the modem 60 transfers its identifier code followed by digital data on the internal line 45. The slave devices RD2 to RD5 connected to the internal line 45 detect the identifier code but do not recognize their identifier code: their switch 70 remains open. The switch 29 of the master device is closed by the control circuit 25, the modem 15 receives the data present on the internal line 45 and transmits them to the central unit 20.

Finally, the monitoring device in Figure 2 allows the master BT device to communicate

(i.e. transmit or exchange data) with any of the RDI to RD5 slave devices.

Likewise, the monitoring device allows any of the slave devices to communicate with the master BT device.

Thus, thanks to a simple addressing mode (choice of a simple code for each slave device and transfer of the code from one of the slave devices before each data transfer on the internal line), it is possible to operate on a network. multipoint multiple slave devices with a single master device. This is particularly interesting insofar as, by their design, modems such as those used to make the slave and / or master devices cannot a priori be used to make such a multipoint network.

Of course, in the case where the monitoring device uses several slave devices, it is essential to clearly identify the slave device which transmits or which receives digital data, and this by using its analog code. Thanks to its decoder 90, each slave device knows whether a digital signal present on the internal line is intended for it or not. Likewise, the central unit 20 recognizes the slave device transmitting digital data that it receives. The master device BT can thus easily manage the data streams transmitted on the internal line 45, because it knows at all times where a data present on the internal line 45 is coming from or for which is intended. Similarly, each telephone of emergency 55 slave devices can be connected with the set outside 33. A person located in one of the premises to be monitored can thus enter into communication with an outside person, the connection being established by means of the master BT device and the corresponding slave device.

With the device in FIG. 2, it is also possible for two people to communicate from the emergency telephones of two different slave devices. In this case also, the communication is established via the master device BT which manages the data flows on the internal line 45.

Claims

1. surveillance device (1) of a room (220, 225, 230, 235), the monitoring device comprising connection means for establishing voice communication between an emergency telephone (55) located in the room to monitor (220, 225, 230, 235) and an external communication means (33, 34), the monitoring device being characterized in that the connection means comprise:

a first slave device (RD) located in the room to be monitored, the first slave device (RD) exchanging analog data relating to voice communication with the emergency telephone (55),

- a second slave device (RD), and

- a master device (BT) exchanging analog or digital data with the external communication means (33, 34) via a communication network, the master device (BT) exchanging digital data with the first slave device or the second slave device (RD) via the same internal line (45).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the internal line (45) is a two-wire line or a radio link.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the master device (BT) comprises:

- a master modem (15) connected to the internal line (45) via a first switch (29),

- a central unit (20) for managing the signal flows on the internal line (45), and - a first control circuit (25) for closing the first switch (29) when a digital signal is detected on the internal line (45) or when an instruction is received from the central unit (20).

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the master device (BT) further comprises a memory (25) connected to the central unit (20) for storing digital data transmitted on the internal line (45) by one of the slave devices (RD).

5. Device according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the master device (BT) further comprises a line coupler (30) connected between the master modem (15) and the communication network to adapt parameters configuration of the master modem (15) to corresponding parameters of the communication network, said communication network being a national telephone network or a digital communication network of the Internet and / or Intranet type.

6. Device according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that the master device (BT) comprises:

a first line coupler (41) connected to a first communication network of the Internet and / or Intranet type, a second line coupler (41) connected to a second communication network of the national telephone network type,

- a detection circuit, to detect an availability state of the first communication network, and - a switch, to connect the master modem (BT) to the first line coupler if the availability status is positive, or to the second communication coupler line, otherwise.

7. Device according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the line couplers are connected to their respective network by a wired link.

8. Device according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the line coupler (s) comprise a transmission / reception system for connecting to their respective network by a link over the air.

9. Device according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the information flows between the master modem (15) and the communication network are managed by the central unit (20).

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first slave device (RD) comprises:

- a slave modem (60) connected on the one hand to the internal line (45) via a second switch (70) and on the other hand to the emergency telephone (55), and

- a second control circuit (80) for closing the second switch (70) when an alarm button (56) is pressed or when an instruction (CP) is received from the slave modem (60) or when a signal is detected on the internal line (45).

11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the first and second control circuits (25, 80) comprise a detector (85) for detecting the presence or absence of a signal on the internal line (45).

12. Device according to one of claims 1 to

11, characterized in that the second slave device is identical to the first slave device.

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to

12, characterized in that it also comprises one or more measuring devices (98) connected to the first and / or to the second slave device (RD), the measuring device or devices each supplying an analog signal relating to the evolution of '' a parameter of the room to be monitored (220, 225, 230, 235), the analog signal being transmitted to the master device (BT) by the first and / or the second slave device (RD) via the internal line ( 45).

14. Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the connection means comprise several slave devices (RDI, RD2, RD3, RD4, RD5) connected to the master device (BT) via the same internal line (45) and in that each device slave (RDI to RD5) can exchange digital data with the master device (BT).

15. Device according to one of claims 1 to

14, characterized in that each slave device (RDI, RD2, RD3, RD4, RD5) is identified by an identifying code, in that each digital signal present on the internal line (45) is preceded by the identifying code of one of slave devices (RDI, RD2, RD3, RD4, RD5), in that each slave device (RDI, RD2, RD3, RD4, RD5) includes a decoder (90) for detecting the identifier code preceding a digital signal on the internal line (45), and in that the master device (BT) comprises means (20) for detecting the identifier code preceding a digital signal on the internal line (45) and thus identifying the slave device (RDI, RD2, RD3, RD4 , RD5) which transmits a digital signal on the internal line (45).

16. Device according to one of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that the slave devices (RDI,

RD2, RD3, RD4, RD5) are located in different rooms to monitor (220, 240, 260).

17. Device according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the identifier code of a slave device comprises a series of successive signals of fixed duration and variable frequency.