WO2011110908A2

WO2011110908A2 - Information distribution system and interphone apparatus used therein

Info

Publication number: WO2011110908A2
Application number: PCT/IB2011/000336
Authority: WO
Inventors: 正晴川勝; 森本　直久
Original assignee: パナソニック電工株式会社
Priority date: 2010-03-12
Filing date: 2011-02-22
Publication date: 2011-09-15
Also published as: WO2011110908A3; JP2011193134A

Abstract

Disclosed is an information distribution system having: a plurality of information terminals which are disposed in a plurality of residential units; and an information distribution server which distributes frames to the plurality of information terminals via a network, said frames containing various information associated with the residential units. Each information terminal is provided with: a reception unit which receives a frame distributed via the network; a processing unit which processes the frame received by the reception unit and acquires the information contained in the frame; and a control unit which suspends the processing unit until a frame is received by the reception unit and starts up the processing unit when a frame is received by the reception unit.

Description

Specification

Information distribution system and intercom apparatus used therefor

Technical field

The present invention relates to an information distribution system and an intercom device used therefor. Background art

In recent years, with the widespread use of mobile phones equipped with packet communication functions as well as telephone functions, services have been provided that distribute various information (for example, news and weather forecasts) to mobile phones. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

However, when distributing information to a communication device owned by an individual such as a mobile phone, viewing (knowing) the information is limited to the owner (individual) only. Therefore, it may not be appropriate to distribute to mobile phones information that should be distributed in units of individual units, such as notifications of changes to garbage collection by local governments and notifications of power outages associated with electrical work.

-On the other hand, recently, as home networks have become widespread, it is also possible to use a personal computer equipped with a network connection function or a television receiver equipped with a bucket communication function to receive information via the home network. In particular, television receivers are often installed in rooms where residents (family members) gather, such as in the living room of a dwelling unit, so the information that should be distributed by each dwelling unit as described above is received by the TV receiver. It is desirable to display it.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2 0 9-9 1 7 1 3 8 8

However, personal computers and television receivers are not always started, unlike mobile phones, so there is a risk that information distributed irregularly cannot be seen (knowed) immediately. Summary of the Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an information distribution system capable of improving the immediacy and convenience of information distribution and an interphone device used therefor. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of information terminals respectively installed in a plurality of dwelling units and a frame including various information related to the dwelling unit are distributed to the plurality of information terminals via the network. And the information terminal is included in the frame by receiving the frame distributed via the network and processing the frame received by the receiving unit. An information processing unit that acquires the information; and a control unit that stops the processing unit until the receiving unit receives the frame and activates the processing unit when the frame is received by the receiving unit. A distribution system is provided. ,

In addition, the information terminal includes the microphone unit between a display unit that displays the information acquired by the processing unit, a microphone, a headphone, and a speaker, and an interphone handset installed outside the dwelling unit. And a call unit for making a call using a phone and a speech power,

The control unit also causes the display unit to display an image picked up by an image pickup device mounted on the intercom handset and to receive a call signal transmitted from the intercom handset. Can stop the calling unit and the display unit, and can activate the calling unit and the display unit when the call signal is received.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a receiving unit that receives a frame distributed via a network, a processing unit that processes the frame received by the receiving unit and acquires information included in the frame, A control unit that stops the processing unit until the receiving unit receives the frame, and activates the processing unit when the receiving unit receives the frame, and is used in the information distribution system. One phone system is provided.

Further, the microphone described above may be provided between the display unit that displays the information acquired by the processing unit by the interphone system, a microphone and a spin force, and an interphone slave unit installed outside the dwelling unit. And a communication unit for making a call using a speaker, wherein the control unit displays an image captured by a camera mounted on the interphone slave unit on the display unit and transmits from the interphone slave unit. The call unit and the display unit are stopped until the call signal is received, and the call unit and the display unit can be activated when the call signal is received.

According to the above configuration, the immediacy and convenience of information distribution can be improved. Brief Description of Drawings Objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram for explaining the operation of the above. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of an information distribution system and an intercom device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, an interphone system consisting of an interphone device (hereinafter referred to as “master unit”) 1 and an interphone device (hereinafter referred to as “slave unit”) 2 will be described. Base unit 1 is installed inside the dwelling unit (for example, the wall of the living room) and is connected to slave unit 2 installed outside the dwelling unit (exterior entrance) via signal line L s (see Fig. 1).

The slave unit 2 is well known in the art, and includes a microphone 20 a and a speaker 20 b, an audio signal processing unit 20, a camera unit 2 1 corresponding to an imaging device, a video signal transmission unit 2 2, a multiplexing unit Separation unit 2 3, paging signal transmission unit 24, slave unit control unit 25, operation input reception unit 26, and power supply unit 27 are provided.

The audio signal processing unit 20 includes a 2-wire, 4-wire conversion circuit, performs signal processing on the audio signal output from the microphone 20 a, and performs signal processing on the audio signal transmitted via the signal line L s. 2 0 Start sound from b. The camera unit 21 has a solid-state imaging device such as CCD and CMOOS and an optical system such as a lens, and images a visitor. The video signal transmission unit 22 modulates the video signal output from the camera unit 21 at a frequency higher than that of the audio signal and transmits the frequency-modulated video signal via the signal line L s. The demultiplexing unit 23 3 frequency-multiplexes the audio signal output from the audio signal processing unit 20 and the video signal output from the video signal transmission unit 22, sends the signal to s, and sends the signal to s. Separate the audio signal transmitted from base unit 1. The call signal transmitting unit 24 transmits a call signal via the signal line L s. The slave unit control unit 25 performs overall operation control with a microcomputer as a main component. Operation input accepting unit 2 6 is a call button

An operation signal (not shown) is received and an operation signal is output to the slave unit control unit 25. Then, when receiving the operation signal from the operation input reception unit 26, the slave unit control unit 25 causes the call signal transmission unit 24 to transmit the call signal. The power supply unit 27 is fed from the main unit 1 through the signal line L s Create an operating power supply for each part with power.

Master unit 1 includes a microphone 10 a and a speaker 10 b, an audio signal processing unit 10 corresponding to a call unit, a demultiplexing unit 1 1, a display unit 1 2, and a video signal processing unit 13. A call signal receiving unit 14, a control unit 15, an operation input receiving unit 16, a memory unit 17, and a communication interface (I ZF) unit 18 corresponding to the receiving unit. .

The audio signal processing unit 10 processes the audio signal for the voice call with the handset 2. The demultiplexing unit 11 includes a two-wire / four-wire conversion circuit, and transmits a voice signal (transmission signal) output from the microphone 10 a and processed by the voice signal processing unit 10 via the signal line L s. While transmitting to the slave unit 2, the audio signal and video signal multiplexed from the slave unit 2 via the signal line L s are separated. The display unit 12 has a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The video signal processing unit 13 demodulates the video signal separated by the demultiplexing unit 11 and performs signal processing on the demodulated video signal to display on the display unit 12. The call signal receiving unit 14 receives the call signal transmitted from the slave unit 2 via the signal line L s. The control unit 15 controls the operation of each unit with a microcomputer as a main component. However, in this embodiment, the control unit 15 includes the processing unit 15 a. The operation input accepting unit 16 accepts an operation input of an operation switch such as a call switch that is operated when a call is started in response to a call from the handset 2 as described later. The memory unit 17 stores a program executed by the microcomputer of the re-control unit 15 made of a rewritable non-volatile memory such as E EPROM. Communication I Z F unit 18 performs information communication (network communication) with the information distribution server 3 via the network (internet) as will be described later. The operating power supply for each part of base unit 1 is created from a commercial power supply by a power supply circuit (not shown).

The power supply voltage (DC voltage) from the master unit 1 to the slave unit 2 is set to a relatively low state in order to reduce the power consumption of the system when the slave unit 2 is not in a talking state or a monitoring state. The communication state and the monitor state are relatively high. Hereinafter, a state where the power supply voltage is low is referred to as a standby power supply state, and a state where the power supply voltage is high is referred to as an operation power supply state. In the slave unit 2, when the standby power supply state is set, the microcomputer of the slave unit control unit 25 is in a standby state, waiting for an operation signal to be output from the operation input receiving unit 26, and the call button is operated. When the operation signal is output from the operation input accepting unit 26, the slave unit control unit 25 controls the call signal transmitting unit 24 to further reduce the line voltage of the signal line L s from the standby power supply state. Call to main unit 1 by lowering to low voltage Transmit outgoing signal. Then, in base unit 1 that has received the call signal at call signal receiving unit 14, control unit 15 shifts the power supply voltage from the standby power supply state to the operation power supply state. As a result, the microcomputer of the slave unit control unit 25 returns from the standby state to the normal state, and the camera unit 21 and the video signal transmission unit 22 are activated to transmit the video signal to the master unit 1 via the signal line Ls. At the same time as transmitting, the voice signal processing unit 20 is activated to send and receive voice signals, that is, to make a call. In addition, when the operation input receiving unit 16 of the parent device 1 receives an operation input for setting the child device 2 in the monitor state, the power supply voltage shifts from the standby power supply state to the operation power supply state. As a result, the microcomputer of the slave unit control unit 25 returns from the standby state to the normal state, starts the camera unit 21 and the video signal transmission unit 22 and sends the video signal to the master unit via the signal line Ls. By sending to 1, the video taken by the camera unit 2 1 of the slave unit 2 can be monitored by the master unit 1.

On the other hand, the network communication device 4 is connected to the communication I Z F section 1 8 of the base unit 1 via the L A N cable L X formed of a twisted pair cable. The network communication device 4 performs network communication with other communication devices connected to the Internet via a communication medium such as a telephone line, an optical fiber, or a coaxial cable. These include ADSL modems that use telephone lines as communication media, ONUs (optical line terminators) that use optical fibers as communication media, and cable modems that use coaxial cables as communication media. The communication IZF unit 18 demodulates the electrical signal received via the LAN cable LX, decodes it to the original frame, passes it to the control unit 15, and encodes the frame generated by the control unit 15. In addition, it is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted via the LAN cable LX.

Then, the control unit 15 of the base unit 1 processes the frame received by the communication I Z F unit 18 to acquire information included in the frame and displays the acquired information on the display unit 12. The process executed on the frame is a process of reproducing the original information from data divided into a plurality of frames.

Here, the microcomputer constituting the control unit 15 of the main unit 1 receives the call signal when the standby signal is received in the standby state, or the operation input reception unit 16 When a frame is received by the communication IZF unit 18 to receive the operation input to set the machine 2 in the monitor state, the processing returns to the normal state from the standby state and executes each processing.

Next, the operation when the visitor operates the call button of the handset 2 will be briefly described. First, when a call button of handset 2 is operated by a visitor, a call signal is sent to base unit 1 via signal line L s from call signal transmitter 2 4 of handset 2 as described above. The When control unit 15 of base unit 1 detects a call by a visitor by receiving a call signal at call signal receiving unit 14, it sends a ringing tone from speaker 1 0 b via voice signal processing unit 10. Let it ring. Further, the control unit 15 causes the video signal to be transmitted from the slave unit 2 by changing the power supply voltage from the standby power supply state to the operation power supply state, and the video signal processing unit 1 3 displays the video received from the slave unit 2 by the display unit 1. Display in 2. Then, if the resident (user) of the dwelling unit who heard the ringtone presses the call switch (not shown) of the operation input reception unit 16, the control unit 15 activates the voice signal processing unit 10. The voice signal can be sent to and received from the handset 2 (call).

When a certain time (for example, several minutes) elapses after the call switch is operated, or when the call switch is operated again within the certain time, the control unit 15 of the main unit 1 The power supply state is returned from the operation power supply state to the standby power supply state, and the operation of the voice signal processing unit 10 is stopped to terminate the call.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information distribution system of this embodiment is composed of an interphone device (master unit) 1 of the above interphone system corresponding to an information terminal and an information distribution server 1. Although not shown in FIG. 1, an interphone system comprising a master unit 1 and a slave unit 2 is installed in a plurality of dwelling units.

The information delivery server 13 is a general-purpose computer device having a network communication function, and a communication interface for performing network communication via the Internet with a control unit 30 having a CPU as a main component. (IF) section 31 and a storage section 32 comprising a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk device.

The storage unit 3 2 of the information distribution server 3 stores various information (data) distributed to a plurality of master units 1 installed in a plurality of dwelling units. Here, the information distributed from the information distribution server 1 is information related to each dwelling unit. For example, for a dwelling unit in a region where power is supplied from the same power company, power consumption is reduced. Such as a message requesting power consumption, a message to raise the power sales price to promote power sales, or a message to encourage power consumption in the time period (midnight) when the electricity rate is low to level out power demand Information about power. However, the information distributed from the information distribution server 1 is limited to the information related to power. Not.

Next, with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG. 2, the operation of the information distribution system of the present embodiment will be described in detail by exemplifying a case where information regarding the power of a plurality of dwelling units is distributed from an electric power company. In the following, it is assumed that multiple dwelling units to which power information is distributed from electric power companies are located in the same region (for example, administrative units such as municipalities and prefectures, or housing complexes such as apartments). Yes. However, the dwelling unit to which information is distributed does not necessarily have to be in the same area. For example, when the control unit 30 of the information distribution server 3 acquires new information from an electric power company via the Internet, the control unit 30 creates a frame including the acquired information and transmits the frame from the communication IZF unit 31. Broadcast (multicast) to the base unit 1 in the same area via the network. The transmitted information is stored (saved) in the storage unit 32.

In base unit 1, when frame IF transmitted via the Internet is received by communication IF unit 18 via network communication device 4, control unit 15 returns from the standby state to the normal state. Then, the control unit 15 that has returned to the normal state processes the frame received by the communication I Z F unit 18 to acquire information, and causes the display unit 12 to display the acquired information. At this time, if the control unit 15 controls the audio signal processing unit 10 to ring the ringing tone from the speaker 10 b, it notifies the resident that the information has been distributed and is displayed on the display unit 12. You can prompt them to see (know) the information immediately.

In addition, the control unit 15 of the main unit 1 receives an operation input corresponding to a response from the resident (for example, “Yes” or “No” intention display) to the distributed information by the operation input receiving unit 16. Create a frame containing information (response) corresponding to the operation input. Then, the frame created by the control unit 15 is converted into an electric signal by the communication I Z F unit 18 and transmitted to the information distribution server 13. The control unit 15 creates a frame to be returned to the information distribution server 13 and transmits it from the communication IF unit 18, and then shifts to the standby state. When the control unit 30 of the information distribution server 3 acquires information included in the frame returned from the base unit 1, the control unit 30 notifies the power company of the information.

As described above, in the information distribution system and the intercom device (master unit) 1 of this embodiment, the processing unit (control unit 15) is stopped until the reception unit (communication IZF unit 18) receives the frame. Enable (set to standby) and start processing unit when frame is received by receiver Therefore, the information delivered from the information delivery server 1 can be immediately displayed on the display unit 1 2 of the base unit 1 as an information terminal, thereby improving the immediacy of information delivery. In addition, since the intercom device (base unit) 1 that constitutes the intercom system is used as the information terminal of the information distribution system, it is more convenient than a separate information terminal dedicated to the information distribution system. There is an advantage that it can improve the performance.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Are also within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claim

[Claim 1]

Multiple information terminals installed in multiple dwelling units,

An information distribution service for distributing a frame including various information related to the dwelling unit to the plurality of information terminals via the network;

The information terminal

A receiving unit for receiving the frame distributed via the network;

A processing unit that processes the frame received by the receiving unit and obtains the information included in the frame;

A control unit that stops the processing unit until the reception unit receives the frame and activates the processing unit when the frame is received by the reception unit;

An information distribution system comprising:

[Claim 2]

The information terminal is configured to connect the microphone and speaker between a display unit that displays the information acquired by the processing unit, a microphone and a speaker, and an interphone handset installed outside the dwelling unit. And a call unit for making a call using

The control unit also displays the image captured by the imaging device mounted on the intercom handset on the display unit and receives the calling signal transmitted from the intercom handset. 2. The information distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the call unit and the display unit are stopped, and the call unit and the display unit are activated when the call signal is received.

[Claim 3]

A receiving unit for receiving frames distributed via the network;

A processing unit that processes the frame received by the receiving unit to acquire information included in the frame;

A control unit that stops the processing unit until the receiving unit receives the frame, and activates the processing unit when the frame is received by the receiving unit;

Used in the information distribution system of claim 1

Interphone device. [Claim 4]

Call for calling using the microphone and the speaker between the display unit that displays the information acquired by the processing unit, the microphone and the speaker power, and the interphone slave unit installed outside the dwelling unit And further comprising

The control unit displays the video imaged by the imaging device mounted on the intercom handset on the display unit and until the call signal transmitted from the intercom handset is received, 4. The interphone device according to claim 3, wherein the display unit is stopped and the display unit and the display unit are activated when the call signal is received.