JP2001112071A - Home automation method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To monitor the return of a vehicle to a home, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has returned to the home, automatically performs a routine operation that a user may take. It is an object of the present invention to provide a home automation method and an apparatus for performing the same on behalf of a home automation system. A home has a garage for a vehicle.
Is provided. When the vehicle enters the garage, the vehicle detection device 1
7 detects this and notifies the home server 23. Further, when the driver presses the door lock switch of the keyless transmitter 15 to lock the door of the vehicle, the transmission signal detection device 21 detects the radio wave of the transmission device 15 and compares it with a predetermined own vehicle ID. As a result, when it is confirmed that the vehicle has returned, the home server 23 issues a command to the entrance lock control device 25 to automatically unlock the entrance door lock 27.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a home automation method based on a novel idea, such as automatically associating a home such as a house with a vehicle such as an automobile and automatically controlling a control target on the home side, and a device therefor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various devices such as an air conditioner installed in a home such as a house are automatically controlled by a computer, and external devices are controlled in accordance with detection results by sensors such as door opening / closing sensors installed in various places in the home. Home automation that automatically notifies security companies in the country has become commonplace.

On the other hand, in each home, one or more vehicles such as automobiles have become widespread.

[0004]

However, at present, there is no home automation based on a new idea, such as automatically associating a home with a vehicle and automatically controlling a control target on the home side.

[0005] Here, when the present inventors came to come up with home automation based on such a new idea, generally speaking, when a vehicle returns to the home,
It can be said that human actions are fairly standard.
For example, assuming the action taken by a person who came home by car after completing work at the workplace, first put the vehicle in the garage, lock the vehicle door, close the garage shutter, Walk up to unlock the entrance door key and turn on the entrance light at night. And when you enter the room, turn on the air conditioner, switch on the TV, switch on the electric pot to drink tea, boil the bath,
It can be easily guessed that such actions will be routinely performed.

[0006] As described above, although the behavior of the user after the vehicle returns is expected to include a fairly regular element, the user always waits for the vehicle to return, and the vehicle returns. Sometimes, home automation has not yet existed, in which a user automatically performs these routine operations and automatically controls a home-side control target by associating the home with a vehicle. It was.

The present invention is based on the above-described novel idea, and monitors the return of the vehicle to the home. When the monitoring detects that the vehicle has returned to the home, the user takes the same. It is an object of the present invention to provide a home automation method and a device for automatically performing a brazing-type operation automatically.

Another object of the present invention is to control a control object attached to the home side at a stage where the vehicle approaches the home before the vehicle arrives at the home,
In other words, by starting the control of the operation of the control target in advance before the arrival of the vehicle, the target of the control target has already been achieved at the actual vehicle arrival time for the general control target that has a time delay until the target is achieved. It is an object of the present invention to provide a home automation method and a device therefor which can ensure the state of the home automation.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a home automation method for monitoring a return of a vehicle to a home, and as a result of the monitoring, the home of the vehicle is monitored. When return to is detected,
The control of the control object attached to the home side is performed.

According to the method of the present invention, the return of the vehicle to the home is monitored, and when the result of the monitoring is detected that the vehicle has returned to the home, a routine that the user will take will be taken. It is possible to provide a highly convenient home automation method based on a novel idea, such as automatically performing a substitute operation.

Here, in the description of the first aspect, the home is a broad concept including not only houses such as private houses and condominiums, but also buildings such as offices and factories and bases such as distribution centers. . Therefore, if the type of the control target attached differs depending on the type of the home, the control content also differs. For example, in a condominium with a robotic multi-stage parking lot, a user's own garage space is automatically selected and ready to be parked immediately. This can be control of a control object attached to the home side. Also, if the vehicle is a truck and the home is a delivery center, it is also possible to call an automatic transport robot in the delivery center and automatically unload the truck load.
This can be the control of the control target. Of course, if the home is a general home, the control of the garage and the home appliance as described above can be the control of the control target.

In the home automation method according to the first aspect, various techniques are available for monitoring and detecting the return of the vehicle to the home. For example, a weak radio wave transmitting device for transmitting a specific signal is mounted on a vehicle, and a feedback can be detected when the home-side receiver receives the specific signal. Also, the road facing the platform can be monitored by a CCD camera, the number of the license plate can be decoded by image processing, and the return can be detected when the number of the user's vehicle is detected. Further, it is also feasible to employ means for transmitting a return notification signal from the vehicle to the home when the navigation device mounted on the vehicle indicates the coordinates of the home. But,
In any case, it is needless to say that it is desired to select a monitoring method that does not cause a malfunction when a vehicle other than the own vehicle passes.

Therefore, a home automation method according to a second aspect is characterized in that the return of the vehicle to the platform is detected based on the presence or absence of the vehicle in a garage attached to the platform. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the return of the vehicle can be detected very easily depending on whether or not the vehicle is in the garage dedicated to the own vehicle attached to the platform. Because there is no garage, there is no possibility of erroneous detection.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the home automation method according to the second aspect, after the return of the vehicle to the home is detected, transmission from the keyless entry device of the vehicle is performed. When a signal is detected, control of a control object attached to the home side is performed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the user (driver) performs a door lock operation using the remote control transmitter of the keyless entry device after the vehicle enters the garage, the control object on the home side is controlled. Is controlled. Rather than simply starting the control operation after the vehicle enters the garage, the transmission signal (door lock signal) of the keyless entry device is detected as a confirmation step, so that malfunction is reliably prevented. it can. Moreover, the user only needs to perform the door lock operation that is normally performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation method according to the first aspect, when the return of the vehicle to the home is detected, the transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle is detected. It is characterized in that it is performed based on the detection.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle includes the ID code, and the authentication of the own vehicle is reliably performed. Even if only the detection is performed, the return of the own vehicle can be reliably detected. In addition, all that is required of the user is a door lock operation that is inevitably performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

Further, in the home automation method according to the fifth aspect, in the home automation method according to the first aspect, the detection of the return of the vehicle to the home may be performed by transmitting a signal from a keyless entry device of the vehicle. The detection is performed based on detection performed a plurality of times within a predetermined time.

In the method according to the fifth aspect, when the user gets off the vehicle, the user operates the keyless entry device, for example, presses the door lock switch twice in succession. Since the operation of pressing the door lock switch twice in succession is not normally performed, with this particularity, it is not only a mere door lock operation performed but an explicit notification that the vehicle has returned to the platform. It will be.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation method according to any one of the fourth and fifth aspects, when the return of the vehicle to the home is detected, It is characterized in that control of a control object attached to the home side is performed.

That is, when the return of the vehicle is reliably detected by the method according to any one of claims 4 and 5, control of the control object on the home side is started.

As described above, the methods according to the first to sixth aspects can control various control objects according to the type of the home and the type of the accessory equipment.

However, it is meaningful to clearly indicate a preferable mode among the control objects provided on the home side in order to clarify the outline of the present invention.

From such a viewpoint, the home automation method according to claim 7 is the same as the home automation method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, except that the control of the control object attached to the home is performed. , Which controls unlocking operation of the door lock at the entrance of the home.

In the method according to the seventh aspect, the unlocking of the entrance door lock after returning, which is assumed to be the most typical routine operation, is controlled.

According to the invention of claim 7, after the vehicle returns to the home, the unlocking control of the entrance door is performed. However, after the vehicle returns to the home, the user immediately enters the home. In such a case, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of crime prevention if the door lock of the entrance is kept unlocked.

Therefore, a home automation method according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the home automation method according to the seventh aspect, wherein the door of the entrance is unlocked, and then the door of the entrance is opened within a predetermined time. When no operation is detected, the door lock is returned to the locked state.

According to the method described in claim 8, even if the user goes out of the home immediately after returning from the vehicle without entering the home, the door lock of the entrance does not remain open. . Also, even if the front door lock is automatically unlocked due to false detection,
After a predetermined time, it automatically returns to the locked state. Therefore,
It is perfect from a security point of view.

On the other hand, a home automation device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention is a monitoring device for monitoring the return of the vehicle to the home, and the monitoring device detects the return of the vehicle to the home when the monitoring device detects the return of the vehicle to the home. And control means for controlling an attached control object.

According to the apparatus of the ninth aspect, the return of the vehicle to the home is monitored, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has returned to the home, a routine that the user will take will be taken. Operation can be automatically performed on behalf of the user. Moreover, such home automation operation can be realized only by newly adding a home-side configuration without making any modifications while maintaining the vehicle-side configuration in the conventional state. A highly versatile home automation system that does not depend on the vehicle type or configuration can be constructed.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation apparatus of the ninth aspect, the monitoring means detects the presence or absence of a vehicle in a garage attached to the home. It is characterized by comprising.

According to the device of the tenth aspect, the return of the vehicle can be detected very easily depending on whether or not the vehicle is in the garage dedicated to the vehicle attached to the platform. The configuration becomes simple. Further, if the garage is dedicated to the own vehicle, there is no possibility of erroneous detection by another vehicle.

In the home automation method according to the eleventh aspect, in the home automation apparatus according to the tenth aspect, the control means includes a transmission signal detection means for detecting a transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle. And controlling the control target attached to the home side when the transmission signal is detected by the transmission signal detection unit after the return of the vehicle to the home is detected. It is characterized by.

According to the device of the eleventh aspect, the subsequent control operation is not started simply when the vehicle enters the garage, but as a confirmation step, the transmission signal (door lock) of the keyless entry device is used. Signal), the occurrence of malfunction can be reliably prevented. Moreover, the user only needs to perform the door lock operation that is normally performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation apparatus of the ninth aspect, the control means includes a transmission signal detecting means for detecting a transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle. The control means controls a control object attached to the home side when a transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle is detected.

According to the device of the twelfth aspect, the transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle includes the ID code, and the authentication of the vehicle is reliably performed. Even if only the detection is performed, the return of the own vehicle can be reliably detected. In addition, all that is required of the user is a door lock operation that is inevitably performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation apparatus of the ninth aspect, the control means includes a transmission signal detecting means for detecting a transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle. The control means controls a control object attached to the home side when a transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle is detected a plurality of times within a predetermined time.

In the device according to the thirteenth aspect, the user operates the keyless entry device at the time of getting off, and presses, for example, the door lock switch twice in succession. Since the operation of pressing the door lock switch twice in succession is not normally performed, with this particularity, it is not only a mere door lock operation performed but an explicit notification that the vehicle has returned to the platform. It will be.

The apparatus according to the ninth to thirteenth aspects can control various control objects according to the type of the home and the type of the attached equipment.

However, the home automation device according to claim 14 is the home automation device according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home side is It is characterized in that it controls unlocking operation of a door lock of a home entrance.

In the apparatus according to the fourteenth aspect, the unlocking of the entrance door lock after returning, which is assumed to be the most typical fixed operation, is controlled.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation apparatus according to the fifteenth aspect, the control means includes a time-measuring means which is activated after the door lock of the entrance is unlocked. Prepared,
The control means returns the door lock to the locked state when the operation of opening the door of the entrance is not detected before the predetermined time is counted by the time counting means.

According to the apparatus of the present invention, even if the user leaves the vehicle in the garage and goes out without entering the platform after returning, the door lock at the entrance is kept open. It will not be. Even if the door lock at the entrance is automatically unlocked due to erroneous detection, the door automatically returns to the locked state after a predetermined time. Therefore, it is perfect from the viewpoint of crime prevention.

The method or the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 15 monitors the return of the vehicle to the home, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has returned to the home, the user can take the action. It automatically performs a certain routine operation. However, if the idea is changed, the departure of the vehicle from the platform is monitored, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has departed from the platform, the operation that the user may miss may be automatically substituted. Home automation is also possible. Considering this direction, for example, when the door lock of the entrance is still unlocked after the departure is detected, it can be automatically locked.

Therefore, a home automation method according to claim 16 monitors departure of a vehicle from a home,
As a result of the monitoring, when the departure of the vehicle from the platform is detected, control of a control object attached to the platform is performed.

According to the method of the sixteenth aspect, the departure of the vehicle from the platform is monitored, and when it is detected as a result of the monitoring that the vehicle has departed from the platform, there is a fixed possibility that the user may miss. It is possible to provide a very convenient home automation method based on a new idea, such as performing an operation automatically on behalf of the user.

A home automation device according to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention is a home automation device for monitoring a departure of a vehicle from a home, and when the monitoring unit detects the departure of the vehicle from the home, And control means for controlling an attached control object.

According to the apparatus of the seventeenth aspect, the departure of the vehicle from the platform is monitored, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has departed from the platform, the user may miss the routine. Operation can be automatically performed on behalf of the user. Moreover, such home automation operation can be realized only by newly adding a home-side configuration without making any modifications while maintaining the vehicle-side configuration in the conventional state. A highly versatile home automation system that does not depend on the vehicle type or configuration can be constructed.

In the home automation method and apparatus according to the first to fifteenth aspects, the return of the vehicle to the home is monitored, and the routine operation that the user will take when the vehicle returns to the home is automatically performed. It is done on behalf of the client. However, depending on the type of the control target, it is desirable that the operation be started before the vehicle actually returns to the home. For example, it is very convenient to automatically start the air conditioner when the driver returns home by the method and apparatus according to claims 1 to 15, but from when the air conditioner is started to when the indoor air is cooled. Considering that it may take some time, if you can start the air conditioner some time before you actually go home, when you return home, the indoor air is already sufficiently cooled and comfortable. is there.

Therefore, in claim 18 and the following, before the vehicle arrives at the platform, the control of the control object attached to the platform is performed when the vehicle approaches the platform.

That is, the home automation method according to claim 18 monitors the approach of the vehicle to the home,
As a result of this monitoring, when it is detected that the vehicle has approached into a predetermined area including the platform, a control target attached to the platform is controlled.

According to the method of the present invention, the control of the control object attached to the home side is performed at a stage before the vehicle arrives at the home and at the stage when the vehicle approaches the home. In this case, it is possible to execute the operation of the content prepared for the arrival of the vehicle in advance.

According to the method described in claim 18, for example, the air conditioner in the room of the home is activated before the arrival in advance in anticipation of the vehicle arriving at the home. By the time the room temperature can be kept at an appropriate temperature. This effect is not limited to the air conditioner, but applies to general controlled objects that have a time delay until the purpose is achieved. By controlling the operation of the controlled object in advance of the arrival of the vehicle, the actual vehicle can be controlled. At the time of arrival, the state of the object of the control object can be achieved.

In the method according to the eighteenth aspect, various means can be employed for monitoring the approach of the vehicle to the platform. For example, in a vehicle equipped with a wireless transmitter, the approximate distance to the vehicle can be known by measuring the electric field strength of the radio wave transmitted from the vehicle on the home side. Thus, claim 18
In the invention described in (1), it is sufficient to roughly detect the approach of the vehicle to the platform to achieve the object of the invention, and the distance between the vehicle and the platform is 550 m.
Until the detection of a strict distance such as 70 m,
This is not precluded, but not necessary.

According to a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation method according to the eighteenth aspect, the detection of the approach of the vehicle to the home is performed by vehicle position detection means mounted on the vehicle. It is characterized by being performed.

In the method according to the nineteenth aspect, the approach of the vehicle to the home is performed by vehicle position detecting means mounted on the vehicle. Here, an existing car navigation system equipped with a GPS or a gyro can be used as the vehicle position detecting means. More specifically, in an industry such as the bus or taxi industry, which has a vehicle position detection system that can grasp the current position of each vehicle in a control center as a home in real time,
By diverting such an existing system, it is possible to assume a return time of a specific vehicle, call a driver who takes over the vehicle and drive it in advance, and make it stand by. When the method of the present invention is applied to a privately owned private vehicle, the vehicle may be provided with communication means for notifying the vehicle side of the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means to the home side.

According to the present invention, since the current position of the vehicle is detected by the vehicle position detecting means, it is possible to accurately know how far the vehicle has approached the platform. As described above, in the invention described in claim 18 and the following, even if the distance between the vehicle and the platform is not exactly measured, such as how many meters or km,
The object of the invention can be achieved for the time being. However, if the vehicle position detecting means is already mounted on the vehicle, if it is diverted, the same effect as the invention according to claim 18 can be obtained at low cost without adding special equipment. be able to.

According to a twentieth aspect of the present invention, in the home automation method according to the eighteenth or nineteenth aspect, the predetermined area has a radius of a distance set in advance by a user and has a substantially radius centered on the home. It is characterized by being defined as a circular area.

According to a twentieth aspect, when the vehicle enters a range within a predetermined distance (for example, 2 km) from the platform, it is detected that the vehicle has approached the platform. By allowing the user to set the distance, it is possible to arbitrarily set how long the control of the control target is started before the actual arrival time. If the preceding time length is given, for example, the user wants to start the control of the control object 15 minutes before the arrival, the distance to be set roughly can be known from the experience value. Even if the preceding time length is the same,
It may be necessary to shorten the set distance when there is a home in a downtown area under chronic congestion, and to set it longer when the home is in a suburb. In addition, the traffic information provision system (VICS), which is currently spreading
In combination with such as shortening the set distance during congestion,
The configuration may be such that the set distance is dynamically changed according to the degree of congestion. Furthermore, since the required time length to be preceded differs depending on the nature of the control target, a different distance may be set for each control target.

According to the twentieth aspect, the user can input the desired distance and set how much time ahead of the actual arrival time the control of the control target is started. Since it is possible, the setting operation is extremely simple. Especially for users who go home on the same road at almost the same time every day for commuting, etc.
It is empirically known that it takes several minutes to arrive when approaching a distance of several kilometers or hundreds of meters from the platform, so it is simple and easy to set the length of time preceding the arrival by inputting the distance. Realistic. If a plurality of distances can be set for each control target, the range of application can be further expanded.

Although not directly related to claim 20, in a vehicle equipped with a car navigation system having a function of calculating an estimated arrival time by giving a current position and a destination position of the vehicle, By effectively utilizing this function, it is also possible to directly input the preceding time length, such as starting control of the control object 30 minutes before arrival.

On the other hand, a home automation method according to a twenty-first aspect is the home automation method according to the nineteenth aspect, wherein the vehicle position detecting means displays a map including an area where the vehicle travels. Wherein the predetermined area is determined by a user setting an arbitrary area on a map displayed on the display means of the vehicle position detection means.

In the method according to the present invention, a vehicle equipped with a car navigation device is assumed, and an arbitrary area is set on a display screen of such a device, and when the vehicle enters the area, the vehicle is moved. It is now considered as approaching the home.

According to the method of the twenty-first aspect, since the area determined to be approaching the vehicle can be set in detail, the range of application can be further expanded. For example, when returning home, traveling on a highway or returning on a general road. On the other hand, if the distance is set to a long distance and the area including the travel route of the general road is set to a short distance from the platform, it is substantially the same as the arrival than the arrival without asking which route the travel route is. The control of the control object can be started ahead of time. Also, if there is a supermarket that frequently stops on the way home, consider that it will take time to buy and set the area so that it does not include the supermarket, so that the control target is It can be prevented from being controlled in advance.

A home automation method according to a twenty-second aspect is the home automation method according to any one of the eighteenth to twenty-first aspects, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home includes the control of the home. It is characterized by control of the operation of a cooling device and / or a heating device.

According to the method described in claim 22, the air conditioner at the home where the user returns home is to be controlled. In summer or winter, the indoor temperature of the home (not limited to ordinary households) may become hot or cold depending on the outside temperature while you are away, but the air conditioner is turned on after the driver returns home In this case, the room requires a certain amount of time to reach a comfortable temperature.

According to the method described in claim 22, the air conditioner of the home is controlled when the vehicle approaches the home before the time when the vehicle arrives at the home. The room temperature can be kept comfortable.

According to a twenty-third aspect of the present invention, in the home automation method according to any one of the eighteenth to twenty-first aspects, the control of the control object attached to the home includes the control of the auto bus of the home. Control of the operation.

In the method according to the twenty-third aspect, the bath (auto bath) of the home to which the user returns home is to be controlled. This makes it possible to automatically bring the bath to a boiling state when the driver returns home.

According to the method of claim 23, since the driver is ready to take a bath immediately after returning home, it is possible to provide a convenient living environment especially for single persons. Can be.

A home automation method according to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention is the home automation method according to any one of the eighteenth to twenty-first aspects, wherein the vehicle is for carrying or delivering cargo, and the home is a cargo terminal. The control of the control object attached to the platform side is a control of an operation of a device in the cargo terminal that prepares cargo to be loaded on the vehicle in advance.

In the method according to the twenty-fourth aspect, a vehicle for transporting or delivering cargo is assumed, and a device for preparing cargo to be loaded on a vehicle in a cargo terminal as a platform in advance is to be controlled. did.

According to the twenty-fourth aspect, each time a vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal, the cargo for delivery is loaded on the vehicle and the loading is completed, such as in department stores, mail-order merchandise delivery, and the home delivery industry. In an industry where the vehicle gradually departs from the cargo terminal and travels to the next destination, the vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal when the vehicle approaches the cargo terminal before the vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal. Since the next cargo to be loaded on the vehicle can be prepared, the time required for loading the cargo can be reduced as much as possible, and the operation efficiency of the vehicle can be improved. Therefore, not only can the demands for shortening the transportation time, such as next-day delivery and delivery time designation, which have become popular in recent years, be met, and the total number of required vehicles can be reduced by increasing the operation efficiency of the vehicles. It becomes feasible.

In claim 25 and the following claims, claim 1
An apparatus for performing the method described in any of paragraphs 8 to 24 is described.

That is, in the home automation apparatus according to the twenty-fifth aspect, the approach detecting means for detecting the approach of the vehicle to the home, and the approach to the home when the approach detecting means detects the approach of the vehicle to the home. And control means attached to the side for controlling a control target.

In the device according to the twenty-fifth aspect, before the vehicle arrives at the home, the control of the control object attached to the home side is performed at the stage when the vehicle approaches the home. In this case, it is possible to execute the operation of the content prepared for the arrival of the vehicle in advance.

According to the apparatus of the twenty-fifth aspect, for example, the air conditioner in the room of the home is activated before the arrival in advance in anticipation of the vehicle arriving at the home. By the time the room temperature can be kept at an appropriate temperature. This effect is not limited to the air conditioner, but applies to general controlled objects that have a time delay until the purpose is achieved. By controlling the operation of the controlled object in advance of the arrival of the vehicle, the actual vehicle can be controlled. At the time of arrival, the state of the object of the control object can be achieved.

In the device according to the twenty-fifth aspect, various means can be adopted for monitoring the approach of the vehicle to the platform. For example, in a vehicle equipped with a wireless transmitter, the approximate distance to the vehicle can be known by measuring the electric field strength of the radio wave transmitted from the vehicle on the home side. Thus, claim 25
In the invention described in (1), it is sufficient to roughly detect the approach of the vehicle to the platform to achieve the object of the invention, and the distance between the vehicle and the platform is 550 m.
Until the detection of a strict distance such as 70 m,
This is not precluded, but not necessary.

The home automation device according to a twenty-sixth aspect is characterized in that, in the home automation device according to the twenty-fifth aspect, the approach detecting means comprises a vehicle position detecting means mounted on the vehicle. And

In the apparatus according to the twenty-sixth aspect, the detection is performed by vehicle position detecting means mounted on the vehicle. Here, an existing car navigation system equipped with a GPS or a gyro can be used as the vehicle position detecting means. More specifically, in an industry such as the bus or taxi industry that has a vehicle position detection system that can grasp the current position of each vehicle in real time at a control center as a home, such existing systems can be diverted, Assuming the return time of a specific vehicle, for example, a driver who takes over the vehicle and drives the vehicle can be called in advance and made to stand by. When the method of the present invention is applied to a privately owned private vehicle, the vehicle may be provided with communication means for notifying the vehicle side of the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means to the home side.

According to the device of the twenty-sixth aspect, since the current position of the vehicle is detected by the vehicle position detecting means, it is possible to accurately know how far the vehicle has approached the platform. As described above, in the invention described in claim 25 or the following, even if the distance between the vehicle and the platform is not exactly measured, such as how many meters or km,
The object of the invention can be achieved for the time being. However, if the vehicle is already equipped with a vehicle position detecting means, if this is diverted, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the invention of claim 25 at low cost without adding special equipment. it can.

It should be noted that the present invention applies to all the inventions of claims 18 to 32, but in these inventions, a device for notifying the current position directly from the vehicle side to the home side is not essential. For example, if you use the “Ima-dokoro Service (registered trademark)” provided by a PHS company, you can access the center periodically from the home side without having to communicate directly with the vehicle. This is because the position can be grasped.

However, the home automation device according to the twenty-seventh aspect is the home automation device according to the twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth aspect, wherein when the approach detecting means detects the approach of the vehicle to the home, the fact is notified. A communication means for notifying the home side is provided in the vehicle.

In the apparatus according to the twenty-seventh aspect, the communication means may be a public network such as a mobile phone or a PHS,
Commercial simple wireless may be employed. In the future, when a social infrastructure such as an Internet system that can be constantly connected at a low cost is prepared in the future, communication may be performed using the system.

According to the device of the twenty-seventh aspect, by adopting a public network such as a mobile phone or a PHS which is widely used today as a communication means, the cost is sufficiently low under the technical level at the time of filing the present application. Thus, the effects described in claim 25 and the following can be achieved at a realistic price.

A home automation apparatus according to a twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention is the home automation apparatus according to any one of the twenty-fifth to twenty-fifth aspects, wherein the approach detecting means sets a desired distance to the approach detecting means by a user. Detection of the approach of the vehicle to the platform by the approach detection means is performed within a substantially circular predetermined area having a radius of the set distance and centered on the platform. It is performed when the vehicle approaches.

In the apparatus according to the twenty-eighth aspect, when the vehicle enters a range within a predetermined distance (for example, 2 km) from the platform, it is detected that the vehicle has approached the platform. By allowing the user to set the distance, it is possible to arbitrarily set how long the control of the control target is started before the actual arrival time. If the preceding time length is given, for example, the user wants to start the control of the control object 15 minutes before the arrival, the distance to be set roughly can be known from the experience value. Even if the preceding time length is the same,
It may be necessary to shorten the set distance when there is a home in a downtown area under chronic congestion, and to set it longer when the home is in a suburb. In addition, the traffic information provision system (VICS), which is currently spreading
In combination with such as shortening the set distance during congestion,
The configuration may be such that the set distance is dynamically changed according to the degree of congestion. Furthermore, since the required time length to be preceded differs depending on the nature of the control target, a different distance may be set for each control target.

According to the apparatus of the twenty-eighth aspect, the user can set how long ahead of the actual arrival time the control of the control target should be started by simply inputting the desired distance. Since it is possible, the setting operation is extremely simple. Especially for users who go home on the same road at almost the same time every day for commuting, etc.
It is empirically known that it takes several minutes to arrive when approaching a distance of several kilometers or hundreds of meters from the platform, so it is simple and easy to set the length of time preceding the arrival by inputting the distance. Realistic. If a plurality of distances can be set for each control target, the range of application can be further expanded.

Although not directly related to claim 28, in a vehicle equipped with a car navigation system having a function of calculating an estimated arrival time by giving a current position and a destination position of the vehicle, By effectively utilizing this function, it is also possible to directly input the preceding time length, such as starting control of the control object 30 minutes before arrival.

On the other hand, a home automation device according to a twenty-ninth aspect is the home automation device according to the twenty-sixth or twenty-seventh aspect, wherein the vehicle position detecting means has a display means and is displayed on the display means. An area setting unit that allows a user to set an arbitrary area on a map is provided, and the detection of the approach of the vehicle to the home by the approach detection unit includes detecting the vehicle within the set predetermined area. Is performed when approaching.

In the device according to the present invention, a vehicle equipped with a car navigation device is assumed, and an arbitrary area is set on the display screen of the device, and when the vehicle enters the area, the vehicle is moved. It is now considered as approaching the home.

According to the device of the twenty-ninth aspect, the area determined to be approaching the vehicle can be set in detail, so that the range of application can be further expanded. For example, when returning home, traveling on a highway or returning on a general road. On the other hand, if the distance is set to a long distance and the area including the travel route of the general road is set to a short distance from the platform, it is substantially the same as the arrival than the arrival without asking which route the travel route is. The control of the control object can be started ahead of time. Also, if there is a supermarket that frequently stops on the way home, consider that it will take time to buy and set the area so that it does not include the supermarket, so that the control target is It can be prevented from being controlled in advance.

A home automation apparatus according to a thirtieth aspect of the present invention is the home automation apparatus according to any one of the twenty-fifth to twenty-fifth aspects, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home side includes a cooling device of the home. And / or control of the operation of the heating device.

In the apparatus according to the thirtieth aspect, the air conditioner at the home where the user returns home is to be controlled. In summer or winter, the indoor temperature of a home (not limited to ordinary households) can become hot or cold depending on the outside temperature while you are away, but the air conditioning equipment must be turned off after the driver returns home. When turned on, it takes a certain amount of time for the room to reach a comfortable temperature.

According to the device described in claim 30, the air conditioner of the home is controlled at the stage when the vehicle approaches the home before the time when the vehicle arrives at the home. The room temperature can be kept comfortable.

On the other hand, the home automation device according to claim 31 is the home automation device according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the control of the control object attached to the home side includes the control of the home. It is characterized by the control of the operation of the auto bus.

In the apparatus according to the thirty-first aspect, a bath (auto bath) at a home where the user returns home is to be controlled. This makes it possible to automatically bring the bath to a boiling state when the driver returns home.

According to the device described in claim 31, since the driver is ready to take a bath immediately after returning home, it is possible to provide a convenient living environment especially for single persons. Can be.

A home automation device according to a thirty-second aspect is the home automation device according to any one of the twenty-fifth to twenty-ninth aspects, wherein the vehicle is for transporting or delivering cargo, and the home is a cargo terminal. The control of the control object attached to the platform side is a control of an operation of a device in the cargo terminal that prepares cargo to be loaded on the vehicle in advance.

In the apparatus according to the thirty-second aspect, a vehicle for transporting or delivering cargo is assumed, and a device for preparing cargo to be loaded on a vehicle in a cargo terminal as a platform in advance is to be controlled. did.

According to the apparatus described in claim 32, the cargo for delivery is loaded on the vehicle every time it arrives at the freight terminal, such as in a department store, merchandise delivery, the home delivery industry, etc., and the loading is completed. In an industry where the vehicle gradually departs from the cargo terminal and travels to the next destination, the vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal when the vehicle approaches the cargo terminal, before the vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal. Since the next cargo to be loaded on the vehicle can be prepared, the time required for loading the cargo can be reduced as much as possible, and the operation efficiency of the vehicle can be improved. Therefore, not only can the demands for shortening the transportation time, such as next-day delivery and delivery time designation, which have become popular in recent years, be met, and the total number of required vehicles can be reduced by increasing the operation efficiency of the vehicles. It becomes feasible.

[0103]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a home automation method and a home automation device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

(Embodiment 1) First, Embodiment 1 of the present invention
Will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a home automation device. In this embodiment, claim 1
These correspond to 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, and 15, respectively.

In the figure, a garage 13 for accommodating a vehicle 11 is attached to a home H, which is a general residential house. It should be noted that the term “attachment” in the claims of the present invention indicates a concept that is additionally provided. At the approximate center of the ceiling inside the garage 13, for example, an ultrasonic sensor that functions as a vehicle detection unit that detects the presence or absence of the vehicle 11,
A vehicle detection device 17 including an infrared sensor or an imaging camera is installed. In the back of the garage 13,
An antenna 19 for receiving a radio signal transmitted from a transmitter (hereinafter, referred to as a "keyless transmitter") 15 of a keyless entry device attached to the vehicle 11, and a transmission signal detecting means for processing the received signal And a functioning transmission signal detecting device 21.

Inside the home H, a home server 23 functioning as a control means, which is a host computer of the home automation system, is provided. The home server 23 receives an input signal from the vehicle detection device 17 and controls the vehicle in the garage 13. 11 can be determined. The home server 23 also has a transmission signal detection device 21
When the keyless transmitter 15 is operated and a door lock signal is transmitted, it is possible to verify whether or not the door lock signal matches the stored own vehicle ID.

Further, the home server 23 is also connected to the entrance lock control device 25, and instructs the door lock 27 to be unlocked or locked, and whether the door lock 27 is currently unlocked or locked. It can detect whether the entrance door is open or closed.

The home server 23 is also connected to a home electric appliance control device 29. For example, various home electric appliances such as entrance lights, indoor lighting fixtures, garage lighting fixtures, indoor air conditioners, autobuses, bathroom heaters, etc. It is possible to monitor the operating state of the PC 31 and control the operation thereof.

Next, the operation of the home automation apparatus according to the first embodiment having the above configuration will be described. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a part of the operation of a program executed by the home server 23 in the first embodiment.

Now, when the vehicle 11 is out and the garage 1
It is assumed that the vehicle detection device 17 has detected that the inside of 3 is empty. In this state, home server 2
3 constantly monitors the signal from the vehicle detection device 17 and
1 is waiting for return to the garage 13.

Here, when the vehicle 11 returns and enters the garage 13 in the garage 13, this is detected by the vehicle detection device 17 (step S10), and the home server 23 receives the input from the transmission signal detection device 21. The monitoring of the signal is started, and the control waits until the door lock signal is transmitted from the keyless transmitter 15 (step S11).

Next, the home server 23 sets a timer configured as software, for example, to 3 minutes, and starts a timer subtraction operation (step S12). Until the time-out of the timer reaches zero (3 minutes have elapsed) (step S13), the input signal from the transmission signal detection device 21 is monitored, and waits for the reception of the door lock signal (step S13). Step S14). If the user gets off the vehicle 11 and presses the door lock switch of the keyless transmitter 15 before the time-up, the home server 2
3 collates the ID of the radio wave received by the transmission signal detecting device 21 with the stored own vehicle ID (step S1).
5) If the IDs do not match, the process returns to step S13. If it is determined that the ID is the own vehicle ID, the process proceeds to the next step 17 (step S16).

At step S17, the home server 23 sends an unlock command signal to the entrance lock control device 25, and the entrance door lock 27 is unlocked. At the same time, a voice message saying "the key has been opened" is played from a speaker (not shown) in the garage 13. Next, the home server 23 sets a timer configured as software as a time measuring means to, for example, one minute, and starts a subtraction operation of the timer (step S18). When the entrance lock control device 25 detects that the entrance door is opened within this time, the operation is completed (step S19), but the timer is decremented until the entrance door is detected to be opened. The operation is continued, and until the time count reaches zero (one minute has elapsed) (step S20), it is continued to wait for notification that the entrance door has been opened (step S19). When the time is up without receiving a notification that the entrance door has been opened (step S20), a lock command signal is sent to the entrance lock control device 25 to lock the entrance door lock 27 (step S21).

As described above, according to the first embodiment, the user who puts the vehicle 11 in the garage 13 waits for the vehicle 11 to return to the home H and uses the keyless transmitter 15 to open the door of the vehicle 11. When the lock operation is performed, the entrance door lock 27 is automatically unlocked and the user can enter the home without using the home key. Also, once the entrance door lock 2 automatically
Even if the door 7 is unlocked, it returns to the locked state again when the entrance door is not opened within a predetermined time, which is perfect from a security point of view.

(Embodiment 2) Next, another example of the present invention is shown in FIG.
, The garage 13 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the garage 13 does not include the vehicle detection device 17. Other configurations are the same as those in FIG.
The duplicate description is omitted. In the second embodiment, the return of the vehicle 11 to the home H is detected only by the transmission signal from the keyless transmitter 15 instead of omitting the vehicle detection device 17. In the second embodiment, claims 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14,
This corresponds to No. 15.

Next, the operation of the home automation apparatus according to the second embodiment having the above configuration will be described. FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a part of the operation of a program executed by a home server 23 according to the second embodiment.

Now, when the vehicle 11 is out and the garage 1
It is assumed that the inside of 3 is empty. In this state, the home server 23 constantly monitors an input signal from the transmission signal detection device 21 and waits for the transmission signal detection device 21 to receive a signal from the keyless transmitter 15.

Here, even if the vehicle 11 returns and enters the garage 13, in this embodiment, the vehicle 11
Does not detect the return of When the user (driver) gets off the vehicle 11 and presses the door lock switch of the keyless transmitter 15 to lock the door of the vehicle 11 (step S
30), the operation of the home server 23 starts according to the flowchart shown in FIG.

The home server 23 has the keyless transmitter 15
When the transmission signal is received, the ID included in the received radio wave is analyzed and compared with the stored vehicle ID (step S31). If the IDs do not match, the process returns to the standby operation again, while the ID returns. Are determined to match (step S
32), again monitor the input from the transmission signal detection device 21 to prepare for the reception of the second door lock command (step S33).

Next, the home server 23 sets a timer configured as software, for example, to 5 seconds, and starts a timer subtraction operation (step S34). Until the time-out of the timer reaches zero (elapse of 5 seconds) (step S35), the input signal from the transmission signal detection device 21 is monitored to check that the second door lock signal is received. Continue waiting (step S36). The user sets the door lock switch of the keyless transmitter 15 to 5
If the button is pressed again within seconds (step S36), the home server 23 compares the ID of the radio wave received by the transmission signal detection device 21 with the stored predetermined vehicle ID (step S37), and If does not match, step S3
Returning to step 5, if it is determined that the ID is the own vehicle ID, the process proceeds to the next step 39 (step S38).

The subsequent operation is the same as in the first embodiment.
The operation proceeds to the unlocking operation of the entrance door lock 27. That is, in step S39, the home server 23 sends the entrance lock control device 25
, And the door lock 27 is unlocked. At the same time, a voice message saying “the key has been opened” is played from the speaker in the garage 13. Next, the home server 23 sets a timer configured as software as a time measuring means to, for example, one minute,
The subtraction operation of the timer is started (step S40). When the entrance lock control device 25 detects that the entrance door has been opened within this time, the operation is completed (step S41), but the timer is decremented until the entrance door is detected to be opened. The operation is continued, and until the time count reaches zero (one minute has elapsed) (step S42), the process waits for notification that the entrance door has been opened (step S41). When the time is up without receiving a notification that the entrance door has been opened (step S42), a lock command signal is sent to the entrance lock control device 25 to lock the entrance door lock 27 (step S43).

If the second door lock signal is not sent before the timer expires after the first door lock signal is received, step S3 is executed.
The process jumps from step 5 to step S44, cancels the input monitoring of the transmission signal detection device 21 that has been performed to receive the second door lock command (step S44), and returns to the original standby operation again.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the user who puts the vehicle 11 in the garage 13 waits for the vehicle 11 to return to the home H, and presses the door lock switch of the keyless transmitter 15 to turn on the vehicle 11. When the door is locked and the door lock switch is pressed again immediately thereafter, the entrance door lock 27 is automatically unlocked and the user can enter the home without using the home key. Further, even if the entrance door lock 27 is automatically unlocked once, if the entrance door is not opened within a predetermined time, it returns to the locked state again, which is perfect from a security point of view.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, only the unlocking control of the entrance door is performed. obtain.

When the home is a general residential house, various home electric appliances 31 such as entrance lights, indoor lighting fixtures, garage lighting fixtures, indoor air conditioners, auto baths, bathroom heaters, cooking appliances, etc. are provided. It can be a control object attached to the home. In this case, the user can register in advance in the home server 23 what kind of operation each home appliance 31 is to perform automatically when he / she returns home from the vehicle 11. For this registration content, various variations are registered according to the schedule or season of the user on the day,
What is necessary is just to select the content to be automatically executed when returning home when departure. For example, if you go out for skiing on a winter holiday, as a content to be executed after returning home, switch on the auto bus and switch on the bathroom heater so that you can immediately take a bath, strengthen the heating of the indoor air conditioner If you register in the home server 23 before starting a series of operations such as setting, turning on the electric kettle to boil hot water to drink coffee, you can enjoy a comfortable home automation service when you return home become.

Also, if the home is an office such as a workplace, when the vehicle 11 returns, the personal computer at the desk is automatically turned on to automatically access the Internet and send e-mail. And automatically print out the contents on a printer, or automatically enter the information on the return time to the schedule management software built into the personal computer to automatically update the schedule table. It is.

Further, when the home is a distribution center and the vehicle 11 is a delivery truck, at the same time as the vehicle 11 returns, the automatic transport robot of the distribution center is called to unload the cargo that could not be delivered due to absence. Then, while storing the cargo in the automatic warehouse, it is also possible to carry out an operation of automatically loading the cargo required for delivery at the next departure on the truck.

(Embodiment 3) Next, claim 18 of the present invention will be described.
Embodiments corresponding to Nos. To 32 will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, the vehicle 11 is equipped with an approach detecting means (vehicle position detecting means) 41 constituted by a car navigation device provided with a GPS system, a map database and a display screen. The position is constantly monitored, and it is determined whether the vehicle 11 is outside or has entered the predetermined area set by the user in advance, and the result is sent to the control device 43 having a built-in CPU. It is designed to be transmitted. The control device 43 includes a communication device 45 such as a car phone or a mobile phone.
Is connected, and is configured to make a telephone call to the home H and perform data communication under the control of the control device 43.

The home H is provided with a home server 47 as a control means. The home server 47 is connected to a plurality of controlled objects 49 whose operation is controlled in accordance with the approach of the vehicle 11 to the home H. Have been. In the present embodiment, as a control target 49, an air conditioner and an auto bus provided in the home H, an electric pot, and a refrigerator having a plurality of compartments, and the temperature of one compartment is defrosted from the freezing temperature. The one that can be switched to the temperature is connected. In yet another embodiment, the home H is a cargo terminal, and the control target 49 is an automatic cargo transport facility. A modem 51 is connected to the home server 47, which is connected to a general telephone line. The modem 51 automatically receives an incoming call from the communication device 45 of the vehicle 11, and transmits data to and from the control device 43 of the vehicle 11. Communication is performed.

Next, the operation of the program executed by the control device 43 of the vehicle 11 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Now, it is assumed that the user is going home from home. When the engine of the vehicle 11 is started (step S50), the user is asked on the display screen of the approach detection means 41 (car navigation device) whether or not to reset a predetermined area (area range) for determining approach detection. The display for asking is made (step S5)
1). If "Reset" is selected here, the content registered previously is used as it is, and if "Reset" is selected, the screen display changes to a reset menu screen (step S52). , The setting method of the predetermined area is 3
You can choose from two modes.

That is, in mode 1, the distance from the home H is input, and a substantially circular area centered on the home H is registered as a predetermined area or a set area. Approached. " Next, in mode 2, by operating the cursor on the map display screen of the car navigation, a predetermined area of any shape can be registered as a setting area.
Mode 3 utilizes the function of calculating the estimated arrival time of the car navigation system.
Enter the time directly, such as "0 minutes ago." In this case, it is determined that the vehicle has approached the home when the current time is "30 minutes before" the expected arrival time output from the approach detection means 41 including the car navigation device. These settings can be individually set for each control target 49. For example, the air conditioner is turned on when approaching 10 km from the home H, and the auto bus is turned on 20 minutes before the scheduled arrival time at the home H. Settings such as turning on the.

When the setting of the setting area (predetermined area) is completed, control device 43 enters a loop in which steps S53 and S54 are repeated. In step S53, the vehicle 1 is linked with the approach detection means 41 which is a car navigation device.
In step S54, it is determined whether or not "vehicle has approached the home" according to the registered contents of modes 1 to 3 described above. Then, when it is determined in step S54 that the “vehicle has approached the home”, the control device 43 controls the communication unit 45 including a mobile phone, calls the home H, and sends the home server 47 a home appliance. Then, a control command for controlling the control target is transmitted (step S55), and the operation on the vehicle 11 side ends. If a different control start condition is set for each of the plurality of controlled objects 49, the process jumps to the loop of steps S53 and S54 again, and this operation is repeated until the control for all controlled objects 49 is completed. Repeat.

Next, the operation of the program executed by the home server 47 on the home H side as the control means will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0136] The home server 47 executes step S
When a control command for the control target 49 is sent from the vehicle 11 at 55, the control command is received via the modem 51 (step S60), and control of the corresponding home electric appliance is started (step S61).

Next, the control timer constituted by software is initialized to a predetermined time length, for example, three hours (step S62), and the countdown is started. The first timer is a safety means for a case in which the user does not return home after turning on the control target 49 (for example, the auto bus). If the user does not return home within the time, the process jumps from step S63 to step S80 via terminal A to forcibly turn off the control of the control target 49. Thus, even in an emergency, for example, when the user is involved in a traffic accident on his way home, it is possible to prevent a situation in which home appliances such as a bath of the home H and an air conditioner are left on while being turned on. . For such a purpose, the set time of the first control timer is initialized to a relatively long time.

As described above, since it is normally assumed that the first control timer does not time out, the operation of the home server 47 proceeds from step S63 to step S80 without jumping from step S63 to step S80. S65 is repeated. The user returns home and the home server 47
When the return key is pressed, the control history and the current operation state of each control target 49 are displayed on the monitor (not shown) of the home server 47, and the process ends (step S66).

Step S64 can be regarded as an auxiliary safety means.
To determine whether the “approaching state” that has entered the set area is maintained. The purpose of this step is to start the control once in the case where the vehicle once approaches the vicinity of the home H, but passes through the setting area and leaves the area without returning home. The control of the object 49 is to be stopped. When the vehicle 11 and the home server 47 are constantly connected by simple wireless communication or the Internet, for example, the execution of step S64 is executed every time the loop is repeated as shown in the flowchart. From the home server 47 to the modem 51
The current position is acquired from the vehicle 11 by making a call to the mobile phone (communication device) 45 of the vehicle 11 via the.
Intermittent execution is performed only in degrees.

When it is determined in step S64 that the vehicle 11 has left the set area, the second control timer configured as software is set to a predetermined time length, for example, 10 minutes. (Step S7)
0), the countdown is started. And vehicle 1
If it does not return to the “approaching state” that has again entered the predetermined area within a predetermined time after detecting that the 1 has deviated from the predetermined area (step S71) (step S7)
2) After the lapse of the predetermined time (step S71), the control of the control target 49 is forcibly turned off (step S7).
3). If the operation returns to the “approaching state” again within the predetermined time, the operation returns to the normal operation from the step S72 via the terminal C (steps S63 to S65). Steps S70 to S73 are intended to stop the control of the control target 49 once having started the control as soon as possible in a case where the user simply passes through the setting area and does not return home. Therefore, the set time of the second control timer is initialized to a relatively short time.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle 1
Before the vehicle 1 arrives at the home H, when the vehicle 11 approaches the home H, the control of the control target 49 attached to the home H side is started. In anticipation of arriving at the home H, it can be activated before the arrival, so that when the user actually arrives at the home H, the room temperature can be already maintained at an appropriate temperature.
Even in the case of the control target 49 other than the air conditioner, in general, for the control target generally having a time delay until the purpose is achieved, the control target 49 is controlled in advance before the vehicle 11 arrives.
By controlling the operation described above, the state of the object 49 to be controlled can be achieved when the vehicle 11 actually arrives.

Further, the specific effects of this embodiment include:
If the user does not return within a predetermined time after starting the control of the control target, the control means is provided with a control timer for forcibly turning off the control of the control target after the lapse of the predetermined time, Even if the control target (for example, the auto bus) is turned on once, and the user does not return home after waiting for a long time, the control target such as the home auto bus or air conditioner is left as it is turned on. Can be prevented beforehand.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, if the vehicle does not return to the “closed state” that has again entered the predetermined area within a predetermined time after detecting that the vehicle has deviated from the predetermined area, The control means is provided with a second control timer for forcibly turning off the control of the control object after the lapse of time. Therefore, even when the user simply passes through the predetermined area and does not return home, the control is performed once. Can be stopped relatively early.

Finally, the above-described embodiments are described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiment is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0145]

As described above in detail, according to the home automation method and apparatus of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

According to the method of the first aspect, the return of the vehicle to the home is monitored, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has returned to the home, a routine that the user will take will be taken. It is possible to provide a highly convenient home automation method based on a novel idea, such as automatically performing a substitute operation.

According to the method of the second aspect, the return of the vehicle can be detected very easily depending on whether or not the vehicle is in the garage dedicated to the vehicle attached to the platform.
Moreover, there is no possibility of erroneous detection in a garage dedicated to the own vehicle.

According to the method of the third aspect, instead of starting the subsequent control operation simply when the vehicle enters the garage, the transmission signal of the keyless entry device is detected as a confirmation step. Therefore, occurrence of malfunction can be reliably prevented. Moreover, the user only needs to perform the door lock operation that is normally performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle includes the ID code, and the authentication of the own vehicle is reliably performed. Even if only the detection is performed, the return of the own vehicle can be reliably detected. In addition, all that is required of the user is a door lock operation that is inevitably performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the user operates the keyless entry device at the time of getting off and presses the door lock switch twice in succession, the operation of continuously pressing the door lock switch twice is usually performed. Since this operation is not performed, it is possible to explicitly notify that the vehicle has returned to the platform instead of simply performing the door lock operation.

According to the method of claim 6, claim 4.
Alternatively, the control of the control object on the home side can be started when the return of the vehicle is reliably detected by the method described in any one of the above items 5.

According to the method described in claim 7, it is possible to automatically unlock the entrance door lock, which is assumed to be the most typical routine operation after the vehicle returns to the platform.

According to the method described in claim 8, even if the user leaves the vehicle in the garage and goes out without entering the platform after returning, the door lock at the entrance is kept open. It will not be. Even if the door lock at the entrance is automatically unlocked due to erroneous detection, the door automatically returns to the locked state after a predetermined time. Therefore, it is perfect from the viewpoint of crime prevention.

Further, according to the device of the ninth aspect,
The return of the vehicle to the home is monitored, and when the return of the vehicle to the home is detected as a result of the monitoring, a routine operation that a user may take can be automatically substituted. Moreover, such home automation operation can be realized only by newly adding a home-side configuration without making any modifications while maintaining the vehicle-side configuration in the conventional state. A highly versatile home automation system that does not depend on the vehicle type or configuration can be constructed.

According to the device of the tenth aspect, the return of the vehicle can be detected very easily depending on whether or not the vehicle is in the garage dedicated to the own vehicle attached to the platform. Becomes easier. Further, if the garage is dedicated to the own vehicle, there is no possibility of erroneous detection by another vehicle.

According to the device of the eleventh aspect, the subsequent control operation is not started simply when the vehicle enters the garage, but as a confirmation step, the transmission signal (door lock) of the keyless entry device is used. Signal), the occurrence of malfunction can be reliably prevented. Moreover, the user only needs to perform the door lock operation that is normally performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

According to the device of the twelfth aspect, the transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle includes the ID code, and the authentication of the own vehicle is reliably performed. Even if only the detection is performed, the return of the own vehicle can be reliably detected. In addition, all that is required of the user is a door lock operation that is inevitably performed when the user gets off the vehicle.

In the device according to the thirteenth aspect, the user operates the keyless entry device at the time of getting off, and presses the door lock switch twice in succession, for example. Since the operation of pressing the door lock switch twice in succession is not normally performed, with this particularity, it is not only a mere door lock operation performed but an explicit notification that the vehicle has returned to the platform. be able to.

In the apparatus according to the fourteenth aspect, it is possible to control the unlocking of the entrance door lock after returning, which is assumed to be the most typical fixed operation.

According to the apparatus of the present invention, even if the user leaves the vehicle in the garage and goes out without entering the home after returning from the vehicle, the door lock at the entrance is kept open. It will not be. Even if the door lock at the entrance is automatically unlocked due to erroneous detection, the door automatically returns to the locked state after a predetermined time. Therefore, it is perfect from the viewpoint of crime prevention.

Further, according to the method of the present invention, the departure of the vehicle from the platform is monitored, and when the monitoring detects that the vehicle has departed from the platform, there is a possibility that the user may miss the vehicle. Performs certain routine actions automatically on behalf of, for example, when a door is left unlocked after a departure is detected,
This can be locked automatically.

Further, according to the device of the seventeenth aspect, similarly to the method of the sixteenth aspect, for example, when the door lock of the entrance is unlocked even though the departure is detected In addition to being able to lock it automatically, such home automation operation can be performed without any modification while maintaining the configuration of the vehicle side in the conventional state. As a result, it is possible to construct a highly versatile home automation system that does not depend on the type and configuration of vehicles.

On the other hand, in the method according to the eighteenth to twenty-fourth aspects, it is possible to control the control object attached to the platform side before the vehicle arrives at the platform and at the stage when the vehicle approaches the platform. .

In other words, according to the method of the eighteenth aspect, for example, the air conditioner in the room of the home is activated before the arrival in advance in anticipation of the vehicle arriving at the home. Room temperature can be kept at an appropriate level by the time of arrival. This effect is not limited to the air conditioner, but applies to general controlled objects that have a time delay until the purpose is achieved. By controlling the operation of the controlled object in advance of the arrival of the vehicle, the actual vehicle can be controlled. At the time of arrival, the state of the object of the control object can be achieved.

Further, according to the method of claim 19,
Since the current position of the vehicle is detected by the vehicle position detection means, it is possible to accurately know how far the vehicle has approached the platform. In the invention as set forth in claim 18, the distance between the vehicle and the platform is several meters or several kilometers.
Although it is possible to achieve the object of the present invention without strict distance measurement, if the vehicle is already equipped with vehicle position detecting means, if it is diverted, special equipment can be used. Without the addition, the same effect as the invention according to claim 18 can be obtained at low cost.

According to the method of the twentieth aspect, the user simply inputs a desired distance and sets how long before the actual arrival time the control of the control target is started. The setting operation is very simple. In particular, for a user who travels on the same road at almost the same time every day for commuting and returns home, it is empirical that it takes several minutes to arrive when approaching a distance of several kilometers or hundreds of meters from the platform. Therefore, it is simple and practical to set the length of time substantially preceding the arrival by inputting the distance. If a plurality of distances can be set for each control target, the range of application can be further expanded.

On the other hand, according to the method of claim 21,
Since the area determined as approaching the vehicle can be set in detail, the range of application can be further expanded. For example, when returning home, traveling on a highway or returning on a general road. On the other hand, if the distance is set to a long distance and the area including the travel route of the general road is set to a short distance from the platform, it is substantially the same as the arrival than the arrival without asking which route the travel route is. The control of the control object can be started ahead of time. Also, if there is a supermarket that frequently stops on the way home, consider that it will take time to buy and set the area so that it does not include the supermarket, so that the control target is It can be prevented from being controlled in advance.

Further, according to the method of claim 22,
Since the air conditioner of the home is controlled when the vehicle approaches the home before the vehicle arrives at the home, the room temperature of the home can be kept comfortable when the driver returns home.

On the other hand, according to the method of claim 23,
When the driver returns home, the driver is ready to take a bath immediately, so that it is possible to provide a convenient living environment especially for a single person.

Further, according to the method described in claim 24, the cargo for delivery is loaded on the vehicle every time it arrives at the cargo terminal, such as in a department store, the product delivery of mail order, the home delivery industry, etc. As soon as the vehicle approaches the cargo terminal before the vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal in an industry where the vehicle immediately departs from the cargo terminal and travels to the next destination, Since the next cargo to be loaded on the arriving vehicle can be prepared, the time required for loading the cargo can be reduced as much as possible, and the operation efficiency of the vehicle can be improved. Therefore, not only can the demands for shortening the transportation time, such as next-day delivery and delivery time designation, which have become popular in recent years, be met, and the total number of required vehicles can be reduced by increasing the operation efficiency of the vehicles. It becomes feasible.

Further, in the apparatus according to the twenty-fifth to thirty-second aspects, it is possible to control a control object attached to the platform side before the vehicle arrives at the platform and at the stage when the vehicle approaches the platform. .

That is, according to the apparatus of the twenty-fifth aspect, similar to the method of the eighteenth aspect, for example, regarding the air conditioner in the room of the home, in advance of the arrival of the vehicle at the home, the air conditioner may be provided before the arrival. , The room temperature can be kept at an appropriate temperature before the vehicle arrives at the platform. And such an effect is not limited to the air conditioner, but is generally applied to a control target having a time delay until the purpose is achieved, and by controlling the operation of the control target in advance of the arrival of the vehicle,
At the time of the actual arrival of the vehicle, the state of the object to be controlled can be achieved.

According to the apparatus of claim 26,
Similarly to the method described in claim 19, the current position of the vehicle is detected by the vehicle position detecting means, so that it is possible to accurately know how far the vehicle has approached the platform. In the invention described in claim 25 or the following, although the object of the invention can be achieved for a time without strict distance measurement such as how many meters or how many kilometers the distance between the vehicle and the platform is, If the vehicle position detecting means is already mounted, if it is diverted, the same effect as the invention of claim 25 can be obtained at low cost without adding special equipment.

Further, according to the device described in claim 27,
In particular, mobile phones and PHS that are widely used today as communication means
By using a public network such as the one described above, under the technical level at the time of filing the present application, a sufficiently low cost and realistic price can be obtained.
The following effects can be achieved.

According to the apparatus described in claim 28, in the same manner as in the method described in claim 20, the user can input a desired distance and how much time ahead of the actual arrival time. Therefore, it is possible to set whether to start the control of the control target, so that the setting operation is extremely simple. In particular, for a user who travels on the same road at almost the same time every day to commute to work and returns home, it is empirical that it takes several minutes to arrive if the user approaches several kilometers or hundreds of meters from the platform. Because I know
It is simple and practical to set the length of time that substantially precedes arrival by entering a distance. If a plurality of distances can be set for each control target, the range of application can be further expanded.

On the other hand, according to the apparatus of claim 29,
Similarly to the method described in claim 21, the area determined to be approaching the vehicle can be set in detail, so that the application range can be further expanded. For example, when returning home, traveling on a highway or returning on a general road. On the other hand, if the distance is set to a long distance and the area including the travel route of the general road is set to a short distance from the platform, it is substantially the same as the arrival than the arrival without asking which route the travel route is. The control of the control object can be started ahead of time. Also, if there is a supermarket that frequently stops on the way home, consider that it will take time to buy and set the area so that it does not include the supermarket, so that the control target is It can be prevented from being controlled in advance.

Further, according to the device described in claim 30,
Similar to the method described in claim 22, wherein the vehicle approaches the platform before the time when the vehicle arrives at the platform,
Since the home air conditioner is controlled, when the driver returns home, the home room temperature can be kept in a comfortable state.

On the other hand, according to the device of claim 31,
Similarly to the method described in claim 23, when the driver returns home, the driver is ready to take a bath immediately, so that it is possible to provide a convenient living environment especially for single persons.

Further, according to the apparatus described in claim 32, similar to the method described in claim 24, the delivery is made every time the cargo arrives at the freight terminal, such as in the department store, mail order merchandise delivery, and the home delivery industry. In an industry where cargo is loaded onto a vehicle and immediately departs from the cargo terminal and travels to the next destination as soon as the vehicle has been loaded, the vehicle must be loaded before the vehicle arrives at the cargo terminal. When approaching the terminal, it is possible to prepare for the next cargo to be loaded on vehicles arriving at the cargo terminal side, so the time required for loading cargo can be reduced as much as possible, The operation efficiency of the vehicle can be improved.
Therefore, not only can the demands for shortening the transportation time, such as next-day delivery and delivery time designation, which have become popular in recent years, be met, and the total number of required vehicles can be reduced by increasing the operation efficiency of the vehicles. It has an extremely excellent effect that it becomes feasible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a home automation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the home automation device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a home automation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the home automation device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a home automation device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation on the vehicle side in the home automation device of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation on the home side in the home automation device of FIG. 5;

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 11 vehicle 13 garage 15 transmitter of keyless entry device (keyless transmitter) 17 vehicle detection device (monitoring unit and vehicle detection unit) 19 antenna 21 transmission signal detection device (transmission signal detection unit) 23 home server (control unit) 25 Entrance lock control device 27 Entrance door lock (control target) 29 Home appliance control device 31 Home appliance (control target) 41 Approach detection unit (vehicle position detection unit) 43 Control unit 45 Communication unit (communication unit) 47 Home server (control unit) ) 49 Control target 51 Modem H Home

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2E250 AA02 BB08 BB63 DD06 FF24 FF36 5K048 AA00 AA09 BA08 BA12 BA14 BA42 DB01 DC01 EB02 FA07 HA01 HA02

Claims (32)

[Claims] 1. The method according to claim 1, wherein the return of the vehicle to the platform is monitored, and when the return of the vehicle to the platform is detected as a result of the monitoring, control of a control object attached to the platform is performed. And home automation methods. 2. The home automation method according to claim 1, wherein the return of the vehicle to the platform is detected based on the presence or absence of the vehicle in a garage attached to the platform. Home automation method. 3. The home automation method according to claim 2, wherein after a return of the vehicle to the home is detected, a transmission signal from a keyless entry device of the vehicle is detected, and A home automation method characterized by controlling an attached control target. 4. The home automation method according to claim 1, wherein the detection of return of the vehicle to the home is performed based on detection of a transmission signal from a keyless entry device of the vehicle. A featured home automation method. 5. The home automation method according to claim 1, wherein the return of the vehicle to the home is detected when a transmission signal from the keyless entry device of the vehicle is detected a plurality of times within a predetermined time. Home automation method characterized in that it is performed on the basis of: 6. The home automation method according to claim 4, wherein when a return of the vehicle to the home is detected, control of a control target attached to the home is performed. Home automation method characterized by performing. 7. The home automation method according to claim 1, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home side includes an unlocking operation of a door lock at an entrance of the home. A home automation method characterized by being control. 8. The home automation method according to claim 7, wherein after performing the unlocking operation of the door lock of the entrance, if the operation of opening the door of the entrance is not detected within a predetermined time, the door lock is not detected. Returning to a locked state. 9. Monitoring means for monitoring the return of the vehicle to the home, and control means for controlling a control object attached to the home side when the monitoring means detects the return of the vehicle to the home. And a home automation device comprising: 10. The home automation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said monitoring means comprises a vehicle detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a vehicle in a garage attached to said home. apparatus. 11. The home automation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control means includes transmission signal detection means for detecting a transmission signal from a keyless entry device of the vehicle, and the control means includes a transmission signal detection means for detecting a transmission signal of the vehicle. A home automation device, wherein after the return to the home is detected, when the transmission signal is detected by the transmission signal detection means, a control target attached to the home is controlled. 12. The home automation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control unit includes a transmission signal detection unit that detects a transmission signal from a keyless entry device of the vehicle, and the control unit includes a keyless control unit of the vehicle. A home automation device for controlling a control object attached to the home side when a transmission signal from an entry device is detected. 13. The home automation apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said control means includes transmission signal detection means for detecting a transmission signal from a keyless entry device of said vehicle, and said control means includes a keyless control of said vehicle. A home automation device, wherein when a transmission signal from the entry device is detected a plurality of times within a predetermined time, a control target attached to the home side is controlled. 14. The home automation device according to claim 9, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home side includes an unlocking operation of a door lock at a front door of the home. Home automation device characterized by control. 15. The home automation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the control unit includes a timer unit that is started after performing an unlocking operation of the door lock at the entrance, and the control unit is configured to control the timer unit by the timer unit. A home automation apparatus wherein the door lock is returned to a locked state when an operation of opening a door of the entrance is not detected before the predetermined time is counted. 16. A departure of a vehicle from a platform is monitored, and when a departure of the vehicle from the platform is detected as a result of the monitoring, control of a control target attached to the platform is performed. And home automation methods. 17. Monitoring means for monitoring the departure of a vehicle from a platform, and control means for controlling a control object attached to the platform when the monitoring means detects the departure of the vehicle from the platform. And a home automation device comprising: 18. A control provided on the side of the platform when the approach of the vehicle to the platform is monitored and, as a result of the monitoring, it is detected that the vehicle approaches a predetermined area including the platform. A home automation method comprising controlling an object. 19. The home automation method according to claim 18, wherein the detection of the approach of the vehicle to the home is performed by vehicle position detection means mounted on the vehicle. 20. The home automation method according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the predetermined area is defined as a substantially circular area having a radius of a distance set in advance by a user and centering on the home. And home automation methods. 21. The home automation method according to claim 19, wherein the vehicle position detecting means includes a display means for displaying a map including an area where the vehicle travels, and the predetermined area is a position of the vehicle position detecting means. A home automation method, wherein the home automation method is determined by a user setting an arbitrary area on a map displayed on a display means. 22. The home automation method according to claim 18, wherein the control of a control object attached to the home side includes a control of an operation of a cooling device and / or a heating device of the home. A home automation method. 23. The home automation method according to claim 18, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home is control of an operation of an auto bus of the home. Home automation method to do. 24. The home automation method according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle is for carrying or delivering cargo, and the platform is a cargo terminal, and is provided on the side of the platform. The home automation method according to claim 1, wherein the control of the control target is a control of an operation of a device in the cargo terminal that prepares cargo to be loaded on the vehicle in advance. 25. Approach detection means for detecting the approach of the vehicle to the platform, and controls the control object attached to the platform when the approach detection means detects the approach of the vehicle to the platform. And a control means. 26. The home automation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said approach detecting means comprises a vehicle position detecting means mounted on said vehicle. 27. The home automation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein when the approach detecting means detects the approach of the vehicle to the home, communication means for notifying the home side of the detection of the approach. A home automation device provided in the vehicle. 28. The home automation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the approach detecting means includes a distance setting means for setting a desired distance by the user to the approach detecting means. Detection of the approach of the vehicle to the platform by the approach detection means is performed when the vehicle approaches a substantially circular predetermined area having the radius of the set distance and centered on the platform. A home automation device characterized by that: 29. The home automation device according to claim 26, wherein the vehicle position detecting means includes a display means, and a user sets an arbitrary area on a map displayed on the display means. Area setting means capable of detecting the approach of the vehicle to the platform by the approach detection means is performed when the vehicle approaches to the set predetermined area. Home automation equipment. 30. The home automation device according to claim 25, wherein the control of the control target attached to the home side includes controlling the operation of a cooling device and / or a heating device of the home. A home automation device, characterized in that: 31. The home automation apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the control of a control object attached to the home side is a control of an operation of an auto bus of the home. Home automation equipment. 32. The home automation device according to any one of claims 25 to 29, wherein the vehicle is for transporting or delivering cargo, and the platform is a cargo terminal, and is provided on the platform side. The home automation device is characterized in that the control of the control object is a control of an operation of a device in the cargo terminal, which prepares cargo to be loaded on the vehicle in advance.