JP2009288850A - Fault detection device for outdoor antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an anomaly detector for an outdoor antenna capable of ensuring good communication quality with an antenna installed outdoors.
An antenna abnormality detection sensor unit that is a detection means for detecting an abnormality of an outdoor antenna installed in a management target device such as a vending machine, and whether or not the abnormality detected by the detection means is a false detection. An antenna abnormality determination circuit 3a that is an abnormality determination means for determining and alarm means 5c to 5f that perform an alarm when it is determined that there is no false detection.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an outdoor antenna abnormality detection apparatus, and more particularly to an outdoor antenna abnormality detection apparatus suitable for use in an apparatus that detects an obstacle by coupling to an antenna (antenna).

  In recent years, in vending machines for various products (hereinafter also referred to as vending machines), communication that configures a data transmission line so that authentication by card payment or confirmation of adult authentication can be performed by a recognition device provided in the vending machine. There are an increasing number of vending machines that can be installed in a vending machine and wirelessly connected to a remote center to perform a collation operation.

  As a communication device built in the vending machine, a packet communication unit that can perform communication using a mobile phone line is used.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the communication antenna is installed in an indoor type indoor antenna 6 installed in a showcase 5b in front of the vending machine 5, or in the vending machine 5 as shown in FIG. There are two types of installation forms as an outdoor type outdoor antenna 1 installed on the top of the top plate 5a.

  In addition, due to the radiation characteristics of the antenna, the outdoor antenna 1 installed on the top plate 5a portion of the vending machine 5 is more affected by radio wave shielding by the metal structure of the vending machine 5 than the indoor antenna 6 installed in the showcase. Since it becomes difficult, the radiation pattern of the antenna can be made omnidirectional, and the radio wave environment in the communication area can be secured, which is an effective antenna installation method.

  However, when the antenna is installed outdoors, it is easy to be stolen or mischievous, and there are many cases that result in human damage, causing a communication failure and being unable to be recognized by the recognition device, and can be sold at the vending machine. There was a defect that disappeared.

  As a prior art of the present invention, there is a proposal that a vending machine has a function as a terminal of a mobile communication network. (For example, see Patent Document 1)

There is also a proposal for a vending machine equipped with a communication device that performs communication with a wireless communication network. (For example, see Patent Document 2)
JP 2004-38843 A (FIG. 1) JP 2004-118495 A (FIG. 1)

  In the prior art as shown in FIG. 6 in which the antenna is installed outdoors, there are many cases in which theft or mischief results in breakage, which causes communication failure.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art and provide an abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna that can ensure good communication quality with an antenna installed outdoors.

  In order to achieve this object, an abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna according to the present invention includes a detection means for detecting an abnormality of an outdoor antenna installed in a managed device such as a vending machine, and an abnormality detected by the detection means. Has an abnormality determination means for determining whether or not the detection is a false detection, and an alarm means for giving an alarm when the abnormality determination means determines that the detection is not erroneous.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of a failure due to an external factor after installation such as damage to an outdoor installation type antenna and to secure stable communication quality. As a result, recognition with the recognition device can be carried out with high reliability, so that proper sales can be continued, maintenance and inspection of vending machines can be reduced, and product inventory in the vending machines can be managed remotely. The economic effect is enormous.

  FIG. 4 shows a circuit diagram of a system to which an abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  The system according to this embodiment enables wireless communication with an arbitrary base station. The outdoor antenna 1 installed on the top plate 5a of the vending machine 5, the coaxial cable 2 connected thereto, and the vending machine 5 The antenna abnormality determination device 3 disposed inside the communication device 4, the communication device 4 connected thereto, the antenna abnormality determination device 3 and the vending machine control device 5g connected to the communication device 4, and the antenna abnormality determination device. 3 connected to the alarm control device 5e, a display device 5d connected to the alarm control device 5e for displaying an alarm, a patrol light 5c, and a speaker 5f for generating an alarm sound, thereby providing communication installed in a vending machine or the like. The configuration is such that an abnormality of the external antenna is detected and damage such as theft or mischief is prevented by warning operation of each device.

  The outdoor antenna 1 has an antenna abnormality including an antenna element 1a that is an antenna main body and a sensor that can detect a physical abnormality of the antenna when an external factor such as an impact that damages the antenna element is applied. This circuit includes a detection sensor unit 1c and circuit elements such as a coil and a capacitor.

  The antenna abnormality determination device 3 is disposed inside the vending machine 5, and an antenna abnormality is detected by the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c, and this is input as a sensor detection signal b through the coaxial cable 2. Signal processing such as weighting for preventing erroneous detection is performed on the detected sensor signal b, and an antenna abnormality detection signal c as a reliable abnormality detection result is generated and used as an output.

  The coaxial cable 2 passes a high-frequency signal used in original communication, supplies a power supply voltage for driving the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c, and a sensor from the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c to the antenna abnormality determination device 3. This is a transmission line for sending the detection signal b. That is, the power supply voltage and the sensor detection signal b are superimposed on the high-frequency signal line.

  The antenna abnormality detection signal c output from the antenna abnormality determination device 3 is used for various alarms, for example, warning character display by the display device 5d, generation of alarm sound by the speaker 5f, and rotation / lighting of the indicator lamp by the patrol light 5c. This is an alarm operation for automatically communicating alarm information by radio to a specific location registered in advance via a communication device built in the vending machine, and is positioned as a signal for an alarm command.

  FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the main part of an abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna as an embodiment of the present invention.

  The outdoor antenna 1 is connected to an omnidirectional antenna element 1 a that transmits and receives radio waves as radio high-frequency signals, an antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1 c housed in an antenna fixing base 1 b having a mold structure, and a coaxial cable 2. Circuit (terminals 1d, 1e, capacitor 1f, etc.).

  The sensor power input terminal 1d is an input terminal of a sensor power supply a that supplies DC power to the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c via the central conductor of the coaxial cable 2, and the sensor detection signal output terminal 1e is a coaxial cable 2 This is an output terminal for outputting a sensor detection signal b transmitted through the central conductor of the first capacitor, and the capacitor 1f is a DC blocking capacitor.

  Thus, the power supply to the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1 c is supplied from the antenna abnormality determination device 3 through the coaxial cable 2.

  The signal detected by the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c is converted into a desired detection waveform, and is transmitted as a sensor detection signal b to the antenna abnormality determination circuit 3a provided in the antenna abnormality determination device 3 via the coaxial cable 2. The

  In the antenna abnormality determination device 3, the sensor detection signal b is input to the antenna abnormality determination circuit 3a via the sensor detection signal input terminal 3c, and the power to the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c is supplied from the sensor power supply terminal 3b to the coaxial cable. The high frequency signal is bypassed and connected directly to the communication device 4.

  The power supply of the antenna abnormality determination device 3 is input as an abnormality detection circuit power source d from the vending machine control device 5g to the abnormality determination circuit power input terminal 3d.

  On the other hand, the sensor detection signal b input to the antenna abnormality determination device 3 is subjected to signal processing, and is output as an antenna abnormality detection signal c from the antenna abnormality determination signal output terminal 3e to the alarm control device 5e.

  FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of the outdoor antenna 1 having an internal block diagram of the first embodiment of the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c of the present invention.

  The impact sensor 31 is a sensor that detects an abnormality in the mounting state of the antenna, and is a sensor unit configured using an acceleration sensor or a sensing component such as an impact sensor. This sensor unit receives an impact when a person or an object touches the antenna element 1a or the antenna fixing base 1b, and the impact can be detected as an electric signal.

  There are two types of output signal systems of the sensor detection signal b superimposed on the central conductor portion of the coaxial cable 2. First, the first embodiment uses a multivibrator 32 shown in FIG. In this system, an oscillation signal is modulated by an electrical signal that is an output of the impact sensor 31 to generate an FM modulation signal that linearly changes in frequency according to the degree of impact, and this is used as a sensor detection signal b. .

  Although not shown, as a method similar to that of the first embodiment, there is a method of directly superimposing a frequency change amount such as a shock wave detected by a sensor on the central conductor portion of the coaxial cable.

  In this way, when a person or object touches the outdoor antenna 1 and gives an impact thereto, the impact is detected by the impact sensor 31, and an electrical signal corresponding to the strength, that is, a low frequency resonance frequency is oscillated. The resonant frequency of the multivibrator 32 to be changed is changed, and a frequency-modulated wave (FM wave) corresponding to the impact strength is generated.

  The DC power supplied to the impact sensor 31 and the multivibrator 32 is input from the sensor power input terminal 1d via a high frequency and low frequency blocking coil, while the sensor detection signal b is a DC (direct current) blocking. The signal is output from the sensor detection signal output terminal 1e through the capacitor 1f and the high frequency blocking coil.

  The sensor detection signal b is input to the antenna abnormality determination circuit 3a via the coaxial cable 2 and the sensor detection signal input terminal 3c. Here, the FM-modulated sensor detection signal b is demodulated by a demodulating circuit, the magnitude of the impact is detected by signal processing of this demodulated signal, and collation with the data of the impact based on the magnitude of the wind provided in advance is performed. Thus, a weighting process is performed to prevent erroneous detection of impact due to wind, etc., and the antenna abnormality is correctly determined from the calculation result, and this is detected as an antenna abnormality detection signal c to the alarm control device 5e of the vending machine 5 The signal is output via the signal output terminal 3e (see FIG. 4).

  FIG. 3 shows a circuit diagram of the outdoor antenna 1 having an internal block diagram according to the second embodiment of the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c ′ of the present invention.

  This circuit method is an example of a method of changing the supply current from the antenna abnormality determination device 3 when the antenna abnormality is detected. Since the abnormality detection signal is superimposed on the supply current, the sensor detection signal output terminal 1e is unnecessary.

  The electrical signal detected by the impact sensor 31 is input to a comparator 32 having a circuit for comparing with an arbitrary threshold value, and if a value exceeding the threshold value is obtained as a result of comparison with the threshold value, this is converted to an abnormal impact level. Using the signal obtained there, the switch 34 inserted between the power supply circuit and the load resistor 35 is controlled so that the load resistor 35 is connected to the power supply circuit, and is previously detected for detection of an abnormality. The load current set by the load resistor 35 is passed through the coaxial cable 2, and the current change value is detected by the antenna abnormality determination device 3.

  Here, the magnitude of the impact is detected by signal processing of the number of times the current value changes, the time width, etc., and false detection due to wind etc. is prevented by collating with the data of the impact due to the magnitude of the wind etc. prepared in advance A signal determined to be antenna abnormality based on the calculation result is generated, and this is output as an antenna abnormality detection signal c to the alarm control device 5e of the vending machine 5 via the antenna abnormality determination signal output terminal 3e. (See FIG. 4).

  Note that the contact of the switch 34 closes the circuit at a desired timing.

  FIG. 5 shows an external view of a system applied to a vending machine for an outdoor antenna abnormality detection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The outdoor antenna 1 includes an antenna fixing base 1b in which an antenna element 1a and an antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c are housed, and is attached to a top plate 5a of a vending machine 5.

  Further, it is connected to the antenna abnormality determination device 3 by the coaxial cable 2 and connected to the communication device 4.

  In addition to the above devices, the vending machine 5 is provided with a desired device such as a showcase 5b on the front surface, a patrol light 5c on the top plate 5a, a display device 5d on the upper front surface, and a speaker 5f on the side surface.

  As described above, the outdoor antenna abnormality detection device of the present invention is a detection that detects an abnormality of an outdoor antenna installed in a vending machine, as described in the embodiment of the vending machine 5 that is a management target device such as a vending machine. When an abnormality is detected by the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c or 1c ′, which is a means, and the antenna abnormality detection sensor unit 1c or 1c ′, a sensor detection signal b is output. It is determined whether or not the abnormality detected by the sensor unit 1c or 1c ′ is a false detection, and if it is determined that this is not a false detection, that is, if it is determined that an alarm should occur, the antenna abnormality serving as a command signal An abnormality determination means for outputting a detection signal c and driving the various alarm devices by using the antenna abnormality detection signal c as a driving signal for various alarms. And there antenna abnormality judging circuit 3a, as an example of an alarm, a warning display by the display device 5d vending machine 5, sound an alarm by the speaker 5f, a structure having an alarm means for enabling the warning by the warning lights according Patlite 5c.

  In addition, since the degree of impact strength can be detected, the alarm changes in importance according to the level, or the built-in communication device detects the antenna abnormality before it is damaged or stolen, and this is detected. The data can be rearranged to be transmitted, and the data can be transmitted to notify any registered location (partner) and to notify the antenna abnormality before breakage.

  The present invention is applied to a management target device such as a vending machine, and as an example, can be applied as an abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna of an outdoor antenna.

It is a circuit diagram of the abnormality detection apparatus of the outdoor antenna of this invention. It is a circuit diagram of the abnormality detection sensor part of the present invention. It is the other circuit diagram of the abnormality detection sensor part of this invention. It is a circuit diagram of a system to which an abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna of the present invention is applied. 1 is an external view of a system to which an outdoor antenna abnormality detection device of the present invention is applied. It is an external view of the system of a prior art. It is the other external view of the system of a prior art.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outdoor antenna 1a Antenna element 1b Antenna fixing base 1c, 1c 'Antenna abnormality detection sensor part 1d Sensor power supply input terminal 1e Sensor detection signal output terminal 1f Capacitor 2 Coaxial cable 3 Antenna abnormality determination apparatus 3a Antenna abnormality determination circuit 3b Sensor power supply terminal 3c sensor detection signal input terminal 3d abnormality determination circuit power supply input terminal 3e antenna abnormality determination signal output terminal 4 communication device 5 vending machine 5a top plate 5b showcase 5c patrol light 5d display device 5e alarm control device 5f speaker 5g vending machine control device 6 indoors Antenna 31 Impact sensor 32 Multivibrator 33 Comparator 34 Switch 35 Load resistance a Sensor power supply b Sensor detection signal c Antenna abnormality detection signal d Abnormality detection circuit power supply

Claims (1)

  A detecting means for detecting an abnormality of an outdoor antenna installed in a device to be managed such as a vending machine, an abnormality determining means for determining whether the abnormality detected by the detecting means is not a false detection, and the abnormality determining means; An abnormality detection device for an outdoor antenna, comprising alarm means for giving an alarm when it is determined that there is no false detection.

Images