JP2017078583A - Communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relay device that updates time information with appropriate timing every fixed time and reliably transmits dwelling equipment information to a management device.SOLUTION: A communication device 2 comprises: a time-keeping unit 31 for counting an internal time; an apparatus information transmission unit 32 for transmitting apparatus information pertaining to dwelling equipment to a management device every prescribed time on the basis of the internal time counted by the time-keeping unit 31, a time information reception unit 33 for receiving present time information from a time information provision device 32; and an internal time correction unit 34 for correcting the internal time of the time-keeping unit 31 on the basis of the received present time information when the time information reception unit 33 could receive present time information within a prescribed period that is set not to cross a prescribed time, and not correcting the internal time of the time-keeping unit 31 until a next prescribed period to come when the time information reception unit 33 could not receive the present time information within the prescribed period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication device.

  Conventionally, there is a remote monitoring system that monitors a plurality of devices using a remotely installed server or the like. In such a remote monitoring system, information such as the operating state of each device is transmitted to the management server at regular intervals by the relay device. In such a scheduled process, the remote monitoring system described in Patent Document 1 stores the notification information transmitted by the device management apparatus (relay apparatus) managed by the management server together with the information indicating the time of processing by itself. To do.

  Recently, in order to perform scheduled processing at a more accurate time, the relay device acquires current time information from a time management device connected to a communication network (see, for example, Patent Document 2). Specifically, a remote monitoring device (relay device) that acquires measurement information indicating the operating state of the monitored device synchronizes its own internal time information with the time information held in the standard time synchronization server.

JP 2005-165386 A JP 2008-206135 A

  However, in the conventional remote monitoring system, the following device information transmission error may occur depending on the time update timing based on the acquisition of the current time information. For example, if the current time information acquired immediately after the relay device transmits the device information at a predetermined time is before the predetermined time, the predetermined time is counted twice, so the device information is transmitted in duplicate. Resulting in. In addition, when the current time information acquired immediately before the relay device transmits the device information at a predetermined time is later than the predetermined time, the predetermined time is not counted once, so the device information is transmitted. Absent. For this reason, there has been a problem that a problem occurs when the data of the device information is totaled on the management server side. In particular, centralized management of information on housing equipment is an important issue because it helps a resident to have a safe and comfortable life.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to update time information at an appropriate timing and reliably transmit the information in a relay device that transmits information on housing equipment to the management device at regular intervals.

  A communication apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is a device that transmits a device information related to a housing facility device to a management device at a predetermined time based on the internal time measured by the time measuring unit that measures an internal time. An information transmitting unit, a time information receiving unit that receives current time information from a time information providing device, and the time information receiving unit within a predetermined period set so as not to cross the predetermined time. When received, correct the internal time of the timekeeping unit based on the received current time information, and when the time information receiving unit could not receive the current time information within the predetermined period, An internal time correction unit that does not correct the internal time of the time measuring unit until the next predetermined period.

  For example, when the current time information is requested at every predetermined timing, even if the current time information cannot be received at a certain timing and the internal time is not updated, the transmission time of the device information does not immediately change greatly. According to the above configuration, when the current time information cannot be received within the set predetermined period, the internal time is not corrected until the next predetermined period. This prevents serious transmission errors such as duplicate transmission of device information due to the time being counted twice and device information not being transmitted because the time is not counted once. It can be reliably transmitted to the management device. As a result, for example, in a remote monitoring system, information on house equipment to be monitored is transmitted to a remotely installed management server (management device) at regular intervals, so the aggregated data is managed as time-series data. can do.

  When the current time information can be received, the communication between the communication device and the time information providing device is normally performed, data is received within a predetermined period, and the current time of the received data can be read normally. Means when When the current time information could not be received, when data was received outside a predetermined period due to a communication failure between the communication device and the time information providing device, etc. It includes both cases where time information could not be read due to reasons such as being broken.

  The time information receiving unit may request the time information providing apparatus to transmit current time information, and receive the current time information as a response from the time information providing apparatus to the request.

  According to the said structure, the communication apparatus can acquire the correct present time information through a TCP / IP network, for example from an NTP server or a SNTP server. That is, the communication device can set the correct time in consideration of the communication delay by making an inquiry to the server that is transmitting the current time information.

  The internal time correction unit is information indicating that the current time information received by the time information receiving unit is a time after a predetermined time that comes next, or information that indicates a time before a previous predetermined time. In this case, the time information receiving unit may be regarded as having failed to receive the current time information within the predetermined period.

  In the above configuration, the predetermined period may be set just before a predetermined time. For example, when a predetermined period (ex.11: 55-11: 58) is set, the received current time information (ex.12: 01) is past the predetermined time (ex.12: 00) Otherwise, the device information is not transmitted. For example, when a predetermined period (ex.12: 05-12: 08) is set, the received current time information (ex.11: 59) is earlier than the previous predetermined time (ex.12: 00). In this case, the device information is transmitted redundantly. In such a case, since it is considered that the current time information could not be received within a predetermined period, it is possible to avoid a device information transmission error instead of updating the internal time.

  The predetermined period may be set to a time zone including a time in the middle of two consecutive predetermined times among the predetermined times.

  With the above configuration, it is difficult for an event that the received current time information is later than the next predetermined time or before the previous predetermined time to occur.

  After the communication device is activated, the timekeeping unit measures the internal time based on preset initial time information, and after the communication device is activated, or until a predetermined time elapses after the time measurement is started in the timekeeping unit. In addition, when the time information receiving unit is able to receive the current time information, the internal time correcting unit corrects the internal time, and the device information transmitting unit is first configured based on the corrected internal time. If the time information receiving unit cannot receive the current time information before the predetermined time elapses, the device information transmitting unit transmits the initial time information. The first device information may be transmitted to the management device after the predetermined time has elapsed based on the internal time measured based on the time.

  With the above configuration, when initial time information (ex. Date and time) is set in advance, and a period from when the communication device starts up until the current time information is received has occurred, a situation occurs in which the current time information cannot be received after startup However, the first device information can be reliably transmitted to the management device based on the internal time measured based on the set initial time information. Thereby, for example, the entire remote monitoring system can be quickly activated.

  The device information transmission unit may transmit the device information to the management device together with the internal time information.

  According to the above configuration, the management device can generate the time series data of the device information based on the internal time information of the communication device. Moreover, you may generate | occur | produce the time series data of apparatus information using the time information of a management apparatus. Thereby, even if the internal time information (initial time information) transmitted together with the device information received first on the management device side is not an accurate time, the generation of the time series data is not affected.

  The housing equipment may be a hot water system including a plurality of water heaters, and the equipment information may be information related to the hot water system.

  According to the said structure, the operating condition of the hot water supply system provided with the several water heater in the remote monitoring system can be monitored, for example.

  The water heater is a combustion heating type water heater, and the information about the hot water system is at least one piece of information about the number of combustion of the plurality of water heaters, the number of combustion times of each of the water heaters, and the combustion time. May be included.

  According to the said structure, the user can know the usage-amount of a hot-water supply system by accumulating the maximum number of the hot water heaters which are simultaneously burning in the management apparatus as time series data. Moreover, the user can know the lifetime of each water heater by accumulating information on the number of combustion times or the combustion time of each water heater as time series data.

  The method according to another aspect of the present invention includes a step of measuring an internal time, a step of receiving current time information from a time information providing device, and a predetermined period set not to cross the predetermined time, When the current time information can be received, the internal time is corrected based on the received current time information, and when the current time information cannot be received within the predetermined period, the next time arrives A step of not correcting the internal time until a predetermined period, and a step of transmitting device information relating to the housing equipment to the management device at every predetermined time based on the internal time.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, in the relay apparatus which transmits the information of housing-equipment equipment to a management apparatus every fixed time, time information can be updated at an appropriate timing and the said information can be transmitted reliably.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a remote monitoring system including a communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the communication apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a flow of time information acquisition processing accompanying the scheduled processing of the communication device in FIG. FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing an example of the flow of time information acquisition processing in FIG. FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of time-series data of device information collected by the management server. FIG. 6 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a flow of time information acquisition processing associated with the regular processing of the communication device of the comparative example. FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a flow of time information acquisition processing that accompanies the scheduled processing of the communication device according to the modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the flow of time information acquisition processing associated with the startup processing of the communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a first communication flow diagram among the communication device, the time information server, and the management server according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a second communication flow diagram among the communication device, the time information server, and the management server according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a communication flow diagram among the communication device of the comparative example, the time information server, and the management server.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference symbols throughout all the drawings, and redundant description thereof is omitted. Further, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a remote monitoring system including a communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the remote monitoring system 100 includes a housing equipment 1, a communication device 2, a management server 3, a time information server 4, and a terminal device 5.

  In this embodiment, the housing equipment 1 is a hot water supply system including a plurality of hot water heaters. This hot water supply system is a monitoring target device of the remote monitoring system 100. The hot water supply system includes six hot water heaters WH1 to WH6 installed outdoors, three system controllers (hereinafter simply referred to as syscons) SC1 to SC3 for controlling the number of operating hot water heaters, and these hot water supplies. And a remote controller (hereinafter simply referred to as a remote controller) RC for remotely operating the device. In the present embodiment, the water heaters WH1 to WH6 are combustion heating type water heaters.

  As shown in the figure, the syscons SC1 to SC3 are composed of lower syscons SC1 and SC2 located in the lower layer and upper syscon SC3 located in the upper layer of these lower syscons. The control of the lower syscons SC1 and SC2 is integrated by the upper syscon SC3.

  Specifically, the lower syscons SC1 and SC2 and the upper syscon SC3 are connected via a communication cable L1 and can transmit and receive control data to and from each other. The communication cable L1 is, for example, a two-core communication line. Here, “two-core” means two lines. In addition, the lower-level system controllers SC1 and SC2 and controllers C1 to C6 of the water heaters WH1 to WH6 are also connected via the communication cable L2, and control data can be transmitted and received between them. In the present embodiment, the remote controller RC is connected to the syscon SC3 located at the top of the hierarchical structure via the communication cable L3. The remote controller RC is an operating device for remotely operating the hot water supply system, and includes an operation unit for performing various operations such as system on / off and hot water temperature setting through communication with the system controller SC3. And a display unit for displaying information provided via SC3. Each of the hierarchical system controllers SC1 to SC3 is equipped with a microcontroller (hereinafter simply referred to as a microcomputer), and the operation number control of the water heaters WH1 to WH6 is executed by setting the program of the microcomputer. For details of the function of controlling the number of units operated by such a hierarchical syscon, refer to, for example, Japanese Patent No. 36060362.

  The hot water supply system configured as described above is connected to the communication device 2 via the communication cable L3, and can transmit and receive data for control between them. In the present embodiment, device information related to the hot water supply system is transmitted from the hot water supply system to the communication device 2. Here, the device information related to the hot water supply system is information related to the number of combustion of the hot water heaters, and is transmitted from the syscon SC3 that supervises the operation number control to the communication device 2.

  The communication device 2 is configured to transmit device information related to the hot water supply system to the management server 3 every predetermined time. The communication device 2 includes a communication relay unit 11, a network communication unit 12, and a power supply unit 13. The communication relay unit 11 functions as an interface for connecting the house equipment 1 to the network N. The network N is, for example, the Internet. In this embodiment, the communication relay unit 11 is a communication adapter having a two-core communication function with the hot water supply system and a LAN communication function with the network communication unit 12. The communication adapter is connected to the remote controller RC of the hot water supply system and the syscon SC3 via the communication cable L3, and can transmit and receive data to and from each other. The communication adapter is connected to the network communication unit 12 via the communication cable L4, and can transmit / receive data to / from each other. FIG. 1 shows a case where the communication relay unit 11 and the network communication unit 12 are connected by a communication cable L4. However, the communication relay unit 11 and the network communication unit 12 may be connected by a wireless LAN. Good. Thereby, the communication adapter can transmit the device information received from the system controller SC3 of the hot water supply system to the network communication unit 12. That is, the communication relay unit 11 functions as a relay device for connecting the hot water supply system to the management server 3.

  The network communication unit 12 basically converts the information received from the communication relay unit 11 and transmits the information to the management server 3 through the network N. On the other hand, the information transmitted from the management server 3 through the network N is converted and transmitted to the communication relay unit 11. As the network communication unit 12, a broadband router / hub having a constant connection function with the network N, a DHCP server function, and a HUB function is used. In the present embodiment, the network communication unit 12 is a 3G router.

  For example, the power supply unit 13 converts AC power (for example, 100 V) output from an external AC power source (not shown) into DC power, and steps down the voltage of the converted DC power to a predetermined voltage (for example, 15 V), A power supply voltage is supplied to a power supply terminal (not shown) of the network communication unit 12. In the present embodiment, the power supply unit 13 does not supply the power supply voltage to the communication relay unit 11. Instead, the power supply voltage to the communication relay unit 11 is supplied from a power supply unit (not shown) of the hot water supply system via the communication cable L3.

  The management server 3 is configured to centrally manage device information related to the hot water supply system. The management server 3 includes a basic configuration for realizing a server function such as a CPU, a memory, and a hard disk, and a communication unit for transmitting / receiving information to / from the communication device 2 and the terminal device 5 through the network N. The management server 3 incorporates a predetermined program for remote monitoring, and various functions are executed based on this program. In the present embodiment, the management server 3 receives device information about the hot water supply system transmitted from the communication device 2 every predetermined period, and executes a remote monitoring function for centrally managing the collected data as time series data.

  The time information server 4 is configured to provide current time information to the communication device 2. The time information server 4 has a standard time that is an accurate time, and includes communication means for transmitting and receiving data related to the current time information via the communication device 2 and the network N. In this embodiment, the time information server 4 corresponds to an NTP or SNTP server in NTP or SNTP that synchronizes time between a plurality of nodes by transmitting and receiving information via the Internet. In this case, the communication device 2 corresponds to an NTP client or an SNTP client.

  The terminal device 5 can be connected to the network N and is configured to be able to display time series data stored in the management server 3. The terminal device 5 is an electronic device such as a personal computer or a smartphone installed in a call center or a service shop, for example.

  Next, a specific configuration of the communication relay unit 11 in the communication device 2 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the communication relay unit 11 includes a two-core communication unit 21, a control unit 22, and a LAN communication unit 23.

  The two-core communication unit 21 is configured to exchange signals with the two-core communication unit (not shown) of the system controller SC3 of the hot water supply system of FIG. 1 and the remote controller RC2 via the two-core communication cable L3. In this embodiment, the two-core communication unit 21 receives a signal including device information related to the hot water supply system via the two-core communication cable L <b> 3 and transmits the received signal to the control unit 22. The two-core communication unit 21 receives power supply for operation of the communication relay unit 11 via the communication cable L3.

  The control unit 22 includes a timer unit 31, a device information transmission unit 32, a time information reception unit 33, and an internal time correction unit 34. Each functional block of the control unit 22 is realized by, for example, a microcomputer including an arithmetic circuit, a memory, an input / output interface, a timer, a counter, and the like.

  The timer unit 31 is configured to measure the internal time. In this embodiment, it is a timer mounted on a microcomputer.

  The time information receiving unit 33 is configured to receive current time information from the time information server 4. In this embodiment, the time information receiving unit 33 requests the time information server 4 to transmit the current time information according to NTP or SNTP, and receives the current time information as a response from the time information server 4 to the request. Here, the time information receiving unit 33 receives a signal including the current time information via the LAN communication unit 23.

  When the time information receiving unit 33 is able to receive the current time information within a predetermined period set so as not to straddle the predetermined time, the internal time correction unit 34 measures the time based on the received current time information. 31. When the time information receiving unit 33 cannot receive the current time information within a predetermined period, the internal time of the time measuring unit 31 is not corrected until the next predetermined period. Composed.

  The device information transmitting unit 32 is configured to transmit device information related to the hot water supply system to the management server 3 at every predetermined time based on the internal time measured by the time measuring unit 31. In the present embodiment, the device information transmission unit 32 converts a signal including device information related to the hot water supply system into a signal communicable via a LAN, and transmits the signal to the LAN communication unit 23 at a predetermined time.

  The LAN communication unit 23 is connected to the network communication unit 12 (see FIG. 1) via a communication cable L4, and is a communication unit for communicating with the network communication unit 12. In the present embodiment, as described above, Ethernet (“Ethernet” is a registered trademark) is used as the LAN standard for the local area network, so the LAN communication unit 23 is configured by a communication device compatible with Ethernet. With such a configuration, the communication device 2 transmits device information related to the hot water supply system to the management server 3 every predetermined time.

[Scheduled processing]
Next, the time information acquisition process accompanying the scheduled process of the communication apparatus 2 will be described using the flowchart of FIG. Here, the scheduled processing refers to processing in which the communication device 2 transmits device information to the management server 3 at a predetermined time. In the present embodiment, transmission processing is performed at a predetermined time every hour.

  First, prior to the scheduled processing, the communication device 2 uses the time measuring unit 31 to count the elapsed time from the time when the previous time information request was transmitted. And the communication apparatus 2 determines whether T1 time passed after transmitting the request | requirement of the last time information (step S1 of FIG. 3). Here, the length of the predetermined period T1 is arbitrary, but is set to 1 hour here. Specifically, the communication device 2 stands by until the internal time of the time measuring unit 31 requests the previous time information server 4 to transmit the current time information, and measures a predetermined period T1. When the internal time of the time measuring unit 31 measures the predetermined period T1 (YES in step S1), the communication device 2 transmits a request for current time information to the time information server 4 (step S2 in FIG. 3).

  Next, the communication device 2 determines whether or not the time information receiving unit 33 has received the current time information within a predetermined period T2 from the transmission of the request (step S3 in FIG. 3). When the time information receiving unit 33 can receive the current time information within the predetermined period T2 (YES in step S3 in FIG. 3), the internal time correction unit 34 determines the time of the time measuring unit 31 based on the received current time information. The internal time is corrected (step S4 in FIG. 3). FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing an example of the flow of time information acquisition processing. The time in parentheses indicates the internal time of the communication apparatus 2, and the time enclosed by a square indicates the received current time information. As shown in FIG. 4, the predetermined period T2 is set so as not to cross a predetermined time (11:00, 12:00, 13:00). The predetermined period T2 is set to a time zone including a time (11:30) in the middle of two consecutive predetermined times (11:00, 12:00). The length of the predetermined period T2 is arbitrary, but here is 5 minutes. FIG. 4 shows a case where the current time information [12:28] can be received before the predetermined period T2 elapses after the time information request is transmitted at time (12:29). Here, when the current time information can be received, the communication between the communication device 2 and the time information server 4 is normally performed, data is received within the predetermined period T2, and the current time information of the received data is This means that it can be read normally. In this case, the internal time correction unit 34 corrects the internal time of the time measuring unit 31 based on the received current time information (12:28).

  On the other hand, when the time information receiving unit 33 cannot receive the current time information within the predetermined period T2 (NO in step S3 in FIG. 3), the internal time correcting unit 34 counts up to the next predetermined period. The internal time 31 is not corrected. FIG. 4 shows a case where the current time information cannot be received before a predetermined period T2 elapses after the time information request is transmitted at time (11:29). Here, when the current time information could not be received, the case where the data was received after the elapse of the predetermined period T2 due to a communication failure between the communication device 2 and the time information server 4 or the like. This includes both cases where the time information could not be read because the time information was broken. In these cases, the internal time correction unit 34 does not correct the internal time of the time measuring unit 31 until the next predetermined period.

  And the communication apparatus 2 waits until the predetermined time is timed based on internal time by the time measuring part 31 (step S5 of FIG. 3). The communication apparatus 2 will transmit the apparatus information regarding a hot water supply system to the management server 3, if a predetermined time is time-measured in the time measuring part (step S6 of FIG. 3). In FIG. 4, the communication device 2 transmits device information related to the hot water supply system to the management server 3 when the timer 31 measures a predetermined time (12:00). Specifically, the device information transmission unit 32 transmits this device information to the management server 3 together with the internal time information. Thereafter, the communication device 2 returns to Step S1 and waits until the next time information update time. In other words, it waits until the predetermined time period T1 is measured after requesting the time information server 4 to transmit current time information last time.

  In this way, in the remote monitoring system 100, device information related to the hot water supply system to be monitored is transmitted to the management server 3 at regular intervals, so that the aggregated data can be managed as time series data. The management server 3 generates time-series data based on the time when the device information is received using its own internal time. FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of time-series data of device information collected by the management server 3. 2 shows the maximum number of water heaters per hour that are simultaneously burning in the hot water supply system of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the number of units operated increases every hour since the start of operation, and the operation of the hot water supply system reaches its peak for 4 hours after 6 hours. That is, during this period, all of the water heaters WH1 to WH6 in FIG. 1 are operating. Thereafter, the number of operating units decreases by one every hour, and the hot water supply system stops operating after 16 hours from the start of operation. The user can know the usage amount of the hot water supply system by using the management server 3 or the terminal device 5.

[Comparative example]
Next, effects of the present embodiment will be described while comparing with modes assumed in the prior art. FIG. 6 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a flow of time information acquisition processing associated with the regular processing of the communication device 2A of the comparative example. Here, the time in parentheses indicates the internal time of the communication apparatus 2A, and the time enclosed by a square indicates the received current time information. As shown in FIG. 6, in the comparative example, the predetermined period T2 for receiving the current time information is not set. Here, a case is shown where the current time information [11:59] is received at the time (12:01) after the time information request is transmitted at the time (11:30). In this case, the communication device 2A corrects the internal time based on the received current time information [11:59] after performing the scheduled processing at a predetermined time (12:00), and therefore, the predetermined time after one minute. (12:00) is timed and the scheduled processing is executed again. That is, if the current time information [11:59] acquired immediately after the communication device 2A transmits the device information at a predetermined time (12:00) is before the predetermined time (12:00), Since the time (12:00) is counted twice, the device information is transmitted redundantly. Also, if the current time information [12:01] acquired immediately before the communication device 2A transmits the device information at a predetermined time (12:00) is after the predetermined time (12:00), the predetermined time (12:00) Since the time (12:00) is not counted even once, the device information is not transmitted. For this reason, a problem arises when the device information data is tabulated on the management server 3 side.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, since the current time information is requested every predetermined timing (predetermined period T1), the current time information is requested at time (11:29), but within the set predetermined period T2. Even if reception is not possible and the internal time is not updated, the transmission time of the device information does not immediately change significantly (see FIG. 4). Therefore, when the current time information cannot be received within the set predetermined period T2, the internal time is not corrected until the next predetermined period. Thereby, the serious transmission error as described in the comparative example can be prevented, and the communication device 2 can reliably transmit the device information to the management server 3.

[Modification]
Next, a modification of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the predetermined period T2 is set so as not to cross the predetermined time (see FIG. 4), but a problem occurs when the predetermined period T2 is set just before the predetermined time. FIG. 7 is a timing chart illustrating an example of a flow of time information acquisition processing that accompanies the scheduled processing of the communication device according to the modification of the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, when a predetermined period (11: 55-11: 58) is set immediately before a predetermined time (12:00), the received current time information [12:01] is received next. If the time (12:00) has passed, the device information is not transmitted. In addition, when the predetermined period T2 (13: 05-13: 08) is set, if the received current time information [12:59] is before the previous predetermined time (13:00), the device information Will be duplicated.

  Therefore, when the received current time information [12:01] is after the next predetermined time (12:00), the current time information [12:01] cannot be received within the predetermined period T2. It is considered to have been. If the received current time information [12:59] is earlier than the previous predetermined time (13:00), the current time information [12:59] could not be received within the predetermined period T2. It is considered. Thereby, it is possible to avoid a transmission error of device information instead of updating the internal time.

(Second Embodiment)
[Processing at startup]
Next, a second embodiment will be described. Below, the description of the structure common to 1st Embodiment is abbreviate | omitted, and only a different structure is demonstrated.

  In the first embodiment, the time information acquisition process associated with the scheduled process of the communication apparatus 2 has been described. In the present embodiment, the time information acquisition process associated with the activation process of the communication apparatus 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, the communication device 2 is activated (step S100 in FIG. 8). Specifically, the communication device 2 is activated in the following procedure. A power supply voltage is supplied to the communication relay unit 11 (communication adapter) via the communication cable L3 from the hot water supply system that is powered on. Thereafter, the power supply voltage is supplied from the power supply unit 13 to the network communication unit 12 (3G router). Then, a LAN communication path is established between the communication relay unit 11 and the network communication unit 12 via the communication cable L4, and communication is possible between the communication relay unit 11 and the network communication unit 12.

  Next, after the communication device 2 is activated, the time measuring unit 31 starts measuring the internal time based on preset initial time information (step S101 in FIG. 8). Here, the initial time is arbitrary, but here, it is set to 0:00 on January 1, 2000.

  And after the time-measurement part 31 starts time measurement, the communication apparatus 2 connects to the internet (step S102 of FIG. 8). Specifically, a communication path is established between the network communication unit 12 and the management server 3 via the network N (Internet), and communication between the communication device 2 and the management server 3 becomes possible.

  Next, the communication device 2 transmits a request for current time information to the time information server 4 (step S103 in FIG. 8).

  Next, it is determined whether or not the time information receiving unit 33 has received the current time information after the time information is transmitted by the time measuring unit 31 until a predetermined time T3 elapses after the time information request is transmitted (FIG. 8). Step S104). Here, the length of the predetermined time T3 is arbitrary but is set to 5 minutes here.

  FIG. 9 is a first communication flow diagram among the communication device, the time information server, and the management server according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The time in parentheses indicates the internal time of the communication apparatus 2, and the time enclosed by a square indicates the received current time information. FIG. 9 shows the time information after the time measurement unit 31 starts time measurement (00:00), after the time information reception unit 33 transmits the time information request (00:03), and until a predetermined time T3 (5 minutes) elapses. The case where the receiving unit 33 has received the current time information [15:20] is shown (YES in step S104 in FIG. 8). In this case, the internal time correction unit 34 corrects the internal time (step S105 in FIG. 8). And the communication apparatus 2 waits until the first predetermined time is timed based on internal time by the time measuring part 31 (step S106 of FIG. 8). Thereafter, when a predetermined time is counted by the time measuring unit 31, the device information transmitting unit 32 transmits the first device information regarding the hot water supply system to the management server 3 based on the corrected internal time (step S107 in FIG. 8). ). As shown in FIG. 9, when a predetermined time (16:00) is timed by the time measuring unit 31, the device information transmitting unit 32 stores initial device information related to the hot water supply system based on the corrected internal time. 3 (step S107). Thereafter, the process returns to step S1 in FIG.

  Since the “first device information” is device information that the communication device 2 transmits to the management server 3 for the first time, the data configuration is different from the device information that is transmitted in the second and subsequent communications (eg, a plurality of hot water supply systems). It may be information including information indicating the connection relationship between the devices).

  FIG. 10 is a second communication flow diagram among the communication device, the time information server, and the management server according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The time in parentheses indicates the internal time of the communication apparatus 2, and the time enclosed by a square indicates the received current time information. FIG. 10 shows the time information after the time measurement unit 31 starts the time measurement (00:00), the time information reception unit 33 transmits the time information request (00:03), and the predetermined time T3 (5 minutes) elapses. This shows a case where the receiving unit 33 cannot receive the current time information (NO in step S104 in FIG. 8). In this case, based on the internal time (00:08) timed based on preset initial time information, the first device information is transmitted to the management server 3 after a predetermined time T3 has elapsed (step S107). Thereafter, the communication device 2 returns to Step S1 and waits until the next time information update time.

  Thereby, the first device information can be reliably transmitted to the management server 3 when the communication device 2 is activated, and the remote monitoring system 100 can be activated quickly. Here, the device information transmitting unit 32 transmits this device information to the management server 3 together with the internal time information. However, the internal time information transmitted together with the first device information is based on the initial time information, and the accurate time is determined. Even if it is not displayed, the management server 3 generates time-series data based on the time when the device information is received using its own internal time, so that the time-series data is not affected. Rather, the user can analogize the state when the communication device 2 is activated based on the fact that the time information included in the received data is not an accurate time.

[Comparative example]
Next, effects of the present embodiment will be described while comparing with modes assumed in the prior art. FIG. 11 is a communication flow diagram among the communication device of the comparative example, the time information server, and the management server. As shown in FIG. 11, when the communication device 2 </ b> A cannot receive the current time information from the time information server 4 at the time of activation, the device information cannot be transmitted to the management server 3.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the initial time information is set in advance, and the time limit from the activation of the communication device 2 to the reception of the current time information is set, so that the comparative example of FIG. Even when a situation in which the current time information cannot be received after startup occurs, the first device information can be reliably transmitted to the management device based on the internal time measured based on the set initial time information. .

  In the present embodiment, the communication device 2 includes the time measuring unit inside the communication relay unit 11, but is not limited thereto. For example, the communication device 2 may include a time measuring unit outside the communication relay unit 11, and the time measuring unit may time a predetermined time after the communication device 2 is activated.

(Other embodiments)
In each of the above embodiments, the house equipment 1 is a hot water supply system including a plurality of hot water heaters. However, the fuel cell power generation unit, the air conditioner, the hot water heater, the floor heater, the bath heat source machine, the hot water Other household equipment such as a dryer may be used.

  In each of the above embodiments, the time information receiving unit 33 requests the time information server 4 to transmit the current time information and receives the current time information as a response from the time information server 4 to the request. A configuration may be adopted in which time information is received at predetermined timings from the time information server 4 or other time information providing devices without being transmitted.

  The time information is received at every predetermined timing, but may be received at different timings in different time zones.

  In each of the above embodiments, the house equipment 1 is a hot water supply system including a plurality of hot water heaters. However, the fuel cell power generation unit, the air conditioner, the hot water heater, the floor heater, the bath heat source machine, the hot water Other household equipment such as a dryer may be used.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the information related to the hot water supply system is the number of hot water heaters burned in the number control, but information for determining the life of each hot water heater (for example, the number of combustions of each hot water heater and the combustion) Time), and may include at least one piece of information on the number of combustion, the number of combustion times of each water heater, and the combustion time.

  From the foregoing description, many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention are obvious to one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be construed as illustrative only and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of the structure and / or function may be substantially changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  The present invention can be used for a communication device that performs a scheduled process.

1 Housing equipment (hot-water supply system)
2 Communication device 2A Communication device (comparative example)
3 Management Server 4 Time Information Server 5 Terminal Device 11 Communication Relay Unit (Communication Adapter)
12 Network communication unit (3G router)
13 Power supply unit 21 Two-core communication unit 22 Control unit 23 LAN communication unit 31 Timekeeping unit 32 Device information transmission unit 33 Time information reception unit 34 Internal time correction unit 100 Remote monitoring system N Network WH1 to WH6 Water heater RC Remote control SC1 to SC3 System controller C1 to C6 Controller L1, L2, L3 Communication cable (2-core cable)
L4 communication cable (LAN cable)

Claims (8)

A timekeeping section for measuring the internal time,
A device information transmitting unit that transmits device information related to housing equipment to a management device at predetermined times based on the internal time measured by the time measuring unit;
A time information receiving unit for receiving current time information from the time information providing device;
When the time information receiving unit is able to receive the current time information within a predetermined period set so as not to cross the predetermined time, the internal part of the time measuring unit is based on the received current time information. The time is corrected, and when the time information receiving unit cannot receive the current time information within the predetermined period, the internal time of the time measuring unit is not corrected until the predetermined period that comes next. And a time correction unit.   The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the time information receiving unit requests the time information providing device to transmit current time information, and receives the current time information as a response from the time information providing device to the request. .   The internal time correction unit is information indicating that the current time information received by the time information receiving unit is a time after a predetermined time that comes next, or information that indicates a time before a previous predetermined time. 3, the communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time information receiving unit considers that the current time information has not been received within the predetermined period.   The communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined period is set to a time zone including a time in the middle of two predetermined times that are consecutive among the predetermined times. After the activation of the communication device, the timer unit measures the internal time based on preset initial time information,
When the time information receiving unit can receive the current time information after the communication device is started up or after a predetermined time has elapsed after the start of timing in the timing unit, the internal time correction unit The device information transmission unit transmits the first device information at the first predetermined time based on the corrected internal time,
If the time information receiver cannot receive the current time information before the predetermined time elapses, the device information transmitter is based on the internal time measured based on the initial time information. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the first device information is transmitted to the management device after the predetermined time has elapsed.   The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device information transmission unit transmits the device information to the management device together with the internal time information. The housing equipment is a hot water system including a plurality of water heaters,
The communication apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the device information is information related to the hot water supply system. The water heater is a combustion heating type water heater,
The communication apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the information related to the hot water supply system includes at least one piece of information related to the number of combustion of the plurality of water heaters, the number of times of combustion of each of the water heaters, and the combustion time.

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