Field management system

Abstract

This field management system detects signs of malfunctions, thereby preventing interruptions to field water management caused by malfunctions. [Solution] The system comprises a water supply device 10 and a drainage device 50 that can supply water to or drain water from field H by opening and closing a water tap and a drainage tap, and a field management server 100 that detects signs of malfunction in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. The water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 are equipped with motors that are the driving sources for operating the water tap 30 and the drainage tap 70. The field management server 100 detects signs of malfunction when the load current value when operating the motor exceeds a sign threshold value that is set to be lower than the overload current value that occurs when a malfunction occurs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technology of a field management system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the technology of a field management system for performing water management in a field has been known. For example, it is as described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

[0003] The field management system described in Patent Document has a faucet opening / closing device, a server center, etc. The faucet opening / closing device switches the availability of water supply to the field by opening and closing a water supply faucet. The faucet opening / closing device has a communication function. The server center can remotely control the faucet opening / closing device by communicating with it.

[0004] The field management system described in Patent Document has a water supply device, a drainage device, etc. The water supply device and the drainage device have a valve body and a partition body that perform an opening / closing operation by power from a motor with an encoder. In the field management system described in Patent Document, the position of the valve body, etc. is calculated based on a pulse signal output from the encoder. Thus, the encoder is used as a position detection unit for detecting the position of the valve body, etc. Also, in the field management system described in Patent Document, the water supply device and the drainage device can be remotely controlled.

[0005] In a configuration for remotely controlling a faucet opening / closing device, a water supply device, etc. as in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, usually, when a problem occurs, it is notified to the server center, but even if the response to the problem is started after the notification, it takes time to recover. In this case, appropriate water supply (water management) to the field may be interrupted for a long time, which may have an adverse effect on the growth of crops. Therefore, a technology capable of preventing the interruption of water management due to the occurrence of problems is required.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-092455 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-193914 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] One aspect of this disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the problem it seeks to solve is to provide a field management system that can prevent interruptions to field water management due to the occurrence of a malfunction by detecting signs of malfunction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The problem that one aspect of this disclosure aims to solve is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be explained.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a water tap device is provided that can supply water to a field or drain water from a field by opening and closing a stopper, and a sign detection unit detects signs of malfunction in the water tap device. According to one aspect of this disclosure, by detecting signs of malfunction, it is possible to prevent interruptions to field water management due to the occurrence of malfunction.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device comprises a motor which is a drive source for operating the faucet, and the symptom detection unit detects the symptom when the load current value when operating the motor becomes equal to or greater than a symptom threshold value which is set to be lower than the overload current value that occurs when a malfunction occurs. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the load current value.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device comprises a motor which is a drive source for operating the faucet, and the sign detection unit stores the load current value when operating the motor and detects the sign based on the change in the load current value when the motor is operated multiple times. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on changes in the load current value.

[0012] In one aspect of this disclosure, the faucet device is capable of a clog-clearing operation in which the tap is opened and closed at least once within a predetermined time in order to clear a blockage in the tap, and the sign detection unit detects the sign based on the number of times the clog-clearing operation is performed or the frequency of the clog-clearing operation. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the number or frequency of blockage clearing operations.

[0013] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the sign detection unit detects the sign based on the number of times the faucet is opened and closed by the faucet device. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the number of times the stopper is opened and closed.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device comprises a motor which is a drive source for operating the faucet, and a battery which supplies power to the motor, and the sign detection unit detects the sign based on the degree of deterioration of the battery. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the degree of battery degradation.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device comprises a motor which is a drive source for operating the faucet, and an encoder which outputs pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motor, and the sign detection unit detects the sign based on the rotation speed of the motor detected based on the pulses output by the encoder and the load current value when operating the motor. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the motor rotation speed and load current value detected by the encoder.

[0016] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the invention further comprises a notification unit that, when the sign detection unit detects the sign, prompts the user to perform maintenance on the faucet device. According to one aspect of this disclosure, maintenance can be encouraged to be performed at an appropriate time (before a malfunction occurs).

[0017] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a water tap device is provided which is capable of supplying water to a field or draining water from a field by opening and closing a stopper, and a detection unit is provided which detects a malfunction of the water tap device, wherein the water tap device is provided which is a drive source for operating the stopper and an encoder that outputs pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motor, and the detection unit detects a malfunction of the water tap device based on the output of the encoder. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the occurrence of an abnormality (malfunction) can be appropriately detected.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device is configured to open and close in response to an opening degree command from a server, and the detection unit performs a process to detect a malfunction in the faucet device only when the previous opening degree from the server is the same as the current opening degree from the server. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the accuracy of defect detection can be improved.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the field management system further comprises a water level detection unit for detecting the water level in the field, and the detection unit detects a malfunction of the water tap device based on the detection result by the water level detection unit, in addition to the output of the encoder. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the relationship between the water level and the output result of the encoder allows for more appropriate detection of the occurrence of an abnormality (malfunction).

[0020] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the detection unit determines an appropriate state of the faucet device based on the detection result by the water level detection unit, and determines whether the actual state of the faucet device is an appropriate state based on the output of the encoder. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, appropriate conditions (normal determination conditions) can be selected according to the water level, and the occurrence of an abnormality (defect) can be appropriately detected.

[0021] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the detection unit is constituted by a server capable of communicating with the encoder and the water level detection unit at an appropriate time interval. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a determination of a defect can be made on the server side, and the control load (defect detection process) of the faucet device can be reduced. Further, even when detecting the occurrence of a defect by a server that communicates at a predetermined time interval in this way, appropriate conditions (normal determination conditions) can be selected according to the water level, so that the occurrence of an abnormality (defect) can be appropriately detected.

[0022] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the faucet device is capable of executing constant flooding control to maintain the water level of the field at a constant value based on the detection result by the water level detection unit. In the constant flooding control, the detection unit determines whether the actual state of the faucet device is an appropriate state only when the opening degree of the faucet device before a predetermined time is the same as the current opening degree of the faucet device. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the occurrence of an erroneous determination can be suppressed in constant flooding control.

[0023] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the detection unit detects a defect of the faucet device based on the number of occurrences of the pulses per unit time. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a sign of the occurrence of a defect can be detected based on the number of occurrences of the pulses.

[0024] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device is configured to receive the opening degree of the faucet device from a server, and to receive an opening / closing command from the server. The detection unit determines that an abnormality has occurred in the faucet device if, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was sent from the server to the faucet device, the opening degree of the faucet device, which is determined by the number of pulses generated, has not reached the opening degree commanded by the server. According to one aspect of this disclosure, it is possible to detect that the server has not reached the opening degree it has commanded.

[0025] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the faucet device is capable of performing a clog-clearing operation in which the valve is opened and closed at least once within a predetermined time in order to clear the blockage of the valve when the detection unit detects an abnormality in the faucet device. According to one aspect of this disclosure, blockages in faucets can be dealt with appropriately and promptly.

[0026] One aspect of the present disclosure further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the faucet device, wherein the sign detection unit detects the signs based on the number of times the faucet is opened and closed by the faucet device. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the number of times the stopper is opened and closed.

[0027] One aspect of the present disclosure further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the faucet device, the faucet device comprising a battery that supplies power to the motor, and the sign detection unit detecting the signs based on the degree of deterioration of the battery. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the degree of battery degradation.

[0028] One aspect of the present disclosure further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the faucet device, wherein the sign detection unit detects the signs based on the rotational speed of the motor detected based on pulses output by the encoder and the load current value when operating the motor. According to one aspect of this disclosure, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the motor rotation speed and load current value detected by the encoder.

[0029] One aspect of this disclosure further comprises a notification unit that, when the sign detection unit detects the sign, provides notification prompting the faucet device to perform maintenance. According to one aspect of this disclosure, maintenance can be encouraged to be performed at an appropriate time (before a malfunction occurs). [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] According to one aspect of this disclosure, by detecting signs of malfunction, it is possible to prevent interruptions to field water management due to the occurrence of malfunction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0031] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing the water supply routes to the fields. [Figure 2] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the field management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Similarly, a block diagram. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the water supply system. [Figure 5] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the drainage system. [Figure 6] (a) An explanatory diagram showing the state of water supply to the field. (b) An explanatory diagram showing the state of water supply to the field being stopped. (c) An explanatory diagram showing the state of water supply to the field being resumed. [Figure 7] A graph showing an example of the relationship between motor load current and time. [Figure 8] A flowchart illustrating the symptom detection process for detecting signs of malfunction. [Figure 9] A flowchart illustrating the symptom detection process according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] A flowchart illustrating the defect detection process for detecting the occurrence of a defect. [Figure 11]A flowchart showing the defect detection process related to the first modified example. [Figure 12] A cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the water supply system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a drainage device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] (a) An explanatory diagram showing the state of water supply to the field in the third embodiment. (b) An explanatory diagram showing the state of water supply to the field being stopped. (c) An explanatory diagram showing the state of water supply to the field being resumed. [Figure 15] A diagram showing specific examples of conditions for determining normality. [Figure 16] A flowchart illustrating the defect detection process. [Figure 17] A flowchart showing the defect detection process related to the second modified example. [Figure 18] Similarly, this diagram shows the criteria for determining normality. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] The following describes a field management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The field management system 1 is for managing the water in a field H (in this embodiment, a plurality of fields H). The field management system 1 of this embodiment can manage the water in the field H by controlling the supply of water to the field H and the drainage from the field H. For example, it can adjust the water level in the field H to a level suitable for crop growth.

[0033] First, referring to Figure 1, the water supply route from the water source S (river, etc.) to the field H will be briefly explained. Each field H is connected to the water source S via a farm pond F and a water supply channel K. The water supply channel K is a channel for guiding water from the farm pond F to each field H. The water supply channel K branches as appropriate to connect to each field H. In this embodiment, the water supply channel K is a pipeline formed by connecting multiple water supply pipes K1. When supplying water to the field H, a pump (not shown) installed in the water supply channel K is driven as needed, causing water from the farm pond F to flow towards the field H. The configuration of the water supply channel K is not particularly limited and can be changed as appropriate according to the topography of the area around each field H. For example, the water supply channel K may be configured as an open channel.

[0034] Next, the configuration of the field management system 1 will be described. As shown in Figure 2, the field management system 1 comprises a water supply device 10, a water level sensor 40, a drainage device 50, a communication relay device 80, a worker terminal 90, and a field management server 100.

[0035] The water supply device 10 is for managing the water supply to field H. A water supply device 10 is installed in each field H. As shown in Figure 4, the water supply device 10 is equipped with an electric actuator 20 and a water tap 30.

[0036] The electric actuator 20 operates the water tap 30. The electric actuator 20 comprises a case 21, a solar panel 22, a battery 23, a communication unit 24, a motor 25, a first gear 26, a second gear 27, and a rotating shaft 28.

[0037] Case 21 houses various components of the electric actuator 20 (such as the battery 23 and motor 25). Case 21 is formed in a hollow shape.

[0038] The solar panel 22 generates electricity from sunlight. The solar panel 22 is mounted on the top surface of the case 21. The battery 23 stores the electricity generated by the solar panel 22. The battery 23 is connected to the solar panel 22 (not shown). The communication unit 24 communicates with external devices. The communication unit 24 is connected to the battery 23. The communication unit 24 can communicate when power is supplied from the battery 23.

[0039] Motor 25 is the drive source for the rotating shaft 28. Motor 25 is connected to the battery 23. Motor 25 can rotate the output shaft 25a by receiving power from the battery 23. Motor 25 in this embodiment is provided with an encoder 25b. The encoder 25b outputs pulses in accordance with the rotation of motor 25. The water supply device 10 can grasp the rotation information (rotation angle, etc.) of motor 25 based on the pulses from the encoder 25b.

[0040] The first gear 26 and the second gear 27 reduce (decelerate) the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 28 relative to the rotational speed of the output shaft 25a of the motor 25. The first gear 26 and the second gear 27 are composed of external gears with their longitudinal direction oriented vertically. The first gear 26 is fixed to the output shaft 25a. The second gear 27 is rotatable by a bearing (not shown) and is mounted inside the case 21 so as not to move vertically. The second gear 27 has a through hole 27a that penetrates vertically. The first gear 26 and the second gear 27 mesh with each other.

[0041] The rotating shaft 28 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the output shaft 25a of the motor 25. The rotating shaft 28 is positioned with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically. The rotating shaft 28 is inserted through the through hole 27a of the second gear 27 and is positioned to protrude downward from the second gear 27. The rotating shaft 28 is provided within the case 21 so as to be able to rotate integrally with the second gear 27 and to be able to move relative to the second gear 27 in the vertical direction.

[0042] The configuration of the electric actuator 20 described above is merely an example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the electric actuator 20 can be configured to omit the solar panel 22 and drive the motor 25 using only the battery 23 (without charging). Also, although the motor 25 and the rotating shaft 28 are connected to each other via two gears (first gear 26 and second gear 27), this is just an example, and it is possible to connect the motor 25 and the rotating shaft 28 via one gear or three or more gears. Furthermore, the motor 25 and the rotating shaft 28 do not necessarily need to be connected via gears; they may be connected directly (without gears).

[0043] The water tap 30 controls the water supply to field H. The water tap 30 is located below the electric actuator 20. The water tap 30 comprises a cylindrical member 31, a valve stem 32, a valve body 33, and a bearing 34.

[0044] The cylindrical member 31 is a cylindrical member connected to the water supply pipe K1. The cylindrical member 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically. The lower end of the cylindrical member 31 is connected to the water supply pipe K1. The cylindrical member 31 is provided with an inlet 31a and a valve seat 31b.

[0045] The inlet 31a is the part that introduces water from the water supply pipe K1 into the field H. The inlet 31a is formed to open to the outside at the upper and lower middle parts of the cylindrical member 31. Multiple inlet 31a are formed along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical member 31.

[0046] The valve seat 31b is the part that receives the valve body 33. The valve seat 31b is formed just below the inlet 31a. In Figure 4, the valve seat 31b is formed by a change in the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 31 in the middle of its upper and lower sections.

[0047] The valve stem 32 reciprocates the valve body 33. The valve stem 32 is positioned with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically. The upper end of the valve stem 32 is fixed to the rotating shaft 28 of the electric actuator 20.

[0048] The valve body 33 switches the flow of water from the water supply pipe K1 to the field H by opening and closing. The valve body 33 is attached to the valve stem 32 and can move vertically integrally with the valve stem 32. The valve body 33 is positioned above the valve seat 31b. The lower surface of the valve body 33 is formed to be in contact with the valve seat 31b.

[0049] The bearing 34 rotatably supports the valve stem 32. The bearing 34 is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical member 31 (above the inlet 31a). The female thread formed on the inner circumferential surface of the bearing 34 is screwed into the male thread formed on the outer circumferential surface of the valve stem 32. This allows the valve stem 32 to move vertically as it rotates. Note that the configuration for moving the valve stem 32 vertically is not limited to this embodiment and can be modified as appropriate.

[0050] The water tap 30 can control the water supply to field H by driving the motor 25. More specifically, when the motor 25 is driven, the output shaft 25a, the first gear 26, the second gear 27, the rotating shaft 28, and the valve stem 32 rotate. As a result, the valve stem 32 moves relative to the bearing 34 in the vertical direction, and the valve body 33 moves closer to or further away from the valve seat 31b.

[0051] This allows the valve body 33 to open and close the valve seat 31b or adjust the opening degree of the water tap 30. For example, by moving away from the valve seat 31b, the valve body 33 can open the valve seat 31b and supply water from the water supply pipe K1 to the field H through the inlet 31a (see Figure 6(a)). Also, by moving closer to (contacting) the valve seat 31b, the valve body 33 can close the valve seat 31b and stop the water supply.

[0052] During the opening and closing operation of the valve body 33 described above, the torque required to move the valve body 33 changes in accordance with changes in water pressure and opening / closing resistance in the water supply passage of the water tap 30. Therefore, the water supply device 10 is configured to control the load current value when operating the motor 25 in accordance with the change in torque, and to move the valve body 33 at a constant speed. In this embodiment, the water supply device 10 controls the load current value based on the output (pulse) from the encoder 25b to move the valve body 33 at a constant speed.

[0053] The water level sensor 40 shown in Figure 2 is for measuring the water level in field H. A water level sensor 40 is installed in each field H. The water level sensor 40 is connected to the water supply device 10 and can transmit the water level measurement results to the field management server 100 via the water supply device 10. In this embodiment, the water level sensor 40 is installed near the water supply device 10 and connected to it by wire, but depending on the conditions of field H, it may be installed near the drainage device 50 and connected to it by wire. Alternatively, the water level measurement results may be transmitted wirelessly to the water supply device 10, the drainage device 50, the communication relay 80, or the field management server 100. While the field management system 1 in this embodiment measures the water level in field H, it can also measure other information in addition to the water level. For example, the field management system 1 can also measure the water temperature in field H (equipped with a water temperature sensor).

[0054] The drainage device 50 is for managing the drainage of field H. The drainage device 50 is installed at the drain outlet of each field H. As schematically shown in Figure 5, the drainage device 50 comprises an electric actuator 60 and a drain plug 70. The electric actuator 60 operates the drain plug 70. The electric actuator 60 comprises a case 61, a solar panel 62, a battery 63, a communication unit 64, a motor 65, a first gear 66, a second gear 67, and a rotating shaft 68, which are configured similarly to the electric actuator 20 of the water supply device 10 (see Figure 4).

[0055] The drain plug 70 controls the drainage from field H. The drain plug 70 is located below the electric actuator 60. The drain plug 70 comprises a guide member 71, a valve stem 72, a valve body 73, and a movable part 74.

[0056] The guide member 71 guides the vertical movement of the valve body 73. The guide member 71 is formed in a longitudinal shape that extends vertically and is fixed to the case 61 of the electric actuator 60.

[0057] The valve stem 72 reciprocates the valve body 73. The valve stem 72 is positioned with its longitudinal direction oriented vertically. The upper end of the valve stem 72 is fixed to the rotating shaft 68 of the electric actuator 60.

[0058] The valve body 73 adjusts the height of the water discharged from field H. The valve body 73 is formed in a plate shape. The end face of the valve body 73 (the end face facing left-right in Figure 5) is formed to slide vertically relative to the guide member 71. The drainage device 50 can discharge water from field H that exceeds the valve body 73 into the drainage channel D (see Figure 2). Hereinafter, the height position of the upper end of the valve body 73 (the water level that can be stored in field H) will be referred to as the "drainage height".

[0059] The movable part 74 moves vertically in conjunction with the rotation of the valve stem 72. The movable part 74 is fixed to the valve body 73. The valve stem 72 is inserted through the movable part 74. The movable part 74 can move vertically in conjunction with the rotation of the valve stem 72 by, for example, screwing a female threaded portion formed on its inner circumference with a male threaded portion formed on the outer circumference of the valve stem 72.

[0060] The drain plug 70 can control drainage from field H by driving the motor 65. More specifically, when the motor 25 is driven, the output shaft 65a, the first gear 66, the second gear 67, the rotating shaft 68, and the valve shaft 72 rotate, and the movable part 74 and the valve body 73 move vertically. This allows the drainage device 50 to adjust the drainage height (control drainage).

[0061] Furthermore, similar to the water supply device 10, the drainage device 50 of this embodiment can control the load current value to the motor 65 using an encoder 65b, thereby moving the valve body 73 at a constant speed.

[0062] The communication relay device 80 shown in Figure 2 is a wireless communication-capable device. The communication relay device 80 can exchange information with the water supply device 10, the drainage device 50, and the field management server 100 via wireless communication.

[0063] The worker terminal 90 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is a terminal owned by the worker. The worker terminal 90 comprises an arithmetic unit capable of performing calculations, a storage device that stores programs, etc., an input device that can input information, and an output device that can display the results of calculations, etc. The worker terminal 90 is composed of a device that the worker can carry, such as a smartphone or tablet terminal.

[0064] The field management server 100 is for processing water supply and drainage for field H. The field management server 100 is built on a cloud server. The field management server 100 can exchange information with the worker terminal 90 via the internet or other means. For example, the field management server 100 can notify the worker terminal 90 of predetermined information (such as the water level in field H) by sending a signal to the worker terminal 90 in response to a request from the worker terminal 90.

[0065] Furthermore, the field management server 100 can communicate with the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 via the communication relay device 80. As described above, the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 are configured to drive the motors 25 and 65 and to communicate using batteries 23 and 63 that store power from the solar panels 22 and 62. In this embodiment, in order to suppress the decrease in the remaining charge of batteries 23 and 63 due to communication, a certain limit is placed on the time interval at which they communicate with the field management server 100. For example, the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 are configured to communicate with the field management server 100 at longer time intervals (e.g., every 10 minutes) than when communicating in real time.

[0066] The field management server 100 can acquire various information related to water supply and drainage by receiving signals from the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. For example, the field management server 100 can acquire the opening degree of the water tap 30 and the measurement results of the water level sensor 40 from the water supply device 10. The field management server 100 can also acquire the drainage height and other information from the drainage device 50.

[0067] The field management server 100 can also control the water supply and drainage of field H by sending signals to the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. For example, the field management server 100 can open and close the water tap 30 by sending a signal to the water supply device 10, switching between a state where water can be supplied to field H and a state where water cannot be supplied, and adjusting the opening degree of the water tap 30. The field management server 100 can also adjust the drainage height by sending a signal to the drainage device 50. Below, referring to Figure 6, an example of water supply and drainage control by the field management server 100 will be explained, using the case of adjusting the water level of field H to a set water level as an example. The set water level is a target value for the water level. The set water level is, for example, a water level suitable for crop growth. The set water level can be changed by the worker by operating the worker terminal 90.

[0068] Figure 6 schematically shows a waterlogged field H and a water tap 30. In Figure 6(a), the water level in field H is lower than the set water level. In Figure 6, the drainage height is adjusted to a height equal to or greater than the set water level (for example, the same height as the set water level).

[0069] As shown in Figure 6(a), the field management server 100 opens the water tap 30 (valve body 33) to raise the water level in field H. As shown in Figure 6(b), when the water level sensor 40's measurement (water level in field H) rises to the set water level, the field management server 100 closes the water tap 30 to stop supplying water to field H.

[0070] As water in field H permeates the soil and dries out, the water level in field H gradually decreases when water supply is stopped. As shown in Figure 6(c), when the water level sensor 40's measurement (water level in field H) falls below a predetermined threshold from the set water level, the field management server 100 opens the water tap 30 to resume water supply to field H and returns the water level in field H to the set water level. By repeating this water supply and water supply stoppage, the field management server 100 can adjust the water level in field H to a level suitable for crop growth. Hereinafter, the range of water levels from the water level at which water supply is stopped (set water level) to the water level at which water supply is resumed (the threshold) will be referred to as the "control range". The control range can be changed by the operator by operating the operator terminal 90.

[0071] Here, the water level sensor 40 may rise sharply at the start of water supply (see Figures 6(a) and 6(c)). For example, the water supplied to field H may be blocked around the water level sensor 40 by the crops, causing the water level sensor 40 to rise sharply. Also, when water supply is stopped (see Figure 6(b)), the water that was blocked around the water level sensor 40 may flow, causing the water level sensor 40 to drop sharply.

[0072] If the measured value repeatedly rises and falls sharply beyond the set water level and control range, the water supply to field H will be frequently interrupted, causing wear and tear on the battery 23 and motor 25 of the water supply device 10.

[0073] Therefore, the field management server 100 is configured to take measures to avoid the event when water supply and water supply stoppage occur frequently. For example, if water supply and water supply stoppage occur more than a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period, the field management server 100 notifies the worker terminal 90 of advice to take measures to avoid the event. Such advice may include temporarily raising the set water level or temporarily increasing the control range. By taking action based on the advice, the worker can suppress frequent water supply and stoppage and reduce wear and tear on the battery 23, motor 25, etc.

[0074] The water level adjustment method (control method) described above is merely an example, and the water level can be adjusted in any way according to various parameters. Similarly, the method for avoiding the aforementioned event (the event of frequent water supply and water supply interruption) is also merely an example and can be modified as appropriate. For example, if water supply and water supply interruption occur frequently, the field management server 100 may automatically change the control range and set water level.

[0075] The load current values ​​during the opening and closing operations of the water supply valve 30 and the drain valve 70 will be explained below with reference to Figure 7. The load current values ​​during opening and closing operations represent the changes in the load current values ​​of motors 25 and 65 from the start to the end of the opening and closing operation.

[0076] Figure 7 shows an example of the change in the load current value of the motor 25 when closing an open water tap 30, with time on the horizontal axis and load current value on the vertical axis. Graph G1 in Figure 7 shows an example of the water level when the valve body 33 is operating normally. Graph G1 will be explained below.

[0077] In graph G1 of Figure 7, the motor 25 starts operating (opening and closing) at time T1, and the load current value begins to increase. After that, the load current value stabilizes at a constant value. In graph G1, the load current value remains stable between time T2 and time T3.

[0078] Just before closing the water tap 30, the water supply device 10 moves the valve body 33 with strong force to completely close the water tap 30. Therefore, the load current value increases just before closing the water tap 30. In graph G1, the load current value increases from time T3 to time T4. Note that the water tap 30 is completely closed at time T4.

[0079] Here, for example, if foreign matter such as dirt or mud adheres to the valve body 33 shown in Figure 6, or if parts of the water supply device 10 become worn out, the torque required to open and close the water tap 30 increases. In this case, the water supply device 10 increases the load current value supplied to the motor 25 and opens and closes the water tap 30 with greater force.

[0080] In this configuration, while the valve body 33 can be opened and closed even if the torque required to open and close it increases, the load current value of the motor 25 may increase as debris accumulates or parts wear down, potentially placing an excessive load on the motor 25. For this reason, an upper limit on the load current value is set in advance for the water supply device 10. The same upper limit is also set for the drainage device 50.

[0081] In this embodiment, since it is necessary to move the valve body 33 with strong force just before closing the water tap 30 (in the opening range of the valve body 33 being close to 0), the above-mentioned upper limit is set for the other opening range (between time T1 and time T3 in the example shown in Figure 7). Hereinafter, this upper limit of the load current value will be referred to as the "overload current value". Note that an even larger upper limit may be set for the opening range just before closing the water tap 30.

[0082] The water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 detect a malfunction and interrupt their opening and closing operation when the load current value of the motors 25 and 65 reaches an overload current value. Thus, in this embodiment, a condition in which excessive load is placed on the motors 25 and 65 when opening and closing the valve bodies 33 and 73 is included as a malfunction. When a malfunction occurs in the water supply device 10, etc., the water supply device 10, etc., notifies the field management server 100 of the occurrence of the malfunction, and the field management server 100 stores the malfunction information (history).

[0083] As described above, there are limitations on the time interval for communication between the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 and the field management server 100. Therefore, if a malfunction occurs in the water supply device 10, etc., there will be a time lag before the field management server 100 becomes aware of the malfunction. For example, there will be a time lag of the communication time interval (up to 10 minutes in this embodiment) between the detection of a malfunction in the water supply device 10, etc. and the notification to the field management server 100.

[0084] Furthermore, when the water supply device 10, etc., is remotely operated via the field management server 100 to address malfunctions, a time lag equal to the communication interval occurs. Thus, in this embodiment, the water supply device 10, etc., may take time to address after a malfunction occurs due to the influence of the communication interval.

[0085] Therefore, the field management server 100 in this embodiment is configured to prevent malfunctions from occurring by detecting signs of malfunction in the water supply device 10, etc., while the water supply device 10 and drainage device 50 are operating normally. Signs of malfunction (such as wear and tear of parts) are reflected in the load current value. For example, if such signs are present, the load current value may increase or fluctuate above normal levels (see the graph shown by the dashed line in Figure 7). Therefore, the field management server 100 is configured to check the load current value and detect signs of malfunction. The graph shown by the dashed line in Figure 7 shows the load current value when there is an abnormality (malfunction) due to foreign matter clogging. The configuration for detecting signs of malfunction will be described in detail below.

[0086] As shown in Figure 3, the field management server 100 comprises a storage unit 101, a determination unit 102, and a notification unit 103. The storage unit 101 stores various information necessary for detecting signs of malfunction. In this embodiment, the storage unit 101 stores a sign threshold.

[0087] The symptom threshold is the threshold value of the load current of motors 25 and 65 at which it can be determined that there are signs of malfunction in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. The symptom threshold is set to a value lower than the overload current value mentioned above. The symptom threshold is also set to a value higher than the load current value of motors 25 and 65 during opening and closing operations when there are no such signs. For example, the symptom threshold is set to a value higher than the load current value when valve bodies 33 and 73 are opened and closed without any debris attached.

[0088] The determination unit 102 determines whether or not there are signs of a malfunction based on the information stored in the memory unit 101. The notification unit 103 is the part that notifies external devices of various information. In this embodiment, the notification unit 103 can notify information to at least the worker terminal 90.

[0089] The equipment in which the storage unit 101 and the determination unit 102 are provided is not limited to the field management server 100, and can be changed as appropriate. For example, the storage unit 101 and the determination unit 102 may be provided in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50, respectively. It is also possible to separate the equipment in which the storage unit 101 and the determination unit 102 are provided. For example, the storage unit 101 may be provided in the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50, and the determination unit 102 may be provided in the field management server 100.

[0090] The following describes the process for detecting signs of malfunction (sign detection process), referring to Figure 8. The processing details of the determination unit 102 will also be explained within the description of the sign detection process. Since the drainage device 50 can also detect signs of malfunction, similar to the water supply device 10, the following description will use the water supply device 10 as an example to explain the sign detection process, and the explanation for the drainage device 50 will be omitted.

[0091] The symptom detection process shown in Figure 8 is executed by the field management server 100 at an appropriate time. For example, the field management server 100 is executed after the opening and closing operation of the water supply device 10 is completed. This is just one example, and the timing of the symptom detection process can be determined as appropriate. When the symptom detection process is started, the field management server 100 proceeds to step S10.

[0092] In step S10, the determination unit 102 obtains the load current value (see Figure 7) from the water supply device 10 during the most recent opening / closing operation. Once the processing in step S10 is complete, the determination unit 102 proceeds to step S20.

[0093] In step S20, the determination unit 102 determines whether the load current value acquired in step S10 is equal to or greater than the indicator threshold stored in the storage unit 101. More specifically, in this embodiment, the load current value is controlled based on the output from the encoder 25b (the rotational speed of the motor 25), and the water tap 30 is opened and closed at a constant speed. In this configuration, if there is an indication of a malfunction in the water tap 30 (for example, if debris adheres to the valve body 33), the load current value is increased and controlled to maintain the opening and closing speed of the water tap 30 at a constant speed.

[0094] Therefore, in step S20, the determination unit 102 determines whether the load current value when the water tap 30 is opened and closed at a constant speed is equal to or greater than the symptom threshold. This allows the determination unit 102 to determine whether the load current value is increasing due to a symptom of a malfunction. The field management server 100 is thus configured to detect the symptom based on the rotational speed of the motor 25 detected based on the output (pulse) of the encoder 25b and the load current value when operating the motor 25.

[0095] Furthermore, in step S20, the determination unit 102 determines whether the load current value in the opening range other than immediately before closing the water tap 30 (hereinafter referred to as the "target range") is equal to or greater than the indicator threshold. For example, in this embodiment, the opening degree of the water tap 30 can be determined based on the output of the encoder 25b. Therefore, the determination unit 102 extracts the load current value when opening and closing the target range (for example, the load current value from time T1 to time T3 shown in Figure 7) based on the output of the encoder 25b, and compares the said load current value (for example, the maximum value) with the indicator threshold to determine whether or not the load current value obtained in step S10 is equal to or greater than the indicator threshold. Note that the content of the determination process described above is just an example, and the method for determining whether or not the load current value is equal to or greater than the indicator threshold can be changed as appropriate. For example, it is also possible to change the target range to a narrower range (a different range) than the example described above and determine whether or not the load current value is equal to or greater than the indicator threshold.

[0096] If the determination unit 102 determines that the load current value obtained in step S10 is less than the symptom threshold (step S20: No), it terminates the symptom detection process. On the other hand, if the determination unit 102 determines that the load current value is equal to or greater than the symptom threshold (step S20: Yes), it proceeds to step S30.

[0097] In step S30, the notification unit 103 notifies the worker that there are signs of a malfunction. For example, the notification unit 103 sends a message to the worker terminal 90 indicating that there are signs of a malfunction. This is just one example, and the method and content of notifying the worker are not limited to this embodiment.

[0098] For example, the notification unit 103 may notify the worker that there are signs of a malfunction and prompt maintenance of the water supply device 10. The notification unit 103 may also suggest to the worker a desirable time (maintenance time) for maintaining the water supply device 10. The method for determining the maintenance time is not particularly limited. The field management server 100 may determine the maintenance time from, for example, the difference between the load current value acquired in step S10 and the sign threshold. By the notification unit 103 suggesting a maintenance time, the worker can maintain the water supply device 10 at an appropriate time. The notification unit 103 may also notify the worker of a message prompting a change in the setting related to the load current value of the motor 25. For example, such a message may prompt a change in the setting to supply a higher load current value to the motor 25 when opening and closing the water tap 30, etc. The field management server 100 terminates the sign detection process when the processing of step S30 is completed.

[0099] The field management server 100 can detect when the load current value has become relatively large (above the indicator threshold) before a malfunction occurs by performing an indicator detection process (Step S20: Yes). This allows it to detect, for example, that the torque required to open and close the valve body 33 has increased due to debris adhering to the valve body 33 (an indicator of an impending malfunction).

[0100] Furthermore, by performing maintenance on the water supply device 10 based on notifications from the field management server 100 (step S30), workers can prevent malfunctions from occurring. This prevents interruptions in water management due to malfunctions and suppresses adverse effects on crop growth. It also suppresses the need for emergency work due to malfunctions and helps to level out the workload.

[0101] In this embodiment, the field management server 100 detects signs of malfunction based on load current values, but it is also possible to detect such signs based on information different from that of this embodiment.

[0102] For example, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction based on the number of times the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed. More specifically, as the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed, various parts such as motors 25 and 65 gradually wear out, eventually causing malfunctions in the water supply device 10 and drain device 50. Therefore, the field management server 100 counts the number of times the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed and stores it in the memory unit 101, and predicts the lifespan of the motors 25 and 65 based on the number of times they are opened and closed. For example, the field management server 100 predicts how many more times the water supply valve 30, etc., can be opened and closed. Then, when the lifespan of the motors 25 and 65 is nearing its end (for example, when the predicted number of times is less than or equal to a predetermined number), the field management server 100 detects signs of malfunction. In this way, the field management server 100 can detect signs of malfunction caused by the lifespan of the motors 25 and 65, etc.

[0103] Furthermore, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction based on the degree of degradation of batteries 23 and 63. More specifically, batteries 23 and 63 are depleted with each charge and discharge, and eventually, even with power generation by solar panels 22 and 62, the remaining charge of batteries 23 and 63 is not sufficiently restored, resulting in a situation (malfunction) where the motors 25 and 65 cannot be properly driven. Therefore, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction if it determines from information that allows it to judge the degree of degradation of batteries 23 and 63 that the degradation of batteries 23 and 63 is progressing.

[0104] For example, the field management server 100 can detect signs of malfunction when the internal resistance of batteries 23-63 exceeds a predetermined threshold, or when the voltage of batteries 23-63 falls below a predetermined threshold. This allows the field management server 100 to accurately detect signs of malfunction caused by the deterioration of batteries 23-63. It is desirable to check the voltage of batteries 23-63 during times when the solar panels 22-62 are not generating power (for example, at night).

[0105] Furthermore, while the field management server 100 is designed to detect signs of malfunction based on the load current value during a single opening and closing operation (see Figure 7), it is also possible to detect these signs based on the load current value using a different determination method than that of this embodiment.

[0106] For example, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction based on changes in load current values ​​(history of load current values) when the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed multiple times. More specifically, the load current value is expected to gradually increase even without a malfunction, because the opening and closing resistance is expected to gradually increase due to wear and tear of various parts associated with the opening and closing operation of the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70. In contrast, if mud, debris, etc. adhere to the valve bodies 33, 73, etc., the load current value may increase more than expected.

[0107] Therefore, the field management server 100 stores the load current value in the storage unit 101 for each opening and closing operation, and can also detect signs of malfunction from the change in the load current value during multiple opening and closing operations. For example, the field management server 100 can also detect the signs when the increase (change) in the load current value during multiple opening and closing operations exceeds a predetermined threshold. When determining the increase in the load current value, it is possible to refer to, for example, the increase in two consecutive opening and closing operations among multiple opening and closing operations, or the increase in a predetermined number of opening and closing operations.

[0108] The equipment used to determine the increase in the load current value is not particularly limited. For example, a memory unit for storing the load current value and a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction may be provided in the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50, using the memory or microcontroller on the operating circuit board provided in the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50, and the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50 may detect the signs from the change in the load current value.

[0109] Furthermore, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction by using other information in addition to the load current value. For example, the field management server 100 can detect the signs by combining the load current value with at least one of the number of times the water tap 30, etc., is opened and closed or the degree of deterioration of the batteries 23 and 65. The field management server 100 can also detect the signs by combining the load current value with information other than the number of times the tap is opened and closed.

[0110] For example, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction by combining the load current value and the water supply status of each field H. More specifically, as shown in Figure 1, each field H is supplied with water from the farm pond F via a common water supply channel K. In this configuration, the water pressure in the water supply channel K changes according to the water supply status of each field H. For example, the water pressure in the water supply channel K decreases as the number of fields H being supplied with water increases. In this case, the torque required to open and close the water tap 30 decreases. Therefore, the load power value of the motor 25 decreases as the number of fields H being supplied with water increases.

[0111] Therefore, the field management server 100 can correct the indicator threshold according to the number of fields H being supplied with water (water supply status of each field H) as described above, and can detect signs of malfunction when the load current value of the motor 25 is greater than or equal to the corrected indicator threshold. One method of correcting the indicator threshold is to correct it so that the value becomes smaller as the number of fields H being supplied with water increases. The field management server 100 can also detect the signs using a learning model that has learned the relationship (features) between the water supply status of each field H and the load current value. By detecting the signs by combining the load current value and the water supply status of each field H, the field management server 100 can accurately detect the signs according to the water supply status of each field H.

[0112] As described above, the field management system 1 according to this embodiment comprises a water supply device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) that can supply water to or drain water from field H by opening and closing valves (water supply valve 30 and drainage valve 70), and a sign detection unit (field management server 100) that detects signs of malfunction in the water supply device.

[0113] By configuring the system in this way, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction and prevent interruptions to water management in field H that may occur as a result of the malfunction.

[0114] Furthermore, the faucet device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) is equipped with motors 25 and 65, which are drive sources for operating the valves (water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70), and the symptom detection unit (field management server 100) detects the symptom when the load current value when operating the motors 25 and 65 exceeds a symptom threshold value set to be lower than the overload current value that occurs when a malfunction occurs (Step S20: Yes).

[0115] By configuring it in this way, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction based on the load current value.

[0116] Furthermore, the water tap device is equipped with motors 25 and 65, which are drive sources for operating the taps (water supply tap 30 and drain tap 70), and the symptom detection unit (field management server 100) stores the load current value when operating the motors 25 and 65, and detects the symptom based on the change in the load current value when the motors 25 and 65 are operated multiple times.

[0117] By configuring it in this way, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction based on changes in the load current value.

[0118] Furthermore, the symptom detection unit (field management server 100) detects the symptom based on the number of times the valves (water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70) are opened and closed by the water supply device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50).

[0119] By configuring it in this way, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the number of times the valves (water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70) are opened and closed.

[0120] Furthermore, the water tap device (water supply device 10) comprises motors 25 and 65, which are drive sources for operating the taps (water tap 30 and drain tap 70), and batteries 23 and 63, which supply power to the motors 25 and 65. The sign detection unit (field management server 100) detects the signs based on the degree of deterioration of the batteries 23 and 63.

[0121] By configuring it in this way, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction based on the degree of degradation of batteries 23 and 63.

[0122] Furthermore, the water tap device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) comprises motors 25 and 65, which are drive sources for operating the taps (water tap 30 and drain tap 70), and encoders 25b and 65b, which output pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motors 25 and 65. The sign detection unit (field management server 100) detects the sign based on the rotation speed of the motors 25 and 65, which is detected based on the pulses output by the encoders 25b and 65b, and the load current value when operating the motors 25 and 65 (step S20).

[0123] By configuring it in this way, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the rotational speed of motors 25 and 65 detected by encoders 25b and 65b, and the load current value.

[0124] Furthermore, the field management system 1 is further equipped with a notification unit 103 that, when the indication is detected by the indication detection unit (field management server 100) (step S20: Yes), prompts the implementation of maintenance on the water supply device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50).

[0125] By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to encourage maintenance to be performed at the appropriate time (before a problem occurs).

[0126] The water tap 30 and drain tap 70 according to this embodiment are one form of the tap according to the present invention. Furthermore, the water supply device 10 and drainage device 50 according to this embodiment are one form of implementation of the faucet device according to the present invention. Furthermore, the field management server 100 according to this embodiment is one form of the sign detection unit according to the present invention.

[0127] The following describes the field management system 1 according to the second embodiment.

[0128] The field management system 1 according to the second embodiment differs from the field management system 1 according to the first embodiment in that it detects signs of malfunction based on the blockage clearing operation. For this reason, the differences from the first embodiment will be explained below, and the explanation of points common to the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0129] The declogging operation is an operation aimed at clearing blockages in the water supply tap 30 and the drain plug 70. The declogging operation is an operation that can change the water pressure in the flow paths of the water supply tap 30 and the drain plug 70. In this embodiment, the declogging operation is an operation in which the valve bodies 33 and 73 are opened and closed multiple times within a predetermined time (a relatively short time). The predetermined time is, for example, shorter than the time it takes to open and close the water supply tap 30, etc. multiple times in a normal opening and closing operation. Note that the declogging operation described above is just an example and can be changed as appropriate. For example, if a blockage in the water supply tap 30, etc. is cleared, the declogging operation may be completed with a single opening and closing operation. Thus, in the declogging operation, it is sufficient to open and close the valve bodies 33 and 73 at least once. The water supply device 10 (see Figure 4) is configured to perform the declogging operation when the water supply tap 30 cannot be closed properly, when the load current value exceeds a predetermined value, etc. Furthermore, the drainage device 50 (see Figure 5) is configured to perform a blockage clearing operation when the load current value exceeds a predetermined value, etc.

[0130] The water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 can, by performing a declogging operation, change the water pressure in the water supply tap 30 and the drain tap 70, which may remove debris attached to the valve bodies 33 and 73. In addition, the water supply device 10 can, by performing a declogging operation, remove foreign objects stuck between the valve body 33 and the valve seat 31b.

[0131] The following describes the symptom detection process according to the second embodiment with reference to Figure 9. The symptom detection process of the second embodiment is started at the same timing as the symptom detection process of the first embodiment (for example, after the opening and closing operation). When the field management server 100 starts the symptom detection process, it proceeds to step S110.

[0132] In step S110, the field management server 100 terminates the sign detection process if no blockage clearing operation was performed in the most recent opening / closing operation (step S110: No). On the other hand, if a blockage clearing operation was performed in the most recent opening / closing operation (step S110: Yes), the field management server 100 proceeds to step S120.

[0133] Here, for example, if the number of times the clearing operation is performed increases, or if the frequency of the clearing operation increases, it is considered to be a sign of a malfunction. Therefore, in step S120, the field management server 100 (determination unit 102) determines whether or not there is a sign of a malfunction based on at least one of the number of times the clearing operation has been performed so far, or the frequency of the clearing operation. When determining whether or not there is a sign based on the number of times the clearing operation has been performed, the field management server 100 may, for example, compare the number of operations with a predetermined threshold. When determining whether or not there is a sign based on the frequency of the clearing operation, the field management server 100 may, for example, check whether or not the clearing operation has been performed a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period.

[0134] If the field management server 100 determines that there are no signs of a malfunction (step S120: No), it terminates the sign detection process. On the other hand, if the field management server 100 determines that there are signs (step S120: Yes), it proceeds to step S130.

[0135] In step S130, the notification unit 103 notifies the worker that there are signs of a malfunction, similar to step S30 of the first embodiment (see Figure 8). The field management server 100 terminates the sign detection process when the processing in step S140 is completed.

[0136] According to the symptom detection process of the second embodiment, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction by taking into account the blockage clearing operation. For example, the symptoms can be detected when the blockage clearing operation is performed frequently.

[0137] As described above, in the second embodiment, the faucet device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) is capable of a clog-clearing operation in which the valve (valve body 33-73) is opened and closed multiple times within a predetermined time in order to clear the blockage of the valve, and the sign detection unit (field management server 100) detects the sign based on the number of times the clog-clearing operation is performed or the frequency of the clog-clearing operation (step S130).

[0138] By configuring it in this way, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction based on the number or frequency of blockage clearing operations.

[0139] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

[0140] For example, the field management system 1 is equipped with a water supply device 10, a water level sensor 40, a drainage device 50, a communication relay device 80, a worker terminal 90, and a field management server 100, but not all of these devices are necessarily required. For example, the field management system 1 may be equipped with either the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50. Also, depending on the communication method (LTE-M, etc.), the communication relay device 80 may be omitted from the field management system 1.

[0141] In the first embodiment, as an example, a malfunction was detected when the load current value of motors 25 and 65 reached the overload current value. However, the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 can also detect malfunctions based on information other than the load current value. For example, the water supply device 10 can also detect malfunctions based on the output from encoders 25b and 65b. Below, with reference to Figure 10, an example of a malfunction detection process that detects a malfunction based on the output from encoder 25b will be described.

[0142] The malfunction detection process is repeatedly performed by the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 when the water tap 30 and drain plug 70 are opened and closed. In the following, the malfunction detection process will be explained using the water supply device 10 as an example, and the explanation of the drainage device 50 will be omitted.

[0143] When the water supply device 10 starts the malfunction detection process, it proceeds to step S210. In step S210, if the number of pulses generated per unit time is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold (step S210: Yes), the water supply device 10 terminates the malfunction detection process. On the other hand, if the number of pulses generated is less than the threshold (step S210: No), the water supply device 10 proceeds to step S220. The threshold is a value that allows the water supply device 10 to determine that a malfunction has occurred. The threshold is, for example, a value smaller than the number of pulses generated when there is no malfunction.

[0144] Here, if the number of occurrences is below the threshold, it is considered that the output shaft 25a of the motor 25 has stopped for some reason during the opening and closing operation of the water tap 30, or that the rotation of the output shaft 25a is slower than normal (a malfunction has occurred). For example, the water tap 30 may be clogged with foreign matter. Therefore, in step S220, the water supply device 10 notifies the worker of the malfunction via the field management server 100. This allows the water supply device 10 to attempt to resolve the malfunction. When the processing in step S220 is completed, the water supply device 10 terminates the symptom detection process.

[0145] The water supply device 10 can detect malfunctions based on the output of the encoder 25b by performing a malfunction detection process. This allows for malfunction detection without, for example, installing a new current sensor (to detect the load current value) as a means of detecting malfunctions. Furthermore, the system can be built at a lower cost because a new current sensor is not installed. In addition, since the output of the encoder 25b often stops due to blockage of the water tap 30, detecting malfunctions based on the output of the encoder 25b allows for accurate (appropriate) detection of malfunctions caused by blockage of the water tap 30.

[0146] Furthermore, by notifying the worker of any malfunctions (step S220), the field management server 100 facilitates the early resolution of problems with the water supply equipment 10 and other components, thereby shortening the interruption period for water management.

[0147] Furthermore, the water supply device 10 does not detect signs of malfunction as in the first or second embodiment, but directly detects malfunctions based on the number of pulses generated per unit time (number of pulse counts per unit time). The water supply device 10 may perform a blockage clearing operation when it detects a malfunction. As described above, since it is possible to accurately detect the occurrence of malfunctions caused by blockages in the water tap 30, the blockage in the water tap 30 can be dealt with appropriately and promptly by performing a blockage clearing operation when a malfunction is detected.

[0148] Furthermore, the water supply device 10 may detect malfunctions by considering the load current value of the motor 25 (see Figure 7) in addition to the output of the encoder 25b.

[0149] Furthermore, the malfunction detection process described above is just one example of a process for detecting abnormalities in the water supply device 10 in response to pulses, and the method for detecting abnormalities in the water supply device 10 is not limited to the example described above. For example, the water supply device 10 can also detect abnormalities if no pulses are output within a predetermined time.

[0150] Furthermore, in the example described above, the malfunction is detected directly without detecting signs of malfunction, but the system is not limited to this. It is also possible to detect the signs and the malfunction in response to pulses. In addition, the water supply device 10 can detect the signs by methods other than the sign detection process of the first and second embodiments (Figures 8 and 9). For example, the water supply device 10 can also detect the signs and malfunctions (detect abnormalities) by setting a threshold for detecting signs in addition to the threshold for detecting malfunctions (see step S210) and comparing pulses with each threshold.

[0151] Based on the above disclosure, the outline of the present invention is listed below.

[0152] [Background technology] Conventionally, field management systems for managing water in fields have been publicly known. For example, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-092455.

[0153] The field management system described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-092455 comprises a water tap opening / closing device and a server center, etc. The water tap opening / closing device switches the supply of water to the field by opening and closing a water tap. The water tap opening / closing device has a communication function. The server center can remotely control the water tap opening / closing device by communicating with it.

[0154] Water tap opening and closing devices, such as those described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-092455, may experience malfunctions (stoppages) if debris or other materials clog the tap, thus requiring technology capable of appropriately detecting the occurrence of abnormalities (malfunctions).

[0155] [Overview of the prefecture] [Problems the invention aims to solve] One aspect of this disclosure has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide a field management system capable of appropriately detecting the occurrence of abnormalities.

[0156] [Means for solving the problem] The problem that one aspect of this disclosure aims to solve is as described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be explained.

[0157] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a water tap device is provided which is capable of supplying water to a field or draining water from a field by opening and closing a stopper, and a detection unit is provided which detects an abnormality in the water tap device, wherein the water tap device is provided which is a drive source for operating the stopper and an encoder that outputs pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motor, and the detection unit detects an abnormality in the water tap device based on the number of pulses generated per unit time. According to one aspect of this disclosure, the occurrence of an anomaly can be appropriately detected based on the output from the encoder.

[0158] The following describes a first modified example of the defect detection process that detects defects.

[0159] As described above, the field management server 100 can open and close (adjust the opening degree) the water tap 30 and the drainage tap 70 by sending signals to the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. At this time, the field management server 100 commands the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 to set the opening degree. The water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 drive the electric actuators 20 and 60 to set the opening degree commanded by the field management server 100 (hereinafter referred to as the "commanded opening degree"), and perform the opening and closing operations of the water tap 30 and the drainage tap 70.

[0160] If there is a malfunction (abnormality) in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50, and the valve bodies 33 and 73 cannot be moved to the height corresponding to the commanded opening value, the actual opening value and the commanded opening value will continue to not match. The field management system 1 according to the first modified example is configured to detect the malfunction by determining whether or not this condition is occurring. Figure 11 shows an example of the malfunction detection process according to the first modified example. The malfunction detection process according to the first modified example is executed by the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 when the opening value is commanded from the field management server 100.

[0161] Since the malfunction detection process for the first modified example is common to both the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50, the malfunction detection process for the first modified example will be explained below using the water supply device 10 as an example, and the explanation of the malfunction detection process for the drainage device 50 will be omitted. When the water supply device 10 starts the malfunction detection process for the first modified example, it proceeds to step S310.

[0162] In step S310, the water supply device 10 proceeds to step S320 after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving an opening command from the field management server 100. The length of the predetermined time is not particularly limited, as long as it is long enough to detect a malfunction in the water supply device 10. For example, the length of the predetermined time is longer than the time from receiving the opening command to the completion of the opening and closing operation when there is no abnormality in the water supply device 10. Alternatively, the length of the predetermined time is shorter than the communication interval (10 minutes) between the water supply device 10 and the field management server 100.

[0163] In step S320, the water supply device 10 counts the number of pulses output from the encoder 25b between the time it receives an opening command from the field management server 100 and the predetermined time elapsed in step S310, and measures the opening using the counted result. In this way, in the first modified example, the number of pulses generated during the time (unit time) from the time the water supply device 10 receives the opening / closing command until the predetermined time elapses is detected. If the water supply device 10 finds that the opening measurement result (measured value) has reached the command value (step S320: Yes), it terminates the malfunction detection process related to the first modified example. On the other hand, if the water supply device 10 finds that the opening measurement value has not reached the command value (step S320: No), it proceeds to step S330.

[0164] In step S320, the water supply device 10 can appropriately determine whether the measured opening degree has reached the command value. For example, the water supply device 10 can determine that the measured value has not reached the command value if the measured opening degree does not match the command value. Also, for example, when opening the water tap 30, the water supply device 10 can determine that the measured value has not reached the command value if the measured opening degree is less than the command value, and when closing the water tap 30, it can determine that the measured value has not reached the command value if the measured opening degree is greater than the command value. Furthermore, the water supply device 10 can tolerate some error rather than strictly judging the numerical value.

[0165] In step S330, the water supply device 10 notifies the worker of the malfunction via the field management server 100. This allows the water supply device 10 to resolve the malfunction. When the process in step S330 is completed, the water supply device 10 terminates the malfunction detection process according to the first modified example.

[0166] The water supply device 10 can detect that it is unable to reach the opening degree commanded by the field management server 100 due to a malfunction or other issue by executing the malfunction detection process according to the first modified example. By taking action to address the malfunction based on the detection result, the field management system 1 can restore the water supply to field H to a normal state as soon as possible and properly manage the water in field H.

[0167] In the first modified example described above, the water supply device 10 is assumed to detect the malfunction, but the device that detects the malfunction is not limited to the water supply device 10; other devices may also be used. For example, the field management server 100 can also detect the malfunction.

[0168] Furthermore, if the water supply device 10 has not reached the commanded opening degree (step S320: No), it can also perform the blockage clearing operation described above. This allows the water supply device 10 to deal with blockages in the water tap 30 appropriately and promptly.

[0169] As described above, in the first modified example, The aforementioned faucet device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) is configured to open and close in response to an opening degree command from the server (field management server 100). The aforementioned detection unit (water supply device 10, drainage device 50, field management server 100) If, even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was sent from the server to the faucet device, the opening degree of the faucet device, which is determined by the number of pulses generated, has not reached the opening degree commanded by the server, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the faucet device (steps S310 to S330). By configuring it in this way, it is possible to detect if the opening degree has not been reached as commanded by the server.

[0170] The field management server 100 relating to the first modified example is one embodiment of the server according to the present invention. Furthermore, the water supply device 10, drainage device 50, and field management server 100 according to the first modified example are one embodiment of the detection unit according to the present invention.

[0171] The following describes a field management system 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Note that the following description will focus on configurations different from those of the first embodiment, and will omit descriptions of configurations common to both embodiments.

[0172] As shown in Figure 12, the electric actuator 20 operates the water tap 30. The electric actuator 20 comprises a case 21, a solar panel 22, a battery 23, a communication unit 24, a motor 25, a first gear 26, a second gear 27, a rotating shaft 28, and a control unit 29.

[0173] The control unit 29 is for controlling the operation of the water supply device 10 (electric actuator 20). The control unit 29 is equipped with an arithmetic unit capable of performing calculations, a memory device storing programs, etc. The control unit 29 can open and close the water tap 30 as appropriate according to the control method specified by the field management server 100, and supply water to the field H.

[0174] As schematically shown in Figure 13, the electric actuator 60 of the drainage device 50 comprises a case 61, a solar panel 62, a battery 63, a communication unit 64, a motor 65, a first gear 66, a second gear 67, a rotating shaft 68, and a control unit 69, which are configured similarly to the electric actuator 20 of the water supply device 10 (see Figure 11).

[0175] The field management server 100 can control the water supply and drainage of field H by sending signals to the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. For example, a worker can specify the method for controlling the water supply and drainage of field H using the worker terminal 90. The field management server 100 transmits the control method specified by the worker terminal 90 by sending signals to the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. The water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 perform operations (water supply and drainage) according to the specified control method and adjust the water level of field H. An example of a method for controlling the water supply and drainage of field H is described below.

[0176] The field management server 100 pre-transmits various setting values ​​used for controlling water supply and drainage to the water supply device 10. These setting values ​​include, for example, the set water level, control width, water supply opening, drainage margin, and drainage water level.

[0177] Here, the set water level is the target value for the water level in field H. The set water level is set to a level suitable for crop growth, for example.

[0178] The control width is used to determine the water level at which water supply begins. As will be described later, when constant flooding is performed, the water tap 30 is opened and water supply to field H begins when the water level in field H falls below the set water level minus the control width (set water level - control width).

[0179] Furthermore, the water supply opening degree is the degree to which the water tap 30 is opened when the water supply device 10 supplies water. The water supply opening degree can be expressed as a percentage, for example, with the degree to which the water tap 30 of the water supply device 10 is fully open being 100%, and the degree to which it is fully closed being 0%.

[0180] Furthermore, the drainage margin is a predetermined difference between the set water level and the drainage height. As will be described later, when performing constant water retention, the drainage height of the drainage device 50 is controlled to be "set water level + drainage margin".

[0181] Furthermore, the drainage water level is the set value for the drainage height when water supply to field H is stopped and water is drained from field H. The drainage water level is set to a sufficiently low height, such as close to the surface (paddy field surface) of field H, so that the water in field H can be drained sufficiently.

[0182] The set water level, control width, water supply opening, drainage margin, and drainage water level are pre-set to appropriate values ​​and stored in the field management server 100. The set water level and other values ​​can be arbitrarily changed by the worker, for example, using the worker terminal 90.

[0183] The control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 and the control unit 69 of the drainage device 50 control the water supply and drainage to field H based on the set values ​​(set water level, control width, water supply opening, drainage margin, and drainage water level, etc.) received from the field management server 100.

[0184] In this embodiment, the types of control methods for water supply and drainage in field H are assumed to be "constant flooding," "continuous flow," "stop," and "drainage." These control methods will be described below.

[0185] First, we will explain the method of controlling water supply and drainage using "constant water level control." "Constant water level control" is a control method that maintains the water level in field H at approximately a constant value (set water level). Below, we will explain the control of water supply and drainage to field H using "constant water level control" with reference to Figure 14.

[0186] In "constant water level" mode, the control unit 69 of the drainage device 50 adjusts the drainage height to a height equal to or greater than the set water level (specifically, the set water level plus a water drainage margin).

[0187] Figure 14 schematically shows a field H filled with water and a water tap 30. As shown in Figure 14(a), the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 opens the water tap 30 (valve body 33) to raise the water level in field H when the water level measured by the water level sensor 40 (water level in field H) is less than the water level obtained by subtracting the control width from the set water level (set water level - control width). At this time, the control unit 29 sets the opening degree of the water tap 30 to a preset water supply opening degree.

[0188] As shown in Figure 14(b), when the water level in field H rises and the value measured by the water level sensor 40 (water level in field H) becomes greater than the set water level, the control unit 29 closes the water tap 30 and stops the water supply to field H.

[0189] As water in field H permeates the soil and dries out, the water level in field H gradually decreases when water supply is stopped. As shown in Figure 14(c), when the water level sensor 40's measurement (water level in field H) falls significantly below the set water level by a control range (below the set water level minus the control range), the control unit 29 opens the water tap 30 to resume water supply to field H and restores the water level in field H to the set water level.

[0190] The control unit 29 can adjust the water level in field H to a level suitable for crop growth by repeatedly supplying and stopping water supply.

[0191] Next, we will explain the water supply and drainage control method using the "flow-through" method. The "flow-through" method is a control method that continuously supplies water to field H and drains the excess water through the drain plug 70.

[0192] In the "flow-through" system, the control unit 69 of the drainage device 50 adjusts the drainage height to a height equal to or greater than the set water level (specifically, the set water level plus a drainage margin). The control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 sets the opening degree of the water tap 30 to a preset water supply opening degree. As a result, water is continuously supplied to the field H via the water supply device 10, and any overflow water is drained via the drainage device 50.

[0193] Next, we will explain the method of controlling water supply and drainage using the "stop" function. The "stop" function is a control method that stops the supply of water to field H.

[0194] In the "Stop" state, the control unit 69 of the drainage device 50 adjusts the drainage height to a height equal to or greater than the set water level (specifically, the set water level plus a drainage margin). The control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 closes the water tap 30 to stop the water supply to field H. As a result, field H is not supplied with water or drained.

[0195] Next, we will explain the method of controlling water supply and drainage using "drainage." "Drainage" is a method of controlling the discharge of water from field H.

[0196] In the "drainage" phase, the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 closes the water tap 30 to stop the water supply to field H. The control unit 69 of the drainage device 50 adjusts the drainage height to the drainage water level. Since the drainage water level is set to a sufficiently low height, the water accumulated in field H can be discharged through the drainage device 50.

[0197] The water level adjustment method (control method) described above is just one example; it is possible to adjust the water level in any way according to various parameters.

[0198] The following describes the configuration and method for detecting abnormalities (malfunctions) in the water supply system 10 and the drainage system 50.

[0199] The field management server 100 in this embodiment can detect malfunctions in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 based on signals (information) received from the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. As shown in Figure 3, the field management server 100 comprises a storage unit 101, a determination unit 102, and a notification unit 103.

[0200] The memory unit 101 stores various information necessary for detecting the occurrence of a malfunction. The memory unit 101 stores conditions for determining whether or not a malfunction exists (see Figure 15), information previously received from the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50, etc. In the following, the conditions shown in Figure 15 will be referred to as "normal condition determination conditions." The specific contents of the "normal condition determination conditions" will be described later.

[0201] The determination unit 102 determines whether or not a malfunction has occurred in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 based on the information stored in the memory unit 101. The notification unit 103 is the part that notifies external devices of various information. In this embodiment, the notification unit 103 can notify information to at least the worker terminal 90.

[0202] The field management server 100 can detect malfunctions in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 by repeatedly executing the process shown in Figure 16 (malfunction detection process). This will be explained in detail below.

[0203] In step S410 of Figure 16, the determination unit 102 determines whether or not it has acquired information from the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. As mentioned above, the field management server 100 communicates with the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 10 minutes) to acquire various information. This information includes the detected value of the encoder 25b of the water supply device 10, the detected value of the encoder 65b of the drainage device 50, the measurement results of the water level sensor 40, etc. If the determination unit 102 has acquired the above information from the water supply device 10, etc., it proceeds to step S420. In other words, in the malfunction determination process shown in Figure 16, the process from step S420 onwards is executed each time the field management server 100 acquires various information from the water supply device 10, etc. (for example, every 10 minutes).

[0204] In step S420, the determination unit 102 determines whether the "normal determination conditions" shown in Figure 15 are met based on the information obtained from the water supply device 10, etc. The contents of the "normal determination conditions" shown in Figure 15 will now be explained.

[0205] The "normal operation determination conditions" shown in Figure 15 are the conditions for determining whether or not a malfunction has occurred in the water supply system 10 and the drainage system 50. The normal operation determination conditions are set according to the type of control method. These will be explained in detail below.

[0206] If the control method is set to "stop," the determination unit 102 determines that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally if the measured value of the water supply opening is 0%. The determination unit 102 can measure the water supply opening based on the detected value of the encoder 25b of the water supply device 10. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10.

[0207] Furthermore, when the control method is set to "stop," the determination unit 102 determines that the drainage device 50 is functioning normally if the measured value of the drainage height is "set water level + drainage margin." On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the drainage device 50. Note that the conditions regarding the drainage device 50 are the same when the control method is set to "flow-through" and "constant water level," so the explanation will be omitted below.

[0208] When the control method is "flow-through," the determination unit 102 determines that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally if the measured value of the water supply opening is equal to the set value of the water supply opening. The set value of the water supply opening is a value pre-stored in the field management server 100 and is the target value of the water supply opening when the water supply device 10 supplies water. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10.

[0209] When the control method is "constant water level," the determination unit 102 determines whether or not there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10 based on conditions corresponding to the water level in field H.

[0210] Specifically, the determination unit 102 determines that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally if the current water level (the current water level of field H obtained in step S410) is less than "set water level - control width" and the measured value of the water supply opening is equal to the set value of the water supply opening. As mentioned above, when the current water level is less than "set water level - control width" (see Figure 13(a)), the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 controls the opening of the water tap 30 to a preset water supply opening. Therefore, in this case, if the measured value of the water supply opening is equal to the set value of the water supply opening, it can be determined that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10.

[0211] Furthermore, the determination unit 102 determines that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally if the current water level is greater than the "set water level" and the measured value of the water supply opening is 0%. As mentioned above, when the current water level is greater than the "set water level" (see Figure 13(b)), the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 closes the water tap 30 and stops the water supply. Therefore, in this case, if the measured value of the water supply opening is 0%, it can be determined that the water supply device 10 is operating normally. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10.

[0212] Furthermore, the determination unit 102 determines that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally if the current water level is greater than or equal to "set water level - control width" and less than or equal to the set water level, and the measured value of the water supply opening is the same as the measured value of the water supply opening from the previous time, or if the measured value of the water supply opening is 0%, or if the measured value of the water supply opening is the set value of the water supply opening. The measured value of the water supply opening from the previous time refers to the measured value of the water supply opening acquired by the field management server 100 in step S410 of the previous malfunction determination process (Figure 16). For example, if the field management server 100 communicates with the water supply device 10 etc. every 10 minutes, the measured value of the water supply opening from the previous time will be the measured value of the water supply opening from 10 minutes ago.

[0213] As mentioned above, when the current water level is above the "set water level - control range" and below the set water level, the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 is either in a state where the water tap 30 is closed and the water supply is stopped (see Figure 14(b)) or in a state where the opening of the water tap 30 is controlled to a preset water supply opening (see Figure 14(c)). Therefore, if the water tap 30 is closed and the water supply is stopped (see Figure 14(b)), the water supply device 10 can be judged to be operating normally if the measured value of the water supply opening is 0%. Also, if the opening of the water tap 30 is controlled to a preset water supply opening (see Figure 14(c)), the water supply device 10 can be judged to be operating normally if the measured value of the water supply opening is the set value of the water supply opening. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that a malfunction has occurred in the water supply device 10.

[0214] In this case, where the control method is "constant water level," the water supply opening is appropriately controlled by the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10, so there is not just one normal value (appropriate state) for the water supply opening. Therefore, in this embodiment, the current normal value for the water supply opening is determined based on the current water level, and the occurrence of a malfunction is appropriately determined.

[0215] When the control method is "drainage," the determination unit 102 determines that the water supply device 10 is functioning normally if the measured value of the water supply opening is 0%. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10.

[0216] Furthermore, if the control method is set to "stop," the determination unit 102 determines that the drainage device 50 is functioning normally if the measured drainage height is equal to the drainage water level. The drainage water level is a pre-set value stored in the field management server 100 and is the target drainage height when the drainage device 50 performs drainage. On the other hand, if the above conditions are not met, the determination unit 102 determines that there is a malfunction in the drainage device 50.

[0217] When determining the above conditions, it is possible to allow for some margin of error rather than strictly judging the numerical values.

[0218] In step S420 shown in Figure 16, the determination unit 102 selects a condition from the above-mentioned "normal determination conditions" that matches the current control method, and determines whether the information acquired in step S410 satisfies this condition. If the "normal determination conditions" are met, it can be determined that the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 are operating normally as expected by each control method. If the determination unit 102 determines that the "normal determination conditions" are met, it terminates the malfunction determination process shown in Figure 16. On the other hand, if the determination unit 102 determines that the "normal determination conditions" are not met, it can determine that the water supply device 10, etc., is not operating normally (a malfunction has occurred) for some reason (for example, blockage of foreign matter in the water tap 30, etc., foreign matter adhering to it, etc.). In this case, the determination unit 102 proceeds to step S430.

[0219] In step S430, the notification unit 103 notifies the worker that a malfunction has occurred. For example, the notification unit 103 notifies the worker terminal 90 of a message indicating that a malfunction has occurred, a message indicating whether the malfunction occurred in the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50, etc. In addition to informing the worker that a malfunction has occurred, the notification unit 103 may also notify the worker to perform maintenance on the water supply device 10, etc. This is just one example, and the method and content of informing the worker of information are not limited to this embodiment. When the processing in step S430 is completed, the field management server 100 terminates the malfunction determination process.

[0220] In this way, the field management server 100 can detect the occurrence of a malfunction based on the water supply opening, etc., measured based on the detected values ​​of encoder 25b and encoder 65b. In particular, when the water supply device 10 is operated using a motor 25, as in this embodiment, it is conceivable to detect a malfunction based on the value of the load current that operates the motor 25, but it is conceivable that accurate detection of a malfunction may be difficult due to unintended pulsations in the load current. In contrast, in this embodiment, the rotation of the motor 25 can be directly detected using encoder 25b, so that a more accurate detection of a malfunction can be performed.

[0221] As described above, the field management system 1 according to this embodiment is A water supply system (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) that can supply water to field H or drain water from field H by opening and closing the valves (water supply valve 30 and drainage valve 70), A detection unit (field management server 100) for detecting malfunctions in the aforementioned faucet device, It is equipped with, The aforementioned faucet device is The motors (motor 25 and motor 65) are the driving sources for operating the aforementioned plug, Encoders (encoder 25b and encoder 65b) that output pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motor, It is equipped with, The detection unit is The system detects malfunctions in the faucet device based on the output of the encoder. By configuring it in this way, the occurrence of abnormalities (malfunctions) can be appropriately detected.

[0222] Furthermore, the field management system 1 according to this embodiment is It further comprises a water level detection unit (water level sensor 40) for detecting the water level in the field. The detection unit is In addition to the output of the encoder, the system also detects malfunctions in the faucet device based on the detection results from the water level detection unit. By configuring it in this way, the relationship between the water level and the encoder output can be used to more accurately detect the occurrence of abnormalities (malfunctions).

[0223] Furthermore, the detection unit is Based on the detection results from the water level detection unit, the appropriate state of the faucet device (see the conditions for constant water level in Figure 15) is determined, and based on the output of the encoder, it is determined whether the actual state of the faucet device is appropriate. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to select appropriate conditions (normal judgment conditions) according to the water level and appropriately detect the occurrence of abnormalities (malfunctions).

[0224] Furthermore, the detection unit is It consists of the encoder and the water level detection unit, and a server (field management server 100) capable of communicating with them at appropriate time intervals. This configuration allows the server to determine malfunctions, reducing the control load (malfunction detection process) on the faucet device. Furthermore, even when detecting malfunctions using a server that communicates at predetermined time intervals, appropriate conditions (normal judgment conditions) can be selected according to the water level, enabling proper detection of abnormalities (malfunctions).

[0225] The water tap 30 and drain tap 70 according to this embodiment are one form of the tap according to the present invention. Furthermore, the water supply device 10 and drainage device 50 according to this embodiment are one form of implementation of the faucet device according to the present invention. Furthermore, the field management server 100 according to this embodiment is one form of implementation of the detection unit and server according to the present invention. Furthermore, the water level sensor 40 according to this embodiment is one form of the water level detection unit according to the present invention.

[0226] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as described in the claims.

[0227] For example, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the field management server 100 detects a malfunction, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 themselves can be configured to detect the occurrence of a malfunction. In this case, for example, the control unit 29 of the water supply device 10 can be configured to execute the above-described malfunction determination process (see Figure 16) based on the measurement results of the encoder 25b and the water level sensor 40, etc.

[0228] Furthermore, if the water supply device 10 detects a malfunction on its own, it can determine its own control status. Therefore, it can determine which of the "constant water level" conditions in the normal judgment criteria shown in Figure 15 should be used without having to check the measurement results (current water level) of the water level sensor 40. Consequently, the water supply device 10 can also detect a malfunction on its own based on the measurement results of the encoder 25b, without using the measurement results of the water level sensor 40.

[0229] Furthermore, although this embodiment shows an example where only the field management server 100 detects a malfunction, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to configure the system so that the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 themselves detect malfunctions in conjunction with the field management server 100 detecting malfunctions. In this case, as described above, the field management server 100 detects malfunctions at predetermined time intervals (such as every 10 minutes) when it acquires information from the water supply device 10, etc. Therefore, it is desirable that the water supply device 10, etc. itself detect malfunctions at shorter time intervals than the above time intervals. This allows the water supply device 10, etc. to detect the occurrence of malfunctions earlier than the field management server 100.

[0230] Furthermore, the water supply device 10 can be configured to perform a clearing operation when it detects a malfunction. The clearing operation is an operation to clear blockages in the water tap 30 and the drain plug 70. The clearing operation is an operation that can change the water pressure in the flow paths of the water tap 30 and the drain plug 70. In this embodiment, the clearing operation is an operation to open and close the valve bodies 33 and 73 multiple times. Note that the clearing operation described above is just an example and can be changed as appropriate. For example, if a blockage in the water tap 30 is cleared, the clearing operation may be completed with just one opening and closing operation. Thus, in the clearing operation, it is sufficient to open and close the valve bodies 33 and 73 at least once. By performing the clearing operation when the water supply device 10 detects a malfunction in this way, the blockage (malfunction) can be cleared before the field management server 100 detects the occurrence of the malfunction. This avoids unnecessary notification of the occurrence of a malfunction to the worker by the field management server 100.

[0231] Furthermore, it is possible to configure the system to execute the blockage clearing operation not only when the water supply device 10 or the like detects a malfunction, but also when, for example, the field management server 100 detects a malfunction. For example, as explained using the example in Figure 16, if the field management server 100 detects a malfunction (No in step S420), it executes the blockage clearing operation before the processing in step S430. After that, it is preferable to determine whether there is a malfunction again in the processing in step S420, and if the malfunction has not been resolved, to notify the worker that a malfunction has occurred (step S430).

[0232] Furthermore, the "normal judgment conditions" exemplified in this embodiment (see Figure 15) are merely examples, and specific conditions can be changed as appropriate.

[0233] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the water supply opening is measured based on the output of encoders 25b and 65b, and the presence or absence of a malfunction is determined based on this water supply opening. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to determining the presence or absence of a malfunction based on the output of encoders 25b and 65b, the presence or absence of a malfunction may also be determined based on the load current value of motors 25 and 65. As an example, if the load current of motors 25 and 65 exceeds a predetermined threshold (overcurrent), it can be estimated that some kind of malfunction has occurred. In this way, when determining the presence or absence of a malfunction using two methods, it can be determined that a malfunction has actually occurred if a malfunction is detected by at least one of the methods, or if a malfunction is detected by both methods. Also, when determining the presence or absence of a malfunction using two methods, it is possible to separate the entities that determine the malfunction, for example, by having the field management server 100 determine the malfunction using encoders 25b and 65b, and the water supply device 10 and drainage device 50 determine the malfunction based on the load current of motors 25 and 65.

[0234] Furthermore, while this embodiment demonstrates an example of detecting a malfunction based on the water supply opening (see Figure 15), it is also possible to detect malfunctions based on other information. For example, the field management server 100, water supply device 10, or drainage device 50 (hereinafter referred to as "field management server 100, etc.") can also detect a malfunction (abnormality) in the water supply device based on the number of pulses generated per unit time.

[0235] For example, the field management server 100 determines whether the number of pulses generated per unit time is less than a predetermined threshold when the water supply valve 30 or drain valve 70 is opened or closed. This threshold is a value that allows the system to determine if a malfunction has occurred in the water supply device 10, etc. This threshold is set to a value smaller than, for example, the number of pulses generated when there is no malfunction.

[0236] If the number of pulses generated is below a threshold, it is thought that the motor 25, etc., has stopped for some reason during the opening and closing operation of the water tap 30, etc., or that the rotation of the motor 25, etc., is slower than normal (a malfunction has occurred). For example, the water tap 30 may be clogged with foreign matter. In this way, the field management server 100, etc., can detect malfunctions based on the number of pulses generated per unit time.

[0237] Furthermore, while this embodiment describes a configuration for detecting the occurrence of a malfunction in the faucet device, it is also possible to use a configuration that detects signs of a malfunction. By detecting signs of a malfunction, maintenance can be performed before a malfunction actually occurs, thereby preventing the malfunction from occurring in the first place. Below, an example of a configuration for detecting signs of a malfunction will be described.

[0238] For example, the field management server 100 can detect signs of malfunction based on the number of times the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed. More specifically, as the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed, various parts such as motors 25 and 65 gradually wear out, eventually causing malfunctions in the water supply device 10 and drain device 50. Therefore, the field management server 100 counts the number of times the water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70 are opened and closed and stores it in the memory unit 101, and predicts the lifespan of the motors 25 and 65 based on the number of times they are opened and closed. For example, the field management server 100 predicts how many more times the water supply valve 30 can be opened and closed. The field management server 100 then detects signs of malfunction when the lifespan of the motors 25 and 65 is nearing its end (for example, when the predicted number of times is less than or equal to a predetermined number). This allows the field management server 100, etc., to detect signs of malfunctions caused by the lifespan of motors 25, 65, etc. The number of times water taps 30, etc. are opened and closed can be counted, for example, based on the detected values ​​of encoders 25b, 65b.

[0239] Furthermore, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction based on the degree of degradation of batteries 23 and 63. More specifically, batteries 23 and 63 are depleted with each charge and discharge, and eventually, even with power generation by solar panels 22 and 62, the remaining charge of batteries 23 and 63 is not sufficiently restored, resulting in a situation (malfunction) where the motors 25 and 65 cannot be properly driven. Therefore, the field management server 100 can also detect signs of malfunction if it determines from information that allows it to judge the degree of degradation of batteries 23 and 63 that the degradation of batteries 23 and 63 is progressing.

[0240] For example, the field management server 100 can detect signs of malfunction when the internal resistance of batteries 23-63 exceeds a predetermined threshold, or when the voltage of batteries 23-63 falls below a predetermined threshold. This allows the field management server 100 to accurately detect signs of malfunction caused by the deterioration of batteries 23-63. It is desirable to check the voltage of batteries 23-63 during times when the solar panels 22-62 are not generating power (for example, at night).

[0241] Furthermore, the field management server 100 can also detect signs based on the rotational speed of motors 25 and 65 detected based on pulses output by encoders 25b and 65b, and the load current value when operating motors 25 and 65. For example, the field management server 100 can determine whether the load current value of motors 25 and 65 is above a predetermined threshold. More specifically, in this embodiment, the load current value is controlled based on the output from encoder 25b (rotational speed of motor 25), and the water tap 30 is opened and closed at a constant speed. In this configuration, if there are signs of a malfunction in the water tap 30 (for example, if debris adheres to the valve body 33), the load current value is increased and controlled to maintain the opening and closing speed of the water tap 30 at a constant speed.

[0242] The field management server 100 then determines whether the load current value when the water tap 30 is opened and closed at a constant speed is above a predetermined threshold. This allows the field management server 100 to determine whether the load current value is increasing due to signs of a malfunction. In this way, the field management server 100 can detect the signs based on the rotational speed of the motor 25 detected based on the output (pulse) of the encoder 25b and the load current value when operating the motor 25.

[0243] Furthermore, the field management server 100 can also use the notification unit 103 to notify workers of signs of malfunction. For example, the notification unit 103 sends a message to the worker terminal 90 indicating signs of malfunction. This is just one example, and the method and content of notifying workers of information are not limited to this embodiment.

[0244] As described above, the field management system 1 according to this embodiment is The system further includes a sign detection unit (field management server 100, etc.) that detects signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device, The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The system detects the signs based on the rotational speed of the motor detected based on the pulses output by the encoder, and the load current value when operating the motor. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to appropriately detect the occurrence of an anomaly based on the output from the encoder.

[0245] Furthermore, the field management system 1 according to this embodiment is The system further includes a notification unit 103 that, when the aforementioned sign detection unit detects the aforementioned sign, prompts the user to perform maintenance on the faucet device. This configuration allows for prompt maintenance and helps prevent malfunctions.

[0246] Furthermore, the field management system 1 is The system further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device. The aforementioned symptom detection unit (field management server 100) The aforementioned symptoms are detected based on the number of times the valves (water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70) are opened and closed by the aforementioned faucet device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50). By configuring it in this way, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the number of times the valves (water supply valve 30 and drain valve 70) are opened and closed.

[0247] Furthermore, the field management system 1 is The system further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device. The aforementioned faucet device (water supply device 10) is, The system includes batteries 23-63 that supply power to the motors 25-65, The aforementioned symptom detection unit (field management server 100) The aforementioned signs are detected based on the degree of deterioration of the batteries 23 and 63. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to detect signs of malfunction based on the degree of degradation of batteries 23 and 63.

[0248] Furthermore, the field management system 1 is The system further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device. The aforementioned symptom detection unit (field management server 100) The signs are detected based on the rotational speed of the motors 25 and 65, which is detected based on the pulses output by the encoders 25b and 65b, and the load current value when operating the motors 25 and 65 (step S420). By configuring it in this way, signs of malfunction can be detected based on the rotational speed of motors 25 and 65 detected by encoders 25b and 65b, and the load current value.

[0249] Furthermore, the field management system 1 is The system further includes a notification unit 103 that, when the aforementioned sign detection unit (field management server 100) detects the aforementioned sign (step S420: Yes), prompts the user to perform maintenance on the water supply device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50). By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to encourage maintenance to be performed at the appropriate time (before a problem occurs).

[0250] Based on the above disclosure, the outline of the present invention is listed below.

[0251] [Background technology] Conventionally, the technology of a field management system for field water management has been known. For example, it is as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-092455.

[0252] The field management system described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-092455 includes a faucet opening / closing device, a server center, etc. The faucet opening / closing device switches the availability of water supply to the field by opening and closing a water supply faucet. The faucet opening / closing device has a communication function. The server center can remotely control the faucet opening / closing device by communicating with it.

[0253] A faucet opening / closing device such as that described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-092455 may have a problem where dirt or the like clogs the water supply faucet and the opening / closing operation stops halfway (a malfunction occurs). Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can appropriately detect the occurrence of an abnormality (malfunction).

[0254] [Summary of the Invention] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] One aspect of the present disclosure has been made in view of the above situation, and the problem to be solved is to provide a field management system capable of appropriately detecting the occurrence of an abnormality (malfunction).

[0255] Hereinafter, a second modification example of the malfunction detection process for detecting a malfunction will be described.

[0256] The malfunction detection process according to the second modification example shown in FIG. 17 adds the process of step S510 to the process of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 16, and determines the presence or absence of a malfunction using a "normal determination condition" different from that of the third embodiment (FIG. 15). Therefore, hereinafter, the content of the malfunction detection process of the second modification example will be described centering on the differences from the third embodiment, and the description of the content common to the third embodiment will be omitted.

[0257] If the determination unit 102 obtains information from the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 in step S410, it proceeds to step S510. In step S510, the determination unit 102 determines whether the previous set value commanded to the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 is the same as the current set value.

[0258] The set values ​​in step S510 include at least the water supply opening and the drainage opening (the opening of the water valve installed in field H). In the second modified example, the set values ​​include the water supply opening and drainage opening, as well as the control method, set water level, control width, and drainage margin. The control method is one of the above-mentioned "constant flooding," "flow," "stop," and "drainage."

[0259] In step S510, the determination unit 102 determines whether the previous setting value and the current setting value are the same for both the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. Specifically, the determination unit 102 determines that the previous setting value and the current setting value are the same for the water supply device 10 if the previous control method, set water level, control width, and water supply opening are all the same as the current control method, etc. On the other hand, the determination unit 102 determines that the previous setting value and the current setting value are not the same for the water supply device 10 if at least one of the previous control method, set water level, control width, and water supply opening is different from the current control method, etc.

[0260] Furthermore, the determination unit 102 determines that the previous setting value and the current setting value of the drainage device 50 are the same if the previous control method, set water level, drainage margin, and drainage water level are all the same as the current control method, etc. On the other hand, the determination unit 102 determines that the previous setting value and the current setting value of the drainage device 50 are not the same if at least one of the previous control method, set water level, drainage margin, and drainage water level is different from the current control method, etc.

[0261] In step S510, the determination unit 102 determines whether to proceed to step S520 based on the determination results of the set values ​​in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50. For example, the determination unit 102 proceeds to step S520 if the determination value of at least one of the water supply device 10 or the drainage device 50 is the same as the previous time.

[0262] In step S520, the determination unit 102 determines whether there are any malfunctions in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 using the "normal determination conditions" shown in Figure 18. At this time, the determination unit 102 determines whether there are any malfunctions in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 that were determined in step S510 to have the same set value as the previous time. Note that the "normal determination conditions" shown in Figure 18 differ from the "normal determination conditions" of the third embodiment (Figure 15) in that the conditions for when the water supply device 10 performs constant water level control are different. For this reason, the differences will be explained below.

[0263] As shown in Figure 14(a), in constant flooding control, the water supply device 10 opens the water tap 30 and supplies water to field H when the water level in field H falls significantly below the set water level (below the set water level minus the control width). On the other hand, as shown in Figure 14(b), the water supply device 10 closes the water tap 30 and stops supplying water to field H when the water level in field H rises above the set water level.

[0264] Thus, in constant flooding control, the water supply device 10 is opened and closed according to the water level in field H. During this opening and closing operation, regardless of whether there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10, it is likely that the set value of the opening degree and the measured value of the opening degree (actual opening degree) will often not match.

[0265] As shown in Figure 18, when the determination unit 102 determines whether there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10 in constant water level control, it first checks whether the measured value of the opening degree from a predetermined time ago is the same as the measured value of the opening degree at the present time. If the measured values ​​are the same, the determination unit 102 determines whether there is a malfunction in the water supply device 10 based on conditions corresponding to the water level of field H. On the other hand, if the measured values ​​are different, the determination unit 102 does not determine whether there is a malfunction based on conditions corresponding to the water level of field H and terminates the malfunction detection process according to the second modified example. The conditions corresponding to the water level of field H are the same as in the third embodiment (Figure 15).

[0266] Here, it is assumed that the water supply device 10 will communicate with the field management server 100 at shorter time intervals than usual (for example, every 10 minutes), depending on the situation. For example, if the main power switch of the water supply device 10 is turned off and then immediately turned on, the water supply device 10 may communicate with the field management server 100 immediately after the switch is turned on. In such cases, it is assumed that the water supply device 10 will communicate with the field management server 100 at shorter time intervals than usual (for example, one minute after the previous communication). The water supply device 10 may also communicate with the field management server 100 at shorter time intervals than usual due to instructions from the operator (setting changes). If the predetermined time (see Figure 18) is too short, there is a concern that when the field management server 100 and the water supply device 10 communicate in a short period of time, the measured values ​​may be unintentionally determined to be the same (during the opening and closing operation), leading to the erroneous detection of a malfunction in the water supply device 10. Therefore, it is desirable that the predetermined time be set to a time longer than the short communication interval (e.g., 1 minute) mentioned above.

[0267] In the second modified example, the predetermined time is set appropriately from within the time range in which the opening and closing operation of the water supply device 10 is considered to have been completed if there is no malfunction. In constant flooding control, the opening degree of the water tap 30 is switched to either a water supply opening degree greater than 0% or 0% (see Figure 14). Therefore, the predetermined time is set to be longer than the time required to switch the opening degree if there is no abnormality in the water supply device 10. The predetermined time is also set to be longer than the short communication interval (for example, 1 minute) mentioned above. This prevents the determination unit 102 from mistakenly detecting a malfunction in the water supply device 10 when the field management server 100 and the water supply device 10 communicate in a short period of time. In the second modified example, the predetermined time is set to 9 minutes. This is just an example, and the predetermined time may be set to a different time than in the second modified example.

[0268] In step S520, if the determination unit 102 satisfies the "normal judgment conditions" shown in Figure 18, it terminates the defect detection process related to the second modified example. On the other hand, if the determination unit 102 does not satisfy the "normal judgment conditions," it proceeds to step S430 and notifies the system of the defect.

[0269] The determination unit 102 can determine whether or not there is a malfunction only if the set value is not changed, by executing the malfunction detection process according to the second modified example (steps S510-S520). This allows the determination unit 102 to suppress the comparison of measured values ​​such as the opening degree with the set value before the change in the water supply opening degree or drain opening degree is reflected in the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 (the opening and closing operation is completed normally) (suppressing the occurrence of false detections). As a result, the determination unit 102 can improve the accuracy of malfunction detection.

[0270] Furthermore, in constant water level control, when the water supply device 10 has finished its opening and closing operation and the measured value of the opening degree has stabilized (step S520), the determination unit 102 can compare the measured value of the opening degree with a set value, etc. This allows the determination unit 102 to suppress erroneous judgments caused by repeated opening and closing operations in constant water level control.

[0271] In this case, when the water supply device 10 and the field management server 100 communicate directly (e.g., using LTE-M), it is assumed that the water supply device 10 will simultaneously initiate the opening and closing operation of the water tap 30 and measure the measured values ​​(opening degree, water level). Furthermore, the field management server 100 may take several minutes to receive and reflect the measured values. When there is a time lag between the measurement time at the water supply device 10 and the time when the field management server 100 recognizes the measured values, a timing discrepancy may occur between the measured value recognized by the field management server 100 (a measured value from several minutes ago) and the current value. The determination unit 102 can avoid misjudgment when the measured value and the current value contradict each other by performing a process to confirm whether the measured opening degree measured more than a predetermined time ago is the same as the measured opening degree measured now (see Figure 18).

[0272] Furthermore, when the water supply device 10 and the field management server 100 communicate via the communication relay 80 (e.g., using LoRa), the water supply device 10, after starting the opening and closing operation of the water tap 30, transmits the current opening degree, etc., to the field management server 100 in response to a transmission request from the communication relay 80. In this case, the measured value and the current value are not inconsistent (or the difference is small enough to be considered inconsistent). For this reason, the determination unit 102 can skip the process of confirming the measured value as described above.

[0273] Furthermore, the time interval at which the field management server 100 commands the water supply device 10 to set values ​​is not particularly limited and may be set at an appropriate time interval. The worker may also set the time interval using the worker terminal 90.

[0274] In addition, the device that performs the constant flooding control is not particularly limited and may be performed by an appropriate device. For example, when the water level sensor 40 is directly connected to the water supply device 10 (regardless of whether it is wired or wireless and can communicate without passing through other devices), in addition to the field management server 100, the water supply device 10 can perform the opening and closing operation of the water supply faucet 30 by constant flooding control. Also, for example, when the water level sensor 40 is on the drainage side (when directly connected to the drainage device 50) or when the water level sensor 40 is directly connected to the field management server 100, based on the measurement result of the water level of the water level sensor 40, the field management server 100 can perform constant flooding control (the opening and closing operation), or send the measurement result to the water supply device 10 so that the water supply device 10 can perform constant flooding control. Furthermore, there may be more than one field management server 100. For example, the server to which the water level sensor 40 is connected and the server to which the water supply device 10 and the drainage device 50 are connected may be separate. In that case, each server performs control by coordinating part or all of the measured values and control contents.

[0275] As described above, in the second modification The faucet device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) is configured to perform an opening and closing operation in response to a command of the opening degree from the server (field management server 100), The detection unit (determination unit 102) performs a process of detecting a malfunction of the faucet device only when the opening degree commanded by the server last time is the same as the opening degree commanded by the server this time (steps S510·S520). By configuring in this way, the detection accuracy of malfunctions can be improved.

[0276] Also, the faucet device (water supply device 10 and drainage device 50) is capable of executing constant flooding control to maintain the water level of the field H at a certain value based on the detection result by the water level detection unit (water level sensor 40), The detection unit In the constant water level control described above, the actual state of the faucet is determined to be appropriate only if the opening degree (measured value) of the faucet before a predetermined time is the same as the current opening degree (measured value) of the faucet (step S520). By configuring it in this way, the occurrence of misjudgments can be suppressed in constant water level control. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0277] 1. Field Management System 10 Water supply device 25 Motor 25b encoder 30 Water tap 50 Drainage system 65 Motor 65b encoder 70 Drain plug 100 Field Management Servers Field H

Claims

1. A water tap device that allows for the supply of water to or drainage from a field by opening and closing a valve, A sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device, A field management system equipped with the following features.

2. The aforementioned faucet device is The system includes a motor which is the drive source for operating the aforementioned plug, The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The system detects the symptom when the load current value used to operate the motor exceeds a symptom threshold value set to be lower than the overload current value that occurs when a malfunction occurs. The field management system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned faucet device is The system includes a motor which is the drive source for operating the aforementioned plug, The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The system stores the load current value when the motor is operated, and detects the symptom based on the change in the load current value when the motor is operated multiple times. The field management system according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned faucet device is A clog-clearing operation is possible in which the plug is opened and closed at least once within a predetermined time in order to clear the blockage of the plug. The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The signs are detected based on the number of times the aforementioned blockage clearing operation is performed, or the frequency of the aforementioned blockage clearing operation. The field management system according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The indicator is detected based on the number of times the valve is opened and closed by the faucet device. The field management system according to claim 1.

6. The aforementioned faucet device is A motor which is the drive source for operating the aforementioned plug, A battery that supplies power to the motor, It is equipped with, The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The aforementioned signs are detected based on the degree of battery degradation. The field management system according to claim 1.

7. The aforementioned faucet device is A motor which is the drive source for operating the aforementioned plug, An encoder that outputs pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motor, It is equipped with, The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The motor's rotational speed, detected based on the pulse output by the encoder, and the load current value used to operate the motor, are used to detect the signs. The field management system according to claim 1.

8. The system further comprises a notification unit that, when the aforementioned sign detection unit detects the aforementioned sign, prompts the faucet device to perform maintenance. A field management system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A water tap device that allows for the supply of water to or drainage from a field by opening and closing a valve, A detection unit for detecting malfunctions in the aforementioned faucet device, It is equipped with, The aforementioned faucet device is A motor which is the drive source for operating the aforementioned plug, An encoder that outputs pulses in accordance with the rotation of the motor, It is equipped with, The detection unit, Based on the output of the encoder, a malfunction in the faucet device is detected. Field management system.

10. The aforementioned faucet device is It is configured to perform opening and closing operations in response to opening degree commands from the server. The detection unit, The process to detect a malfunction in the faucet device is performed only if the opening degree from the previous server is the same as the opening degree from the current server. The field management system according to claim 9.

11. It further comprises a water level detection unit for detecting the water level in the field, The detection unit, In addition to the output of the encoder, a malfunction of the faucet device is detected based on the detection result by the water level detection unit. The field management system according to claim 9.

12. The detection unit, Based on the detection result by the water level detection unit, the appropriate state of the faucet device is determined, and based on the output of the encoder, it is determined whether the actual state of the faucet device is appropriate. The field management system according to claim 11.

13. The detection unit, It consists of the encoder and the water level detection unit and a server capable of communicating with them at appropriate time intervals. The field management system according to claim 12.

14. The aforementioned faucet device is Based on the detection results from the water level detection unit, it is possible to perform constant flooding control to maintain the water level of the field at a constant value. The detection unit, In the constant water level control described above, the actual state of the faucet is determined to be appropriate only if the opening degree of the faucet earlier than a predetermined time is the same as the current opening degree of the faucet. The field management system according to claim 12.

15. The detection unit, The malfunction of the faucet device is detected by the number of pulses generated per unit time. The field management system according to claim 9.

16. The aforementioned faucet device is It is configured to perform opening and closing operations in response to opening degree commands from the server. The detection unit, If, even after a predetermined time has elapsed since the command was sent from the server to the faucet device, the opening degree of the faucet device, determined by the number of pulses generated, has not reached the opening degree commanded by the server, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the faucet device. The field management system according to claim 15.

17. The aforementioned faucet device is When the detection unit detects an abnormality in the faucet device, it is possible to perform a clog-clearing operation that opens and closes the tap at least once within a predetermined time in order to clear the blockage in the tap. A field management system according to any one of claims 9 to 16.

18. The system further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device. The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The indicator is detected based on the number of times the valve is opened and closed by the faucet device. The field management system according to claim 9.

19. The system further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device. The aforementioned faucet device is The system includes a battery that supplies power to the motor, The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The aforementioned signs are detected based on the degree of battery degradation. The field management system according to claim 9.

20. The system further comprises a sign detection unit for detecting signs of malfunction in the aforementioned faucet device. The aforementioned symptom detection unit, The motor's rotational speed, detected based on the pulse output by the encoder, and the load current value used to operate the motor, are used to detect the signs. The field management system according to claim 9.

21. The system further comprises a notification unit that, when the aforementioned sign detection unit detects the aforementioned sign, prompts the faucet device to perform maintenance. A field management system according to any one of claims 18 to 20.

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