Water level monitoring device and program

Abstract

To provide a water level monitoring device that detects that a water level has reached a specific height and notifies a user of a water level transition in multiple stages.SOLUTION: In a system 10, a water level monitoring device 100 comprises: a reception unit that receives data of a water level H representing a height from a ground surface 14 of water having entered from the opening at the bottom from a water level sensor 20 having a sensor pipe 24 disposed along an outer wall of a building 12 and having an opening at the bottom and a sensor unit 22 disposed upward of the sensor pipe 24 via a network 30, and stores it in a storage unit in association with the time of day; and a notification unit that issues a first report when the water level has risen from zero, issues a second report when the water level has risen above a predetermined threshold after the first report was issued, and issues a third report when the water level has fallen a predetermined number of times in succession after the second report. The notification unit may output, together with the third report, the maximum value of a water level between the second and the third reports.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water level monitoring device and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Non-Patent Document 1 describes a sensor that is installed outside a building and detects and outputs an output when the water level reaches a specific height. [Prior art document] [Non-patent literature] [Non-Patent Document 1] FloodFlash website: https: / / floodflash.co Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present invention, a water level monitoring device comprises a receiving unit that receives water level data from a water level sensor placed outside a building and stores the data in a storage unit in correspondence with a time, and an alarm unit that, based on the data, issues a first report when the water level rises above zero, issues a second report when the water level rises above a predetermined threshold after the first report, and issues a third report when the water level drops a predetermined number of times consecutively after the second report.

[0004] The notification unit may output the maximum value of the water level between the second report and the third report together with the third report. The notification unit may issue a fourth report when the water level rises within a predetermined time after the third report and then falls a predetermined number of times in succession, and when the water level after the third report is higher than the maximum value of the water level between the second report and the third report. The device may further include a display unit that displays an image on the display device, and the receiving unit may acquire data together with a building ID that identifies the building and store it in the storage unit, and the display unit may output an image to the display device that displays the position of the building identified by the building ID on a map image from either one of the first report and the second report to at least the third report. The display unit may also display other buildings that exist within a predetermined range of the building on the map image. The notification unit may warn of an abnormality when the data meets a predetermined abnormality judgment criterion. The judgment criterion may be that it is not possible to confirm that there was a flood at the position of the building in the flood information acquired from outside. The criterion may be that the water level has risen or fallen by a predetermined value or more a predetermined number of times. The criterion may be that the water level has risen by a predetermined value or more in one go. The criterion may be that the water level has remained within a predetermined range a predetermined number of times or more after at least one of the first and second reports.

[0005] In a second aspect of the present invention, a program is provided that causes a computer to realize a receiving function of receiving water level data from a water level sensor placed outside a building and storing the data in a storage unit in correspondence with a time, and an alarm function of issuing a first report if the water level rises above zero based on the data, issuing a second report if the water level rises above a predetermined threshold after the first report, and issuing a third report if the water level drops a predetermined number of times consecutively after the second report.

[0006] The above summary of the invention does not list all of the features of the present invention. Also, subcombinations of these features may also be inventions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 conceptually illustrates a system 10 according to the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 shows a schematic diagram of functional blocks of the water level monitoring device 100. [Diagram 3] 1 shows an example of water level data 122 stored in the storage unit 120. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a notification condition 126. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram for explaining another notification condition 126. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an abnormal condition 128. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram for explaining another abnormal condition 128. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a conceptual diagram for explaining still another abnormal condition 128. [Figure 9] 1 shows an example of an operation flow S10 of the water level monitoring device 100. [Figure 10] A display screen 210 is shown as an example of the first report. [Figure 11] An example of a display screen 212 for at least one of the first to fourth reports is shown. [Figure 12] 13 shows an example of another display screen 214 for at least one of the first to fourth reports. [Figure 13] 22 illustrates an example computer 2200 in which aspects of the present invention may be embodied, in whole or in part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0009] 1 conceptually illustrates a system 10 according to this embodiment. The system 10 includes a water level sensor 20, a water level monitoring device 100, and an external server 18, all of which can communicate with each other via a network 30. For example, the water level sensor 20 is managed by a sensor manufacturer, the water level monitoring device 100 is managed by a non-life insurance company, and the external server 18 is managed by an organization that provides flood information, such as the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan.

[0010] The water level sensor 20 is placed outside the building 12, for example along the exterior wall. The water level sensor 20 has a sensor pipe 24 with an opening at the bottom, and a sensor unit 22 placed above the sensor pipe 24. The sensor pipe 24 extends vertically from the ground 14, and detects the height from the ground 14 of the water that has entered through the opening at the bottom, i.e., the water level H. The detected water level H corresponds to the flooding depth of the building 12. The sensor unit 2 transmits data indicating the water level H detected by the sensor pipe 24 (sometimes simply referred to as the water level or water level data) to the water level monitoring device 100 via the network 30.

[0011] The water level sensor 20 has a specific resolution for height and time, and a height detection range, for example, a height resolution of 1 cm, a time resolution of 1 minute, and a height detection range of 0 cm to 300 cm.

[0012] The water level sensor 20 transmits the following two sets of water level data for each hour to the water level monitoring device 100. First, when the water level is zero all day, i.e., below the lower detection limit, the water level sensor 20 transmits data indicating that the water level is zero at midnight of that day to the water level monitoring device 100. Second, when the water level sensor 20 detects that the water level is zero or above, it transmits water level data for each minute to the water level monitoring device 100. The time interval for the second water level data is set to one minute, the same as the time resolution, as an example, but is not limited to this as long as it is shorter than the time interval for the first data. The timing at which the water level sensor 20 transmits the water level data is preferably in real time, but is not limited to this, and several pieces of water level data may be transmitted together.

[0013] The water level sensor 20 also transmits the detection time and the building ID in association with the water level data. The time is obtained from a timer provided in the sensor unit 22. The building ID is information for identifying the building 12, and is stored in the sensor unit 22 in advance.

[0014] The building 12 is, for example, an insured property for which a flood insurance contract has been concluded with an insurance company. In Fig. 1, one pair of the building 12 and the water level sensor 20 is shown, but the present invention may be applied to multiple pairs.

[0015] 2 shows a schematic diagram of functional blocks of the water level monitoring device 100. The water level monitoring device 100 may be an information processing device such as a personal computer or a server.

[0016] The water level monitoring device 100 has a receiving unit 110 that receives water level data 122 from the water level sensor 20, a storage unit 120 that stores the water level data 122, a notification unit 130 that issues a notification when the water level data 122 meets a predetermined condition, and a display unit 140 that displays a display related to the notification on a screen. The display unit 140 may be a display monitor that has a screen itself, or it may not have a screen itself and output screen data to an external display monitor.

[0017] The storage unit 120 stores, in addition to the water level data 122, a notification condition 126 and an abnormality condition 128. The notification condition 126 is a condition under which the notification unit 130 issues a notification. The abnormality condition 128 is a judgment criterion by which the notification unit 130 judges whether the water level data 122 is abnormal.

[0018] 3 shows an example of water level data 122 stored in the storage unit 120. The water level data 122 is stored for each building data 124, and has fields for time t, water level h (cm), and notification flag. The building data 124 includes a building ID, an address, and an email address. The email address may belong to the owner or manager of the building 12, or may belong to the policyholder if the building 12 is an insured property.

[0019] Fig. 4 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the notification condition 126. Fig. 4 shows a first notification condition for notifying a first report, a second notification condition for notifying a second report, and a third notification condition for notifying a third report.

[0020] The first notification condition is that the water level h1 has risen above zero based on the water level data 122. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the water level h1 indicated by the water level data 122 at time t1 has risen above zero.

[0021] The second notification condition is that the water level has risen above a predetermined threshold value s1 after the issuance of the first notification based on the water level data 122. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the water level h2 indicated by the water level data 122 at time t2 has risen above the threshold value s1. The threshold value s1 may correspond to the floor height of the building 12, for example, and may be set for each building 12 or may be set uniformly. A specific example of the threshold value s1 is 45 cm or 50 cm, but is not limited to this.

[0022] The third notification condition is that the water level has dropped a predetermined number of times in succession after the second notification is issued based on the water level data 122. The predetermined number m1 is, for example, three times, but is not limited to this. Figure 4 shows a state in which the water level has dropped three times in succession from time t3 to time t4.

[0023] If the third notification condition is met, the water level h3 at time t3 m1 times before the relevant time t4 is identified as the maximum water level between the second and third reports. This maximum value is a value that characterizes the flooding, and is used to identify flood damage and calculate insurance payments.

[0024] Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram for explaining another notification condition 126. Fig. 5 shows a fourth notification condition for notifying a fourth notification.

[0025] The fourth notification condition is that the water level rises within a predetermined time T1 after the third report, and then falls a predetermined number of times in succession, and the water level h4 after the third report is higher than the maximum water level h3 between the second and third reports. The predetermined number m2 may be three times, the same as the predetermined number m1. The predetermined time T1 is 48 hours or 72 hours, but is not limited to this.

[0026] The first to fourth notification conditions have been explained using the diagrams, and these are stored in the storage unit 120 as conditional statements or program libraries executable by the water level monitoring device 100. Furthermore, the parameters used in the first to fourth notification conditions, such as the threshold value s1 and the number of times m1, may be changeable by the user of the water level monitoring device 100.

[0027] Fig. 6 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the abnormal condition 128. In Fig. 6, a first abnormal condition is shown.

[0028] The first abnormal condition is that the water level rises and falls by a predetermined number of times m3 by a predetermined value s2 or more. For example, the value s2 is 50 cm, and the number of times m3 is four, but is not limited to these. Figure 5 shows a state in which the water level rises and falls by more than the value s2 four times from time t6 to t8. For example, the water level at time t6 rises from h6 to h7 at the next time t7 by more than the value s2.

[0029] Fig. 7 is a conceptual diagram for explaining another abnormal condition 128. In Fig. 7, a second abnormal condition is shown.

[0030] The second abnormal condition is that the water level rises to a value s3 or more in one go. The value s3 is, for example, 200 cm, but is not limited to this. Figure 7 shows a state in which the water level h10 rises from the water level h9 at time t9 to the value s3 or more in one go at the next time t10.

[0031] Fig. 8 is a conceptual diagram for explaining yet another abnormal condition 128. Fig. 8 shows a third abnormal condition.

[0032] The third abnormal condition is that the water level remains within a predetermined range s4 for a predetermined number of times m4 or more after at least one of the first and second reports. The number of times m4 is, for example, 60 times, and the range s4 is, for example, 2 cm, but is not limited to these. Figure 8 shows a state in which the water level remains within the range s4 from the water level h11 at time t11 after the second report to the water level h12 at the next time t11 60 times later.

[0033] The first to third abnormal conditions have been explained using the diagrams, and these are stored in the storage unit 120 as conditional statements and program libraries executable by the water level monitoring device 100. Furthermore, the parameters used for the first to third abnormal conditions, such as the value s2 and the number of times m3, may be changeable by the user of the water level monitoring device 100.

[0034] In addition to or instead of the above first to third abnormal conditions, a fourth abnormal condition may be set. The fourth abnormal condition is that it is not possible to confirm that a flood has occurred at the location of the building 12 in flood information acquired from outside. An example of flood information acquired from outside is a flood map provided on the Internet by a server of the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (e.g., server 18). After at least one of the first and second alerts, the alert unit 130 may access a pre-stored ULR to acquire the above flood map and confirm that a flood has occurred.

[0035] 9 shows an example of an operational flow S10 of the water level monitoring device 100. The operational flow S10 starts when the water level monitoring device 100 is ready to receive water level data from the water level sensor 20.

[0036] The receiving unit 110 receives water level data from the water level sensor 20 and stores it in the storage unit 120 in association with a time (S100). When the receiving unit 110 receives water level data associated with a building ID and a time, it stores the time and the water level indicated by the water level data in the respective fields in association with the building ID. When the receiving unit 110 receives water level data that is not associated with a time, it may refer to a timer provided in the water level monitoring device 100 and store the time at which the water level data was received in the time field.

[0037] The alarm unit 130 repeats step S100 until the water level data stored in the storage unit 120 satisfies the first alarm condition (S102: No). If the first alarm condition is satisfied (S102: Yes), the alarm unit 130 executes an operation of issuing an alarm (steps S104 to S138) and an operation of detecting an abnormality (steps S140 to S144) in parallel.

[0038] In the operation of making a notification, the notification unit 130 judges whether the first report has already been notified (S104). In this case, the notification unit 130 judges that the first report has been notified if "1" is recorded in the notification flag of the water level data 122, and that the first report has not been notified if "1" is not recorded.

[0039] In step S104, if the first report has not been reported (S104: No), the notification unit 130 reports the first report (S106). The notification unit 130 further records a flag "1" indicating that the first report has been reported in the notification flag field of the water level data 122. Then, the process returns to step S100. The method of reporting the first report may be to display a pop-up or window on the display unit 140, to output a sound, to send an email to an email address previously stored in the storage unit 120, to store the water level data 122 separately from other water level data 122, or the like.

[0040] 10 shows a display screen 210 as an example of the first report. On the display screen 210, the position of a building 220 identified by a building ID is displayed on a map image with an X mark. Instead of or in addition to the X mark, the building 220 may flash to indicate that it is flooded. The display screen 210 further displays the building ID and water level information 230 in association with the building 220. The water level may be the latest value or the maximum value from the start of the flooding to the present.

[0041] In step S104, if the first report has already been reported (S104: Yes), the reporting unit 130 judges whether or not the water level data stored in the storage unit 120 satisfies the second report condition (S110). If the second report condition is satisfied (S110: Yes), the reporting unit 130 judges whether or not the second report has already been reported (S112). In this case, the reporting unit 130 judges that a report has already been reported if the report flag of the water level data 122 is set to "2", and that a report has not already been reported if not.

[0042] In step S112, if the second report has not been reported (S112: No), the reporting unit 130 reports the second report (S114). The reporting unit 130 further records a flag "2" indicating that the second report has been reported in the report flag field of the water level data 122. Then, the process returns to step S100.

[0043] The method of notifying the second report may be the same as that of the first report so that it is clear that it is the second report, or may be a method different from that of the first report. For example, the first report may be notified by a text pop-up on the display unit 140, and the second report may be displayed on the display screen 210 shown in FIG.

[0044] If the second notification condition is not met in step S110 (S110: No), or if the second report has already been reported in step S112 (S112: Yes), the notification unit 130 judges whether the water level data stored in the storage unit 120 satisfies the third notification condition (S120). If the third notification condition is met (S120: Yes), the notification unit 130 judges whether the third report has already been reported (S122). In this case, if "3" is recorded in the notification flag of the water level data 122, the notification unit 130 judges that a notification has already been reported, and if not, that a notification has not already been reported.

[0045] In step S112, if the third report has not been reported (S122: No), the notification unit 130 reports the third report (S124). The notification unit 130 further records a flag "3" indicating that the third report has been reported in the notification flag field of the water level data 122.

[0046] The notification unit 130 identifies the water level data at the time m1 pieces before the water level data that satisfied the third notification condition as the maximum value, and outputs it to the display unit 140 etc. together with the third report (S126). The notification unit 130 further records a flag "*" indicating that it is the maximum value in the notification flag of the water level data. Then, the process returns to step S100.

[0047] The method of reporting the third report may be the same as that of the first and second reports so that it is clear that it is the third report, or it may be a method different from that of the first and third reports. For example, the display screen 210 shown in Fig. 10 may be displayed as the second report, and the display of "water level" may be changed to "maximum water level" as the third report to display the maximum value.

[0048] If the third notification condition is not met in step S120 (S120: No), or if the third notification has already been notified in step S122 (S122: Yes), the notification unit 130 judges whether the water level data stored in the storage unit 120 satisfies the fourth notification condition (S130). If the fourth notification condition is not met (S130: No), it judges whether the time of the latest water level data has passed the time T1 in the fourth notification condition since the third notification (S136). If the time T1 has not passed (S130: No), the operation returns to step S100.

[0049] If time T1 has elapsed in step S130 (S130: Yes), the alarm unit 130 resets the alarm flags "1," "2," and "3" in the storage unit 120 (S136). This prevents the next time flooding occurs, it from being erroneously determined that a previous alarm has already been issued. On the other hand, it is preferable to leave the alarm flag "*." This allows the maximum flooding value to be referenced later. After that, the operation returns to step S100.

[0050] If the fourth notification condition is met in step S130 (S130: Yes), the notification unit 130 issues a fourth notification (S132). In this case, the notification unit 130 updates the maximum value to the water level data at the time m2 units before the water level data that satisfied the fourth notification condition. In the example shown in Fig. 5, the maximum value is updated to water level h4 and output to the display unit 140 etc. The notification unit 130 further changes the notification flag "*" from the water level data of water level h3 to the water level data of water level h4.

[0051] After step S132, the notification unit 130 resets the time T1 (S134), and the operation returns to step S100. According to steps S134 and S136, even after the fourth notification condition is satisfied once and the maximum value is updated, if the fourth notification condition is satisfied again within time T1 from that point in time, the maximum value is further updated and the operation is repeated. In this case, the maximum value to be compared is not the maximum value due to the third notification, but the maximum value after the update.

[0052] In the operation of detecting an abnormality, the notification unit 130 determines whether the water level data 122 stored in the storage unit 120 satisfies any of the first to fourth abnormal conditions (S140). If none of the first to fourth abnormal conditions are satisfied (S140: No), the operation returns to step S100.

[0053] When any of the first to fourth abnormality conditions is satisfied (S140: Yes), the notification unit 130 notifies the fact that an abnormality has occurred. The method of notifying the abnormality may be to open a pop-up or window on the display unit 140, to output a sound, to send an email to an email address previously stored in the storage unit 120, or the like. The email address may belong to the owner or manager of the building 12, the insurance policyholder, the user of the water level monitoring device 100, the manufacturer of the water level sensor 20, or the like.

[0054] The notification unit 130 waits until the abnormality is dealt with (S144: No). In the standby state, the operation of performing notification (steps S104 to S138) may be interrupted.

[0055] Once the abnormality has been dealt with (S144: Yes), the operation returns to step S100. If the operation of issuing the notification (steps S104 to S138) was interrupted, that operation is resumed. That the abnormality has been dealt with may be determined by a user's input to the water level monitoring device 100 to that effect, or by receiving data indicating that the abnormality has been dealt with from the water level sensor 20.

[0056] As described above, according to this embodiment, the water level monitoring device 100 issues a report based on the water level data received from the water level sensor 20, so that the party receiving the report can take appropriate measures. For example, the first report indicating that the water level has risen above zero can notify that flooding has occurred. Also, preparations can be made for data from the water level sensor 20 to arrive every minute. The second report indicating that the water level has risen above the threshold value s1 can notify that there is an increased possibility of flooding above the floor level. Furthermore, if the building 12 is an insured property, it can notify that there is an increased possibility of insurance payment. The third and fourth reports indicating that the maximum value has been reached can be used to estimate the damage caused by flooding. In particular, by reporting the maximum value together with the third and fourth reports, it is possible to accurately estimate the damage and calculate the insurance money.

[0057] Furthermore, when at least one of the first to fourth reports is sent to the manager of the building 12, an electronic message may be sent containing a message of sympathy or a message asking about the damage situation, or containing an embedded URL for replying to the damage situation. This allows the damage situation to be grasped quickly, and if the property is covered by insurance, preparations for insurance payment can be made.

[0058] Fig. 11 shows an example of a display screen 212 for at least one of the first to fourth reports. In the display screen 212, the same components as those in the display screen 210 in Fig. 10 are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] The display screen 212 displays information 232 in addition to the display on the display screen 210. The information 232 is a graph showing the time transition of the water level.

[0060] Fig. 12 shows an example of another display screen 214 in at least one of the first to fourth reports. In the display screen 214, the same components as those in the display screen 210 in Fig. 10 are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0061] In addition to the display on the display screen 210, the display screen 214 further displays a building 222 and information 234. The building 222 is, for example, an insured property, but is a building in which a water level sensor 20 is not installed. The address of the building 222 is stored in the storage unit 120 in association with a building ID. If a water level sensor 20 were installed in the building 222, the above-mentioned operation flow S10 would display a notification on the display screen 214 together with information on the water level, but since a water level sensor 20 is not installed, no notification is displayed on the display screen 214 up to this point.

[0062] Therefore, when the notification unit 130 notifies the display screen 214 of any of the first to third reports regarding the building 220, it also displays on the map image other buildings 222 that exist within a predetermined range of the building 220. The predetermined range is, for example, a distance or an administrative district, and may be determined based on the addresses of the buildings 220 and 222. Note that instead of or in addition to displaying the building 222, the notification unit 130 may notify a contact such as an email address that is stored in the storage unit 120 in association with the building 222.

[0063] 10 to 12, the flooding situation of the building 220 can be easily notified to the user of the water level monitoring device 100. Furthermore, the display screen 214 can notify the user of the possibility of flooding even in the building 222 where the water level sensor 20 is not installed.

[0064] The flooding map acquired for determining the fourth abnormal condition may be superimposed and displayed on the display screens 210, 212, and 214. Furthermore, other information about flooding on the Internet, for example, information such as photos posted on social networks (SNS), may be acquired by searching in a predetermined manner (for example, performing an AND search between an address and keywords such as "flood" or "inundation") and displayed on the display screens 210, 212, and 214.

[0065] Instead of the water level sensor 20 associating the building ID with the water level data and transmitting it, the water level sensor ID for identifying the water level sensor 20 may be associated with the water level data and transmitted. In this case, the storage unit 120 of the water level monitoring device 100 can associate the water level data with the building by storing the building ID and / or address in association with the water level sensor ID.

[0066] An example has been described in which the notification flags "1", "2" and "3" in the storage unit 120 are reset in step S136 of the operation flow S10. Instead of resetting the notification flags, after the time T1 has elapsed, or at least after the first notification and the water level has returned to zero, the water level data before and after that may be managed as a set of different data, and the notification flag in the operation flow S10 may be confirmed and assigned for each set.

[0067] Various embodiments of the present invention may be described with reference to flow charts and block diagrams, where the blocks may represent (1) stages of a process in which operations are performed or (2) sections of an apparatus responsible for performing the operations. Particular stages and sections may be implemented by dedicated circuitry, programmable circuitry provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, and / or a processor provided with computer readable instructions stored on a computer readable medium. Dedicated circuitry may include digital and / or analog hardware circuitry and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. Programmable circuitry may include reconfigurable hardware circuitry including logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logical operations, memory elements such as flip-flops, registers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), and the like.

[0068] A computer-readable medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions that are executed by a suitable device, such that the computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon comprises an article of manufacture that includes instructions that can be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of computer-readable media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs), erasable programmable read-only memories (EPROMs or flash memories), electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), compact disk read-only memories (CD-ROMs), digital versatile disks (DVDs), Blu-ray (RTM) disks, memory sticks, integrated circuit cards, and the like.

[0069] The computer readable instructions may include either assembler instructions, Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages.

[0070] Computer readable instructions may be provided to a processor or programmable circuitry of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, either locally or over a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, etc., to execute the computer readable instructions to create means for performing the operations specified in the flowcharts or block diagrams. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

[0071] 13 illustrates an example of a computer 2200 in which aspects of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. Programs installed on the computer 2200 may cause the computer 2200 to function as or perform operations associated with an apparatus or one or more sections of the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and / or to perform a process or steps of a process according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such programs may be executed by the CPU 2212 to cause the computer 2200 to perform specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0072] The computer 2200 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 2212, a RAM 2214, a graphic controller 2216, and a display device 2218, which are connected to each other by a host controller 2210. The computer 2200 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 2222, a hard disk drive 2224, a DVD-ROM drive 2226, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 2210 via an input / output controller 2220. The computer also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 2230 and a keyboard 2242, which are connected to the input / output controller 2220 via an input / output chip 2240.

[0073] The CPU 2212 operates according to a program stored in the ROM 2230 and the RAM 2214, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 2216 acquires image data generated by the CPU 2212 into a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 2214 or into the graphic controller 2216 itself, and displays the image data on the display device 2218.

[0074] The communication interface 2222 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 2224 stores programs and data used by the CPU 2212 in the computer 2200. The DVD-ROM drive 2226 reads programs or data from the DVD-ROM 2201 and provides the programs or data to the hard disk drive 2224 via the RAM 2214. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and / or writes programs and data to an IC card.

[0075] The ROM 2230 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by the computer 2200 upon activation, and / or a program that depends on the hardware of the computer 2200. The input / output chip 2240 may also connect various input / output units to the input / output controller 2220 via a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, and the like.

[0076] The programs are provided by a computer-readable medium such as a DVD-ROM 2201 or an IC card. The programs are read from the computer-readable medium, installed in the hard disk drive 2224, the RAM 2214, or the ROM 2230, which are also examples of computer-readable media, and executed by the CPU 2212. Information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 2200, and brings about cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. An apparatus or method may be constructed by realizing information manipulation or processing according to the use of the computer 2200.

[0077] For example, when communication is performed between the computer 2200 and an external device, the CPU 2212 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 2214 and instruct the communication interface 2222 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of the CPU 2212, the communication interface 2222 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer processing area provided in the RAM 2214, the hard disk drive 2224, the DVD-ROM 2201, or a recording medium such as an IC card, and transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes reception data received from the network to a reception buffer processing area or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0078] Furthermore, the CPU 2212 may cause all or a necessary portion of a file or database stored in an external recording medium such as the hard disk drive 2224, the DVD-ROM drive 2226 (DVD-ROM 2201), an IC card, etc. to be read into the RAM 2214, and perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 2214. The CPU 2212 then writes back the processed data to the external recording medium.

[0079] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored in the recording medium and undergo information processing. The CPU 2212 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 2214, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information search / replacement, etc., as described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the results to the RAM 2214. The CPU 2212 may also search for information in a file, database, etc. in the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 2212 may search for an entry that matches a condition, in which an attribute value of the first attribute is specified, from among the plurality of entries, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0080] The above-described programs or software modules may be stored in a computer-readable medium on the computer 2200 or in the vicinity of the computer 2200. Also, a recording medium such as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable medium, thereby providing the programs to the computer 2200 via the network.

[0081] Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0082] It should be noted that the order of execution of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and may be realized in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a later process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is explained using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to perform the process in this order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 10 system, 12 building, 14 ground, 18 external server, 20 water level sensor, 22 sensor unit, 24 sensor pipe, 30 network, 100 water level monitoring device, 110 receiver, 120 storage, 122 water level data, 124 building data, 126 notification condition, 128 abnormal condition, 130 notification unit, 140 display unit, 210, 212, 214 display screen, 220, 222 building, 230, 232, 234 information

Claims

1. a receiving unit that receives water level data from a water level sensor disposed outside the building and stores the data in a storage unit in association with time; a notification unit that issues a first report when the water level rises above zero based on the data, issues a second report when the water level rises above a predetermined threshold after the issuance of the first report, and issues a third report when the water level falls a predetermined number of times in succession after the second report; A water level monitoring device comprising:

2. The water level monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit outputs a maximum value of the water level between the second report and the third report together with the third report.

3. The water level monitoring device of claim 2, wherein the alarm unit issues a fourth report when the water level rises within a predetermined time after the third report and then drops a predetermined number of times in a row, and when the water level after the third report is higher than the maximum water level between the second report and the third report.

4. Further comprising a display unit for displaying an image on a display device, The receiving unit acquires the data together with a building ID that identifies the building, and stores the data in the storage unit; The water level monitoring device of claim 1, wherein the display unit outputs to the display device an image displaying the position of the building identified by the building ID on a map image from either the first report or the second report to at least the third report.

5. The water level monitoring device according to claim 4 , wherein the display unit also displays other buildings that exist within a predetermined range of the building on the map image.

6. The water level monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification unit issues a warning to the effect that an abnormality exists when the data satisfies a predetermined abnormality determination criterion.

7. The water level monitoring device according to claim 6 , wherein the criterion for judgment is that flooding at the location of the building cannot be confirmed in flood information acquired from an external source.

8. 7. The water level monitoring device according to claim 6, wherein the judgment criterion is that the water level has risen or fallen by a predetermined value or more a predetermined number of times.

9. 7. The water level monitoring device according to claim 6, wherein the judgment criterion is that the water level has risen to or above a predetermined value in one go.

10. The water level monitoring device according to claim 6, wherein the judgment criterion is that the water level remains within a predetermined range a predetermined number of times or more after at least one of the first report and the second report.

11. On the computer, A receiving function that receives water level data from a water level sensor installed outside the building and stores the data in a storage unit in association with time; a notification function that issues a first report when the water level rises above zero based on the data, issues a second report when the water level rises above a predetermined threshold after the first report, and issues a third report when the water level falls a predetermined number of times in succession after the second report; A program to achieve this.

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