Remote controller and toilet system

Abstract

To bring about a state in which non-contact operation by a user can be detected as soon as possible even when power is not stored sufficiently.SOLUTION: A remote controller for controlling a toilet device includes: a pyroelectric sensor for detecting a human body; a communication part for transmitting a signal for controlling the toilet device; a control part for controlling the communication part to transmit the signal on the basis of a result of the detection by the pyroelectric sensor; a solar battery for generating power using light; and a power storage part for storing the power generated by the solar battery and supplying the stored power to the control part and the pyroelectric sensor. The power storage part supplies power to the pyroelectric sensor prior to the control part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote control device and a toilet system. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art In wet spaces such as toilet rooms, washrooms, and kitchens, remote control devices that remotely control wet equipment such as toilet devices and automatic faucet devices are often provided.

[0003] A remote control device for a bathroom appliance may be provided with a human body detection sensor such as an infrared sensor. Patent Document 1 discloses a toilet device that detects the presence or absence of a user in a toilet space using a pyroelectric infrared sensor (hereinafter referred to as a "pyroelectric sensor").

[0004] In addition, remote control devices for plumbing equipment are generally powered by commercial power sources or dry batteries, but there have also been proposals for devices equipped with solar cells and powered by electricity generated using lighting or external light. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-143628 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In recent years, remote control devices that use a pyroelectric sensor to detect non-contact operations by a user, such as a hand-waving action, have been considered. Also, it has been considered to supply power to such pyroelectric sensors by generating electricity using solar cells.

[0007] Because the amount of power generated by a solar cell varies depending on the presence or absence of a light source and the intensity of the light, it is difficult to stably supply power to a pyroelectric sensor. In other words, it is difficult for a remote control device equipped with a solar cell to constantly store the power required to operate a pyroelectric sensor.

[0008] As an example, when the light source is the lighting of the toilet room, power generation by the solar cell starts after the lighting of the toilet room is turned on. However, there is a time lag between the start of power generation by the solar cell and the time when the pyroelectric sensor becomes capable of detecting a human body. This time lag specifically includes a time lag between the start of power generation by the solar cell and the start of the pyroelectric sensor, and a time lag between the start of the pyroelectric sensor and the time when the human body can be detected. If a non-contact operation is performed by the user during this time lag, the pyroelectric sensor cannot detect the non-contact operation by the user. In particular, since it takes a relatively long time for the pyroelectric sensor to become capable of detection after being started, a situation where the non-contact operation by the user cannot be detected for a certain period of time immediately after entering the room is likely to occur.

[0009] An object of one aspect of the embodiment is to make it possible to detect a non-contact operation by a user as early as possible even when sufficient power is not stored. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A remote control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a remote control device that controls a toilet device and includes a pyroelectric sensor that detects a human body, a communication unit that transmits a signal to control the toilet device, a control unit that controls the communication unit to transmit the signal based on the detection result of the pyroelectric sensor, a solar cell that generates electricity using light, and a power storage unit that stores the electricity generated by the solar cell and supplies the stored electricity to the control unit and the pyroelectric sensor, and the power storage unit supplies the electricity to the pyroelectric sensor before the control unit.

[0011] According to such a configuration, even if sufficient power is not stored, it is possible to make the non-contact operation by the user detectable as soon as possible.

[0012] In the remote control device described above, the power storage unit supplies the power to the control unit after the pyroelectric sensor is in a detectable state.

[0013] According to such a configuration, power supply to the pyroelectric sensor is prioritized until the pyroelectric sensor is in a detectable state, so that the pyroelectric sensor can be made detectable as soon as possible.

[0014] In addition, in the above-mentioned remote control device, a switch is provided in the power supply path from the storage unit to the control unit, and switches the power supply path between conductive and cut-off, and the switch switches the power supply path to a conductive state when the pyroelectric sensor detects the human body while the power supply path is in a cut-off state.

[0015] According to such a configuration, power supply to the pyroelectric sensor is given priority until a human body is detected by the pyroelectric sensor, so that a non-contact operation by a user can be made detectable as soon as possible.

[0016] Furthermore, in the above remote control device, when the voltage of the power storage unit reaches a first voltage, the power is supplied from the power storage unit to the pyroelectric sensor, and when the voltage of the power storage unit reaches a second voltage higher than the first voltage, the power is supplied from the power storage unit to the control unit.

[0017] With this configuration, even if there is not enough stored power, it is possible to make the device capable of detecting non-contact operations by the user as early as possible, and power supply begins only after a certain level of voltage has accumulated, allowing for a more stable power supply.

[0018] A toilet system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a toilet system comprising a toilet device provided in a toilet room, and a remote control device provided in the toilet room and controlling the toilet device, wherein the remote control device comprises a pyroelectric sensor that detects a human body, a communication unit that transmits a signal to control the toilet device, a control unit that controls the communication unit to transmit the signal based on the detection result of the pyroelectric sensor, a solar cell that generates electricity using light, and a power storage unit that stores electricity generated by the solar cell and supplies the stored electricity to the control unit and the pyroelectric sensor, and the power storage unit supplies the electricity to the pyroelectric sensor before the control unit.

[0019] According to such a configuration, even if sufficient power is not stored, it is possible to make the non-contact operation by the user detectable as soon as possible. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, even when power is not sufficiently stored, it is possible to achieve a state in which a non-contact operation by a user can be detected as soon as possible. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an external configuration of a toilet system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of the remote control device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the toilet system. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the remote control device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of transition of the power generation state of the solar cell, the voltage of the power storage unit, the state of the pyroelectric sensor, and the state of the control unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of transition of the power generation state of the solar cell, the voltage of the power storage unit, the state of the pyroelectric sensor, and the state of the control unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a configuration and an example of an operation of a remote control device according to a first modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of transition of the power generation state of the solar cell, the voltage of the power storage unit, the state of the pyroelectric sensor, the state of the switch, and the state of the control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, a mode for carrying out a remote control device and a toilet system according to the present disclosure (hereinafter, referred to as an "embodiment") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment. In addition, each embodiment can be appropriately combined within a range that does not cause a contradiction in the processing contents. In addition, the same parts in each of the following embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0023] In addition, in the embodiments described below, expressions such as "constant", "orthogonal", "vertical" and "parallel" may be used, but these expressions do not necessarily mean "constant", "orthogonal", "vertical" and "parallel" strictly. In other words, each of the above expressions allows for deviations due to, for example, manufacturing accuracy and installation accuracy.

[0024] In addition, in the drawings referred to below, for ease of understanding, an orthogonal coordinate system may be shown in which the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are defined as being orthogonal to each other, and the Z-axis positive direction is the vertically upward direction. Also, the direction of rotation about the vertical axis may be referred to as the θ direction.

[0025] <1. External appearance of the toilet system> First, the external configuration of a toilet system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of the toilet system 1 according to an embodiment.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet system 1 includes a toilet device 2 and a remote control device 3.

[0027] The toilet device 2 includes a toilet bowl 5, a water supply unit 6, and a toilet seat unit 7. The toilet bowl 5 is a Western-style toilet bowl, and is placed, for example, against the back wall of the toilet room R. Note that although a floor-standing toilet bowl 5 is shown here, the toilet bowl 5 may also be a wall-hung type.

[0028] The water supply unit 6 comprises a water passage 61 that supplies flushing water to the toilet bowl 5, and a first main body case 62 arranged to cover part of the water passage 61, and has the function of switching between supplying and stopping water to the toilet bowl 5. The toilet seat unit 7 comprises a second main body case 71 installed on the top of the toilet bowl 5, and a toilet seat 72 and a toilet lid 73 (not shown) pivoted to the second main body case 71 so as to be able to open and close freely, and has functions such as automatically opening and closing the toilet seat 72 and the toilet lid 73 (not shown) and heating the toilet seat 72.

[0029] The remote control device 3 is a device that controls the toilet device 2, and is installed on a wall surface of the toilet room R. The wall surface of the toilet room R is an example of a vertical surface. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the remote control device 3 is placed on a wall surface W on the left side as seen by a user sitting on the toilet seat 72.

[0030] The remote control device 3 according to the embodiment includes a solar cell 32 and a power storage unit 33 that is charged with power generated by the solar cell 32 (see FIG. 3 described later), and is driven by the power stored in the power storage unit 33. Therefore, unlike conventional remote control devices that are driven by commercial power sources or dry batteries, the remote control device 3 according to the embodiment does not require power supply construction or battery replacement.

[0031] <2. External configuration of the remote control device> Next, the external configuration of the remote control device 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the external configuration of the remote control device 3.

[0032] 2, the remote control device 3 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 300. A solar cell 32 and a pyroelectric sensor 34 are disposed on the front surface (the surface facing the positive direction of the X-axis) of the housing 300.

[0033] The solar cell 32 is disposed above the pyroelectric sensor 34 when the housing 300 is attached to the wall surface W (see FIG. 1). By disposing the solar cell 32 in a position closer to the lighting in the toilet room R in this way, it is possible to prevent the light entering the solar cell 32 from being blocked by the user's hand while the user is performing a hand-waving operation over the pyroelectric sensor 34. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in power generation efficiency.

[0034] Also, as an example, housing 300 has a vertically elongated shape when attached to wall surface W (see FIG. 1). By making the shape of housing 300 vertically elongated to match the shape of a hand, the operability of hand-waving operation can be improved, and by making pyroelectric sensor 34 more likely to be covered by the user's hand, the detection accuracy of the human body can be improved.

[0035] Although an example in which the solar cell 32 and the pyroelectric sensor 34 are disposed on the front surface (the surface on the positive side of the X-axis) of the housing 300 has been shown here, the locations of the solar cell 32 and the pyroelectric sensor 34 are not limited to this. For example, the solar cell 32 may be disposed on the top surface of the housing 300 (the surface on the positive side of the Z-axis).

[0036] Also, for example, pyroelectric sensor 34 may be disposed inside housing 300. In this case, an opening may be provided in the front of housing 300, and pyroelectric sensor 34 may be disposed so that its detection surface faces the opening. This allows pyroelectric sensor 34 to detect infrared rays emitted from the human body through the opening. Also, the opening may be covered with a cover that transmits infrared rays.

[0037] <3. Functional configuration of the toilet system> Next, the functional configuration of the entire toilet system 1 including the above-mentioned remote control device 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the toilet system 1. Note that Fig. 3 shows components necessary for explaining the features of the embodiment as functional blocks, and omits descriptions of general components. In other words, each component shown in Fig. 3 is a functional concept, and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure.

[0038] First, a description will be given of the configuration of the remote control device 3. As shown in Fig. 5, the remote control device 3 includes a communication unit 31, a solar cell 32, a power storage unit 33, a pyroelectric sensor 34, a storage unit 36, and a control unit 37, which are housed in a housing 300 (see Fig. 2).

[0039] The communication unit 31 transmits a signal to control the toilet device 2. Specifically, the communication unit 31 converts an electric signal input from the control unit 37 into radio waves and radiates the signal from an antenna (not shown) into the toilet room R. Note that the communication unit 31 may radiate infrared rays as a signal instead of radio waves.

[0040] The solar cell 32 generates power by utilizing light such as lighting (not shown) or external light. The power storage unit 33 stores the power generated by the solar cell 32. The power storage unit 33 is, for example, a capacitor. However, the power storage unit 33 may be an electric double layer capacitor, a lithium ion battery, or the like. The power stored in the power storage unit 33 is supplied to the communication unit 31, the pyroelectric sensor 34, the memory unit 36, the control unit 37, and the like, which operate using the power supplied from the power storage unit 33.

[0041] The pyroelectric sensor 34 detects the human body in a non-contact manner, and thereby accepts a non-contact operation by the human body (for example, a hand-waving operation).

[0042] Specifically, when a user performs a non-contact operation on the remote control device 3, the pyroelectric sensor 34 detects a temperature change due to heat (infrared rays) emitted by the user and converts it into an electric signal, thereby detecting the non-contact operation by the user. In this way, by using the pyroelectric sensor 34, the user can operate the remote control device 3 without touching the remote control device 3. Furthermore, by using the pyroelectric sensor 34, the power consumption of the remote control device 3 can be reduced.

[0043] The storage unit 36 ​​is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory.

[0044] The control unit 37 is connected to the communication unit 31, the power storage unit 33, the pyroelectric sensor 34, and the storage unit 36, and controls the operation of the remote control device 3. The control unit 37 includes, for example, a microcomputer, and reads out and executes a program (not shown) stored in the storage unit 36 ​​by using a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), or the like.

[0045] The control unit 37 controls the communication unit 31 to transmit a signal based on the detection result of the pyroelectric sensor 34. Specifically, when a human body is detected by the pyroelectric sensor 34, the control unit 37 controls the communication unit 31 to transmit a signal to the toilet device 2.

[0046] Next, a description will be given of the configuration of the toilet device 2. As shown in FIG.

[0047] The communication unit 21 receives a signal transmitted from the remote control device 3. Specifically, the communication unit 21 receives radio waves as a signal via an antenna (not shown), converts the received radio waves into an electrical signal, and outputs the electrical signal to the control unit 22.

[0048] Functional unit 23 operates under the control of control unit 22. Functional unit 23 includes at least solenoid valve 231. Solenoid valve 231 is, for example, an EFV (Electric Flush Valve), and opens and closes water passage 61 (see FIG. 2). Solenoid valve 231 is built into first main body case 62 of water supply unit 6.

[0049] The control unit 22 is connected to the communication unit 21 and the function unit 23, and controls the operation of the toilet device 2. Specifically, when a control signal from the remote control device 3 is received by the communication unit 21, the control unit 22 controls the solenoid valve 231 to perform an operation of opening the water passage 61, i.e., a toilet flushing operation.

[0050] In the remote control device 3 configured as above, the power supplied to the pyroelectric sensor 34 is generated by the solar cell 32.

[0051] However, since the amount of power generated by the solar cell 32 varies depending on the presence or absence of a light source and the intensity of light, it is difficult to stably supply power to the pyroelectric sensor 34. In other words, it is difficult for the remote control device 3 equipped with the solar cell 32 to constantly store the power required to operate the pyroelectric sensor 34.

[0052] As an example, when the light source is the lighting in the toilet room R, power generation by the solar cell 32 starts after the lighting in the toilet room R is turned on. However, there is a time lag between when power generation by the solar cell 32 starts and when the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes capable of detecting a human body. If a non-contact operation is performed by the user during this time lag, the pyroelectric sensor 34 cannot detect the non-contact operation by the user. In particular, since it takes a relatively long time for the pyroelectric sensor 34 to become capable of detection after being activated, a situation in which it cannot detect the non-contact operation by the user for a certain period of time immediately after entering the room easily occurs.

[0053] Therefore, the remote control device 3 according to the embodiment is designed to supply power preferentially to the pyroelectric sensor 34. This allows the remote control device 3 to be in a state where it can detect a non-contact operation by the user as soon as possible, even when power is not sufficiently stored.

[0054] <4. Example of operation of remote control device 3> Next, an example of the operation of the remote control device 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of the remote control device 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the power generation state of the solar cell 32, the voltage of the power storage unit 33, the state of the pyroelectric sensor 34, and the state of the control unit 37.

[0055] 4 and 5, when a user enters the toilet room R and the lights in the toilet room R are turned on, the solar cell 32 starts generating power (time T1). This causes the power storage unit 33 to start charging, and the voltage of the power storage unit 33 rises. Thereafter, when the voltage of the power storage unit 33 reaches the first voltage, power is supplied from the power storage unit 33 to the pyroelectric sensor 34 (time T2). This activates the pyroelectric sensor 34.

[0056] Thereafter, when the power storage unit 33 continues to be charged and the voltage of the power storage unit 33 reaches a second voltage higher than the first voltage, power is supplied from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37 (time T3), which starts up the control unit 37. In this example, the pyroelectric sensor 34 then becomes capable of detecting a human body (time T4).

[0057] As described above, the power storage unit 33 supplies power to the pyroelectric sensor 34 before the control unit 37. In this embodiment, this is achieved by making the startup voltage (first voltage) of the pyroelectric sensor 34 lower than the startup voltage (second voltage) of the control unit 37. The startup voltage is the minimum voltage required for startup. As a result, even if the power storage unit 33 does not have enough stored power, power is preferentially supplied to the pyroelectric sensor 34, so that a non-contact operation by the user can be detected as soon as possible.

[0058] Next, another example of the operation of the remote control device 3 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the power generation state of the solar cell 32, the voltage of the power storage unit 33, the state of the pyroelectric sensor 34, and the state of the control unit 37.

[0059] In the example shown in Fig. 6, similarly to the example in Fig. 5, when a user enters toilet room R and the lights in toilet room R are turned on, solar cell 32 starts generating power from time T1. This causes power storage unit 33 to start charging, and the voltage of power storage unit 33 increases. Next, at time T2, when the voltage of power storage unit 33 reaches a first voltage, power is supplied from power storage unit 33 to pyroelectric sensor 34. This activates pyroelectric sensor 34.

[0060] 5 shows an example in which the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes detectable after the control unit 37 is started. In contrast, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes detectable before the control unit 37 is started. Specifically, at time T5, which is after time T2 and before time T3, the state of the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes detectable. Thereafter, as the power storage unit 33 continues to be charged, when the voltage of the power storage unit 33 reaches a second voltage higher than the first voltage at time T3, power is supplied from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37. This starts up the control unit 37.

[0061] As described above, the power storage unit 33 supplies power to the control unit 37 after the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes detectable. This can be achieved, for example, by employing a control unit 37 that has a larger start-up voltage difference with the pyroelectric sensor 34. This allows the supply of power to the pyroelectric sensor 34 to be prioritized until the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes detectable, making it possible to detect a non-contact operation by the user as quickly as possible.

[0062] As described above, the remote control device 3 of the embodiment is a remote control device that controls the toilet device 2, and includes a pyroelectric sensor 34 that detects a human body, a communication unit 31 that transmits a signal to control the toilet device 2, a control unit 37 that controls the communication unit 31 to transmit a signal based on the detection result of the pyroelectric sensor 34, a solar cell 32 that generates electricity using light, and a power storage unit 33 that stores the electricity generated by the solar cell 32 and supplies the stored electricity to the control unit 37 and the pyroelectric sensor 34, and the power storage unit 33 supplies power to the pyroelectric sensor 34 before the control unit 37.

[0063] Therefore, according to the remote control device 3 of the embodiment, even if there is not enough stored power, it is possible to make it possible to detect non-contact operations by the user as early as possible, and power supply begins only after a certain level of voltage has accumulated, thereby enabling more stable power supply.

[0064] <5. First modified example> In the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which power is preferentially supplied to the pyroelectric sensor 34 by using a pyroelectric sensor 34 whose activation voltage is lower than the activation voltage of the control unit 37, but the method of preferentially supplying power to the pyroelectric sensor 34 is not limited to this example. Below, a modified example of the method of preferentially supplying power to the pyroelectric sensor 34 will be described.

[0065] First, the configuration of the remote control device 3 according to the first modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the configuration and an example of the operation of the remote control device 3 according to the first modified example.

[0066] 7, the remote control device 3 according to the first modification has a switch 38 that switches the energized state from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37. The switch 38 is provided in a power supply path P from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37. The switch 38 switches the power supply path P between conductive and cut-off. Specifically, when a human body is detected by the pyroelectric sensor 34 while the power supply path P is in a cut-off state, the switch 38 switches the power supply path P to a conductive state.

[0067] Next, an example of the operation of the remote control device 3 according to the first modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the power generation state of the solar cell 32, the voltage of the power storage unit 33, the state of the pyroelectric sensor 34, the state of the switch 38, and the state of the control unit 37.

[0068] 7 and 8, when a user enters the toilet room R and the lights in the toilet room R are turned on, the solar cell 32 starts generating power (time T11). This causes the power storage unit 33 to start charging, and the voltage of the power storage unit 33 increases. Thereafter, when the voltage of the power storage unit 33 reaches the first voltage, power is supplied from the power storage unit 33 to the pyroelectric sensor 34 (time T12). This activates the pyroelectric sensor 34.

[0069] Thereafter, the power storage unit 33 continues to be charged and the voltage of the power storage unit 33 reaches an upper limit value (time T13). Then, the state of the pyroelectric sensor 34 becomes a state in which it can detect a human body (time T14). At this point, the power supply path P from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37 is in a cut-off state.

[0070] Thereafter, when the user performs a non-contact operation on the remote control device 3, the pyroelectric sensor 34 detects the non-contact operation (time T15). The switch 38 switches the power supply path P from a cut-off state to a conductive state. Specifically, when the pyroelectric sensor 34 detects the non-contact operation, it outputs a signal indicating the detection to the switch 38. When the signal is input from the pyroelectric sensor 34, the switch 38 switches the power supply path P from a cut-off state to a conductive state. Thereafter, power is supplied from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37, and the control unit 37 starts up (time T16).

[0071] Thereafter, when the user leaves the toilet room R and the lights in the toilet room R are turned off, the solar cell 32 stops generating power (time T17). As a result, the power storage unit 33 is no longer charged, and the voltage of the power storage unit 33 drops. The switch 38 switches the power supply path P from a conducting state to a cut-off state based on the voltage of the power storage unit 33. Specifically, a detection unit (not shown) that detects the voltage of the power storage unit 33 outputs a detection result to the control unit 37, and the control unit 37 outputs a signal to the switch 38 based on the detection result when the voltage of the power storage unit 33 is equal to or lower than a threshold value (here, an upper limit value). When a signal is input from the control unit 37, the switch 38 switches the power supply path P from a conducting state to a cut-off state. As a result, the power supply from the power storage unit 33 to the control unit 37 stops.

[0072] As described above, when the power supply path P is in a cut-off state and a human body is detected by the pyroelectric sensor 34, the switch 38 switches the power supply path P to a conducting state. This allows the power supply to the pyroelectric sensor 34 to be given priority until the pyroelectric sensor 34 detects a human body, so that a non-contact operation by the user can be detected as soon as possible.

[0073] Note that, although an example in which the power supply path P is switched from a conducting state to a cut-off state based on the voltage of the power storage unit 33 has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the switch 38 may switch the power supply path P from a conducting state to a cut-off state based on a signal indicating that a non-contact operation has been detected from the pyroelectric sensor 34. Specifically, the switch 38 maintains the power supply path P in the conducting state while the switch 38 is receiving a signal indicating that a non-contact operation has been detected from the pyroelectric sensor 34. Thereafter, when the switch 38 stops receiving the signal from the pyroelectric sensor 34, it switches the power supply path P from the conducting state to the cut-off state.

[0074] Furthermore, the switch 38 may switch the power supply path P from the conducting state to the cut-off state after a certain time has elapsed since the signal from the pyroelectric sensor 34 was no longer received. For example, a timer (not shown) included in the control unit 37 measures the time since the signal detecting the non-contact operation was no longer received from the pyroelectric sensor 34, and when the time reaches or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the control unit 37 outputs a signal to the switch 38. When a signal is input from the control unit 37, the switch 38 switches the power supply path P from the conducting state to the cut-off state.

[0075] <6. Other Modifications> In the above embodiment, a so-called flush valve type toilet device has been described as an example, but a tank type toilet device having a water storage tank may also be used.

[0076] Furthermore, the toilet 5 in the above-described embodiment may have a warm water flushing function unit. In this case, the warm water flushing function unit may receive a control signal from the remote control device 3 and execute the toilet flushing operation.

[0077] Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Toilet System 2 Toilet equipment 3 Remote control device 5. Toilet 6 Water Supply Unit 7 Toilet seat unit 21 Communications Department 22 Control section 23 Functional Section 31 Communications Department 32 Solar Cells 33 Power storage unit 34 Pyroelectric Sensor 36 Memory section 37 Control Unit 72 Toilet seat 300 Case

Claims

1. A remote control device for controlling a toilet device, A pyroelectric sensor for detecting a human body; A communication unit that transmits a signal to control the toilet device; a control unit that controls the communication unit to transmit the signal based on a detection result of the pyroelectric sensor; A solar cell that uses light to generate electricity; a power storage unit that stores the power generated by the solar cell and supplies the stored power to the control unit and the pyroelectric sensor; Equipped with The power storage unit supplies the power to the pyroelectric sensor before the control unit. A remote control device comprising:

2. The power storage unit supplies the power to the control unit after the pyroelectric sensor is in a detectable state.

2. The remote control device according to claim 1 .

3. a switch provided in a power supply path from the power storage unit to the control unit, for switching between conduction and interruption of the power supply path; The switch switches the power supply path to a conducting state when the human body is detected by the pyroelectric sensor while the power supply path is in a cut-off state.

3. The remote control device according to claim 2.

4. When the voltage of the power storage unit reaches a first voltage, the power is supplied from the power storage unit to the pyroelectric sensor, and when the voltage of the power storage unit reaches a second voltage higher than the first voltage, the power is supplied from the power storage unit to the control unit.

3. The remote control device according to claim 2.

5. A toilet device provided in a toilet room; a remote control device provided in the toilet room and controlling the toilet device; A toilet system comprising: The remote control device is A pyroelectric sensor for detecting a human body; A communication unit that transmits a signal to control the toilet device; a control unit that controls the communication unit to transmit the signal based on a detection result of the pyroelectric sensor; A solar cell that uses light to generate electricity; a power storage unit that stores the power generated by the solar cell and supplies the stored power to the control unit and the pyroelectric sensor; Equipped with The power storage unit supplies the power to the pyroelectric sensor before the control unit. A toilet system comprising:

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