Water supply device, and water supply system

Abstract

To provide a water supply device and a water supply system that allow setting information to be changed from an external device, and allow an unintended change of the setting information to be prevented.SOLUTION: A water supply device for supplying water to a building comprises: a water supply device body comprising a pump for transferring the water, and a controller for controlling the pump; and a case housing the water supply device body. The controller comprises a communication unit capable of communicating with an external device. The controller permits setting information to be used to control the pump, to be changed from the external device when it is determined that a person can access the water supply device body in the case, and prohibits the setting information from being changed from the external device when it is determined that the person cannot access the water supply device body in the case.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply device and a water supply system. [Background technology]

[0002] Water supply systems are widely used to supply tap water to buildings and other water supply targets. Known water supply systems include a water tank system, in which water from a water main is temporarily stored in a water tank and then pressurized by a pump to supply the water to the target, and a direct water supply system, in which water is supplied to the target by increasing the pressure of the water main using a pump. In water supply systems, a controller controls the pump, for example, by performing estimated terminal pressure constant control or target pressure constant control based on the pump's discharge pressure. Furthermore, when a water supply system has multiple pumps, the controller controls the number of operating pumps and rotates the pumps to be activated depending on the water supply volume. This control of the pump by the controller is based on setting values (setting information) pre-stored in a memory unit according to the installation status of the water supply system and the target.

[0003] The settings of a water supply system may need to be changed depending on the usage status of the building or changes in the environment. Generally, changes to the settings are made using an operation panel installed on the water supply system. However, since water supply systems are usually automatically controlled, the operation panel is rarely operated. In addition, water supply systems are sometimes installed in environments with a lot of electrical noise, such as machine rooms or pump rooms, and 7-segment LEDs and indicator lights that are resistant to electrical noise are used. For this reason, the operation panel has a relatively simple configuration, and since operations to change the settings are infrequent, convenience is not a priority and operation can easily become complicated. In particular, operating the operation panel can be cumbersome when changing multiple settings.

[0004] In recent years, water supply devices that can be operated using a mobile terminal have been proposed. By operating the water supply device using a mobile terminal, the operation panel of the water supply device can be simplified, and even users who are unfamiliar with water supply devices can easily operate the water supply device by using the setting section of the mobile terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-171788 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described above, when a water supply device can be operated using an external display such as a mobile terminal, the settings of the water supply device can be changed with simple operations, which may lead to a person unfamiliar with the water supply device making an incorrect change to the settings, causing a malfunction of the water supply device. Furthermore, if the wireless communication range is wide, there is a risk that a third party may gain unauthorized access to the water supply device. Water supply to the recipient is a lifeline, and malfunctions of the water supply device must be avoided as much as possible.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a water supply device that allows setting information to be changed by an external device and that can prevent unintended changes to the setting information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one embodiment, a water supply device for supplying water to a building includes a water supply device main body having a pump for transporting water and a controller for controlling the pump; A water supply device is proposed that includes a housing that houses the pump body, and the controller has a communication unit that can communicate with an external device, and when it is determined that the water supply device body within the housing is accessible to people, the controller allows the external device to change setting information used to control the pump, and when it is determined that the water supply device body within the housing is inaccessible to people, the controller prohibits the external device from changing the setting information.

[0009] According to another embodiment, a water supply system is proposed which comprises a water supply device for supplying water to a building and an external device capable of communicating with the water supply device, wherein the water supply device comprises a water supply device main body having a pump for transporting water and a controller for controlling the pump, and a housing for accommodating the water supply device main body, wherein the controller outputs an authorization signal when it determines that the water supply device main body within the housing is accessible to people, and does not output the authorization signal when it determines that the water supply device main body within the housing is inaccessible to people, and when the external device receives the authorization signal, it is able to perform a setting change operation to change the setting information used to control the pump, and when it does not receive the authorization signal, the setting change operation is disabled. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a water supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a front view of a water supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a view showing the inside of the water supply device of this embodiment from the left side. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example of a control unit. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a setting information change process executed by a control unit. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a setting information change process executed by an external device. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a water supply device according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0012] Figures 1 and 2 are views showing a water supply device according to one embodiment of the present invention from the front. Figure 3 is a view showing the interior of the water supply device of this embodiment from the left side. The water supply device 10 of this embodiment comprises various devices (water supply device main body) including vertical pumps 12a and 12b, and a rectangular box-shaped cabinet (housing) 100 that houses the water supply device main body and protects it from the external environment. Here, Figure 1 shows the water supply device main body covered by cover 112 of cabinet 100, and Figure 2 shows the water supply device main body with cover 112 removed.

[0013] Cabinet 100 has a cabinet body (housing body) 110 and a cover 112 attached to cabinet body 110. Cabinet body 110 and cover 112 are made of metal such as iron, steel, or stainless steel so as to ensure the rigidity of water supply device 10. In this embodiment, cabinet body 110 is formed in the shape of a rectangular box having a back surface, left and right side surfaces, and a top surface.

[0014] Cover 112 is attached to the front of cabinet body 110, and houses each device of water supply device 10 (water supply device body) together with cabinet body 110. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, cover 112 of cabinet 100 is provided with window 114 so that operation panel 76 of control unit 70, which will be described later, can be seen from the outside. Cover 112 may be detachably attached to cabinet body 110 with fasteners such as screws. The cabinet 100 may be attached to the cabinet body 110 via a hinge or the like so as to be openable and closable. The cabinet 100 has a locking mechanism 120 for locking the cabinet body 110 and the cover 112 together. Various known configurations can be employed as the locking mechanism 120, such as a latch or a locking mechanism. When a locking mechanism is employed as the locking mechanism 120, the cover 112 can be opened and closed by being unlocked by a maintenance worker or other technician who has a key, but cannot be opened or closed by a person who does not have the key. This prevents malfunctions such as an unintentional shutdown of the water supply device 10 and a water outage due to a user's incorrect operation. The cabinet 100 also has an open / close sensor 130 for detecting the open / closed state of the cabinet body 110 and the cover 112. A detection signal from the open / close sensor 130 is input to the control unit 70. As an example, the open / close sensor 130 may be a switch sensor that can detect the open / closed state of the cabinet body 110 and the cover 112 by being pressed when the cover 112 is closed relative to the cabinet body 110. However, instead of or in addition to the switch sensor, the open / close sensor 130 may be configured with other sensors such as an optical sensor or a magnetic sensor. Also, in this embodiment, the open / close sensor 130 is provided on the upper edge of the front surface of the cabinet main body 110, but is not limited to this example and may be mounted on the locking mechanism 120, for example. Note that the cabinet 100 does not necessarily have to include the locking mechanism 120 and / or the switch sensor.

[0015] 2 and 3, two vertical pumps 12a and 12b are arranged parallel to each other in the vertical direction inside the cabinet 100. Each of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b is, for example, a booster pump, and includes a pump section 14 and a motor section 16. In each of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b, the pump section 14 is driven by power from the motor section 16.

[0016] A horizontally extending suction header 18 is connected to the suction side of each vertical pump 12a, 12b. The suction header 18 is connected to a suction pipe 22 equipped with a strainer-equipped ball valve 20 via a backflow prevention device 24. A pressure sensor 26 is attached to the suction pipe 22 to detect the pressure on the suction side. The suction pipe 22 is connected to a supply pipe (not shown) connected to a water supply source such as a water main or a water tank. In this embodiment, the suction pipe 22 is positioned so that the suction port 22a faces vertically downward. By connecting the suction port 22a to the supply pipe and operating each vertical pump 12a, 12b with the ball valve 20 open, tap water is drawn into each vertical pump 12a, 12b via the suction pipe 22, the backflow prevention device 24, and the suction header 18. Here, by having suction port 22a facing vertically downward, the workability of connecting suction port 22a to a supply pipe inserted from the bottom surface of cabinet 100 is improved.

[0017] When the suction pipe 22 is connected to a supply pipe that is connected to a water tank (water supply source), the vertical pumps 12a, 12b may be connected to the suction pipe 22 without the backflow prevention device 24. In this case, the suction header 18 may not be connected to the suction sides of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b, and the supply pipe 3a may be connected to the suction ports of the respective vertical pumps 12a, 12b.

[0018] 2 and 3, a discharge elbow pipe 28 is connected to the discharge side of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b. A discharge collecting pipe 34 that collects (combines) the water discharged from the vertical pumps 12a, 12b is connected to the discharge elbow pipe 28 via a discharge-side check valve 30 that prevents backflow of the discharged water. The discharge elbow pipe 28 has a flow switch 32 that detects the amount of water discharged from each pump and sends a signal. The discharge collecting pipe 34 is connected to the upper end of a bypass header 38 that has a pressure sensor 36 that detects the pressure on the discharge side. The bypass header 38 is connected to a pressure tank 40 at a predetermined position via a pressure tank piping 42 and is connected to a discharge pipe 46 that has a ball valve 44. The discharge pipe 46 is a pipe to be connected to a water supply pipe (not shown) that is connected to a water supply target such as a building, and in this embodiment, the discharge port 46a is arranged so as to face vertically downward. Here, by having the discharge port 46a facing vertically downward, This improves the workability when connecting the discharge port 46a to the water supply pipe inserted from the bottom surface of the cabinet 100.

[0019] As a result, water discharged from the vertical pumps 12a, 12b as the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are operated passes through the discharge elbow pipe 28, the discharge-side check valve 30, the discharge manifold 34, and the bypass header 38, before being discharged from the discharge pipe 46 to the outside. When the water pressure in the suction header 18 is sufficiently high, the water in the suction header 18 passes through a bypass piping (not shown) and is directly led to the discharge pipe 46 and discharged to the outside. The pressure tank 40 stores the pressurized water discharged from the vertical pumps 12a, 12b, thereby preventing frequent start-up and shutdown of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b and maintaining a smooth, constant water supply pressure.

[0020] An inverter device 54 is provided above the vertical pumps 12a, 12b. The inverter device 54 drives each motor unit 16 of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b at a variable speed by supplying AC power at different frequencies and voltages to the motor units 16. The inverter device 54 is housed in an inverter case 56 supported by the cabinet 100. The inverter case 56 has a heat sink 52 made of, for example, aluminum and having heat dissipation fins 50, and the inverter device 54 is placed on the upper surface of the heat sink 52 for storage.

[0021] The upper part of the cabinet 100 is equipped with a control unit (controller) 70 that receives signals from pressure sensors 26, 36, etc. and operates the vertical pumps 12a, 12b at variable speeds using estimated terminal pressure constant control or discharge pressure constant control so that the water supply pressure at the end user is maintained at a predetermined pressure. The control unit 70 is equipped with an operation panel 76 for various operations and displays. The control unit 70 is positioned vertically above the suction port 22a of the suction pipe 22 and the discharge port 46a of the discharge pipe 46. This prevents the control unit 70 from being exposed to water even if a water leak occurs due to a piping error made by an operator during installation of the water supply device 10 (when connecting the suction port 22a to a water main or the like, or when connecting the water supply pipe to a water supply target such as a building to the discharge port 46a). In this embodiment, the control unit 70 is housed in the cabinet 100 separately from the inverter case 56 that houses the inverter device 54. This allows for easy maintenance and replacement of the inverter device 54 and the control unit 70, and also reduces the influence of switching noise of the inverter device 54 on the control unit 70.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of a control unit. The control unit 70 includes a control memory 72, a calculation unit 73, an I / O unit (input and output units) 74, a communication unit 75, and an operation panel (operation display unit) 76. The operation panel 76 includes a setting unit 77 and a display unit 78. The control unit 70 also includes a communication unit 75 that communicates with an external device 80 via wired or wireless communication. The external device 80 may be a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone, mobile phone, PC, or tablet, or a dedicated terminal device such as a remote monitor. The external device 80 may also be composed of multiple devices installed separately from each other. The external device 80 may also be a monitoring device built on an edge server or a cloud server, or may be built as a combination of an edge server and a cloud server. Although not shown, the external device 80 includes a memory, a calculation unit such as a CPU, a communication unit capable of communicating with the communication unit 75 of the water supply device 10, and an operation display unit. In this embodiment, the water supply device 10 and the external device 80 correspond to an example of a "water supply system." At least one of the operation panel 76 and the communication unit 75 may be configured on a board separate from the control unit 70. In that case, the control unit 70, operation panel 76, and communication unit 75 are connected via serial communication, signal lines, etc.

[0023] The setting unit 77 is used to set various setting values (setting information) required for supplying water by external operation (setting input). The various setting values set in the setting unit 77 are used for control. The information is stored in the memory 72. As an example, the user can input (input settings) the stop pressure, start pressure, and other information required for control as setting information via the setting unit 77, and change the settings.

[0024] The setting information may include change restriction information that restricts changes to the setting information by the external device 80. When changes to the setting information are prohibited by the change restriction information, the setting information cannot be changed from the external device 80. In this case, changing the change restriction information via the setting unit 77 allows changes to the setting information by the external device 80. This prevents third parties from changing the setting information using the external device 80, for example, during maintenance work. Furthermore, the water supply apparatus 10 may be installed on an exterior wall facing the road of an apartment building or building, raising concerns that a third party may gain unauthorized access using the external device 80. If such unauthorized access is confirmed, the control unit 70 may change the change restriction information to prohibit changes to the setting information by the external device 80. This prevents settings from being input using the external device 80, thereby preventing unauthorized access by third parties. Furthermore, the control unit 70 may use the change restriction information to prohibit communication by the external device 80. This prevents various information about the water supply apparatus 10 from being viewed using the external device 80, further improving security against unauthorized access. The change restriction information may be set for each content of the setting information.

[0025] In this embodiment, the setting unit 77 is provided with a setting button 77a for setting a setting mode in which various setting information is set. When the setting button 77a is pressed and held for a predetermined time (for example, one second), the setting unit 77 (operation panel 76) enters the setting mode, and the user can set various setting information using the setting unit 77.

[0026] The display unit 78 functions as a user interface and displays various data such as setting values stored in the control memory 72, the current operating status (operating information) of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b, such as whether the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are running or stopped, the operating frequency, current, suction side pressure, discharge side pressure, tripping of the inverter device 54, suction side pressure drop alarm, and water tank alarm.

[0027] Non-volatile memory such as ROM, HDD, EEPROM, FeRAM, and flash memory, and volatile memory such as RAM are used as control memory 72. Control memory 72 stores a control program for controlling water supply device 10, device information for water supply device 10, failure history, operating history, and setting information input through setting unit 77. Control memory 72 also stores various data, such as data of the calculation results in calculation unit 73 (operating time, accumulated value, etc.), pressure values (suction side pressure, discharge side pressure), setting information input through setting unit 77, and data input through I / O unit 74 or output through I / O unit 74.

[0028] A port or the like is used as the I / O unit 74. The I / O unit 74 receives input signals from the pressure sensors 26, 36, a signal from the flow switch 32, and the like, and sends them to the calculation unit 73. A CPU is used as the calculation unit 73. Based on the programs and various data stored in the control memory 72 and the signals input from the I / O unit 74, the calculation unit 73 sets various data for operating the vertical pumps 12a, 12b, measures time, performs calculations, and the like.

[0029] The I / O unit 74 and the inverter device 54 that drives the vertical pumps 12a and 12b are connected to each other by communication means such as RS422, 232C, 485, etc. The I / O unit 74 sends control signals such as various set values, frequency command values, and start / stop signals (operation / stop signals) to the inverters of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b, and the vertical pumps 12a and 12b sequentially send operating conditions (operation information) such as actual frequency values and current values to the I / O unit 74. The control signals transmitted and received between the inverter 74 and the inverters that drive the vertical pumps 12a, 12b can be analog signals and / or digital signals. For example, analog signals can be used for the rotation frequency and the like, and digital signals can be used for operation stop commands and the like. Furthermore, if variable speed control of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b is not performed, the inverter device 54 can be omitted.

[0030] The communication unit 75 is configured to be able to communicate with the external device 80 via wired or wireless communication. For wireless communication, for example, near field communication (NFC) technology can be used. Any type of wireless communication can also be used, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) and Wi-Fi. For wired communication, for example, an external connection terminal such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) can be provided on the control unit 70, and communication can be performed by connecting the external device 80 to this terminal, or serial communication such as RS422, 232C, or 485 can also be used.

[0031] In this embodiment, a simple display such as a 7-segment LED or indicator light can be used as the display unit 78. However, the display unit 78 is not limited to these examples and may also be a dot-matrix LCD display. Furthermore, a high-performance display with an LCD screen using a touch input method or a push button method can be used as the external device 80. In this case, simple information can be displayed on the display unit 78, while a large amount of information can be displayed on the external device 80. With this configuration, the external device 80 displays information related to the operating status of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b (e.g., target pressure SV, current pressure PV, operation / stop status of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b, and frequency of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b) on the same screen as the control unit 70, allowing even users unfamiliar with water supply apparatuses to recognize the status of the water supply apparatus 10 and change settings without any confusion. Furthermore, the water supply apparatus 10 may be installed in an electrically noisy environment, such as a machine room or pump room. To prepare for such a case, a display consisting of a 7-segment LED, indicator light, mechanical push button, or the like, which are more resistant to electrical noise than LCD displays or touch panels, may be used as display unit 78. This allows the display unit 78 to perform the minimum display and operation necessary to operate water supply device 10, even if an abnormality occurs in the LCD display or touch panel operation of external device 80 due to electrical noise generated from the external environment. Therefore, water supply device 10 can be installed even in environments with a lot of electrical noise.

[0032] Furthermore, when a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone, mobile phone, personal computer, or tablet is used as the external device 80, dedicated application software for functioning as the external device 80 may be installed on these devices. In this case, multiple dedicated application software may be prepared according to the level or purpose of the user.

[0033] In addition, the control unit 70 may not be provided with the operation panel 76 or display unit 78, but may be provided with only an external display device (high-function display device) 80. In this case, all of the functions of the operation panel 76 described above can be performed by the external device 80. Since there is no need to provide a display device itself in the water supply device 10, the overall cost of the water supply device 10 can be further reduced.

[0034] Next, the water supply control (automatic operation mode) of the water supply device 10 by the control unit 70 will be described. When the discharge side pressure drops to a predetermined starting pressure while the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are stopped, the control unit 70 starts at least one of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b. Specifically, the control unit 70 issues a command to the inverter device 54 to start driving the vertical pumps 12a, 12b. While the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are operating, control such as estimated terminal pressure constant control or target pressure constant control is performed based on the set pressure (set pressure). Specifically, in the case of estimated terminal pressure constant control, the rotation speed and target pressure of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are controlled. A target pressure (SV) is set using a target pressure control curve, and in the case of constant target pressure control, the set pressure is used as the target pressure (SV). The discharge side pressure is used as the current pressure (PV). Then, PID calculation is performed using the deviation between SV and PV to set the command rotation speed of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b. When performing estimated constant end pressure control with direct water supply, the target pressure control curve may be corrected based on the suction side pressure. Specifically, the target pressure (SV) is calculated by adding only the suction side pressure to the target pressure control curve. In addition, when there are multiple pumps as in this embodiment, the control unit 70 also controls the number of pumps according to the water volume based on the number of pumps that can be started simultaneously (number of pumps operating in parallel).

[0035] If water usage in the building decreases while the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are operating, the flow switch 32 detects an insufficient water volume and sends a detection signal to the control unit 70. The control unit 70 receives this detection signal and issues a command to the vertical pumps 12a, 12b to increase the rotation speed of the vertical pumps 12a, 12b until the discharge-side pressure reaches a predetermined shutdown pressure. After accumulating pressure in the pressure tank 40, the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are stopped (low-flow shutdown). If water is used again in the building after the vertical pumps 12a, 12b have stopped at a low-flow rate, the discharge-side pressure drops below the startup pressure, and the vertical pumps 12a, 12b are started. Note that, when multiple pumps are used, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to rotate the vertical pumps 12a, 12b that are started to prevent water from accumulating in the vertical pumps 12a, 12b. Furthermore, the method for detecting a small amount of water may not use the flow switch 32, but may use other means such as a low load based on the current value of the vertical pumps 12a and 12b or shutoff pressure.

[0036] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a setting information change process executed by the control unit. The control unit 70 of this embodiment can receive a setting information change command (setting change operation) from the external device 80, and determines whether or not to change the setting information stored in the control memory 72 through the setting information change process. The setting information change process shown in Figure 5 is started when the water supply apparatus 10 receives a setting information change command from the external device 80.

[0037] When the control unit 70 receives a command to change the setting information from the external device 80, it determines whether the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to people (step S110). If the control unit 70 determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is inaccessible to people (S110: No), it terminates the setting information change process without allowing the command to change the setting information from the external device 80. In other words, when it is determined that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is inaccessible to people, the external device 80 is prohibited from changing the setting information. The determination of whether the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is inaccessible to people (processing of step S110) can be performed using one or more of the following methods.

[0038] The determination of whether the water supply apparatus main body inside cabinet 100 is accessible to humans (the processing of step S110) can be made, for example, based on an input signal from open / close sensor 130. That is, when open / close sensor 130 detects that cover 112 is open, control unit 70 determines that the water supply apparatus main body inside cabinet 100 is accessible to humans. On the other hand, when open / close sensor 130 detects that cover 112 is closed, control unit 70 determines that the water supply apparatus main body inside cabinet 100 is inaccessible to humans.

[0039] The control unit 70 may also receive a detection signal from a sensor (not shown) for detecting the opening and closing of a door to a room such as a pump room in which the water supply device 10 is placed, and determine whether or not the water supply device main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to a person. In other words, when the control unit 70 detects that the door to a room such as a pump room has been opened, it determines that the water supply device main body is accessible to a worker. On the other hand, the control unit 70 may When it is not detected that the door of the room has been opened, it is determined that the water supply device main body is inaccessible to people.

[0040] Furthermore, control unit 70 may be configured to determine that the water supply device main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to people when setting unit 77 is operated. This is based on the fact that, in this embodiment, setting unit 77 is housed within cabinet 100, and that when setting unit 77 is operated, it is considered that the water supply device main body is accessible to people. As an example, control unit 70 may determine that the water supply device main body is accessible to people within a predetermined time (e.g., several minutes) after setting unit 77 (e.g., setting button 77a) is operated, and otherwise determine that the water supply device main body is inaccessible to people.

[0041] Furthermore, the control unit 70 may output a passcode when the setting unit 77 is operated, and when the control unit 70 receives the passcode from the external device 80, determine that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to a person. As an example, the control unit 70 may output the passcode by displaying it on the display unit 78, and the operator may input the passcode into the external device 80. Alternatively, the control unit 70 may output the passcode by transmitting it to the external device 80. In this case, it is preferable that the control unit 70 transmits the passcode using a communication means different from the communication means used to receive the command to change the setting information from the external device 80. The operator of the external device 80 causes the external device 80 to transmit the passcode to the control unit 70 together with the command to change the setting information. Then, when the output passcode matches the received passcode, the control unit 70 determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to a person. The passcode output by the control unit 70 may be, for example, a predetermined fixed code, or may be generated by the control unit 70 when the setting section 77 is operated.

[0042] Furthermore, authentication information may be attached to the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 in a position that is not visible or accessible when cover 112 is closed, and when control unit 70 receives the authentication information from external device 80, it may determine that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to humans. For example, the authentication information may be provided on a circuit board of control unit 70, in which case it may be provided in a position that is not visible through window 114 of cabinet 100. The authentication information may be a barcode (for example, a two-dimensional barcode such as a QR code (registered trademark)). When the authentication information is read by external device 80 before or during a setting change and transmitted from external device 80 to control unit 70, control unit 70 determines that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to humans. For example, the authentication information may be a serial number or passcode attached to the water supply apparatus main body. The operator of external device 80 causes external device 80 to transmit the serial number or passcode to control unit 70 along with a command to change the setting information. If the received serial number or passcode is correct, the control unit 70 determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is in a state where people can access it.

[0043] When the control unit 70 receives a command to change the setting information from the external device 80 and determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is in a state where a person can access it (S110: Yes), it resets the permission time counter Cp and starts timing (step S130). This puts the control unit 70 in a setting change permission state. The permission time counter Cp is a time measurement value that indicates the time since the control unit 70 was put in an input permission state.

[0044] Next, the control unit 70 determines whether the request for setting change from the external device 80 is appropriate. (Step S150). The control unit 70 determines, for example, whether the setting change request is within an allowable range for allowing changes to the setting information. This allowable range may be, for example, at least one of an upper limit and a lower limit for a setting value, or an upper limit for the amount of change allowed from the currently stored setting value. The control unit 70 may also determine whether the signal received from the external device 80 conforms to a predetermined encoding rule. This determination may be made, for example, by error detection using a parity bit or a checksum. The control unit 70 may also determine whether the synchronization codes of the signal received from the external device 80 match and whether an abnormality has occurred in communication with the external device 80.

[0045] If the setting change request from the external device 80 is inappropriate (S150: No), the control unit 70 determines whether the inappropriate determination has been made a predetermined number of times (e.g., 10 times) in succession (step S190). If the inappropriate determination is made less than the predetermined number of times (S190: No), the control unit 70 determines that the communication error is temporary, returns to the processing of step S150, and receives a setting change request from the external device 80. On the other hand, if the inappropriate determination is made a predetermined number of times in succession (S190: Yes), the control unit 70 determines that the change of setting information from the external device 80 cannot be accepted, and ends the setting information change processing. In this case, the control unit 70 may not accept a setting change command from the external device 80 for a predetermined time (e.g., 10 minutes, 1 hour, etc.).

[0046] If the request for setting change from the external device 80 is valid (S150: Yes), the control unit 70 changes the setting information based on the setting change command (step S160). Next, the control unit 70 compares the permitted time counter Cp with the reference value Cref (step S170). If the permitted time counter Cp is equal to or less than the reference value Cref (S170: No), the control unit 70 returns to the process of step S150 and determines whether a setting change has been requested from the external device 80. The process of step S170 determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., several minutes) has elapsed since the external device 80 was permitted to change the setting information. Then, until the predetermined time has elapsed, the external device 80 is permitted to change the setting information again without re-authentication. This improves the efficiency of operation of the external device 80. However, without being limited to this example, the control unit 70 may determine whether the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to a person each time the setting information is changed and stored.

[0047] Note that, when the control unit 70 permits a setting change from the external device 80 and changes the setting information (step S160), it may permit subsequent changes to the setting information for this external device 80, regardless of whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to humans. This is based on the assumption that an external device 80 that has made an appropriate setting change is a trustworthy entity. This can improve the efficiency of operation of the external device 80. In this case, the control unit 70 may store information for identifying the external device 80, as well as date and time information and history information of the setting change made by the external device 80, in the control memory 72. Furthermore, the control unit 70 may permit a change to the setting information when a predetermined time (e.g., several minutes or several hours) has elapsed since the setting change made by the external device 80, based on a determination of whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to humans.

[0048] In the setting information change process shown in FIG. 5 described above, the control unit 70 allows / prohibits setting changes from the external device 80. The permission / prohibition of setting changes from the external device 80 may be performed by the external device 80 instead of or in addition to the control unit 70. FIG. 6 shows an example of setting information change process executed by the external device 80. 1 is a flowchart showing a process of the external device 80. This process is executed by the external device 80 when communication between the external device 80 and the control unit 70 is attempted or established. Alternatively, this process may be executed when a dedicated application installed on the external device 80 is executed.

[0049] External device 80 first checks its own memory to see if there is a record of a change to the setting information for water supply apparatus 10 with which it is communicating (step S210). If there is no record of a change to the setting information for water supply apparatus 10 with which it is communicating (S210: No), it determines whether the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to humans (step S220). If external device 80 determines that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is inaccessible to humans (S220: No), it disables operations by external device 80 to change the setting information for water supply apparatus 10 (setting change operations) (step S230), and terminates the setting information change processing. In the processing of step S230, as an example, external device 80 may not accept operations by external device 80 related to setting change operations, or may hide a display related to setting change operations. Furthermore, external device 80 may display that setting change operations are disabled, or may display an explanation of a method for enabling setting change operations. In this way, when it is determined that the water supply device main body inside cabinet 100 is inaccessible to humans, setting change operations using external device 80 are disabled, and changes to the setting information of water supply device 10 are prohibited. The determination of whether the water supply device main body inside cabinet 100 is in an accessible state to humans (processing of step S220) can be performed using one or more of the following methods.

[0050] The determination that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to a person (processing of step S220) can be made, for example, by receiving a permission signal from water supply apparatus 10. That is, as explained in the processing of step S110 of Figure 5, the control unit 70 of water supply apparatus 10 outputs a permission signal when it determines that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to a person. Then, when the external device 80 receives a permission signal from water supply apparatus 10, it determines that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to a person. On the other hand, when the external device 80 does not receive a permission signal from water supply apparatus 10, it determines that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is inaccessible to a person.

[0051] Furthermore, the control unit 70 of the water supply apparatus 10 may output a passcode when the setting unit 77 is operated, and the external device 80 may determine that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to a person when the passcode is acquired. As an example, the control unit 70 outputs the passcode by displaying it on the display unit 78, and the passcode is acquired when the operator inputs the passcode into the external device 80. Then, the external device 80 determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is accessible to a person when the acquired passcode is correct.

[0052] Furthermore, authentication information may be attached to the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 in a position that is not visible or accessible when cover 112 is closed, and external device 80 may determine, when the authentication information is acquired, that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to humans. The authentication information may, for example, be provided on a circuit board of control unit 70, in which case it may be provided in a position that is not visible through window 114 of cabinet 100. The authentication information may be a barcode (for example, a two-dimensional barcode such as a QR code (registered trademark)). The authentication information may, for example, be a serial number or passcode attached to the water supply apparatus main body. When the acquired passcode is correct, external device 80 may determine that the water supply apparatus main body within cabinet 100 is accessible to humans.

[0053] When external device 80 determines that the water supply apparatus main body in cabinet 100 is accessible to a person (S220: Yes), it allows external device 80 to change the settings of water supply apparatus 10 (step S240). This enables external device 80 to change the settings of water supply apparatus 10. Next, external device 80 determines whether the settings of water supply apparatus 10 have been changed appropriately (step S250). As an example, the processing of step S250 may be performed based on a change completion signal transmitted from water supply apparatus 10 when the settings have been changed appropriately. If the settings have not been changed appropriately (S250: No), the processing of step S110 may be performed again. Note that when control unit 70 of water supply apparatus 10 repeatedly determines that a setting change request from external device 80 is inappropriate, external device 80 may disable setting change operations for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 minutes, 1 hour, etc.).

[0054] When the setting change is properly made in the water supply apparatus 10 (S250: Yes), the external device 80 records the setting change in its memory (step S260) and terminates the setting information change process. The setting change record in the external device 80 may include information for identifying the water supply apparatus 10, as well as at least a portion of the date and time information and history information of the setting change. Then, when the setting change is recorded in the memory of the external device 80, in the subsequent setting information change process, it is determined in step S210 that the setting change record exists (S210: Yes), and setting change operations by the external device 80 become possible regardless of whether the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet is in a state where people can access it (step S240). This improves the efficiency of operation of the external device 80. Furthermore, the external device 80 may be configured to enable setting change operations based on a determination of whether the water supply apparatus main body in the cabinet 100 is in a state where people can access it when a predetermined time (e.g., several minutes or several hours) has elapsed since the last setting change.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the water supply apparatus 10 includes two vertical pumps 12a, 12b. However, the water supply apparatus 10 may include one pump, or three or more pumps. Furthermore, the water supply apparatus 10 is not limited to a vertical pump and may include any pump, such as a horizontal pump. Furthermore, the water supply apparatus 10 is not limited to indoor use, such as in a pump room, but may also be used outdoors. Figure 7 shows a water supply apparatus according to a modified example. The water supply apparatus 200 of the modified example includes two horizontal pumps 212a, 212b and a pressure tank 240 as the water supply apparatus main body. Each of the horizontal pumps 212a, 212b has a horizontal-axis pump 216. The water supply apparatus 200 of the modified example also includes a control unit 270 for controlling the horizontal pumps 212a, 212b as the water supply apparatus main body. Similar to the control unit 70 of the embodiment, the control unit 270 is configured to be able to communicate with an external device 80. The specific configuration of the water supply device body of water supply device 200 is not central to the present invention, and therefore further description will be omitted. Water supply device 200 of the modified example includes a housing 220 for housing horizontal pumps 212a, 212b. In the example shown in FIG. 7, housing 220 includes a housing body 222 formed in a box shape with an open top and a cover 224 covering the upper opening of housing body 222. This housing 220 is used, as an example, for using water supply device 200 of the modified example outdoors. Similar to locking mechanism 120 and opening / closing sensor 130 of the embodiment, housing 220 may include a locking mechanism for locking housing body 222 and cover 224 and an opening / closing sensor for detecting the opening / closing of cover 224. In water supply device 200 of this modified example, control unit 270 and external device 80 perform the setting upward change processing shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 described above, thereby achieving the same effects as water supply device 10 and external device 80 of the above-described embodiment.

[0056] The present invention can also be described in the following aspects. [Embodiment 1] According to embodiment 1, a water supply device for supplying water to a building, comprising: A water supply device is proposed, comprising: a water supply device main body having a pump and a controller for controlling the pump; and a housing for accommodating the water supply device main body, wherein the controller has a communication unit capable of communicating with an external device, and when it is determined that the water supply device main body within the housing is in a state where people can access it, the controller allows the external device to change setting information used to control the pump, and when it is determined that the water supply device main body within the housing is in a state where people cannot access it, the controller prohibits the external device from changing the setting information. According to the first aspect, the setting information can be changed by an external device, and unintentional changes to the setting information can be prevented.

[0057] [Form 2] According to Form 2, in Form 1, the controller has a setting unit housed within the housing, and when the setting unit is operated, the controller determines that the water supply device main body within the housing is accessible to a person. According to the second aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is in a state where people can access it, based on the operation of the setting unit.

[0058] [Form 3] According to Form 3, in Form 1, the controller has a setting unit housed within the housing, and the controller outputs a passcode when the setting unit is operated, and when the controller receives the passcode from the external device, determines that the water supply device main body within the housing is accessible to a person. According to the third aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is in a state where people can access it, based on the operation of the setting unit.

[0059] [Mode 4] According to mode 4, in mode 2 or 3, the controller prohibits the external device from changing the setting information when a predetermined time has elapsed since the setting unit was operated.

[0060] [Form 5] According to form 5, in forms 1 to 4, the water supply device main body is provided with authentication information, and when the controller receives the authentication information from the external device, it determines that the water supply device main body within the housing is in a state where a person can access it. According to the fifth aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body within the casing is in a state where a person can access the water supply apparatus main body, based on the authentication information attached to the water supply apparatus main body.

[0061] [Form 6] According to form 6, in forms 1 to 5, the housing has a cabinet main body and a cabinet cover, and the controller determines that when the cabinet cover is open, the water supply device main body inside the housing is accessible to people, and when the cabinet cover is closed, the controller determines that the water supply device main body inside the housing is inaccessible to people. According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to determine whether the water supply apparatus main body in the housing is accessible to people, based on the open / closed state of the cabinet cover.

[0062] [Form 7] According to form 7, in form 6, an opening / closing sensor is provided for detecting the opening and closing of the cabinet cover, and the controller determines, based on a signal from the opening / closing sensor, whether the water supply device main body inside the housing is accessible to humans. According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is accessible to people, based on a signal from the open / close sensor.

[0063] [Eighth Mode] According to eighth mode, in the sixth or seventh mode, a locking mechanism for locking the cabinet cover and the cabinet body is provided.

[0064] [Form 9] According to form 9, in forms 1 to 8, when the controller allows the external device to change the setting information and the setting information is changed, the controller allows the external device to change the setting information thereafter, regardless of whether or not the water supply device main body in the housing is accessible to humans.

[0065] [Form 10] According to Form 10, a water supply system is proposed which includes a water supply device for supplying water to a building and an external device capable of communicating with the water supply device, wherein the water supply device includes a water supply device main body having a pump for transporting water and a controller for controlling the pump, and a housing for accommodating the water supply device main body, and the external device is capable of performing a setting change operation to change the setting information used to control the pump when it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is accessible to people, and is unable to perform the setting change operation when it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is inaccessible to people. According to the tenth aspect, the setting information can be changed by an external device, and unintentional changes to the setting information can be prevented.

[0066] [Form 11] According to form 11, in form 10, the controller outputs a permission signal when it determines that the water supply device main body inside the housing is accessible to a person, and the external device becomes able to perform the setting change operation when it receives the permission signal. According to the eleventh aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is in a state where a person can access it, based on the permission signal from the water supply apparatus.

[0067] [Form 12] According to form 12, in form 10, the controller has a setting unit housed within the housing, the controller outputs a passcode when the setting unit is operated, and the external device becomes able to perform the setting change operation when the passcode is obtained. According to the twelfth aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is in a state where a person can access it, based on the passcode output by the controller of the water supply apparatus.

[0068] [Mode 13] According to Mode 13, in Modes 10 to 12, the external device disables the setting change operation when a predetermined time has elapsed since the change operation became possible.

[0069] [Form 14] According to form 14, in form 10, the water supply device main body is provided with authentication information, and the external device is able to perform the setting change operation when the authentication information is obtained. According to the fourteenth aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body within the casing is in a state where a person can access the water supply apparatus main body, based on the authentication information attached to the water supply apparatus main body.

[0070] [Form 15] According to form 15, in form 10, the housing has a cabinet body and a cabinet cover, the controller outputs a permission signal when the cabinet cover is open, and the external device becomes able to perform the setting change operation when it receives the permission signal. According to the fifteenth aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is accessible to people, based on the open / closed state of the cabinet cover.

[0071] [Mode 16] According to mode 16, in mode 15, an opening / closing sensor for detecting opening / closing of the cabinet cover is provided, and the controller outputs the permission signal based on a signal from the opening / closing sensor. According to the sixteenth aspect, it is possible to determine whether or not the water supply apparatus main body in the casing is accessible to people, based on a signal from the open / close sensor.

[0072] [Mode 17] According to Mode 17, in Mode 15 or 16, a locking mechanism is provided for locking the cabinet cover and the cabinet body together.

[0073] [Form 18] According to form 18, in forms 10 to 17, when the setting information in the water supply device is changed by the setting change operation, the external device enables subsequent setting change operations.

[0074] [Form 19] According to form 19, in form 18, when the setting information in the water supply device is changed by the setting change operation, the external device stores a record of the change to the setting information and device identification information for identifying the water supply device.

[0075] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, any combination or omission of the components described in the claims and specification is possible within the scope of solving at least part of the above-described problems or achieving at least part of the effects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10...Water supply device 12a, 12b...Vertical pump 54...Inverter device 70...Control unit 75…Communications Department 76...Operation panel 77...Settings section 77a…Settings button 78...Display section 80...External device 100…Cabinet 110...Cabinet body 112...Cover 114...Window 120...locking mechanism 130...Open / close sensor

Claims

1. A water supply system for supplying water to a building, comprising: a water supply device body having a pump for transporting water and a controller for controlling the pump; A housing that houses the water supply device main body; Equipped with the controller has a communication unit capable of communicating with an external device; The controller allows the external device to change setting information used to control the pump when it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is accessible to people, and prohibits the external device from changing the setting information when it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is inaccessible to people. Water supply device.

2. the controller has a setting unit housed in the housing, The controller determines that the water supply device main body in the housing is in a state where a person can access the water supply device main body when the setting unit is operated. The water supply device according to claim 1.

3. the controller has a setting unit housed in the housing, The controller outputs a passcode when the setting unit is operated, and determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the housing is accessible to a person when the controller receives the passcode from the external device. The water supply device according to claim 1.

4. The water supply apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the controller prohibits the external device from changing the setting information when a predetermined time has elapsed since the setting unit was operated.

5. The water supply device body is provided with authentication information, When the controller receives the authentication information from the external device, the controller determines that the water supply apparatus main body in the housing is in a state where a person can access the water supply apparatus main body. The water supply device according to claim 1.

6. The housing has a housing body and a cover, The controller determines that the water supply device main body in the housing is accessible to people when the cover is open, and determines that the water supply device main body in the housing is inaccessible to people when the cover is closed. The water supply device according to claim 1.

7. an opening / closing sensor for detecting opening / closing of the cover; The water supply device according to claim 6, wherein the controller determines whether the water supply device body in the housing is accessible to people based on a signal from the open / close sensor.

8. The water supply device according to claim 6, further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the cover and the housing body together.

9. The water supply device described in claim 1, wherein the controller allows the external device to change the setting information and, when the setting information is changed, allows the external device to subsequently change the setting information regardless of whether the water supply device main body within the housing is accessible to humans.

10. A water supply system comprising a water supply device for supplying water to a building and an external device capable of communicating with the water supply device, The water supply device is a water supply device body having a pump for transporting water and a controller for controlling the pump; A housing that houses the water supply device main body; Equipped with When it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is in a state where people can access it, the external device is capable of performing a setting change operation to change the setting information used to control the pump, and when it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is in a state where people cannot access it, the setting change operation is disabled. Water supply system.

11. the controller outputs a permission signal when it is determined that the water supply device main body in the housing is in a state where a person can access the water supply device main body; The external device is enabled to perform the setting change operation when the external device receives the permission signal. The water supply system according to claim 10.

12. the controller has a setting unit housed in the housing, the controller outputs a passcode when the setting unit is operated; the external device is enabled to perform the setting change operation when the passcode is acquired; The water supply system according to claim 10.

13. The water supply system according to claim 10, wherein the external device disables the setting change operation when a predetermined time has elapsed since the change operation became possible.

14. The water supply device body is provided with authentication information, the external device is enabled to perform the setting change operation when the authentication information is acquired; The water supply system according to claim 10.

15. The housing has a housing body and a cover, The controller outputs an enabling signal when the cover is opened, The external device is enabled to perform the setting change operation when the external device receives the permission signal. The water supply system according to claim 10.

16. an opening / closing sensor for detecting opening / closing of the cover; The controller outputs the permission signal based on a signal from the open / close sensor.

16. The water supply system of claim 15.

17. The water supply system according to claim 15, further comprising a locking mechanism that locks the cover and the housing body together.

18. The water supply system according to claim 10, wherein when the setting information in the water supply apparatus is changed by the setting change operation, the external device enables the subsequent setting change operation.

19. The water supply system described in claim 18, wherein when the setting information in the water supply device is changed by the setting change operation, the external device stores a record of the change in the setting information and device identification information for identifying the water supply device.

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