Equipment management system and equipment management method

Abstract

To provide a facility management system and a facility management method capable of stopping driving of a facility by a power control part according to a situation in the facility even if abnormality occurs in a medium which is located upstream of the power control part for driving the facility and controls an operation of the power control part.SOLUTION: The facility management system 1A includes a power control unit 30 that drives operation mechanisms 11 and 21 of the facilities, sensors 12, 13, 22, and 23 that acquire information indicating states related to the facilities, an operation control unit 50 that controls the power control unit 30, and a safety controller 70A. When the safety controller 70A detects an abnormality occurring in the sensors 12, 13, 22, and 23 or the safety controller 70A itself, and when the safety controller LA detects an abnormality occurring in the operation controller 50, the safety controller LA outputs a stopping signal for stopping the operation mechanisms 11 and 21 to the power controller 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a facility management system and a facility management method. [Background technology]

[0002] Facilities such as mechanical parking lots are equipped with electrically operated equipment, such as doors that open and close automatically and lift devices that transport stored items to different floors. These pieces of equipment are equipped with sensors that acquire information indicating their operating status or the surrounding environmental conditions. In management systems that manage these pieces of equipment, an operation control unit that controls the operation of the equipment monitors the measurement status of these sensors, and if it detects an abnormality, it outputs a drive stop signal to a power control unit that drives the equipment's operating mechanism, thereby ensuring safe operation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-228673 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned management system, if an abnormality occurs in the operation control unit or in the medium upstream of the power control unit, such as the communication path between the operation control unit and the power control unit, control over the power control unit becomes impossible, and there was a problem in that even if an abnormality occurs in the sensor, the power supply to the equipment could not be stopped.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an equipment management system and an equipment management method that are capable of stopping the operation of equipment by a power control unit depending on the situation within the equipment, even if an abnormality occurs in a medium that is upstream of the power control unit that drives the equipment and controls the operation of this power control unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the equipment management system of the present invention comprises a power control unit that drives the operating mechanism of the equipment, a sensor that acquires information indicating the status of the equipment, an operation control unit that controls the power control unit, and a safety controller that outputs a stop signal to the power control unit to stop the operation of the operating mechanism when it detects an abnormality occurring in the sensor or the automatic function unit, and when it detects an abnormality occurring in the operation control unit.

[0007] In addition, in the equipment management method of the present invention, a safety controller that is communicatively connected to a power control unit that drives the operating mechanism of the equipment, a sensor that measures the condition of the equipment, and an operation control unit that controls the power control unit outputs a stop signal to the power control unit to stop the operation of the operating mechanism when it detects an abnormality that has occurred in the sensor or the safety controller, and when it detects an abnormality that has occurred in the operation control unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the equipment management system and equipment management method of the present invention, even if an abnormality occurs in the medium that is upstream of the power control unit that drives the equipment and controls the operation of this power control unit, the driving of the equipment by the power control unit can be stopped depending on the situation within the equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of a facility management system according to first and second embodiments. [Figure 2] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing a monitoring process of an operation control unit executed by the equipment management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door and the lift device executed by the facility management system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4]FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door and the lift device that is executed by the facility management system according to the second embodiment when an abnormality occurs on the communication path between the operation control unit and the power control unit. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door and the lift device that is executed by the facility management system according to the second embodiment when an abnormality occurs on the communication path between the safety controller and the power control unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is an overall view showing the configuration of a facility management system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door and the lift device executed by the facility management system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an overall view showing the configuration of a facility management system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a facility group management system configured by connecting a plurality of facility management systems to a control system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] As an embodiment of the present invention, a facility management system for managing a mechanical parking lot P, which is a facility having electrically operated equipment, will be described below with reference to the drawings. The mechanical parking lot P is equipped with multiple electrically operated pieces of equipment, such as doors that open and close automatically and lift devices that transport stored items to different floors.

[0011] First Embodiment <Configuration of the equipment management system according to the first embodiment> 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a facility management system 1A according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The facility management system 1A manages facilities in a mechanical parking lot P.

[0012] The mechanical parking lot P includes a first piece of equipment, an entrance / exit door 10 that opens and closes automatically, a second piece of equipment, a lift device 20, a power control unit 30, an operation reception unit 40, an operation control unit 50, an emergency notification unit 60, and a safety controller 70A. The equipment within the mechanical parking lot P is not limited to an entrance / exit door and a lift device, but may be any electrically powered device. Furthermore, the number of pieces of equipment is not limited to two, but may be one or three or more.

[0013] The entrance door 10 has a first operating mechanism 11, a first safety sensor 12, and a first operating sensor 13. The first operating mechanism 11 is a mechanism for opening and closing the entrance door 10. The first safety sensor 12 is a device that acquires information for monitoring the safety of the operation of the entrance door 10, and is constituted, for example, by a door switch. The first operating sensor 13 is a device that acquires information indicating the operating state of the entrance door 10, and is constituted, for example, by a limit switch for detecting the timing of switching the door's operation. The first safety sensor 12 and the first operating sensor 13 acquire predetermined information by detecting or measuring the object to be monitored.

[0014] The lift device 20 has a second operation mechanism 21, a second safety sensor 22, and a second operation sensor 23. The second operation mechanism 21 is a mechanism that raises and lowers a vehicle in the mechanical parking lot P. The second safety sensor 22 is a device that performs measurements to monitor the safety of the operation of the lift device 20, and is composed of, for example, an extreme position detection sensor that detects the maximum position of the operating range of the lift device 20. The second operation sensor 23 is a device that measures the operating state of the lift device 20, and is composed of, for example, a speed sensor that detects the moving speed of the lift device 20 or a position detection sensor that detects the position of the lift device 20 during operation.

[0015] The first safety sensor 12 and the second safety sensor 22 are equipped with a self-check function that detects abnormalities in the sensors themselves.

[0016] The power control unit 30 is composed of, for example, an inverter, a switch, a PLC (programmable logic controller), etc., and stops the operation of the first operating mechanism 11 of the entrance door 10 and the second operating mechanism 21 of the lift device 20 based on a stop signal sent from the operation control unit 50 and the safety controller 70A as will be described later. The power control unit 30 may be installed in duplicate for one operating mechanism to increase fault tolerance.

[0017] The power control unit 30 stops the operation of each operating mechanism 11, 21, for example, by any one of 1) software-based operation stop switching control, 2) software-based operation stop switching control after adjusting the operating speed, and 3) power supply cutoff control using a switch. The power control unit 30 may set which of the above-mentioned 1) to 3) to adopt when controlling the operation of the equipment based on a signal from the operation control unit 50 and when controlling the operation of the equipment based on a signal from the safety controller 70A. Alternatively, the power control unit 30 may set which of the above-mentioned 1) to 3) to adopt for each piece of equipment whose operation it controls.

[0018] The operation reception unit 40 is configured, for example, by an operation panel installed in the mechanical parking lot P or a remote location, a remote controller or smart device carried by the user, or the like, and receives information about operations performed by the user regarding their use of the mechanical parking lot P. The operation reception unit 40 may also be configured by a terminal communicably connected to a remote management device that remotely manages the mechanical parking lot P, and may be configured to receive information about operations for operating equipment in the mechanical parking lot P output from this remote management device.

[0019] The operation control unit 50 is configured by, for example, a PLC or a personal computer (PC), and controls the power control unit 30 based on operation information received by the operation reception unit 40. Furthermore, when the operation control unit 50 detects an abnormality occurring in the safety controller 70A, it outputs a stop signal to the power control unit 30 to stop the operation of the operating mechanism.

[0020] The emergency notification unit 60 is composed of an emergency button or the like, and when an operation to notify that an emergency has occurred or when an operation to notify that an emergency has occurred is performed, it generates an emergency notification notifying this and outputs it to the safety controller 70A. The emergency notification unit 60 may be installed near equipment such as the entrance door 10 and the lift device 20, or may be integrated with the operation reception unit 40 and mounted on an operation panel installed in the mechanical parking lot P. Fault tolerance may be improved by duplicating the communication path between the emergency notification unit 60 and the safety controller 70A.

[0021] Safety controller 70A is configured with a PLC, PC, or the like equipped with a self-check function for diagnosing the operating status, including abnormalities, of its own device. Safety controller 70A transmits a stop signal to power control unit 30 when it detects an abnormality in first safety sensor 12, first operation sensor 13, second safety sensor 22, second operation sensor 23, operation control unit 50, or safety controller 70A, when it detects an abnormality in the facility or in a sensor based on sensor signals acquired from these sensors, or when it receives an emergency notification output from emergency notification unit 60.

[0022] As described above, operation control unit 50 and safety controller 70A have the function of checking whether each other has stopped operating or is operating abnormally.

[0023] <Operation of the equipment management system according to the first embodiment> 2 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the operation control unit 50 executed by the facility management system 1A. When a user performs an operation related to the use of the mechanical parking lot P, for example, an operation to open the entrance door 10, on the operation reception unit 40, the operation reception unit 40 transmits an operation signal for this door open operation to the operation control unit 50.

[0024] When the operation control unit 50 receives an operation signal for the door open operation from the operation reception unit 40 (S1), it instructs the power control unit 30 to operate to open the entrance door 10 (S2). Based on the instruction from the operation control unit 50, the power control unit 30 controls the start of operation of the first operating mechanism 11 so as to open or close the entrance door 10 (S3). The first operating mechanism 11 starts the door opening operation of the entrance door 10 under the control of the power control unit 30 (S4).

[0025] While the equipment management system 1A is in operation, the safety controller 70A executes a process at predetermined time intervals to diagnose whether the operation control unit 50 is operating normally (S5). In this process, the safety controller 70A transmits a predetermined operation confirmation signal to the operation control unit 50, and when a response signal is received from the operation control unit 50, the safety controller 70A determines that the operation control unit 50 is operating normally (S5).

[0026] The following describes the case where an abnormality occurs in operation control unit 50 (S6). When safety controller 70A transmits an operation confirmation signal after an abnormality occurs in operation control unit 50 (S7), no response signal is transmitted from operation control unit 50. As a result, safety controller 70A detects that an abnormality has occurred in operation control unit 50 (S8).

[0027] When the safety controller 70A detects that an abnormality has occurred in the operation control unit 50, it sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30 (S9). When the power control unit 30 receives the stop signal from the safety controller 70A, it stops the operation of all the devices in the mechanical parking lot P. Specifically, the power control unit 30 stops the operation of the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 (S10). As a result, the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 stop operating (S11). In this way, when an abnormality has occurred in the operation control unit 50, the safety controller 70 outputs a stop signal to stop the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door 10 and the lift device 20 executed by the facility management system 1A.

[0029] While the first operating mechanism 11 and the second operating mechanism 21 are operating under the control of the power control unit 30 (S21, S22), the first safety sensor 12, the first operating sensor 13, the second safety sensor 22, and the second operating sensor 23 perform measurement processing at predetermined time intervals and determine whether or not there is an abnormality in their own sensors using a self-check function, and generate sensor signals including the measurement results and the abnormality determination results of their own sensors and send them to the safety controller 70A (S23).

[0030] Safety controller 70A diagnoses that the equipment corresponding to a sensor that is determined to be operating normally and whose measurement value is normal based on the sensor signal received from each sensor is operating normally (S24).

[0031] Specifically, when the safety controller 70A determines that the first safety sensor 12 and the first operation sensor 13 are not abnormal by their self-check functions and that the measured values ​​measured by these sensors are normal, it diagnoses that the entrance door 10 is operating normally.Furthermore, when the safety controller 70A determines that the second safety sensor 22 and the second operation sensor 23 are not abnormal by their self-check functions and that the measured values ​​measured by these sensors are normal, it diagnoses that the lift device 20 is operating normally.

[0032] The following describes a case where an abnormality occurs in any of the facilities in the mechanical parking lot P, for example, the entrance door 10. When the safety controller 70A detects an abnormality in a measurement value based on a sensor signal transmitted from the first operation sensor 13, for example, it diagnoses that an abnormality has occurred in the entrance door 10 (S25, S26).

[0033] When safety controller 70A diagnoses that an abnormality has occurred in entrance door 10, it sends a stop signal to power control unit 30 (S27). When power control unit 30 receives the stop signal from safety controller 70A, it controls first operating mechanism 11 and second operating mechanism 21 to stop operating (S28). As a result, first operating mechanism 11 and second operating mechanism 21 stop operating (S29).

[0034] Safety controller 70A also sends a stop signal to power control unit 30 when it detects an abnormality in the sensor based on the sensor signal. Safety controller 70A also sends a stop signal to power control unit 30 when emergency situation notification unit 60 performs an operation to notify that an emergency has occurred or that an emergency has occurred. Safety controller 70A also sends a stop signal to power control unit 30 when it detects an abnormality in its own device using its self-check function. This causes power control unit 30 to stop the operation of first operating mechanism 21 and second operating mechanism 21.

[0035] Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs in the operation control unit 50, the safety controller 70A detects this and sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30, thereby stopping all functions of the mechanical parking lot P. Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs in the power control unit 30, for example, a brake release signal is not output, causing the operating mechanisms 11 and 21 to remain braked and stop, thereby stopping all functions of the mechanical parking lot P. If an abnormality occurs in the safety controller 70A, the safety controller 70A detects the abnormality using a self-check function and sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30 directly or via the operation control unit 50, thereby stopping all functions of the mechanical parking lot P. Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs in the safety controller 70A, the operation control unit 50 may detect this and send a stop signal to the power control unit 30, thereby stopping all functions of the mechanical parking lot P.

[0036] In the first embodiment described above, the operation control unit 50 and the safety controller 70A may be integrated into the same medium. In this case, the integrated medium and the power control unit 30 are connected by two lines: a first signal line connecting the operation control unit 50 and the power control unit 30 in the medium, and a second signal line connecting the safety controller 70A and the power control unit 30 in the medium. The safety controller 70A does not check whether an abnormality has occurred in the operation control unit 50, but instead checks the presence or absence of an abnormality in the integrated medium using a self-check function. If an abnormality is detected, the safety controller 70A sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30 via the second signal line. Furthermore, when an operation is performed on the operation reception unit 40, the operation control unit 50 in this integrated medium sends an operation signal to the power control unit 30 via the first signal line connecting the operation control unit 50 and the power control unit 30.

[0037] Second Embodiment <Configuration of equipment management system according to second embodiment> The configuration of the equipment management system 1B according to the second embodiment of the present invention is similar to that of the equipment management system 1A of the first embodiment described in FIG. 1, and therefore detailed description of parts having the same functions will be omitted.

[0038] In this embodiment, the safety controller 70B operates in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and when it detects an abnormality occurring in the first safety sensor 12, the first operation sensor 13, the second safety sensor 22, the second operation sensor 23, or the safety controller 70B, or when it receives an emergency notification output from the emergency notification unit 60, it sends an operation stop instruction to the operation control unit 50.

[0039] When operation control unit 50 receives an operation stop instruction from safety controller 70B, it transmits a stop signal to power control unit 30.

[0040] In other words, the safety controller 70B sends a signal to the power control unit 30 to stop the operation of the operating mechanism via two routes: a route directly connecting the safety controller 70B to the power control unit 30, and a route connecting the safety controller 70B to the power control unit 30 via the operation control unit 50.

[0041] <Operation of the equipment management system according to the second embodiment> FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door 10 and the lift device 20 executed by the facility management system 1B when an abnormality occurs on the communication path between the operation control unit 50 and the power control unit 30.

[0042] While the first operating mechanism 11 and the second operating mechanism 21 are operating under the control of the power control unit 30 (S31, S32), the first safety sensor 12, the first operating sensor 13, the second safety sensor 22, and the second operating sensor 23 perform measurement processing at predetermined time intervals, generate sensor signals including the measurement results, and transmit them to the safety controller 70B (S33).

[0043] When an abnormality occurs in any device within the mechanical parking lot P, for example, the entrance / exit door 10, the processing performed in steps S34 to S37 is the same as the processing in steps S26 to S29 described in the first embodiment, so detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0044] When the safety controller 70B detects in step S34 that the measurement value is abnormal based on the sensor signal, it sends a stop signal in step S35 via a path directly connected to the power control unit 30 and also sends an operation stop instruction to the operation control unit 50 (S38).

[0045] When the operation control unit 50 receives the operation stop command from the safety controller 70B, it attempts to send a stop signal to the power control unit 30, but is unable to send the signal because an abnormality has occurred on the communication path between the operation control unit 50 and the power control unit 30 (S39). However, because the power control unit 30 received the stop signal in step S36, the power supply to the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 is appropriately stopped.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door 10 and the lift device 20 executed by the facility management system 1B when an abnormality occurs on the communication path between the safety controller 70B and the power control unit 30.

[0047] For example, when safety controller 70B detects that the measurement value is abnormal based on the sensor signal transmitted from first operation sensor 13, it diagnoses that an abnormality has occurred in entrance door 10 (S41, S42).

[0048] Safety controller 70B attempts to send a stop signal to power control section 30, but transmission is not possible because an abnormality has occurred on the communication path between safety controller 70B and power control section 30 (S43).

[0049] Here, safety controller 70B transmits an operation stop instruction to operation control unit 50 (S44). Upon receiving the operation stop instruction from safety controller 70B, operation control unit 50 transmits a stop signal to power control unit 30 (S45).

[0050] Upon receiving the stop signal from the operation control unit 50, the power control unit 30 stops the operation of the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 (S46). As a result, the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 stop operating (S47). In other words, even if an abnormality occurs on the communication path between the safety controller 70B and the power control unit 30, the stop signal is sent from the safety controller 70B to the power control unit 30 via the path that passes through the operation control unit 50, and therefore the supply of power to the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 is stopped appropriately.

[0051] If no abnormality has occurred on either communication path, power control unit 30 receives stop signals from two paths: a path directly connected to safety controller 70B, and a path connected to safety controller 70B via operation control unit 50. In this case, the stop signal transmitted via the path directly connected to safety controller 70B reaches power control unit 30 earlier, and therefore power control unit 30 stops the supply of power to first operation mechanism 11 and second operation mechanism 21 based on this stop signal that arrives earlier.

[0052] Based on this premise, when the operation control unit 50 recognizes that the power control unit 30 has stopped based on the stop signal it transmitted, it can determine that the stop signal transmitted directly from the safety controller 70B was not received by the power control unit 30 and that an abnormality has occurred on the communication path between the safety controller 70B and the power control unit 30. When the operation control unit 50 determines that an abnormality has occurred on the communication path between the safety controller 70B and the power control unit 30, it may perform processing to issue a report of this abnormality. In this case, the operation control unit 50 transmits a stop signal to the power control unit 30 and also imposes a restriction on the operation reception processing in the operation reception unit 40. The restriction on the operation reception processing in the operation reception unit 40 is, for example, a restriction that prohibits the execution of an entry / exit process or a door opening process.

[0053] Furthermore, in the equipment management system 1B, while the safety controller 70B confirms that the power control unit 30 is operating normally based on the status signal output from the power control unit 30 at predetermined time intervals, it may send a stop signal only to the power control unit 30 when it detects that an abnormality has occurred in the equipment, and when it is no longer able to obtain the status signal from the power control unit 30, it may send an operation stop instruction to the operation control unit 50.

[0054] Here, at the point when safety controller 70B is no longer able to acquire a status signal from power control unit 30, it is not possible to determine whether the abnormality occurred in power control unit 30 or on the communication path between power control unit 30 and safety controller 70B. However, by safety controller 70B sending an operation stop instruction to operation control unit 50 and causing operation control unit 50 to send a stop signal to power control unit 30, it is possible to properly stop the operation of the equipment as long as power control unit 30 is operating normally.

[0055] As in the first and second embodiments described above, by connecting all sensors in the mechanical parking lot P to the safety controllers 70BA and 70B, the safety controller 70B can quickly recognize the occurrence of an abnormality and its location, and stop the operation of the corresponding equipment.

[0056] Third Embodiment <Configuration of equipment management system according to third embodiment> Fig. 6 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of an equipment management system 1C according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The equipment management system 1C has a configuration similar to that of the equipment management system 1A of the first embodiment described in Fig. 1, except that the first operation sensor 13 and the second operation sensor 23 are connected to the operation control unit 50 instead of the safety controller 70C, and therefore a detailed description of parts having the same functions will be omitted.

[0057] In this embodiment, when operation control unit 50 detects an abnormality that has occurred in the equipment based on the measurement value acquired from first operation sensor 13 or second operation sensor 23, it notifies safety controller 70C of this.

[0058] When the safety controller 70C diagnoses that an abnormality has occurred in either of the facilities based on the measurement values ​​acquired from the first safety sensor 12 or the second safety sensor 22, it transmits a stop signal to the power control unit 30 so that the operation of the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 stops at a timing determined based on the control state by the operation control unit 50. Furthermore, when the safety controller 70C is notified by the operation control unit 50 of an abnormality detected based on the measurement values ​​from the first operation sensor 13 or the second operation sensor 23, it transmits a stop signal to the power control unit 30.

[0059] <Operation of the equipment management system according to the third embodiment> FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the monitoring process of the entrance door 10 and the lift device 20 executed by the facility management system 1C.

[0060] While the first operation mechanism 11 and the second operation mechanism 21 are operating under the control of the power control unit 30, the first safety sensor 12 and the second safety sensor 22 perform measurement processing at predetermined time intervals, generate sensor signals including the measurement results, and transmit them to the safety controller 70C (S51). Also, the first operation sensor 13 and the second operation sensor 23 perform measurement processing at predetermined time intervals, generate sensor signals including the measurement results, and transmit them to the operation control unit 50. The operation control unit 50 transmits information indicating the operating status of each piece of equipment to the safety controller 70C (S52).

[0061] Safety controller 70C monitors the safety of the operation of the equipment based on measurement information transmitted from first safety sensor 12 and second safety sensor 22, recognizes the operating state of each piece of equipment based on information transmitted from operation control unit 50, and determines based on this whether first operating mechanism 11 and second operating mechanism 21 are in an abnormal operating state that requires immediate stop (S53). Specific examples (1) and (2) of the determination process performed by safety controller 70C in step S53 will be described.

[0062] [Example (1)] When the safety controller 70C detects that the measurement value is abnormal based on the sensor signal transmitted from the first safety sensor 12, it recognizes the operation state of the entrance door 10 based on the latest information transmitted from the operation control unit 50. Here, when the safety controller 70C recognizes that the entrance door 10 is in the process of opening, it determines that an immediate stop is not required, and repeats the determination process of step S53 at predetermined time intervals without outputting a stop signal ("NO" in S53). While the determination process of step S53 is being repeated, the safety controller 70C updates and recognizes the operation state of the entrance door 10 based on new information acquired from the operation control unit 50.

[0063] When the safety controller 70C recognizes that the opening operation of the entrance door 10 has been completed, it determines that the entrance door 10 has entered an abnormal operating state that requires immediate stopping ("YES" in S53), and sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30 (S54).

[0064] If the entrance door 10 is stopped during opening or closing, there is a possibility that a vehicle or user may come into contact with the entrance door 10, causing inconvenience. However, as described above, the safety controller 70C performs a judgment process to prevent the entrance door 10 from stopping at an intermediate position during opening or closing, thereby preventing inconvenience to the user.

[0065] [Example (2)] When the safety controller 70C detects that the measurement value is abnormal based on the sensor signal transmitted from the second safety sensor 22, it recognizes the operation states of the entrance door 10 and the lift device 20 based on the latest information transmitted from the operation control unit 50. Here, when the safety controller 70C recognizes that the entrance door 10 is in the opening operation and the lift device 20 is in the raising and lowering operation, it determines that the operation state of the lift device 20 is abnormal and requires immediate stop, and determines that the operation state of the entrance door 10 is not abnormal and requires immediate stop.

[0066] The safety controller 70C sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30 to the second operating mechanism 21 to stop the operation of the lift device 20 that has been determined to be in an abnormal operating state requiring immediate stopping ("YES" in S53 → S54).

[0067] Furthermore, the safety controller 70C does not output a stop signal for the entrance / exit door 10 that it determines is not in an abnormal operating state requiring immediate stop ("NO" in S53), but when it recognizes that the opening operation of the entrance / exit door 10 has been completed and determines that the entrance / exit door 10 is in an abnormal operating state requiring immediate stop ("YES" in S53), it sends a stop signal to the power control unit 30 for the first operating mechanism 11 (S54).

[0068] When power control section 30 receives the stop signal from safety controller 70C, power control section 30 stops the operation of first operating mechanism 11 (S55). As a result, first operating mechanism 11 stops operating (S56).

[0069] By processing in this manner, safety is ensured by immediately stopping equipment in the area where an abnormality is detected, and equipment that is not closely related to the area where the abnormality is detected is stopped once its operation is completed, thereby stopping the operation of the equipment while taking safety into consideration and not interfering with the operation of the mechanical parking lot P.

[0070] In addition, when the operation control unit 50, for example, is unable to obtain a sensor signal containing information indicating that the door has been detected from the limit switch, which is the first operation sensor 13, within a predetermined time after the entrance / exit door 10 begins operating, it diagnoses that an abnormality has occurred in the entrance / exit door 10 and notifies the safety controller 70C of this.

[0071] The safety controller 70C generates a stop signal based on the notification obtained from the operation control unit 50 and transmits it to the power control unit 30 to stop the operation of the equipment. As a result, even if the operation sensors 13, 23 are not connected to the safety controller 70C, when an abnormality occurs in the operation sensors 13, 23 or the equipment in which the operation sensors 13, 23 are installed, the operation of the corresponding equipment can be stopped.

[0072] As in the third embodiment described above, by connecting the safety sensors 12 and 22 to the safety controller 70C and connecting the operation sensors 13 and 23 to the operation control unit 50, the safety controller 70C acquires the sensor signals of the operation sensors 13 and 23 via the operation control unit 50. This requires the safety controller 70C to adjust the timing of acquiring the sensor signals of the safety sensors 12 and 22 and the timing of acquiring the sensor signals of the operation sensors 13 and 23. However, because the operation control unit 50 controls the power control unit 30 based on the sensor signals of the operation sensors 13 and 23 as in the conventional case, the addition of the safety controller 70C requires fewer changes to the system configuration than in the first and second embodiments, making it possible to easily configure the system.

[0073] In the first to third embodiments described above, if an abnormality occurs in any of the equipment, the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C may stop the operation of all of the equipment in the mechanical parking lot P, or may stop the operation of only the equipment in which the abnormality has occurred.

[0074] For example, when the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C detect that the measurement value measured by the first safety sensor 12 is abnormal, they generate a stop signal to stop the first operating mechanism 11 and send it to the power control unit 30. In other words, the operation of the second operating mechanism 21 is continued.

[0075] This prevents equipment that is not related to the location where the abnormality was detected from being stopped, and allows service to be provided as continuously as possible.

[0076] In addition, if the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C detect an abnormality in any of the equipment in a first area within the mechanical parking lot P, they may stop the operation of only the equipment installed in this first area, while allowing the equipment installed in other areas to continue operating.

[0077] At this time, the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C may transmit an instruction to the operation reception unit 40 via the operation control unit 50 to not accept operations related to the first area, such as operations to enter the first area and operations to leave the first area. Upon receiving this instruction, the operation reception unit 40 outputs information notifying that use of the first area is suspended, and does not accept operations to enter the first area or operations to leave the first area. Furthermore, the operation reception unit 40 may also not accept reservations related to the first area, such as reservations for use (entering) the first area, reservations for leaving the first area, and reservations for charging, or may cancel existing reservations.

[0078] Furthermore, if there are multiple boarding and alighting areas with entrance and exit doors within a mechanical parking lot P, and the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C detect an abnormality in the entrance and exit door of one of these boarding and alighting areas, they may stop the operation of only that entrance and exit door, while allowing the entrance and exit doors of the other boarding and alighting areas and equipment in areas other than the boarding and alighting areas (lift devices, etc.) to continue to be available.

[0079] Furthermore, if there are multiple lift devices within the mechanical parking lot P, and the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C detect an abnormality in one of these lift devices, they may stop the operation of only that lift device, while allowing the other lift devices and equipment other than the lift devices (such as entrance and exit doors) to continue to be available.

[0080] Furthermore, if the mechanical parking lot P has multiple storage levels, and the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C detect an abnormality in one of these storage levels, they may stop the operation of the equipment related to that storage level, such as the operation of stopping the lift device on that level or the operation of moving beyond that level, while allowing the equipment related to the other storage levels to continue to be available.

[0081] In addition, when the safety controllers 70A, 70B, and 70C detect an abnormality in one storage layer, they may stop the operation of only the location in the storage layer where the abnormality was detected and the pallets around the route leading to that location, while allowing pallets in other locations to continue operating.

[0082] Fourth Embodiment Fig. 8 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of an equipment management system 1D. Except for the fact that a first power control unit 30a that operates the first operating mechanism 11 and a second power control unit 30b that operates the second operating mechanism 21 are separately installed, the equipment management system 1D has the same configuration as the equipment management system 1A of the first embodiment described in Fig. 1, and therefore a detailed description of parts having the same functions will be omitted.

[0083] In this embodiment, the operation control unit 50 transmits a control signal related to the power supply to the first operation mechanism 11 to the first power control unit 30a, and transmits a control signal related to the power supply to the second operation mechanism 21 to the second power control unit 30b.

[0084] The first power control unit 30a starts / stops the supply of power to the first operating mechanism 11 based on a control signal sent from the operation control unit 50. The second power control unit 30b starts / stops the supply of power to the second operating mechanism 21 based on a control signal sent from the operation control unit 50.

[0085] Similarly, a plurality of safety controllers 70D may be installed within the equipment management system 1D, and each may monitor the measurement values ​​of sensors installed in different equipment.

[0086] Furthermore, in the first to fourth embodiments described above, when the safety controller 70D outputs a stop signal, an output device installed in the equipment management systems 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D may output information notifying that the operation of the equipment will be stopped. For example, by outputting notification information that the operation of the equipment will be stopped and information about the location of the escape door from a display device and a speaker device installed at a door for escaping from inside the mechanical parking lot P to the outside, it is possible to present a method of escape to people left behind in the mechanical parking lot P.

[0087] Furthermore, an output device may be installed corresponding to each piece of equipment whose operation is controlled by the power control unit 30, and the output device corresponding to the equipment whose operation has stopped may output information notifying the stop of operation, such as outputting audio information, lighting up a light, or flashing a light. When flashing the light, the flashing speed or color may be appropriately changed to emphasize the location where the equipment has stopped. This allows the maintenance worker to quickly recognize the location of the equipment whose operation has stopped.

[0088] Furthermore, in the first to fourth embodiments described above, the equipment management systems 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D may further include a calculation unit (not shown) that calculates the distance from each piece of equipment to the user, and when the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D detect an abnormality in any of the sensors, they may change the operation change instructions to the power control unit based on the distance calculated by the calculation unit.

[0089] For example, when the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D detect an abnormality in any of the sensors, if the distance calculated by the calculation unit is within 60 cm, the operation of the operating mechanism is stopped, if the distance is more than 60 cm and less than 1.5 m, the operating speed of the operating mechanism is reduced, and if the distance is more than 1.5 m, the operating mechanism is operated normally.

[0090] The calculation unit calculates the distance from each facility to the user based on, for example, location information transmitted from a tag or terminal carried by the user. Alternatively, the calculation unit may be configured as a distance measuring device installed in each facility that measures the distance to the user, or an analysis device that measures the distance from the facility to the user by analyzing image information captured of an area including each facility.

[0091] Furthermore, in the first to fourth embodiments described above, the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D may detect an abnormality in any of the sensors and stop the operating mechanism, and then, upon detecting that the sensor has returned to a normal state, transmit an operation permission signal to the power control unit 30 to resume operation of the stopped operating mechanism.

[0092] In this case, an operation permission signal may be transmitted when it is detected that all sensors in the area containing the equipment having the stopped operating mechanism have returned to a normal state. Whether the sensors have returned to a normal state can be checked using input operation information by an operator, verification results from the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D, or self-check results from each sensor, etc.

[0093] When the power control unit 30 receives the operation permission signal, it can drive each operation mechanism according to an instruction from the operation control unit 50.

[0094] In addition, if the operation of the operating mechanism has been restricted due to an abnormality occurring in the sensor, for example, if the operating speed has been reduced, the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D may send a restriction release signal to the power control unit 30 to release the restriction on the operation of the operating mechanism when they detect that the sensor has returned to a normal state.

[0095] When the power control unit 30 receives the restriction release signal, it can drive each operating mechanism normally in response to an instruction from the operation control unit 50.

[0096] Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs in one sensor within the equipment management systems 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D but it is possible for another sensor to take its place, the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D may check the operating status of sensors other than the abnormal sensor when an abnormality occurs in the sensor, and change the control method so that the operation of the equipment is controlled based on the measurement values ​​of the sensor that is operating normally.

[0097] In addition, when an abnormality occurs in any of the sensors, the equipment management systems 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D may change and adjust the detection range, change the operation content when an abnormality is detected, change the operation speed limit level, etc.

[0098] Furthermore, the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D may perform an operation check in a virtual space or, if possible, a physical operation check in a real space as an operation check of the equipment in response to a change in the control method, and when it is determined that normal operation is possible, transmit an operation permission signal. The physical operation check is performed by setting an abnormality detection state by the operation of the equipment and checking the operating state of the sensor in this state.

[0099] 9, an equipment group management system may be configured by connecting any one of equipment management systems 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D installed in each of multiple mechanical parking lots P1 and P2 to a remote control system 100 so that they can communicate with each other. In this case, when the operation control unit 50 and the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D detect an abnormality in the equipment, they notify the control system 100 of this.

[0100] When the control system 100 is notified of the occurrence of an abnormality from at least one of the operation control unit 50 and the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D, the control system 100 recognizes that the facility corresponding to this notification is unavailable.

[0101] By configuring the system in this manner, even if an abnormality occurs in the operation control unit 50 and the sensor signal cannot be transmitted to the control system 100, the signal can be transmitted from the safety controllers 70A, 70B, 70C, and 70D, and the control system 100 can identify the equipment in which the abnormality occurred. When the control system 100 identifies the equipment in which the abnormality occurred, it can output information from the operation reception unit 40 or the like informing the user that the identified equipment is unavailable. Furthermore, if one of the mechanical parking lots, for example, mechanical parking lot P1, is unavailable and there is a user who wishes to park, information instructing the user to use mechanical parking lot P2 can be output, thereby enabling the smooth operation of multiple mechanical parking lots.

[0102] [Effects of the embodiment] According to the above-described embodiment, the equipment management system includes a power control unit that drives the operating mechanism of the equipment, a sensor that measures the status of the equipment, an operation control unit that controls the power control unit, and a safety controller that outputs a stop signal to the power control unit to stop the operation of the operating mechanism when an abnormality occurring in the sensor or the automatic function unit is detected, and when an abnormality occurring in the operation control unit is detected.

[0103] This means that even if an abnormality occurs in the medium that is upstream of the power control unit that drives the equipment and controls the operation of this power control unit, the power control unit can stop driving the equipment depending on the situation within the equipment.

[0104] Furthermore, the operation control unit may output a stop signal to the power control unit when it detects an abnormality occurring in the safety controller, thereby further enhancing safety within the equipment management system.

[0105] Furthermore, when transmitting a stop signal, the safety controller may transmit the signal via two routes: one route that transmits the signal directly to the power control unit, and another route that transmits the signal to the power control unit via the operation control unit. This allows the stop signal to be transmitted appropriately to the power control unit even if an abnormality occurs in either the route between the safety controller and the power control unit, or the route between the safety controller, the operation control unit, and the power control unit.

[0106] The safety controller may also acquire a signal indicating the operating status of the power control unit from the power control unit at predetermined time intervals, and when the signal indicating the operating status is not received, transmit a stop signal to the power control unit via the operation control unit, thereby improving safety within the equipment management system.

[0107] Furthermore, when the safety controller detects an abnormality in the sensor, it may output a stop signal to the power control unit at a timing determined based on the control state of the operation control unit, thereby ensuring the safety of users and stopping the operation of the equipment at an appropriate timing.

[0108] The sensor may be a safety sensor that performs measurements to monitor the safety of the equipment, and the operation control unit may be connected to the operation sensor that measures the operating state of the equipment, and the operation control unit may notify the safety controller when it detects an abnormality that has occurred in the operation sensor, and the safety controller may output a stop signal to the power control unit when it receives the notification from the operation control unit. This makes it possible to easily build a system that uses a safety controller with only minor configuration changes from a conventional equipment management system.

[0109] Furthermore, multiple pieces of equipment to be managed may be installed, and multiple sensors may be installed for each piece of equipment, and when the safety controller detects an abnormality in any of the sensors, it may output a stop signal to the power control unit to stop the operation of the operating mechanism of the equipment corresponding to that sensor. This makes it possible to stop only the equipment where the abnormality occurred with a simple configuration, minimizing degradation of service as much as possible.

[0110] Furthermore, multiple pieces of equipment to be managed may be installed, and multiple sensors and power control units may be installed for each piece of equipment, and when the safety controller detects an abnormality in one of the sensors, it may output a stop signal to the power control unit of the equipment corresponding to that sensor. This allows only the equipment where the abnormality occurred to be shut down, minimizing degradation of service as much as possible.

[0111] Furthermore, when the safety controller transmits the stop signal, the safety controller may output information reporting the stop of the operating mechanism from at least one of an output device installed at a door for escaping from the facility where the equipment is installed and an output device installed corresponding to the equipment, thereby enabling equipment users or maintenance workers to quickly recognize that the operation of the equipment has stopped when an abnormality occurs in the equipment.

[0112] The safety controller may further include a calculation unit that calculates the distance from the facility to the user, and when an abnormality is detected by the sensor, the safety controller may change the instructions to the power control unit based on the distance calculated by the calculation unit. This makes it possible to ensure the safety of users while minimizing degradation of service.

[0113] Furthermore, the safety controller may detect an abnormality in a sensor, output a stop signal, and then, upon detecting that the sensor has returned to a normal state, transmit an operation permission signal to the power control unit to resume operation of the stopped operating mechanism. This allows the equipment management system to operate efficiently.

[0114] In the above-described first to fourth embodiments, the equipment management system has been described as managing equipment in a mechanical parking lot, but this is not limited to this, and any electrically operated equipment can be subject to management.

[0115] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments can be modified or varied based on the above disclosure. All components of the above embodiments and all features described in the claims may be individually extracted and combined, unless they contradict each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D Facility Management System 10 Entrance door 11 First operating mechanism 12 First safety sensor 13 First operating sensor 20 Lifting device 21 Second operating mechanism 22 Second safety sensor 23 Second operating sensor 30, 30a, 30b Power control section 40 Operation reception section 50 Operation control section 60 Emergency Notification Department 70A, 70B, 70C, 70D Safety Controller 100 Control System

Claims

1. a power control unit that drives an operating mechanism of the equipment; a sensor for acquiring information indicating a state of the facility; an operation control unit that controls the power control unit; and a safety controller that outputs a stop signal to the power control unit to stop the operation of the operating mechanism when an abnormality is detected in the sensor or self-safety controller, and when an abnormality is detected in the operation control unit.

2. The facility management system according to claim 1 , wherein the operation control unit outputs the stop signal to the power control unit when an abnormality occurring in the safety controller is detected.

3. 2. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein the safety controller transmits the stop signal via two routes: a route directly to the power control unit, and a route via the operation control unit to the power control unit.

4. 2. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein the safety controller acquires a signal indicating the operating status of the power control unit from the power control unit at predetermined time intervals, and when the signal indicating the operating status is not received, transmits the stop signal to the power control unit via the operation control unit.

5. 2. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein, when the safety controller detects an abnormality occurring in the sensor, it outputs the stop signal to the power control unit so that the operation of the operating mechanism is stopped at a timing determined based on the control state by the operation control unit.

6. the sensor is a safety sensor that acquires information for monitoring the safety of the facility, An operation sensor that acquires information indicating the operation state of the equipment is connected to the operation control unit, and when the operation control unit detects an abnormality that has occurred in the operation sensor, it notifies the safety controller of this, The facility management system according to claim 1 , wherein the safety controller outputs the stop signal to the power control unit when the safety controller receives the notification from the operation control unit.

7. A plurality of the facilities are installed, A plurality of the sensors are installed for each facility, 2. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein, when the safety controller detects an abnormality in any of the sensors, it outputs a stop signal to the power control unit to stop operation of an operating mechanism of the equipment corresponding to the sensor.

8. A plurality of the facilities are installed, a plurality of the sensors and the power control units are installed for each facility, The facility management system according to claim 1 , wherein when the safety controller detects an abnormality occurring in any of the sensors, it outputs the stop signal to a power control unit of the facility corresponding to the sensor.

9. 2. The equipment management system according to claim 1, wherein, when the safety controller transmits the stop signal, it outputs information notifying the stop of the operating mechanism from at least one of an output device installed at a door for escaping to the outside from a facility in which the equipment is installed or an output device installed corresponding to the equipment.

10. A calculation unit is further provided to calculate a distance from the facility to the user, 2. The facility management system according to claim 1, wherein the safety controller changes the operation change instruction content to the power control unit based on the distance calculated by the calculation unit when an abnormality occurring in the sensor is detected.

11. 2. The facility management system according to claim 1, wherein the safety controller detects an abnormality occurring in the sensor, outputs the stop signal, and then, upon detecting that the sensor has returned to a normal state, transmits an operation permission signal to the power control unit to resume operation of the stopped operating mechanism.

12. a power control unit that drives an operating mechanism of the equipment; a sensor for acquiring information indicating a state of the facility; a safety controller communicably connected to an operation control unit that controls the power control unit; An equipment management method in which, when an abnormality occurring in the sensor or self-safety controller is detected, and when an abnormality occurring in the operation control unit is detected, a stop signal is output to the power control unit to stop the operation of the operating mechanism.

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