Lighting control system

Abstract

To perform polling while avoiding packet collisions in a wireless mesh network. [Solution] The lighting control system according to the embodiment comprises each device connected to a lighting control network and an information processing device that monitors the operating status of each device. The information processing device comprises a distribution unit that assigns each device to each group and a polling unit that polls the status of each device for each group assigned by the distribution unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lighting control system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is a lighting control system including a plurality of lighting fixtures, sensors, and the like. For example, in a lighting control system, a wireless mesh network is formed by a plurality of lighting fixtures and sensors, and signals transmitted from the outside are transferred to each other on the wireless mesh network (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the prior art, in order for the master device to check the operating status of each device, packets indicating the operating status are periodically transmitted from each device, and the packets may collide with each other on the wireless mesh network.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a lighting control system capable of performing polling while avoiding collisions between packets in a wireless mesh network.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a lighting control system according to the present invention includes each device connected to a lighting control network and an information processing device that monitors the operating state of each device. The information processing device includes a distributing unit that distributes each device to each group, and a polling unit that polls the state of each device for each group distributed by the distributing unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, polling can be performed while avoiding collisions between packets in a wireless mesh network. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the lighting control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of a distributed control system configuration. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the area controller according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of equipment information according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of polling according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of polling according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows another example of polling according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows another example of polling according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure executed by the area controller according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The lighting control system S according to the embodiment described below comprises various devices (lighting fixtures 10, switches 20, scheduler 30, sensors 40, and terminal devices 50, etc.) connected to a lighting network (mesh network N), and an information processing device (area controller 1). The information processing device comprises a distribution unit 4a that distributes each device to each group, and a polling unit 4b that polls the status of each device for each group distributed by the distribution unit 4a.

[0010] Also, the polling unit 4b according to the embodiment described below polls in a time zone assigned to each group.

[0011] Also, the polling unit 4b according to the embodiment described below polls in a time zone assigned to each device within a group.

[0012] Also, the polling unit 4b according to the embodiment described below instructs the transmission timing for transmitting the state information indicating the state of the device for each device, and each device transmits the state information at the transmission timing specified by the polling unit.

[0013] Also, when the state information of the device cannot be acquired, the polling unit 4b according to the embodiment described below instructs the device that relays the state information to transmit the state information.

[0014] Also, the distribution unit 4a according to the embodiment described below distributes each device to each group so that the number of sensors 40 is equal to or less than a predetermined number.

[0015] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below does not limit the technology disclosed by the present invention. Also, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same parts in each embodiment, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0016] First, the outline of the lighting control system according to the embodiment will be described using FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the outline of the lighting control system according to the embodiment. The lighting control system S according to the embodiment is introduced into a building or the like. As shown in FIG. 1, the lighting control system S includes an area controller 1 and a plurality of distributed control systems 100.

[0017] The area controller 1 is the master unit of a plurality of distributed control systems 100 and is a control device that controls each distributed control system 100. Note that the area controller 1 corresponds to an example of the information processing device according to the embodiment.

[0018] For example, the area controller 1 individually controls each distributed control system 100 by transmitting control information to each distributed control system 100. Further, the area controller 1 acquires the status information transmitted from each distributed control system 100 at a predetermined cycle, and can grasp the current operating status of each distributed control system 100.

[0019] In the present disclosure, the state in which the area controller 1 controls each distributed control system 100 is described as centralized control, and the state in which each distributed control system 100 operates individually is described as distributed control.

[0020] Each distributed control system 100 is a system including lighting fixtures. Here, a specific example of the distributed control system 100 according to the embodiment will be described using FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the distributed control system 100.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 2, the distributed control system 100 is composed of a lighting fixture 10, a switch 20, a scheduler 30, a sensor 40, a terminal device 50, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 2, for convenience of explanation, each device is shown one by one, but each device includes an arbitrary number.

[0022] Also, as shown in FIG. 2, each device constituting the distributed control system 100 forms a mesh network N. The mesh network N is a network formed by a wireless format conforming to a communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or BLE (Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy).

[0023] Each device connected to the mesh network N can receive various instructions and other signals transmitted from external devices, such as the area controller 1, by forwarding these instructions to the mesh network N.

[0024] The lighting fixture 10 is a predetermined lighting device such as a base light, ceiling light, downlight, or spotlight. The lighting fixture 10 also has a wireless communication function and communicates with other devices located within the wireless communication range via the mesh network N.

[0025] Sensor 40 detects various types of information. Sensor 40 also has a wireless communication function and communicates with other devices located within wireless communication range via the mesh network N. For example, sensor 40 may include an imaging unit that includes a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor, and may function as a human presence sensor or an illuminance sensor. When sensor 40 functions as a human presence sensor, it detects whether or not a person is present in the detection range from the image captured by the imaging unit, and transmits the detection result to the lighting fixture 10 via the mesh network N. When sensor 40 is an illuminance sensor, it detects whether or not a person is present in the detection range from the image captured by the imaging unit, and transmits the detection result to the lighting fixture 10 via a predetermined network.

[0026] The scheduler 30 controls other devices such as the lighting fixture 10 and the sensor 40. The scheduler 30 outputs predetermined control signals to control the other devices such as the lighting fixture 10 and the sensor 40 at timings set by the user of the terminal device 50 (for example, a system administrator). The scheduler 30 also has a wireless communication function and may communicate with other devices located within the wireless communication range via the mesh network N.

[0027] Switch 20 is a device that outputs a predetermined control signal to a pre-assigned lighting fixture 10. Switch 20 also has a wireless communication function and may communicate with other devices located within wireless communication range via a mesh network N.

[0028] The terminal device 50 is an information processing terminal that has various functions such as communication, display, and web browsing functions, and performs information processing according to the embodiment. The terminal device 50 is also equipped with a dedicated application program that provides various functions for realizing the information processing according to the embodiment. For example, a user of the terminal device 50 can perform setting operations on other devices such as lighting fixtures 10 through functions provided by the dedicated application. The terminal device 50 can be implemented using a smart device (smartphone or tablet), a PDA, or a desktop or laptop personal computer.

[0029] Incidentally, in the lighting control system S, the area controller 1 periodically checks the status (polling) of each device that constitutes each distributed control system 100. This disclosure discloses a method for monitoring the status of each device while maintaining communication stability by suppressing communication traffic during polling.

[0030] Specifically, in this disclosure, the area controller 1 groups the devices constituting the distributed control system 100 and performs time-division polling for each group. This makes it possible to avoid collisions between packets transmitted from each device during polling. The details of the embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings from Figure 3 onward.

[0031] Next, an example of the configuration of the area controller 1 according to the embodiment will be described using Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the area controller 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 3, the area controller 1 according to the embodiment comprises a communication unit 2, a storage unit 3, and a control unit 4.

[0032] The communication unit 2 is implemented, for example, by a predetermined communication circuit such as a NIC (Network Interface Card), and performs data communication with other devices that constitute the distributed control system 100 via a communication network such as Ethernet (registered trademark) or LAN.

[0033] The storage unit 3 is implemented using, for example, semiconductor memory elements such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or flash memory, or storage devices such as hard disks or optical discs. In the example shown in Figure 3, the storage unit 3 stores device information 3a.

[0034] The device information 3a is information about various devices registered in the distributed control system 100. Figure 4 shows an example of device information 3a according to this embodiment. In Figure 4, the device information 3a corresponding to one distributed control system 100 will be described.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the device information 3a is information that associates information on items such as "device ID," "device type," "address," and "group ID" with each other. The "device ID" item stores an identifier for identifying each device registered in the distributed control system 100.

[0036] The "Device Type" field stores information about the device type of the device identified by the corresponding device ID. In the example shown in Figure 4, lighting is used as an example of the device type. The "Address" field stores the address of the device identified by the corresponding device ID within the mesh network N. For example, the address is automatically assigned when the corresponding device is registered with the mesh network N.

[0037] The "Group ID" field stores an identifier that identifies the group to which the device identified by the corresponding device ID is assigned. In this disclosure, the "Group ID" is the group used when performing polling.

[0038] Returning to the explanation of Figure 3, let's describe the control unit 4. The control unit 4 is a controller, and is realized by various programs stored in the memory device inside the area controller 1 being executed using RAM as the working area by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or MPU (Micro Processing Unit), for example. As shown in Figure 3, the control unit 4 has a distribution unit 4a and a polling unit 4b, and realizes or executes the information processing functions and operations described below.

[0039] The distribution unit 4a distributes each device connected to the mesh network N to each group. In this disclosure, the distribution unit 4a distributes each device connected to the mesh network N to a group for polling.

[0040] In this case, the number of groups may be a predetermined number, or it may be set automatically according to the number of each device. The distribution unit 4a then distributes each device to each group so that the number of sensors 40 in each group is less than or equal to a predetermined number. For example, the predetermined number here is 1. In other words, each device is distributed to each group so that there is one or fewer sensors 40.

[0041] This is because the sensor 40 stops detecting during polling. In other words, if multiple sensors 40 are assigned to one group, there is a risk that detection will frequently stop for each sensor 40. To address this, the distribution unit 4a can shorten the period during which detection by the sensors 40 stops by assigning each device to each group such that the number of sensors 40 in each group is less than or equal to a predetermined number.

[0042] The distribution unit 4a may, for example, distribute the sensors 40 to each group randomly after distributing them, or it may distribute them according to a predetermined rule. The predetermined rule can be arbitrarily set by an administrator or the like.

[0043] The polling unit 4b polls the status of each device for each group assigned by the distribution unit 4a. For example, the polling unit 4b performs time-division polling for each group.

[0044] Here, we will explain a specific example of polling using Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5 and 6 show an example of polling according to the embodiment. Figure 5 shows the case where Area Controller 1 polls a total of three groups, Groups #1 to #3. The vertical axis in Figure 5 shows the passage of time. In Figure 5, when Area Controller 1 and Group #1 transmit information, it is assumed that the information is transmitted via Groups #2 and #3, and when Area Controller 1 and Group #2 transmit information, it is assumed that the information is transmitted via Group #3.

[0045] In other words, when transmitting packets from Area Controller 1 to Group #1, Group #3 first receives the packets from Area Controller 1, forwards the received packets to Group #2, and then forwards them from Group #2 to Group #1.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, Area Controller 1 sets polling periods for each of Groups #1 to #3. In the example shown in Figure 5, the polling period for Group #1 is the first period T1, the polling period for Group #2 is the second period T2, and the polling period for Group #3 is the third period T3.

[0047] When Area Controller 1 polls Group #1, it sends status transmission instructions to each device in Group #1 from the start of the first period T1, and receives status information from each device in Group #1 before the end of the first period T1.

[0048] Once Area Controller 1 has finished polling Group #1, it sends status transmission instructions to each device in Group #2 from the start of the second period T2, and receives status information from each device in Group #2 before the end of the second period T2.

[0049] After completing polling for group #2, area controller 1 sends status transmission instructions to each device in group #3 from the start of the third period T3, and receives status information from each device in group #3 before the end of the third period T3.

[0050] In this way, the polling unit 4b can avoid collisions between packets indicating status information transmitted from each device by performing time-division polling for each group.

[0051] Next, polling within a group will be explained using Figure 6. Figure 6 shows a case where group #1 includes sensor #1, lighting fixture #1, and lighting fixture #2. Also, as in Figure 5, when information is transmitted between area controller 1 and sensor #1, lighting fixtures #1 and #2 are involved, and when information is transmitted between area controller 1 and lighting fixture #1, lighting fixture #2 is involved.

[0052] For example, in such a case, the area controller 1 further assigns the first period T1, which was assigned to group #1, to each device within group #1, for sensor #1, lighting fixture #1, and lighting fixture #2. The example shown in Figure 6 shows the case where the first polling time T1a is assigned to sensor #1, the second polling time T1b is assigned to lighting fixture #1, and the third polling time T1c is assigned to lighting fixture #2.

[0053] During each polling period, Area Controller 1 sends a status information transmission instruction to the corresponding device and receives status information from the corresponding device.

[0054] Furthermore, the area controller 1 may also instruct the timing for transmitting status information along with the transmit command. Figure 7 shows another example of polling. For example, in the example shown in Figure 7, the area controller 1 instructs each device on the transmission timing along with the transmit command.

[0055] In the example in Figure 7, the transmission timing is instructed for sensor #1 after the first time interval Tc1 has elapsed following the receipt of the transmission instruction, and for lighting fixture #1 after the second time interval Tc2 has elapsed following the receipt of the transmission instruction. Also in the example in Figure 7, the transmission timing is instructed for lighting fixture #2 after the third time interval Tc3 has elapsed following the receipt of the transmission instruction.

[0056] In this way, the polling unit 4b can appropriately stagger the timing of status information transmission by each device by instructing each device on its transmission timing. As a result, the polling unit 4b can perform polling of each device while avoiding collisions between packets transmitted from each device.

[0057] Incidentally, for example, packets indicating status information may be lost due to collisions between packets. For example, in this disclosure, each device retains packets indicating the status information of other devices for a certain period of time.

[0058] This allows the area controller 1 to query other devices for status information. Now, let's describe the specific processing that occurs when a packet is lost. Figure 8 shows another example of polling according to this embodiment.

[0059] As shown in Figure 8, Area Controller 1 issues a transmission command to Sensor #1, and the status information transmitted by Sensor #1 reaches Lighting Fixture #2 via Lighting Fixture #1. Then, when Lighting Fixture #2 transmits the status information of Sensor #1 to Area Controller 1, the packet containing the status information of Sensor #1 is lost due to a collision between packets or the like.

[0060] For example, under these circumstances, the area controller 1 cannot determine whether the reason it was unable to receive status information from sensor #1 was due to a malfunction of sensor #1 or due to packet loss.

[0061] Therefore, the area controller 1 instructs each device connected to the mesh network N to transmit status information of sensor #1. The example shown in Figure 8 illustrates the case where the instruction to transmit status information of sensor #1 is given to lighting fixture #2, and the status information of sensor #1 is transmitted from lighting fixture #2 to the area controller 1.

[0062] In other words, in the example shown in Figure 8, the area controller 1 can reduce the number of packets it forwards by querying the lighting fixture #2, which is closer to the area controller 1, for status information of sensor #1, thereby enabling it to quickly obtain status information of sensor #1.

[0063] Furthermore, if lighting fixture #2 or the like does not retain the status information of sensor #1, the area controller 1 can recognize that no status information was transmitted from sensor #1, i.e., that sensor #1 is malfunctioning. In the example in Figure 8, the area controller 1 may also instruct lighting fixture #1 to transmit the status information of sensor #1.

[0064] Next, the processing procedure executed by the area controller 1 according to the embodiment will be described using Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure executed by the area controller 1 according to the embodiment.

[0065] As shown in Figure 9, first, the area controller 1 starts polling a predetermined group (step S101). Next, the area controller 1 determines whether or not it has already acquired the status information of each device in the group to be polled (step S102).

[0066] If Area Controller 1 determines that it has already acquired the status information for each device (Step S102; Yes), it proceeds to the process in Step S103. If it determines that it has not yet acquired the status information for each device (Step S102; No), it continues to the process in Step S102.

[0067] Next, Area Controller 1 determines whether polling has been completed for all groups (step S103). If it determines that polling has been completed for all groups (step S103; Yes), it terminates the process. If, in the determination in step S103, Area Controller 1 determines that polling has not been completed for all groups (step S103; No), it performs the process in step S101 for the groups for which polling has not been completed.

[0068] While embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1 Area Controller 2 Communications Department 3 Storage section 3a Device information 4. Control Unit 4a Sorting section 4b Polling Section 10 Lighting fixtures 20 switches 30 Scheduler 50 Terminal devices 100 Distributed Control Systems N Mesh Network S Lighting Control System

Claims

1. Each device connected to the lighting control network; An information processing device that monitors the operating status of each of the aforementioned devices; It is equipped with, The aforementioned information processing device is A distribution unit that distributes each of the aforementioned devices to each group; A polling unit that polls the status of each of the devices for each group assigned by the distribution unit; A lighting control system equipped with the following features.

2. The polling unit, Polling is performed for the period allocated to each of the aforementioned groups. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

3. The polling unit, Polling is performed for the period assigned to each of the devices within the group. The lighting control system according to claim 2.

4. The polling unit, The system instructs the transmission timing for each of the aforementioned devices to transmit status information indicating the status of the device. Each of the aforementioned devices is: The status information is transmitted at the transmission timing specified by the polling unit. The lighting control system according to claim 2.

5. The polling unit, If the status information of the aforementioned device cannot be obtained, the device that relays the status information is instructed to transmit the status information. The lighting control system according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned distribution unit is, The devices are distributed to each group such that the number of sensors is less than or equal to a predetermined number. The lighting control system according to claim 1.

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