Communication systems and methods

Abstract

The objective is to provide a communication system and method useful for controlling multiple devices. [Solution] The communication system according to the embodiment comprises a plurality of control devices arranged near each of a plurality of devices and configured to control each of the plurality of devices, and a terminal device that moves within the space where the plurality of devices are installed and is configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of control devices. Each of the plurality of control devices periodically transmits device identification information for identifying the device controlled by the control device. When the terminal device receives device identification information transmitted from one of the plurality of control devices, it acquires location information indicating the location of the terminal device and transmits the received device identification information and the acquired location information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a communication system and method.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, it is known to control a plurality of devices to achieve purposes such as energy saving. However, in order to realize the control of the plurality of devices, there may be a laborious operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a communication system and method useful for realizing control of a plurality of devices.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A communication system according to an embodiment includes a plurality of control devices arranged in the vicinity of each of a plurality of devices and configured to control each of the plurality of devices, and a terminal device configured to move within a space where the plurality of devices are installed and perform wireless communication with the plurality of control devices. Each of the plurality of control devices transmits device identification information for identifying a device controlled by the control device at a predetermined interval. When the terminal device receives the device identification information transmitted from one of the plurality of control devices, the terminal device acquires position information indicating the position of the terminal device and transmits the received device identification information and the acquired position information. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the control of a lighting device in the first comparative example of the embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating a communication system according to a second comparative example of this embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a terminal device. [Figure 4] A diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a terminal device. [Figure 5] A block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the specific configuration of lighting equipment. [Figure 7] A flowchart illustrating an example of a communication system's processing procedure. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating an example of the process for registering configuration information. [Figure 9] A diagram illustrating another example of the process for registering configuration information. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of the data structure of configuration information. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of the data structure of data transmitted from a terminal device. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating the overview of the communication system according to this embodiment. [Figure 13] A flowchart illustrating an example of a communication system's processing procedure. [Figure 14] A diagram illustrating an example of a configuration using a user management system. [Figure 15] A diagram illustrating another example of a configuration using a user management system. [Figure 16] A diagram illustrating the configuration in which sensor data is transmitted from the control unit. [Figure 17] A diagram showing an example of the arrangement of multiple lighting fixtures. [Figure 18]A diagram for specifically explaining the installation position of a lighting device registered in a remote control system. [Figure 19] A diagram for specifically explaining the installation position of a lighting device registered in a remote control system. [Figure 20] A diagram for specifically explaining the installation position of a lighting device registered in a remote control system. [Figure 21] A diagram for specifically explaining the installation position of a lighting device registered in a remote control system. [Figure 22] A diagram for specifically explaining the installation position of a lighting device registered in a remote control system. [Figure 23] A diagram for specifically explaining the installation position of a lighting device registered in a remote control system.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a communication system used to provide a service for controlling a device will be described. As the device, for example, a lighting device installed in a building or the like is assumed.

[0008] Here, referring to FIG. 1, the control of the lighting device assumed in the first comparative example of the present embodiment will be described.

[0009] In the first comparative example of the present embodiment, for example, a human presence sensor 2 is installed near a lighting device 1, and the human presence sensor 2 is connected to the lighting device 1. The human presence sensor 2 is configured to detect the movement of the person (i.e., the user) near the human presence sensor 2 based on, for example, a temperature change due to infrared rays radiated from the person.

[0010] According to this first comparative example of the embodiment, for example, when the motion sensor 2 detects the movement of a user, it is possible to control the lighting device 1 so that it turns on based on the output from the motion sensor 2 (i.e., the result of detecting the user's movement). On the other hand, if the motion sensor 2 does not detect the movement of a user, the lighting device 1 can be controlled so that it turns off.

[0011] In other words, in the first comparative example of this embodiment, which utilizes the motion sensor 2 as described above, energy saving can be achieved by providing a service that turns on the lighting device 1 only when the user's movement is detected.

[0012] However, as described above, the motion sensor 2 is configured to detect user movement and cannot detect a user who is not moving. Therefore, in the first comparative example of this embodiment, if the user is not moving (or moving very little) near the motion sensor 2 after the lighting device 1 has been turned on, the lighting device 1 will turn off even though the user is near the lighting device 1, and the expected control of the lighting device 1 cannot be achieved (i.e., lighting control contrary to expectations will be performed).

[0013] Therefore, in the first comparative example of this embodiment described above, it may not be possible to achieve lighting control that is highly convenient for the user.

[0014] Next, with reference to Figure 2, a second comparative example of this embodiment will be described. In this second comparative example, a service for controlling the lighting equipment 1 without relying on the human presence sensor 2 described above is realized by the communication system 10.

[0015] As shown in Figure 2, the communication system 10 comprises a terminal device 11 and a control device 12. The terminal device 11 is, for example, a smartphone owned by the user, and operates to periodically transmit device control data. The control device 12 corresponds to a communication device that has the function of communicating with the terminal device 11. The control device 12 is placed near the lighting equipment 1 and operates to turn on the lighting equipment 1 when it receives device control data periodically transmitted from the terminal device 11.

[0016] According to the communication system 10 of this second comparative example of this embodiment, for example, regardless of whether the user is moving or not, as long as the control device 12 is in a state where it can receive device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 held by the user, the lighting device 1 can be kept lit without being turned off.

[0017] The following describes in detail a communication system 10 according to a second comparative example of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the terminal device 11 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the terminal device 11 includes a storage unit 111, a management unit 112, and a communication unit 113.

[0018] The storage unit 111 stores setting information related to device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 to the control device 12. The setting information stored in the storage unit 111 includes, for example, bit patterns.

[0019] The management unit 112 manages the configuration information stored in the storage unit 111. The management unit 112 performs processes such as registering, modifying, and deleting the configuration information stored in the storage unit 111.

[0020] The communication unit 113 periodically transmits data of the bit pattern set in the configuration information (hereinafter referred to as device control data) by referring to the configuration information stored in the storage unit 111, for example.

[0021] Figure 4 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the terminal device 11 described above. As shown in Figure 4, the terminal device 11 includes a processor 11a, non-volatile memory 11b, main memory 11c, and communication device 11d, etc.

[0022] The processor 11a is configured to control the operation of each component within the terminal device 11, and may be, for example, a CPU. The processor 11a may be a single processor or composed of multiple processors. The processor 11a executes various programs loaded from the non-volatile memory 11b into the main memory 11c. The communication device 11d is, for example, a device for communicating with the control device 12.

[0023] The storage unit 111 shown in Figure 3 is implemented by the non-volatile memory 11b shown in Figure 4 or other storage devices (not shown).

[0024] Furthermore, some or all of the management unit 112 and communication unit 113 shown in Figure 3 may be implemented by having the processor 11a shown in Figure 4 execute a predetermined program (i.e., software), by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or by a configuration combining software and hardware.

[0025] In Figure 4, the terminal device 11 was described as comprising a processor 11a, non-volatile memory 11b, main memory 11c, and communication device 11d. However, as mentioned above, if the terminal device 11 is, for example, a smartphone, then the terminal device 11 may further include a touchscreen display (touch panel and display), etc.

[0026] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 12 shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 5, the control device 12 includes a storage unit 121, a management unit 122, a communication unit 123, and a control unit 124.

[0027] The storage unit 121 stores setting information related to device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 to the control device 12. The setting information stored in the storage unit 121 is the same as the setting information stored in the storage unit 111 included in the terminal device 11 described above.

[0028] The management unit 122 manages the configuration information stored in the storage unit 121. The management unit 122 performs processes such as registering, modifying, and deleting the configuration information stored in the storage unit 121.

[0029] The communication unit 123 receives device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11. Although the communication unit 123 may receive data other than device control data, if the bit pattern of the data received by the communication unit 123 matches the bit pattern set in the configuration information stored in the storage unit 121, it can be determined that the data is device control data (i.e., device control data has been received).

[0030] As described above, when the equipment control data is received by the communication unit 123, the control unit 124 controls the lighting equipment 1 so that it lights up (i.e., the lighting equipment 1 operates) and sets the time for which the lighting equipment 1 remains lit (hereinafter referred to as the equipment operating time).

[0031] Furthermore, if the control unit 124 does not receive device control data (device control data with a bit pattern set in the setting information) transmitted from the terminal device 11 between the time the device operating time is set and the time the device operating time has elapsed, the control unit 1 controls the lighting device 1 so that it turns off (i.e., stops operating).

[0032] Although not shown in the figures, the hardware configuration of the control device 12 is generally the same as that of the terminal device 11 described above, and the control device 12 is assumed to include, for example, a processor, non-volatile memory, main memory, and communication devices. In this case, the storage unit 121 shown in Figure 5 is realized by the non-volatile memory or other storage device provided in the control device 12. Furthermore, some or all of the management unit 122, communication unit 123, and control unit 124 shown in Figure 5 may be realized by having the processor provided in the control device 12 execute a predetermined program (i.e., software), by hardware such as an IC, or by a configuration that combines software and hardware.

[0033] In the second comparative example of this embodiment, it is assumed that the control device 12 is provided separately from the lighting equipment 1, but the control device 12 may also be incorporated into the lighting equipment 1 as a control unit, for example.

[0034] Here, with reference to Figure 6, a specific embodiment of the lighting equipment 1 incorporating the control device 12 as a control unit will be described. In the example shown in Figure 6, the lighting equipment 1 comprises a lighting equipment body 1a and an LED (bar) 1b.

[0035] Although not shown in Figure 6, for example, the lighting fixture body 1a incorporates a host controller (not shown) for the lighting fixture 1, and this host controller is connected to the control device 12. The host controller and control device 12 of the lighting fixture 1 can be connected via a connection interface such as a USB connector or a pin slot connector. The connection of the host controller and control device 12 of the lighting fixture 1 in this way is equivalent to providing the lighting fixture 1 with communication functionality.

[0036] The lighting equipment unit 1a (host interface) may be connected to, for example, a commercial power supply and configured to supply power to the control device 12 connected to the host interface.

[0037] LED1b is powered by the lighting fixture body 1a. The control device 12 may also have a built-in actuator for driving LED1b, and this actuator is connected to LED1b. This allows the control device 12 to control the on / off state of LED1b. The control device 12 may also be configured to adjust the light output of LED1b, for example, via a dimming interface.

[0038] The following describes an example of the processing procedure of the communication system 10 according to the second comparative example of this embodiment, with reference to the flowchart in Figure 7. In Figure 7, the processing of the control device 12 will be mainly described. Also, it is assumed that the lighting device 1 is turned off when the processing in Figure 7 begins.

[0039] First, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 are connected in a way that enables communication, and short-range wireless communication is assumed to be performed between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12. For short-range wireless communication, for example, wireless communication based on Bluetooth® or Bluetooth Low Energy (hereinafter referred to as BLE) is assumed.

[0040] In the second comparative example of this embodiment, the terminal device 11 (communication unit 113) is configured to periodically transmit device control data, for example, equivalent to a beacon. According to the short-range wireless communication described above, the control device 12 (communication unit 123) can receive the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 when the user possessing the terminal device 11 is near the control device 12 (i.e., the lighting device 1). On the other hand, if the user possessing the terminal device 11 is not near the control device 12 (i.e., the lighting device 1), the control device 12 (communication unit 123) cannot receive the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11.

[0041] First, the control unit 124 included in the control device 12 determines whether or not the device control data (data for controlling the lighting device 1) transmitted from the terminal device 11 has been received by the communication unit 123 (step S1).

[0042] Here, the storage unit 111 included in the terminal device 11 stores configuration information, and the device control data described above is the bit pattern data set in the configuration information. In the second comparative example of this embodiment, the bit pattern corresponds to the password set between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12, and as described above, the storage unit 121 included in the control device 12 stores the same configuration information as the configuration information stored in the storage unit 111 included in the terminal device 11.

[0043] According to this, the control unit 124 can determine whether or not the data received by the communication unit 123 is equipment control data by referring to the setting information stored in the storage unit 121.

[0044] In other words, even if data is received by the communication unit 123, if the bit pattern of the data received by the communication unit 123 does not match the bit pattern set in the configuration information stored in the storage unit 121, it is determined that the device control data has not been received by the communication unit 123. If no data is received by the communication unit 123, it is determined that the device control data has not been received by the communication unit 123.

[0045] On the other hand, if the bit pattern of the data received by the communication unit 123 matches the bit pattern set in the configuration information stored in the storage unit 121, it is determined that the device control data has been received by the communication unit 123.

[0046] If it is determined that the device control data has not been received by the communication unit 123 (NO in step S1), the process in step S1 is repeated.

[0047] On the other hand, if it is determined that the equipment control data has been received by the communication unit 123 (YES in step S1), the control unit 124 controls the lighting equipment 1 and turns on the lighting equipment 1 (step S2).

[0048] Here, the control unit 124 has a timer, and when the process in step S2 is executed, the above-mentioned equipment operating time is set in the timer (step S3). After the equipment operating time is set in step S3, the timer operates to notify the system that the time has elapsed. The equipment operating time set in the timer is assumed to be, for example, 10 minutes, but it may be any other time. Note that the process in step S3 may be, for example, a process to start the timer on which the equipment operating time has been set.

[0049] Next, the control unit 124 determines whether or not the above-mentioned device control data has been received by the communication unit 123 (step S4). Since the process in step S4 is the same as the process in step S1 described above, a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0050] If it is determined that the device control data has been received by the communication unit 123 (YES in step S4), the process returns to step S3 and is repeated. In other words, if the device control data is received by the communication unit 123 after the device operating time has been set in the timer, the process of resetting the device operating time in the timer (i.e., updating the timer and extending the device operating time) is executed.

[0051] On the other hand, if it is determined that the equipment control data has not been received by the communication unit 123 (NO in step S4), the control unit 124 determines whether or not the equipment operating time described above has elapsed (step S5). In step S5, it can be determined that the equipment operating time has elapsed if the timer described above notifies that the equipment operating time has elapsed (that is, the timer on which the equipment operating time is set has run out and the timer has output that the equipment operating time has elapsed).

[0052] If it is determined that the device operating time has not elapsed (NO in step S5), the process returns to step S4 and is executed.

[0053] On the other hand, if it is determined that the equipment operating time has elapsed (YES in step S5), the control unit 124 controls the lighting equipment 1 to turn it off (step S6).

[0054] According to the process shown in Figure 7 above, when a user possessing the terminal device 11 enters an area where short-range wireless communication with the control device 12 is possible, the lighting device 1 can be controlled to turn on (i.e., to start turning on the lighting device 1). Furthermore, according to the process shown in Figure 7, the operating time of the lighting device 1 can be extended so that it remains lit while the user possessing the terminal device 11 continues to stay within the area where short-range wireless communication with the control device 12 is possible. Moreover, according to the process shown in Figure 7, when a user possessing the terminal device 11 leaves an area where short-range wireless communication with the control device 12 is possible, the lighting device 1 can be controlled to turn off (i.e., to stop turning on the lighting device 1).

[0055] In Figure 7, the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 are described as performing wireless communication (short-range wireless communication) based on, for example, Bluetooth. However, wireless communication between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 may be performed based on, for example, Wi-Fi® or LoRa®, or wireless communication based on other standards. However, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, since it is necessary to turn on the lighting device 1 when the user possessing the terminal device 11 is near the control device 12, if wireless communication based on, for example, Wi-Fi is performed between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12, the distance between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 is estimated based on the received signal strength of the device control data received by the control device 12, and the lighting device 1 is turned on if the estimated distance is less than or equal to a predetermined value. Instead of estimating the distance, the control device 12 may use the signal strength of the device control data from the terminal device 11 that it receives, and the lighting device 1 is turned on if the signal strength is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0056] By the way, in Figure 7, since the lighting device 1 can be turned on by the control device 12 receiving the bit pattern data (i.e., device control data) set in the setting information, the communication system 10 cannot turn on the lighting device 1 unless it is a terminal device 11 in which the setting information is registered (i.e., a terminal device 11 in which the setting information is stored in the storage unit 111). In other words, in the communication system 10 according to the second comparative example of this embodiment, a service to control the lighting device 1 is provided only to specific users who possess a terminal device 11 in which the setting information has been registered in advance, making it possible to avoid situations in which the lighting device 1 is turned on by beacons or the like transmitted from other terminal devices.

[0057] In this embodiment, the bit pattern set in the configuration information registered in the terminal device 11 may be different for each user who can use the communication system 10, or it may be common to multiple users who can use the communication system 10.

[0058] Here, as described above, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, it is necessary to register setting information in the terminal device 11 in advance. This setting information can be registered (stored) in the terminal device 11 by downloading an application program (hereinafter referred to as the device control application) for operating as the terminal device 11 in the communication system 10 to the terminal device 11. With this, by starting the application program in the terminal device 11 and enabling the service (function) for controlling the lighting equipment 1, it becomes possible to periodically transmit device control data of the bit pattern set in the setting information from the terminal device 11.

[0059] The configuration information may also be registered in the terminal device 11 by entering a password obtained from the building administrator where the lighting equipment 1 is installed on a screen like the one shown in Figure 8, which is displayed when the above-mentioned equipment control application is launched (i.e., based on user input operations performed on the terminal device 11).

[0060] Furthermore, the configuration information may also be registered by reading a two-dimensional code, such as the one shown in Figure 9, which is placed inside the building, using a terminal device 11 that has launched the equipment control application. In this case, the configuration information encoded in the two-dimensional code may be registered in the terminal device 11, or the configuration information obtained after accessing the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) encoded in the two-dimensional code and undergoing user authentication may be registered in the terminal device 11.

[0061] This explanation assumes that configuration information is newly registered in the terminal device 11. However, the process of registering the configuration information described above may also be executed when changing or switching the configuration information (including the bit patterns, etc.).

[0062] In this second modified example of the embodiment, it has been described that when device control data matching a bit pattern set in the setting information stored in the storage unit 121 included in the control device 12 (hereinafter referred to as the setting information of the control device 12) is received, the lighting device 1 is controlled (for example, turned on). However, the content of the control performed according to the bit pattern may differ.

[0063] Figure 10 shows an example of the configuration information for the control device 12. As shown in Figure 10, the configuration information for the control device 12 includes control content (permitted control) associated with each of the multiple bit patterns. In other words, the configuration information can be said to be information in which different control content is set for each bit pattern.

[0064] In the example shown in Figure 10, for example, if device control data with a bit pattern of "01010101" is transmitted from the terminal device 11, the control described in "Control Content 1" will be performed.

[0065] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 10, it is indicated that if, for example, device control data with the bit pattern "11110000 00001111" is transmitted from the terminal device 11, the control described in "Control Content 2" will be performed.

[0066] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 10, it is indicated that if, for example, device control data with the bit pattern "11001100 00110011" is transmitted from the terminal device 11, the control described in "Control Content 3" will be performed.

[0067] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 10, it is indicated that if, for example, device control data with the bit pattern "01110001 01010101 0011" is transmitted from the terminal device 11, the control described in "Control Content 4" will be performed.

[0068] In other words, according to the configuration information of the control device 12 as shown in Figure 10, it becomes possible to perform different types of control based on the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 according to the configuration information (i.e., bit pattern) registered in the terminal device 11.

[0069] In the configuration information shown in Figure 10, it was explained that bit patterns and control content are included in correspondence. However, the configuration information may also include, for example, unique data for identifying the terminal device 11, the device control application running on the terminal device 11, or the user who possesses the terminal device 11, instead of the bit pattern. With such configuration information, for example, when the unique data is transmitted from the terminal device 11, it becomes possible to perform control according to that unique data.

[0070] Furthermore, the configuration information may include the bit pattern and unique data described above. In this case, for example, when device control data in which the bit pattern and unique data are stored (arranged) at different starting positions is transmitted from the terminal device 11, it becomes possible to perform control according to the combination of the bit pattern and unique data.

[0071] Furthermore, in the setting information shown in Figure 10, different control content is set for each bit pattern. This control content may differ for each bit pattern, for example, the time for which lighting device 1 is turned on (i.e., the device operating time). For example, the device operating time could be set to 10 seconds, 60 seconds, 10 minutes, and 60 minutes. Also, the control content may differ for each bit pattern, for example, the brightness of lighting device 1 when it is turned on.

[0072] The setting information in the second comparative example of this embodiment can be, for example, information indicating conditions for controlling the lighting device 1, and by receiving device control data that matches these conditions, it becomes possible to control various lighting devices 1.

[0073] The following describes an example of the data structure (packet format) of device control data transmitted from terminal device 11, with reference to Figure 11. Here, we assume that the device control data is transmitted, for example, as a BLE beacon.

[0074] As shown in Figure 11, the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 includes a header, payload 1, and payload 2.

[0075] The header stores management information defined by the communication method used when transmitting device control data from the terminal device 11. This management information includes, for example, packet type and address information.

[0076] Payload 1 stores the bit pattern data described above. Payload 2 stores the unique data described above. The unique data may be, for example, data specific to the terminal device 11, data specific to the device control application, or data specific to the user.

[0077] The data transmitted from the terminal device 11 may include additional data such as data specified in the communication method used when transmitting device control data from the terminal device 11, or other additional data.

[0078] The data structure shown in Figure 11 is just one example, and in the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11, either Payload 1 or Payload 2 may be omitted. Also, in the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11, the order of Payload 1 and Payload 2 may be reversed from the data structure shown in Figure 11.

[0079] In the second comparative example of this embodiment, it was explained that a service to control the lighting equipment 1 is provided only to specific users because setting information is registered in the terminal device 11 and the control device 12. However, if the goal is simply to control the lighting equipment 1 when arbitrary data transmitted from the terminal device 11 is received by the control device 12, a simpler configuration in which setting information is omitted is also acceptable.

[0080] As described above, the communication system 10 according to the second comparative example of this embodiment comprises a terminal device 11 configured to periodically transmit equipment control data and a control device 12 configured to receive equipment control data transmitted from the terminal device 11. In the second comparative example of this embodiment, when equipment control data is received, the control device 12 controls the lighting device 1 so that it turns on and sets the equipment operating time (the time during which the lighting device 1 is lit). Furthermore, if no equipment control data is received between the time the equipment operating time is set and the time the equipment operating time has elapsed, the control device 12 controls the lighting device 1 so that it turns off.

[0081] In the second comparative example of this embodiment, the above-described configuration makes it possible to improve user convenience.

[0082] Specifically, in the first comparative example of this embodiment described using Figure 1 above, the lighting device 1 turns off when the user is not moving near the motion sensor 2. In contrast, with the communication system 10 of the second comparative example of this embodiment, as described using Figure 2, it is possible to turn on the lighting device 1 even when the user is not moving, thus enabling the control of the lighting device 1 as expected by the user.

[0083] Furthermore, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, the lighting device 1 can be turned off when there is no user near it, thus enabling energy savings in the control of the lighting device 1.

[0084] In the second comparative example of this embodiment, the communication between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 is assumed to be short-range wireless communication based on, for example, Bluetooth. With this configuration, since it is not necessary to perform tasks such as LAN (Local Area Network) connection or WAN (Wide Area Network) connection to the lighting device 1 in order to control the lighting device 1 (i.e., to provide a service to control the lighting device 1), the communication system 10 can be easily realized. Furthermore, the second comparative example of this embodiment also has the advantage that the control of the lighting device 1 based on the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 can be performed offline without preparing a server device or the like (i.e., introducing a large-scale system).

[0085] Furthermore, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, by configuring the device operation period to be reset if device control data is received before the device operation period has elapsed, it is possible to keep the lighting device 1 stably lit as long as a user is near the lighting device 1 (i.e., the device control data is received by the control device 12).

[0086] Furthermore, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, by configuring the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 to send and receive pre-set bit pattern data (i.e., device control data), it becomes possible to provide a service that controls the lighting equipment 1 to a specific user who possesses a terminal device 11 on which setting information with a set bit pattern is registered.

[0087] Furthermore, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, for example, by referring to setting information that includes different control contents associated with each of a plurality of bit patterns, the lighting device 1 may be controlled based on the control contents included in the setting information in relation to the bit pattern of the received device control data. With such a configuration, appropriate control of the lighting device 1 can be performed according to the device control data (bit pattern) transmitted from the terminal device 11.

[0088] By the way, although the second comparative example of this embodiment mainly described the case where the controlled device (hereinafter referred to as the controlled device) is lighting equipment 1, the controlled device may be any device other than lighting equipment 1.

[0089] Specifically, the controlled device may be a display device. When the controlled device is a display device, for example, it becomes possible to display predetermined information on the display device while the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 held by the user is being received by the control device 12 when the user approaches the device. In this case, possible display devices include, for example, displays installed in vending machines or displays installed for the purpose of displaying advertisements.

[0090] Furthermore, the controlled device may also be a sensing device (sensor). If the controlled device is a sensing device, for example, when a user approaches, the sensing device can perform sensing (measurement, measurement, or detection of sensor data, etc.) while the device control device 12 receives the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 held by the user. The sensor data obtained through sensing may be transmitted to the terminal device 11, for example. Such a communication system 10 can be used, for example, in equipment inspections at a plant.

[0091] Furthermore, the controlled device may also be an actuator. If the controlled device is an actuator, for example, it is possible for the actuator to operate while the control device 12 receives device control data transmitted from a terminal device 11 held by a user as the user approaches. In this case, the actuator may operate to open and close a door installed in a building, for example. Alternatively, the actuator may operate to drive a player or speaker that plays music or sound used for advertising in a supermarket, for example.

[0092] Here, for example, let's assume that the controlled device in the second comparative example of this embodiment is a lighting device 1, and that the lighting device 1 and the control device 12 that controls the lighting device 1 are installed in a toilet in a building. In such a case, it becomes possible to control the lighting device 1 so that it turns on when a user with a terminal device 11 enters the toilet, and turns off when the user leaves the toilet.

[0093] However, in such cases, the terminal device 11 does not necessarily have to be possessed by the user. Specifically, the terminal device 11 may be implemented as a tag or the like configured to transmit beacons, and may be attached, for example, to the door of a toilet stall. In this case, the terminal device 11 may be connected to a sensor capable of detecting, for example, the opening and closing of the toilet stall door or the lock on the door, and may operate to periodically transmit device control data when the door or the lock on the door is closed.

[0094] Furthermore, the terminal device 11 may be attached to, for example, a toilet seat. In this case, the terminal device 11 may be connected to a sensor capable of detecting, for example, the opening and closing of the toilet seat lid, and may operate to periodically transmit device control data when the toilet seat lid is open. Alternatively, the terminal device 11 may be connected to a sensor capable of detecting whether or not a user is sitting on the toilet seat based on the deformation of the toilet seat, and may operate to periodically transmit device control data when a user is sitting on the toilet seat.

[0095] With this configuration, even if the user does not possess the terminal device 11, the lighting device 1 can be turned on when the user is inside the toilet, and the lighting device 1 will not turn off even if the user inside the toilet is not moving around much.

[0096] Furthermore, as described above, when applying the communication system 10 according to the second comparative example of this embodiment to a toilet, the controlled device may be a device configured to play sound while the toilet is in use, rather than the lighting device 1.

[0097] Furthermore, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, it was explained that, for example, the device control application is downloaded to the terminal device 11 and the setting information is registered in the terminal device 11. However, the setting information may be registered by other methods. Specifically, the setting information may be registered based on user input operations performed on the terminal device 11 after the device control application is launched as described above, or it may be registered by reading a two-dimensional code with the terminal device 11.

[0098] Furthermore, if, as described above, setting information containing different control content is stored in the storage unit 121 of the control device 12, a bit pattern selected from among the multiple bit patterns by, for example, a DIP switch attached to the terminal device 11 may be registered as setting information in the terminal device 11. For example, if a DIP switch is attached to the controlled device, the DIP switch may be used to select a bit pattern effective for controlling the controlled device from among the multiple bit patterns described above.

[0099] In the second comparative example of this embodiment, a communication system 10 for providing a service to control the controlled device without relying on the human presence sensor 2 shown in Figure 1 was described. However, the controlled device may be controlled using both the human presence sensor 2 and the control device 12.

[0100] Specifically, in the second comparative example of this embodiment, the controlled device is described as being controlled so that it operates based on device control data periodically transmitted from the terminal device 11. However, depending on the interval at which the device control data is transmitted, the controlled device may not operate properly when a user approaches it.

[0101] Considering this point, for example, if the motion sensor 2 detects a user's movement before the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 is received by the control device 12, the controlled device may be operated based on the output from the motion sensor 2 (the detection result of the motion sensor 2). However, in order to avoid the controlled device stopping even when a user is nearby, as described above, the controlled device will continue to operate as long as the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 is received by the control device 12, even if the motion sensor 2 does not detect a user's movement.

[0102] In other words, as described above, when the motion sensor 2 and the control device 12 are used together in the second comparative example of this embodiment, when operating the controlled device, priority is given to control based on the output of the motion sensor 2, and when stopping the operation of the controlled device, priority is given to control based on the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11.

[0103] Furthermore, if, for example, the terminal device 11 is a smartphone or the like, and the user leaves the terminal device 11 near the controlled device, a situation may arise where the controlled device continues to operate even though the user is no longer near the controlled device. For this reason, if, for example, the period during which the control device 12 continues to receive the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 exceeds a predetermined period, the control based on the output of the motion sensor 2 may be prioritized over the control based on the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11, and the operation of the controlled device may be stopped.

[0104] The period during which control based on the output of the human presence sensor 2 is given priority, and the period during which control based on the device control data transmitted from the terminal device 11 is given priority (i.e., the priority for each control) may be set, for example, in the setting information of the control device 12.

[0105] Incidentally, in the second comparative example of this embodiment described above, it is possible to control the lighting equipment 1 so that it operates when a user possessing the terminal device 11 is near the control device 12. However, in buildings such as medium-sized or large-sized facilities where many lighting equipment 1 are installed, it is conceivable to construct a remote control system (central control system) that remotely controls the lighting equipment 1. With such a remote control system, it is possible to achieve even greater energy savings by individually remotely controlling the lighting equipment 1 installed in specific locations (e.g., on a floor) according to the surrounding environment and circumstances.

[0106] However, in order to remotely control a large number of lighting fixtures 1 in a remote control system, it is necessary to register the locations where the lighting fixtures 1 are installed in the remote control system in advance. The locations where such lighting fixtures 1 are installed can be registered, for example, by manually verifying the correspondence between the lighting ID of the lighting fixtures 1 installed in a building and the installation location of the lighting fixtures 1. However, as mentioned above, when a large number of lighting fixtures 1 are installed in a building, this work requires a great deal of effort and time.

[0107] Therefore, in this embodiment, a mechanism is provided to support the registration of the location where the above-mentioned lighting equipment 1 is installed, using the communication system 10 (terminal device 11 and control device 12) described in the second comparative example of this embodiment.

[0108] The following describes the communication system 10 according to this embodiment. Detailed explanations of parts similar to those in the second comparative example described above will be omitted, and the differences from the second comparative example will be primarily described.

[0109] First, an overview of the communication system 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, the control device 12 transmits the lighting ID (device identification information for identifying the lighting device 1) of the lighting device 1 controlled by the control device 12 at predetermined intervals or predetermined timings (for example, periodically). When the terminal device 11 receives the lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12, it acquires the location information of the terminal device 11 (location information indicating the location of the terminal device 11).

[0110] Terminal device 11 transmits the received lighting ID and acquired location information. The correspondence between the lighting ID and location information transmitted from terminal device 11 is registered in the remote control system (a server device having the function of remotely controlling the lighting equipment 1) and used to remotely control the lighting equipment 1. In this embodiment, registering the correspondence between the lighting ID and location information corresponds to registering the location information in association with the lighting ID, and by referring to this correspondence, the remote control system can recognize that the lighting equipment 1 identified by the lighting ID is installed at the location indicated by the location information associated with the lighting ID.

[0111] Next, an example of the processing procedure of the communication system 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Figure 13. In Figure 13, the processing of the terminal device 11 will be mainly described.

[0112] Since the functional configuration of the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 in this embodiment is the same as that of the second comparative example of this embodiment described above, the functional configuration of the terminal device 11 and the control device 12 will be explained using Figures 3 and 5 as appropriate.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the storage unit 121 included in the control device 12 is pre-stored with the lighting ID of the lighting device 1 controlled by the control device 12. In this case, the communication unit 123 transmits the lighting ID stored in the storage unit 121 at predetermined intervals. In other words, in this embodiment, the lighting ID is advertised wirelessly from the control device 12 (lighting device 1) at predetermined intervals.

[0114] In this embodiment, as described in the second comparative example of this embodiment, short-range wireless communication is performed between the terminal device 11 and the control device 12, and the terminal device 11 (communication unit 113) can receive the lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12 when the user possessing the terminal device 11 is in the vicinity of the control device 12.

[0115] Therefore, for example, the management unit 112 included in the terminal device 11 determines whether or not the lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12 has been received (step S11).

[0116] Here, assuming that the control device 12, which performs short-range wireless communication with the terminal device 11 as described above, is located near the lighting equipment 1, the location of the terminal device 11 that can receive the lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12 can be said to be at least near the lighting equipment 1. For this reason, in this embodiment, the location of the terminal device 11 in this case is considered to be the installation location of the lighting equipment 1 and used accordingly.

[0117] Specifically, if it is determined that a lighting ID has been received (YES in step S11), the management unit 112 obtains the location information of the terminal device 11 at the time the lighting ID was received (step S12).

[0118] In step S12, the location information of the terminal device 11 (for example, a smartphone) is obtained by the location identification function of the terminal device 11. The location identification function may be a function that obtains location information using, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) installed in the terminal device 11, or a function that obtains location information using the location of a base station or access point that communicates with the terminal device 11.

[0119] The location information acquired in step S12 is stored in the storage unit 111, for example, along with the received lighting ID.

[0120] The communication unit 113 transmits the lighting ID and location information stored in the storage unit 111 to the remote control system (step S13).

[0121] The correspondence between the lighting ID and location information transmitted in step S13 is registered in the remote control system. As a result, the remote control system can use the correspondence between the lighting ID and location information to determine that the lighting equipment 1 identified by the lighting ID is installed at the location indicated by the location information, and then individually control the lighting equipment 1.

[0122] On the other hand, if it is determined that the lighting ID has not been received (NO in step S11), the process shown in Figure 13 is terminated.

[0123] According to the process shown in Figure 13 above, for example, each time a user possessing terminal device 11 moves near lighting equipment 1 (control device 12), the lighting ID of the lighting equipment 1 and its installation location (the location of terminal device 11 which can be considered as such) can be automatically registered in the remote control system.

[0124] In Figure 13, steps S11 to S13 are described as being executed in order. However, for example, the lighting ID and location information (pair) stored in the storage unit 111 may be transmitted to the remote control system in step S13, which is executed at a predetermined timing, by repeatedly performing steps S11 and S12.

[0125] Furthermore, although step S12 was described as acquiring location information by the location identification function of the terminal device 11, the location information of the terminal device 11 can also be said to be the location information of the user possessing the terminal device 11 (i.e., location information indicating the user's location), and therefore may be acquired, for example, from a user management system that manages the location of users. The user management system is envisioned as a system that grasps and manages the location of a user by receiving a beacon transmitted from a dedicated tag or the like possessed by the user in at least one of many receivers placed inside the building. In this case, for example as shown in Figure 14, the terminal device 11 can acquire location information indicating the location of the user identified by the user information (i.e., the location of the user managed in the user management system) from the user management system by transmitting user information to the user management system to identify the user possessing the terminal device 11. The user information corresponds to a user identifier and includes the username, user's email address, or user ID. The terminal device 11 can also acquire the user's location information at the date and time represented by the timestamp by transmitting user information with a timestamp attached.

[0126] In this embodiment, if it is sufficient that the correspondence between the lighting ID and location information is registered in the remote control system, then, as shown in Figure 15, the remote control system may be configured to acquire the location information from the user management system. In this case, the terminal device 11 only needs to operate to transmit the lighting ID and user information to the remote control system. The remote control system then transmits the user information transmitted from the terminal device 11 to the user management system and acquires location information indicating the location of the user identified by the user information from the user management system.

[0127] Furthermore, although Figure 13 describes the lighting ID as being transmitted from the control device 12 at predetermined intervals, if, for example, as shown in Figure 16, a sensor 13 used by an IoT (Internet of Things) system is connected to the control device 12, the lighting ID and the data measured by the sensor 13 (sensor data) may also be transmitted from the control device 12 at predetermined intervals. Note that while it is assumed that the sensor 13 is directly attached to the control device 12, it is sufficient that it is located at least in the vicinity of the control device 12.

[0128] In this case, the terminal device 11 operates to transmit the lighting ID and sensor data to the IoT system. The lighting ID transmitted to the IoT system in this manner can be used as location information within the IoT system. Specifically, the IoT system queries the remote control system for the installation location of the lighting equipment 1 identified by the lighting ID transmitted from the terminal device 11 (i.e., the installation location corresponding to the lighting ID). As a result, the IoT system can provide IoT services using the sensor data obtained from the remote control system in response to the query, assuming that the sensor data was measured at the installation location.

[0129] The terminal device 11 may also transmit the lighting ID and sensor data to the IoT system along with a timestamp, which allows the IoT system to determine the date and time the sensor data was measured. The IoT system may also be a remote control system, which may use the sensor data transmitted from the terminal device 11 to remotely control the lighting equipment 1.

[0130] As described above, in the communication system 10 according to this embodiment, each of the plurality of control devices 12 transmits the lighting ID (device identification information for identifying the controlled device) of the lighting device 1 controlled by the control device 12 at predetermined intervals, and when the terminal device 11 receives the lighting ID transmitted from one of the plurality of control devices 12, it acquires the location information of the terminal device 11 and transmits the received lighting ID and the acquired location information.

[0131] Here, Figure 17 shows an example of the arrangement of multiple lighting fixtures 1 installed on the first to third floors of a building. In the example shown in Figure 17, it is assumed that nine lighting fixtures 1 with lighting IDs "100", "110", "120", "200", "210", "220", "300", "310", and "320" are installed on the first floor of the building. It is also assumed that nine lighting fixtures 1 with lighting IDs "301", "211", "222", "302", "221", "223", "303", "231", and "224" are installed on the second floor of the building. Furthermore, it is assumed that nine lighting fixtures 1 with lighting IDs "101", "102", "103", "104", "105", "106", "107", "108", and "109" are installed on the third floor of the building.

[0132] In the example shown in Figure 17, we assume a case where a lighting fixture 1 installed on the first floor is remotely controlled by a remote control system in response to, for example, changes in the environment on the first floor. In this case, the remote control system can control the lighting fixture 1 identified by each lighting ID shown in Figure 17. However, if, for example, the fact that a lighting fixture 1 with lighting ID "100" is installed on the first floor (i.e., the correspondence between lighting ID "100" and location information "1st floor") is not registered in the remote control system, the lighting ID to be specified in order to control the lighting fixture 1 installed on the first floor will be unknown, and the remote control system will not be able to remotely control the lighting fixture 1 installed on the first floor. Here, we have described the lighting fixture 1 identified by lighting ID "100", but the same applies to other lighting fixtures 1.

[0133] In this embodiment, a user possessing a terminal device 11 can register the lighting ID of each of the multiple lighting fixtures 1 installed in the building (1st to 3rd floors) and the location information of the terminal device 11 (i.e., the installation location of the lighting fixtures 1) transmitted from the terminal device 11 to the remote control system by moving near each of them.

[0134] The installation locations of lighting equipment 1, which are registered in the remote control system, will be specifically described below with reference to Figures 18 to 20.

[0135] Figure 18 shows a state in the remote control system where the installation location of lighting equipment 1 corresponding to each lighting ID (i.e., location information indicating the location of lighting equipment 1 identified by that lighting ID) has not been registered. In other words, Figure 18 shows the registration status of the installation locations of lighting equipment 1 before the process in Figure 13 is executed.

[0136] Here, for example, if a user moves near lighting equipment 1 with lighting ID "100" (i.e., lighting equipment 1 identified by lighting ID "100"), the user's terminal device 11 transmits the lighting ID "100" and the location information of the terminal device 11 to the remote control system. In this case, as shown in Figure 19, "1F A Zone," which represents the area encompassing the location indicated by the location information of the terminal device 11, is registered in the remote control system as the installation location of lighting equipment 1 identified by lighting ID "100." Note that the installation location of lighting equipment 1 is assumed to be represented by one of the zones A to I obtained by dividing each floor (1st to 3rd floors) into zones A to I (i.e., a predetermined range encompassing the location indicated by the location information), but it may also be represented by predetermined coordinate values, etc. Alternatively, the location information of the terminal device 11 (the location indicated by it) may be registered directly as the installation location of lighting equipment 1.

[0137] Here, we have described the installation location of lighting equipment 1 identified by lighting ID "100" (i.e., the installation location of lighting equipment 1 registered in association with lighting ID "100"). However, in the example shown in Figure 19, the installation locations of lighting equipment 1 are further registered in association with lighting IDs "105", "200", "223", and "303", depending on the location within the building where the user possessing the terminal device 11 has moved.

[0138] Although a detailed explanation will be omitted, as the user possessing the terminal device 11 moves further within the building, even more installation locations of lighting equipment 1 can be registered in the remote control system, as shown in Figure 20. In other words, in this embodiment, installation locations corresponding to lighting IDs are automatically registered, so the communication system 10 according to this embodiment is useful for realizing control of multiple lighting equipment 1 using these installation locations.

[0139] Furthermore, assuming that a user possessing the terminal device 11 can use the service for controlling the lighting equipment 1 described in the second comparative example of this embodiment, in this embodiment, the installation location of the lighting equipment 1 can be automatically registered in the remote control system simply by the user using the service. In other words, in this embodiment, there is no need to perform any special work to register the installation location of the lighting equipment 1, and it is possible to achieve a system in which the lighting ID and the installation location are associated during the operation of the service for controlling the lighting equipment 1.

[0140] Furthermore, although this description has focused on the case where a user utilizing the service to control the lighting equipment 1 possesses the terminal device 11, in this embodiment, for example, a worker who registers the installation location of each of the above-mentioned lighting equipment 1 in the remote control system may carry the terminal device 11 and move around the vicinity of each of the lighting equipment 1. Even in such a case, the worker only needs to move around the building with the terminal device 11, such as a smartphone, and this significantly reduces the effort and time required compared to, for example, manually checking the correspondence between the lighting ID and the installation location for each lighting equipment 1. Moreover, instead of a worker carrying the terminal device 11, a mobile robot with the functions of the terminal device 11 may move around the building.

[0141] In this embodiment, the location information of the terminal device 11 when it receives the lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12 is registered in the remote control system as the installation location of the lighting equipment 1. However, since the terminal device 11 can receive the lighting ID within a range of about 10 meters from the control device 12 using short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth, it is thought that the location indicated by this location information may have an error compared to the actual installation location of the lighting equipment 1.

[0142] On the other hand, when the terminal device 11 receives a lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12, the reception strength of the lighting ID will be higher the closer the terminal device 11 is to the control device 12 (i.e., the lighting equipment 1).

[0143] Therefore, the terminal device 11 may transmit the lighting ID of the lighting equipment 1 and the location information of the terminal device 11, along with the reception strength at the time the lighting ID was received, to the remote control system. Assuming that there are multiple users in the building who use the service to control the lighting equipment 1 described above, for example, multiple installation locations corresponding to the same lighting ID may be registered in the remote control system as different users move near the lighting equipment 1. In this case, it is possible to improve the accuracy of remote control of the lighting equipment 1 by using the installation location at which the lighting ID with the highest reception strength was received.

[0144] In this explanation, the reception strength of the lighting ID is transmitted along with the lighting ID and location information. However, if the reception angle (AoA: Angle of Arrival) of the lighting ID signal can be obtained when receiving the lighting ID, this reception angle may be used instead of the reception strength. The closer you are to the lighting equipment, the larger (or smaller) the reception angle of the lighting ID will be.

[0145] Figures 21 to 23 show examples of the installation positions of lighting equipment 1 that are registered in the remote control system when the lighting ID and location information are transmitted from the terminal device 11 to the remote control system and the reception angle is obtained. Except for the fact that the reception angle is taken into consideration, Figure 21 corresponds to Figure 18, Figure 22 corresponds to Figure 19, and Figure 23 corresponds to Figure 20. In this example, it is assumed that the reception angle is 0 degrees when the lighting equipment is directly above the terminal device, and that the angle increases as the terminal device moves away from the lighting equipment, but this is not always the case.

[0146] In the examples shown in Figures 21 to 23, the installation location of lighting equipment 1 is registered in the remote control system in correspondence with the lighting ID and receiving angle of the lighting equipment 1.

[0147] For example, in the example shown in Figure 23, lighting ID "106" has "3F F zone" registered as an installation location with a reception angle of 5 degrees or less, "3F C zone" registered as an installation location with a reception angle of 15 degrees or less (and greater than 5 degrees), and "3F I zone" registered as an installation location with a reception angle of 30 degrees or less (and greater than 15 degrees).

[0148] In this case, the remote control system will control lighting equipment 1, which is identified by lighting ID "106", assuming that it is installed in the "3F F zone" where the reception angle is smallest.

[0149] In Figures 21 to 23, it is explained that multiple installation positions corresponding to the reception angle are registered in the remote control system for each lighting ID of lighting equipment 1. However, it is also acceptable to have a configuration in which, for example, only one installation position with the smallest reception angle is registered in the remote control system.

[0150] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, a process may be performed to update (specify) the installation location of the lighting equipment 1 identified by the same lighting ID in accordance with the change in the receiving angle of the same lighting ID.

[0151] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the lighting ID transmitted from the control device 12 is received over a wide range by the terminal device 11, errors are likely to occur between the position indicated by the position information of the terminal device and the actual installation position of the lighting equipment 1. Therefore, the reception range of the lighting ID (i.e., the transmission intensity of the lighting ID, etc.) may be adjusted according to, for example, the layout of a building in which multiple lighting equipment 1 are installed or the arrangement of the multiple lighting equipment 1.

[0152] In this embodiment, the control device 12 and the controlled device, such as the lighting equipment 1, have been described as being configured separately. However, as explained in Figure 6 above, the control device 12 may be incorporated into the controlled device. Alternatively, only a part of the control device 12 may be incorporated into the controlled device.

[0153] While several 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 a variety of 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]

[0154] 1...Lighting equipment, 2...Motion sensor, 10...Communication system, 11...Terminal device, 11a...Processor, 11b...Non-volatile memory, 11c...Main memory, 11d...Communication device, 12...Control device, 111...Storage unit, 112...Management unit, 113...Communication unit, 121...Storage unit, 122...Management unit, 123...Communication unit, 124...Control unit.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising a plurality of control devices arranged near each of a plurality of devices and configured to control each of the plurality of devices, and a terminal device that moves within the space in which the plurality of devices are installed and is configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of control devices, Each of the plurality of control devices transmits device identification information at predetermined intervals for identifying the device controlled by the control device. When the terminal device receives device identification information transmitted from one of the multiple control devices, it acquires location information indicating the location of the terminal device and transmits the received device identification information and the acquired location information. Communication system.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication between each of the plurality of control devices and the terminal device includes short-range wireless communication.

3. The terminal device transmits the device identification information and the location information to a remote control system that remotely controls the plurality of devices. The correspondence between device identification information and location information transmitted from the terminal device is registered in the remote control system and used to remotely control the multiple devices. The communication system according to claim 1.

4. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein the terminal device further transmits, in addition to the device identification information and location information, the reception strength or reception angle when the device identification information is received.

5. The communication system according to claim 4, wherein the received signal strength or received angle transmitted from the terminal device is used to update the location information corresponding to the device identification information.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device transmits user information for identifying the user possessing the terminal device, instead of location information indicating the location of the terminal device.

7. Each of the plurality of control devices periodically transmits sensor data measured by a sensor connected to the control device, along with the device identification information. The terminal device transmits the received device identification information and sensor data when it receives the device identification information and sensor data transmitted from one of the multiple control devices. The communication system according to claim 1.

8. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the location information is obtained by a location identification function of the terminal device.

9. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the location information is obtained from a user management system that manages the location of a user based on user information for identifying the user possessing the terminal device.

10. The terminal device periodically transmits equipment control data. Each of the plurality of control devices, upon receiving the device control data, controls the device to operate and sets the operating time of the device. A communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The communication system according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of control devices controls the device such that if no device control data is received between the time set for the device to operate and the time elapsed, the device stops operating.

12. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of control devices, if device control data is received between the time the device is set and the time the device is set to operate, resets the time the device is set to operate.

13. A method for a communication system comprising a plurality of control devices arranged near each of a plurality of devices and configured to control each of the plurality of devices, and a terminal device that moves within the space in which the plurality of devices are installed and is configured to communicate wirelessly with the plurality of control devices, Each of the plurality of control devices transmits device identification information at predetermined intervals for identifying the device controlled by the control device, When the terminal device receives device identification information transmitted from one of the plurality of control devices, the terminal device acquires location information indicating the location of the terminal device, and transmits the received device identification information and the acquired location information. A method that provides for this.

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