Status monitoring and control system

Abstract

To improve the reliability of controlling multiple controlled objects while keeping costs down. [Solution] The state monitoring and control system 10 includes a parent terminal control unit 20 which may or may not be assigned to one control target object 60, a plurality of child terminal control units 26 which are assigned one-to-one to all remaining control target objects 60 to which the parent terminal control unit 20 is not assigned, a monitoring control unit 12 which monitors and controls the entire system 10, a first wireless communication means 34 which connects the monitoring control unit 12 and the parent terminal control unit 20 so that they can communicate via a closed communication network 36, and a second wireless communication means 40 which connects the parent terminal control unit 20 and the plurality of child terminal control units 26 so that they can communicate via a multi-hop method with the parent terminal control unit 20 as one end, and the monitoring control unit 12 continuously monitors the state of the plurality of control target objects 60. This makes it possible to improve the reliability of controlling the plurality of control target objects 60 while suppressing costs such as communication costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a state monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling the states of a plurality of controlled objects.

Background Art

[0002] On roads, railway lines, etc., display devices for transmitting various information to drivers and the like are installed. Among them, signals, variable signboards, etc. are designed to switch the display content as needed. For example, variable signboards installed on roads can switch a plurality of display contents corresponding to the installation locations by remote control (see, for example, Patent Document 1). And, for the purpose of temporarily preventing the entry of automobiles into a specific section, etc., there may be cases where a plurality of variable signboards are installed near intersections where each of a plurality of roads that can enter the specific section intersects.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-mentioned system, multiple variable-sign boards were conventionally controlled via a dedicated fixed line, and as the number of controlled variable-sign boards increased, costs such as line usage fees tended to rise. Therefore, attempts were made to reduce the number of lines used by configuring the system to control two variable-sign boards via a single line, but this still resulted in high costs. Furthermore, while conventional multiple variable-sign boards could switch the displayed content as needed, confirmation of whether the displayed content had actually switched was done visually, leaving room for improvement in terms of reliability. Moreover, these problems apply not only to variable-sign boards but also to various other controlled objects that are controlled in a similar manner.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to improve the reliability of controlling multiple controlled objects while suppressing costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (Modes of the invention) The following embodiments of the invention are illustrative of the configuration of the present invention and are described in separate sections to facilitate understanding of the diverse configurations of the present invention. Each section does not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and while taking into consideration the best mode for carrying out the invention, modifications to some of the components of each section, such as substitution, deletion, or addition of other components, may also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0007] (1) A state monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling the state of multiple control objects, each of which can be switched to multiple states, comprising: a parent terminal control unit assigned to acquire and switch the state of one of the multiple control objects, or not assigned to any of the control objects; a plurality of child terminal control units assigned one-to-one to all of the multiple control objects to which the parent terminal control unit is not assigned, to acquire and switch the state of each control object; a monitoring control unit for monitoring and controlling the entire system; a first wireless communication means for communicating between the monitoring control unit and the parent terminal control unit via a closed communication network; and a second wireless communication means for communicating between the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units using a multi-hop method with the parent terminal control unit as one end, wherein the monitoring control unit continuously monitors the state of the plurality of control objects.

[0008] The state monitoring and control system described in this section monitors and controls the state of multiple control objects whose states can be switched, and includes a parent terminal control unit, multiple child terminal control units, a monitoring control unit, a first wireless communication means, and a second wireless communication means. The parent terminal control unit is assigned to one of the multiple control objects and acquires and switches the state of the assigned control object. The parent terminal control unit does not have to be assigned to any control object, in which case it does not acquire or switch the state of the control object. The multiple child terminal control units are assigned one-to-one to all of the multiple control objects that are not assigned to a parent terminal control unit, and acquire and switch the state of the assigned control object. The monitoring control unit is responsible for monitoring and controlling the entire state monitoring and control system.

[0009] The first wireless communication means is for enabling communication between the monitoring control unit and the master terminal control unit, and specifically connects them to communicate wirelessly via a closed network. The second wireless communication means is for enabling communication between the master terminal control unit and a plurality of slave terminal control units, and specifically connects them to communicate wirelessly using a multi-hop method with the master terminal control unit as one end. That is, the second wireless communication means has a plurality of wireless communication devices connected to the master terminal control unit and each of the plurality of slave terminal control units, and communicates in a bucket-brigade manner through these plurality of wireless communication devices.

[0010] Due to the configuration described above, the monitoring control unit acquires the status of the controlled object assigned to the parent terminal control unit (if any) from the parent terminal control unit via the first wireless communication means, and acquires the status of each controlled object assigned to a child terminal control unit from each child terminal control unit via the second wireless communication means, the parent terminal control unit, and the first wireless communication means. The monitoring control unit then continuously monitors the status of the multiple controlled objects acquired in this way. As a result, the status of multiple controlled objects is constantly monitored, so for example, after a change in the status of a controlled object, it can be confirmed whether that controlled object has switched to the intended state, thereby improving the reliability of controlling multiple controlled objects. Furthermore, if the monitoring control unit is configured to display the acquired status of the multiple controlled objects via a display, the burden of monitoring work will also be reduced.

[0011] Moreover, since line usage fees are incurred only for one line in the first wireless communication method that utilizes a closed communication network, communication costs and other expenses are significantly reduced. Furthermore, in the multi-hop wireless communication method of the second wireless communication method, multiple child terminal control units are covered by a single master terminal control unit, eliminating the need to prepare multiple master terminal control units, which also reduces costs. In addition, the reliability of communication is improved in the second wireless communication method by being configured to automatically switch communication paths if a failure occurs in part of the communication path set up in the multi-hop method.

[0012] (2) In the above item (1), the master terminal control unit is a state monitoring and control system that transmits a simultaneous switching command to simultaneously switch the state of the plurality of controlled objects to a predetermined state set in advance for each controlled object at a predetermined date and time set in advance. The state monitoring and control system described in this section involves a master terminal control unit transmitting a simultaneous switching command at a predetermined date and time. This simultaneous switching command is intended to simultaneously switch the state of multiple controlled objects to a predetermined state, each controlled object. To this end, the master terminal control unit transmits a simultaneous switching command to multiple sub-terminal control units via a second wireless communication means, causing each sub-terminal control unit to switch the state of its assigned controlled object. Furthermore, if there are controlled objects assigned to the master terminal control unit, the master terminal control unit switches the state of its assigned controlled object at the time it transmits the simultaneous switching command. As a result, the states of multiple controlled objects are simultaneously switched at a predetermined date and time without the need for control from the monitoring and control unit, ensuring that predetermined switching controls, which should be performed according to the date and time, are executed reliably and without extra effort.

[0013] (3) A state monitoring and control system in which the setting of a predetermined date and time, the setting of a predetermined state, and the setting of whether or not to send the simultaneous switching command are performed via the monitoring and control unit in the above item (2). The status monitoring and control system described in this section allows the following settings to be made by, for example, a user of the status monitoring and control system via the monitoring and control unit: setting a predetermined date and time for the transmission of a simultaneous switching command, setting a predetermined state in which each controlled object is switched by the simultaneous switching command, and setting whether or not to transmit the simultaneous switching command when the predetermined date and time arrives. As a result, the date and time for the transmission of the simultaneous switching command, the state in which each controlled object is switched by the simultaneous switching command, and whether or not to transmit the simultaneous switching command depending on, for example, the weather, can be freely set, so that the simultaneous switching command can be used in a variety of ways.

[0014] (4) A state monitoring and control system in which, in item (1) above, the monitoring control unit is configured as an MQTT broker and an MQTT client, and each of the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units is configured as an MQTT client, and communication within the system is performed by the MQTT protocol. The status monitoring and control system described in this section uses the MQTT protocol for communication within the system. Therefore, each device that sends and receives data within the system—namely, the monitoring and control unit, the parent terminal control unit, and each of the multiple child terminal control units—is configured as an MQTT client. Furthermore, the monitoring and control unit is also configured as an MQTT broker to perform various adjustments to communication using the MQTT protocol. This unifies the communication protocol within the system and allows the system to enjoy various benefits of the MQTT protocol, such as certificate-based encryption, the transmission of a predetermined message when client communication is interrupted, and the retransmission of messages after communication is restored following a temporary interruption.

[0015] (5) A state monitoring and control system in which the first wireless communication means communicates using the LTE communication standard, as described in item (1) above. The status monitoring and control system described in this section uses a first wireless communication means that connects the monitoring and control unit and the master terminal control unit via a closed network, and communicates using the LTE communication standard. As a result, stable communication is achieved through LTE communication provided by the telecommunications carrier, and since only the usage fee for one LTE communication line is incurred, stable control is achieved while keeping costs down.

[0016] (6) A state monitoring and control system in which the second wireless communication means communicates using low-power radio communication as described in item (1) above. The status monitoring and control system described in this section utilizes a second wireless communication means that connects a parent terminal control unit and multiple child terminal control units via a multi-hop method, and communicates using low-power radio. As a result, the second wireless communication means does not need to go through a telecommunications carrier or obtain a radio station license, thus enabling stable communication while keeping costs down.

[0017] (7) The status monitoring and control system in item (1) above, wherein each of the plurality of controlled objects is a variable sign board, and each of the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units, when assigned to one of the plurality of controlled objects, is equipped with an edge AI camera for photographing the variable sign board. The state monitoring control system described in this section is such that each of a plurality of controlled objects to be monitored and controlled is a variable sign board that can be switched to a plurality of display states. And, each of the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units when assigned to one of the plurality of controlled objects includes an edge AI camera that photographs the variable sign board of the object to be monitored and controlled. Thereby, since the content displayed on each variable sign board is photographed by the edge AI camera and AI-determined, the acquisition of the display state of each variable sign board in the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units is performed with high accuracy. Further, since the edge AI camera performs AI processing by itself, it is not necessary to transmit and receive photographed data to a server or the like, and only necessary data in the processed data needs to be transmitted, which contributes to suppressing the time lag and reducing the communication volume.

Effects of the Invention

[0018] Since the present invention has the above-described configuration, it is possible to improve the reliability of controlling a plurality of controlled objects while suppressing costs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019] [Figure 1] It is an image diagram schematically showing an example of the configuration of a state monitoring control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram for explaining a communication method performed in a state monitoring control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is an example of a display screen showing a state in which a plurality of controlled objects are being monitored by a state monitoring control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings. In the drawings as a whole, the same parts or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Also, detailed descriptions of the same parts or corresponding parts as in the prior art are omitted. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a state monitoring control system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The state monitoring control system 10 is for monitoring and controlling the states of a plurality of controlled objects 60 each of which can be switched to a plurality of states. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the display state of a variable signboard 60A is monitored and controlled as the controlled object 60. A plurality of variable signboards 60A are installed in the vicinity of a road leading to a specific section, for example, in order to temporarily prevent the entry of vehicles into the specific section (see the map in FIG. 3). The variable signboard 60A may be, for example, a three-variable signboard or a digital variable signboard.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the state monitoring control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a monitoring control unit 12, a parent terminal control unit 20, a plurality of child terminal control units 26, a first wireless communication means 34, and a second wireless communication means 40. The monitoring control unit 12 monitors and controls the entire state monitoring control system 10. Although details will be described later, it is used for continuously monitoring the states of a plurality of controlled objects 60 (variable signboards 60A) and performing various settings. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the monitoring control unit 12 is configured by a notebook computer, but may be configured using any hardware and software as long as the necessary functions are satisfied.

[0022] The master terminal control unit 20 is the base point for controlling multiple control objects 60 (variable signboards 60A), and in this embodiment, it is assigned to one of the multiple control objects 60, and acquires and switches the state of the assigned control object 60 as needed. For this reason, the master terminal control unit 20 is installed near the assigned control object 60, and in this embodiment, it is attached to the support column 64 that supports the assigned variable signboard 60A. Furthermore, the master terminal control unit 20 of this embodiment is equipped with an edge AI camera 30 installed to photograph the assigned variable signboard 60A. The edge AI camera 30 photographs the variable signboard 60A and performs AI analysis of the captured data to determine the current display state of the variable signboard 60A. The master terminal control unit 20 may be configured using any hardware and software to the extent that the necessary functions are met. Furthermore, the parent terminal control unit 20 does not necessarily have to be assigned to one of the multiple controlled objects 60; in this case, a child terminal control unit 26 is assigned to all of the multiple controlled objects 60, as will be described later.

[0023] Multiple child terminal control units 26 are assigned one-to-one to all of the multiple control objects 60 (variable sign boards 60A) that are not assigned to the parent terminal control unit 20, and acquire and switch the state of the assigned control object 60 as needed. For this reason, each child terminal control unit 26 is installed near the assigned control object 60, and in this embodiment, it is attached to a support column 64 that supports the assigned variable sign board 60A. Furthermore, each child terminal control unit 26 in this embodiment is equipped with an edge AI camera 30 installed to photograph the assigned variable sign board 60A. The edge AI camera 30 photographs the variable sign board 60A and performs AI analysis of the captured data to determine the current display state of the variable sign board 60A. Each child terminal control unit 26 may be configured using any hardware and software to the extent that the necessary functions are met.

[0024] The first wireless communication means 34 connects the monitoring control unit 12 and the master terminal control unit 20 via a closed communication network 36 isolated from the internet, and in this embodiment, it is configured to communicate using the LTE communication standard. For this reason, the monitoring control unit 12 is connected to an LTE router 14 which has a built-in LTE communication SIM card 16, and uses the closed communication network 36 of the LTE communication provided by the telecommunications carrier via a server PC 18. Similarly, the master terminal control unit 20 has an LTE module 22 which has a built-in LTE communication SIM card 16. As a result, the first wireless communication means 34 connects the monitoring control unit 12 and the master terminal control unit 20 in a communicative manner using the LTE line provided by the telecommunications carrier.

[0025] The second wireless communication means 40 connects the parent terminal control unit 20 and the multiple child terminal control units 26 in a multi-hop manner with the parent terminal control unit 20 as one end, enabling communication. In this embodiment, it is configured to communicate using low-power radio. Therefore, each of the parent terminal control unit 20 and the multiple child terminal control units 26 is connected to a wireless communication device 44 that supports low-power radio. Thus, the second wireless communication means 40 uses low-power radio to enable communication between the parent terminal control unit 20 and the multiple child terminal control units 26. Furthermore, the second wireless communication means 40 in this embodiment uses 920MHz band Wi-Fi HaLow (registered trademark, IEEE 802.11ah) as the low-power radio, transmitting TCP / IP packets from the proprietary standard directly over radio waves.

[0026] Furthermore, in the multi-hop communication method using the second wireless communication means 40, transmission and reception are carried out in a bucket-brigade fashion between the parent terminal control unit 20 and each of the multiple child terminal control units 26. An optimal communication path is constructed according to the communication environment, with the parent terminal control unit 20 as one end and covering all child terminal control units 26. If a communication failure occurs in part of the constructed path, the system will not use the part of the path where the communication failure occurred, but will instead reconstruct another communication path with the parent terminal control unit 20 as one end and covering all child terminal control units 26 to continue communication. Although only four control objects 60 (variable sign boards 60A) are shown in Figure 1, the number of control objects 60 may be more or less than four, and the number of sub-terminal control units 26 may vary accordingly. The same applies to Figure 2, which will be referenced next.

[0027] Next, Figure 2 shows a block diagram illustrating a more detailed communication method performed within the state monitoring and control system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the state monitoring and control system 10 of this embodiment, communication within the system 10 is performed using the MQTT protocol. For this reason, although we have refrained from referring to Figure 1, each device that communicates within the system 10 is configured as an MQTT client 52. That is, the monitoring and control unit 12, the parent terminal control unit 20, and each of the multiple child terminal control units 26 are configured as MQTT clients 52. Furthermore, the monitoring and control unit 12 is also configured as an MQTT broker 50. The parent terminal control unit 20 also has a database 56 in which various setting information is stored. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the parent terminal control unit 20 is not assigned to any of the controlled objects 60, and it is assumed that a child terminal control unit 26 is assigned to all of the controlled objects 60.

[0028] Referring to Figure 2, the communication procedure for continuously monitoring the status of multiple control objects 60 (variable sign boards 60A) by the monitoring control unit 12 during steady-state operation will first be explained. This status monitoring also serves as a liveness check for each device that communicates within the system 10. Specifically, the communication procedure is as follows (1_1 to 1_3). In the following explanation referring to Figure 2, communication between each child terminal control unit 26 and the monitoring control unit 12 always goes through the parent terminal control unit 20. Communication between each child terminal control unit 26 and the parent terminal control unit 20 is performed using low-power radio communication according to a multi-hop communication path constructed by the second wireless communication means 40, and communication between the parent terminal control unit 20 and the monitoring control unit 12 is performed using the LTE communication standard by the first wireless communication means 34.

[0029] 1_1: Each MQTT client 52 of the child terminal control unit 26 transmits the status of each controlled object 60 (variable signboard 60A) and the status of each child terminal control unit 26 to the MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12. The display status of the variable signboard 60A is acquired by the edge AI camera 30 provided by the child terminal control unit 26. If the parent terminal control unit 20 is assigned to one of the controlled objects 60, the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20 also transmits the status of the controlled object 60 (variable signboard 60A) to which the parent terminal control unit 20 is assigned and the status of the parent terminal control unit 20 to the MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12.

[0030] 1_2: The MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12 transmits the status of each controlled object 60 (variable sign board 60A) and the availability information of each child terminal control unit 26 received in 1_1 above to the MQTT client 52 of the monitoring control unit 12. As a result, the monitoring control unit 12 is able to ascertain the status of each controlled object 60 and the availability information of each child terminal control unit 26. 1_3: The MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12 transmits the status of each controlled object 60 (variable sign board 60A) and the availability information of each child terminal control unit 26 received in 1_1 above to the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20. As a result, the parent terminal control unit 20 is able to ascertain the status of each controlled object 60 and the availability information of each child terminal control unit 26.

[0031] Figure 3 shows an example of the display of monitoring results for multiple controlled objects 60 (variable sign boards 60A) shown to the user of the status monitoring control system 10 by the monitoring control unit 12. In Figure 3, the monitoring results for 24 variable sign boards 60A are shown, with the numbers No. 1 to No. 24 and 1 to 24 indicated by circles. In addition to the 24 variable sign boards 60A, the monitoring results for the master terminal control unit 20 are also shown under the name "Master Controller". The table in Legend 1 in the upper right of Figure 3 shows the symbols for the 24 variable sign boards 60A and the master terminal control unit 20, the table in Legend 2 below it shows the status indicated by the color of the circled numbers, and the table below that shows the number, name, and status of the 24 variable sign boards 60A. The status of the 24 variable sign boards 60A is also shown in the map on the left side of Figure 3, and the location of each variable sign board 60A can be confirmed from the map.

[0032] Next, returning to Figure 2, we will explain the communication procedure when the master terminal control unit 20 sends a simultaneous switching command to simultaneously switch the state of multiple control objects 60 (variable sign boards 60A) to a predetermined state set in advance for each control object 60 at a predetermined date and time. Specifically, the communication procedure is as follows: 2_1 to 2_4. 2_1: When the predetermined date and time stored in the database 56 arrives, the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20 sends the above-mentioned simultaneous switching command to the MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12.

[0033] 2_2: The MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12 sends a switching request to one of the MQTT clients 52 among the multiple child terminal control units 26, to switch the controlled object 60 (variable indicator board 60A) to which that child terminal control unit 26 is assigned to a predetermined state, so that it should be switched by a simultaneous switching command. 2_3: The MQTT client 52 of the child terminal control unit 26, which received the switching request in 2_2 above, switches the state of the controlled object 60 and then transmits the result of the switching request to the MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12.

[0034] 2_4: The MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12 transmits the result of the switching request received in 2_3 to the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20. As a result, the parent terminal control unit 20 becomes aware of the result of the switching request for the controlled object 60 to which the child terminal control unit 26, to which the switching request was sent in 2_2, is assigned. From this point onward, steps 2_2 to 2_4 above are repeated, changing the destination of the switching request, until all controlled objects 60 that should be switched by the simultaneous switching command have been switched. If the parent terminal control unit 20 is assigned to one of the controlled objects 60, a switching request is also sent to the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20.

[0035] Next, the communication procedure for setting and changing various information configured in the master terminal control unit 20 via the monitoring control unit 12 will be explained. Such settings include setting a predetermined date and time for sending a simultaneous switching command, setting a predetermined state for each controlled object 60 (variable sign board 60A) that is switched by the simultaneous switching command, and setting whether or not to send a simultaneous switching command depending on the weather. The setting information for the master terminal control unit 20 is stored in the database 56. Specifically, the communication procedure is as follows: 3_1 to 3_4 below. 3_1: Upon receiving input from the user, the MQTT client 52 of the monitoring control unit 12 sends a configuration (change) request to the MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12.

[0036] 3_2: The MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12 sends the setting (change) request received in 3_1 above to the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20. 3_3: After the MQTT client 52 of the parent terminal control unit 20 performs the configuration (change) in accordance with the configuration (change) request, it sends the result of the configuration (change) request to the MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12. 3_4: The MQTT broker 50 of the monitoring control unit 12 sends the result of the configuration (change) request received in 3_1 above to the MQTT client 52 of the monitoring control unit 12. As a result, the user can understand the result of the configuration (change) request through a display by the monitoring control unit 12 or the like.

[0037] The state monitoring and control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in Figures 1 to 3, and can take various configurations depending on the content and status of the controlled object 60. For example, communication within the system 10 is not limited to the MQTT protocol, and any communication protocol may be used. Similarly, communication by the first wireless communication means 34 and the second wireless communication means 40 is not limited to the LTE communication standard or 920MHz band low-power wireless communication, but may be other wireless communication methods. Furthermore, the monitoring and control unit 12 may be able to individually switch the states of multiple controlled objects 60. Moreover, the controlled object 60 may be other than the variable sign board 60A, such as something whose display of signals, etc., can be switched, something whose emitted sound can be switched, or something whose shape can be switched. Accordingly, the means for grasping the state of the controlled object 60 may also be an appropriate means other than the edge AI camera 30.

[0038] Now, according to the embodiment of the present invention having the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained. That is, the state monitoring and control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, monitors and controls the state of a plurality of control objects 60 whose state can be switched, and includes a parent terminal control unit 20, a plurality of child terminal control units 26, a monitoring control unit 12, a first wireless communication means 34, and a second wireless communication means 40. The parent terminal control unit 20 is assigned to one of the plurality of control objects 60 and acquires and switches the state of the assigned control object 60. The parent terminal control unit 20 does not have to be assigned to any of the control objects 60, in which case it does not acquire or switch the state of the control object 60. The plurality of child terminal control units 26 are assigned one-to-one to all of the plurality of control objects 60 that the parent terminal control unit 20 is not assigned to, and acquire and switch the state of the assigned control object 60. The monitoring control unit 12 is responsible for monitoring and controlling the entire state monitoring and control system 10.

[0039] The first wireless communication means 34 is for enabling communication between the monitoring control unit 12 and the master terminal control unit 20, and specifically connects them to communicate wirelessly via a closed communication network 36. The second wireless communication means 40 is for enabling communication between the master terminal control unit 20 and a plurality of child terminal control units 26, and specifically connects them to communicate wirelessly using a multi-hop method with the master terminal control unit 20 as one end. That is, the second wireless communication means 40 has a plurality of wireless communication devices 44 connected to each of the master terminal control unit 20 and the plurality of child terminal control units 26, and communication is carried out in a bucket-brigade manner via these plurality of wireless communication devices 44.

[0040] Due to the above configuration, the monitoring control unit 12 acquires the status of the controlled object 60 assigned to the parent terminal control unit 20 (if assigned) from the parent terminal control unit 20 via the first wireless communication means 34, and acquires the status of each controlled object 60 assigned to the child terminal control unit 26 from each child terminal control unit 26 via the second wireless communication means 40, the parent terminal control unit 20, and the first wireless communication means 34. The monitoring control unit 12 then continuously monitors the status of the multiple controlled objects 60 acquired in this way. As a result, the status of multiple controlled objects 60 is constantly monitored, so for example, after a change in the status of a controlled object 60, it is possible to confirm whether that controlled object 60 has switched to the intended state, thereby improving the reliability of controlling multiple controlled objects 60. Furthermore, if the monitoring control unit 12 is configured to display the acquired status of the multiple controlled objects 60 via a display, for example as shown in Figure 3, it is possible to reduce the burden of monitoring work.

[0041] Moreover, since the line usage fee is incurred for only one line in the first wireless communication means 34 that utilizes the closed communication network 36, communication costs and other expenses can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, in the multi-hop wireless communication method using the second wireless communication means 40, one master terminal control unit 20 can cover multiple slave terminal control units 26, eliminating the need to prepare multiple master terminal control units 20, which also helps to reduce costs. In addition, the second wireless communication means 40 is configured to automatically switch communication paths if a failure occurs in part of the communication path set up in the multi-hop method, thereby improving the reliability of communication.

[0042] Furthermore, in the state monitoring and control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the master terminal control unit 20 transmits a simultaneous switching command at a predetermined date and time set in advance. This simultaneous switching command is for simultaneously switching the state of multiple control objects 60 to a predetermined state set in advance for each control object 60. For this reason, the master terminal control unit 20 transmits a simultaneous switching command to multiple sub-terminal control units 26 via the second wireless communication means 40, causing each sub-terminal control unit 26 to switch the state of the control object 60 assigned to it. If there is a control object 60 assigned to the master terminal control unit 20, the master terminal control unit 20 switches the state of the control object 60 assigned to it at the time of transmitting the simultaneous switching command. As a result, the state of multiple control objects 60 can be switched simultaneously at a predetermined date and time set in advance without control from the monitoring and control unit 12, so that predetermined switching control that should be performed according to the date and time can be reliably executed without any effort.

[0043] Furthermore, in the state monitoring and control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the following settings are made by, for example, a user of the state monitoring and control system 10 via the monitoring and control unit 12. Specifically, this includes setting a predetermined date and time for the transmission of a simultaneous switching command, setting a predetermined state in which each controlled object 60 is switched by the simultaneous switching command, and setting whether or not to transmit the simultaneous switching command when the predetermined date and time arrives. This allows for free setting of the date and time for the transmission of the simultaneous switching command, the state in which each controlled object 60 is switched by the simultaneous switching command, and whether or not to transmit the simultaneous switching command according to, for example, the weather, making it possible to use the simultaneous switching command in various ways.

[0044] Furthermore, in the state monitoring and control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, communication within the system 10 is performed using the MQTT protocol. To this end, as shown in Figure 2, each of the devices that send and receive data within the system 10, namely the monitoring control unit 12, the parent terminal control unit 20, and each of the multiple child terminal control units 26, is configured as an MQTT client 52. In addition, the monitoring control unit 12 is also configured as an MQTT broker 50 to perform various adjustments to communication using the MQTT protocol. This makes it possible to unify the communication protocol within the system 10 and to enjoy various benefits of the MQTT protocol, such as encryption using certificates, sending a predetermined message when client communication is interrupted, and retransmitting messages after communication is restored from a temporary interruption.

[0045] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the state monitoring and control system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a first wireless communication means 34 that connects the monitoring and control unit 12 and the master terminal control unit 20 via a closed communication network 36, and communicates using the LTE communication standard. This enables stable communication using LTE communication provided by a telecommunications carrier, and since only the usage fee for one LTE communication line is incurred, it is possible to perform stable control while suppressing costs. Furthermore, in the state monitoring and control system 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a second wireless communication means 40 that connects a master terminal control unit 20 and a plurality of child terminal control units 26 in a multi-hop manner communicates using low-power radio. As a result, the second wireless communication means 40 does not need to go through a telecommunications carrier or obtain a radio station license, and stable communication can be achieved while suppressing costs.

[0046] In addition, the state monitoring and control system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is such that each of the multiple control objects 60 that are the target of monitoring and control is a variable sign board 60A that can be switched between multiple display states. When assigned to one of the multiple control objects 60, each of the parent terminal control unit 20 and the multiple child terminal control units 26 is equipped with an edge AI camera 30 that photographs the variable sign board 60A that is the target of monitoring and control. As a result, the content displayed on each variable sign board 60A is photographed by the edge AI camera 30 and judged by AI, so that the parent terminal control unit 20 and the multiple child terminal control units 26 can acquire the display state of each variable sign board 60A with high accuracy. Furthermore, since the edge AI camera 30 performs AI processing itself, there is no need to send or receive photographed data to a server or the like, and only the necessary data from the processed data needs to be sent, which can contribute to suppressing time lag and reducing the amount of communication. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 10: Status monitoring and control system, 12: Monitoring and control unit, 20: Parent terminal control unit, 26: Child terminal control unit, 30: Edge AI camera, 34: First wireless communication means, 36: Closed network, 40: Second wireless communication means, 50: MQTT broker, 52: MQTT client, 60: Controlled object, 60A: Variable sign board

Claims

1. A state monitoring and control system for monitoring and controlling the state of multiple control objects, each of which can be switched between multiple states, A master terminal control unit is assigned to acquire and switch the state of one of the multiple control objects, or is not assigned to any of the control objects. Among the plurality of controlled objects, a plurality of child terminal control units are assigned one-to-one to all controlled objects to which the parent terminal control unit is not assigned, in order to acquire and switch the state of each controlled object. A monitoring and control unit that monitors and controls the entire system, A first wireless communication means that connects the monitoring control unit and the parent terminal control unit so that they can communicate via a closed network, The system includes a second wireless communication means that connects the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units in a communication-enabled manner using a multi-hop method with the parent terminal control unit as one end, The monitoring control unit is characterized by continuously monitoring the state of the plurality of controlled objects.

2. The state monitoring and control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the parent terminal control unit transmits a simultaneous switching command at a predetermined date and time set in advance, which simultaneously switches the state of the plurality of controlled objects to a predetermined state set in advance for each controlled object.

3. The status monitoring and control system according to claim 2, characterized in that the predetermined date and time, the predetermined state, and the setting of whether or not to send the simultaneous switching command are performed via the monitoring and control unit.

4. The status monitoring and control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the monitoring and control unit is configured as an MQTT broker and an MQTT client, and each of the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units is configured as an MQTT client, and communication within the system is performed by the MQTT protocol.

5. The status monitoring and control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first wireless communication means communicates using the LTE communication standard.

6. The status monitoring and control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second wireless communication means communicates using low-power radio.

7. Each of the aforementioned plurality of controlled objects is a variable sign plate, The state monitoring control system according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the parent terminal control unit and the plurality of child terminal control units, when assigned to one of the plurality of controlled objects, is equipped with an edge AI camera for photographing the variable sign plate.

Images