Detection system

Abstract

This system provides a detection system that can reliably and immediately notify location information of the installation site when there is a possibility of an abnormality occurring in two or more adjacent detection devices. [Solution] The detection system comprises a plurality of detection devices installed at appropriate intervals and a central control unit that communicates with the detection devices. Each detection device includes a detection unit that detects the occurrence of an abnormality, a first communication unit that transmits a signal to the central control unit, and a first control unit that controls the first communication unit to transmit unique ID information at predetermined time intervals if the detection unit has not detected an abnormality. The central control unit determines whether it has received unique ID information at predetermined time intervals from two or more adjacent detection devices among the plurality of installed detection devices, and if it has not received unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices, it immediately identifies and notifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention particularly relates to a detection system for detecting abnormalities of a detection target object.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a detection system that centrally manages detection results detected by a detection device by a management device installed at a remote location. The detection device detects various abnormalities and transmits an abnormality detection signal (alert signal) wirelessly or wired to a management device installed at a remote location. When an abnormality detection signal is transmitted from the detection device, the management device notifies various abnormalities by displaying the details of the abnormality, an image, etc. on a monitor or the like.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fire detection system including a plurality of fire detection devices that detect the occurrence of a fire, a server communicably connected to the plurality of fire detection devices, and a wireless base station communicably connected to the server.

[0004] In this fire detection system, in order to detect the occurrence of a fire (wildfire), a plurality of fire detection devices are installed at predetermined intervals in an area (such as in the mountains) where wildfires are detected. When each fire detection device detects the occurrence of a fire, it generates a fire occurrence signal including an identification number assigned to the fire detection device and transmits the fire occurrence signal to the server via a wireless base station.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The fire detection system disclosed in Patent Document 1 installs multiple fire detection devices in one location (for example, in the mountains) to ensure that the occurrence of a fire (wildfire) is not missed. When a fire is detected by multiple fire detection devices placed in one location, even if there is a malfunction (failure) in any one of the multiple fire detection devices, the other adjacent fire detection devices will issue a fire occurrence signal along with an identification number.

[0007] However, if two or more adjacent fire detection devices are malfunctioning, even if a fire occurs, those devices may not emit a fire detection signal, potentially leading to a missed fire. Therefore, if there is a possibility that two or more adjacent fire detection devices are malfunctioning, it is necessary to reliably and immediately notify the location information of the devices to, for example, the administrator.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a detection system that can reliably and immediately notify location information of the installation site when there is a possibility of an abnormality occurring in two or more adjacent detection devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A detection system according to one aspect of the present invention is a detection system comprising a plurality of detection devices installed at appropriate intervals and a central control unit that communicates with the plurality of installed detection devices, wherein each detection device comprises a detection unit that detects the occurrence of an abnormality, a first communication unit that transmits a signal to the central control unit, and a first control unit that controls the first communication unit to transmit unique ID information at predetermined time intervals if the detection unit has not detected the occurrence of the abnormality, and the central control unit determines whether it has not received the unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices at the predetermined time interval, and if it has not received the unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices, it immediately identifies and notifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information.

[0010] In the detection system according to the present invention, the central control device includes a second communication unit that receives the signal transmitted from the first communication unit, a second control unit that determines whether the unique ID information has not been received from two or more adjacent detection devices among the plurality of installed detection devices at a predetermined time interval, and if the unique ID information has not been received from two or more adjacent detection devices, immediately identifies location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information, and a notification unit that notifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device identified by the second control unit.

[0011] In the detection system according to the present invention, if there is one detection device that has not received the unique ID information, and the unique ID information cannot be received even after a certain period of time has elapsed, the second control unit identifies the location information of the installation site of the detection device associated with the unique ID information and has the notification unit notify it.

[0012] In the detection system according to the present invention, the first control unit controls the first communication unit to issue the unique ID information and an alert signal indicating that the occurrence of the abnormality has been detected when the detection unit detects the occurrence of the abnormality.

[0013] In the detection system according to the present invention, the first control unit controls the first communication unit to transmit and / or issue an alarm by associating the location information of the installation location where the detection device is installed with the unique ID information.

[0014] In the detection system according to the present invention, when the second control unit receives the unique ID information and the alert signal via the second communication unit, it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information and causes the notification unit to notify it.

[0015] In the detection system according to the present invention, the system has a storage unit to which the unique ID information and the location information of the installation location of the detection device are associated. The second control unit, if it is unable to receive the unique ID information after a certain period of time has elapsed, or if it receives the unique ID information and the alert signal, refers to the storage unit to identify the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information.

[0016] In the detection system according to the present invention, the association between the unique ID information and the location information of the installation location of the detection device can be performed using GNSS, Wi-Fi, RFID, ultrasound, or UWB.

[0017] In the detection system according to the present invention, the first control unit controls the first communication unit to transmit the unique ID information multiple times and / or emit the unique ID information and the alert signal multiple times for each transmission and / or alert.

[0018] In the detection system according to the present invention, at least one of the multiple transmissions and / or the transmissions and / or the alerts of the unique ID information may use different frequencies to improve the reliability of communication.

[0019] The detection system according to the present invention includes a relay device installed within the communication range of the plurality of detection devices, which transmits data transmitted from the plurality of detection devices to the central control device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the detection system of the present invention, if there is a possibility of an abnormality occurring in two or more adjacent detection devices, the location information of the installation site can be reliably and immediately notified. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] A block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the detection system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the detection device [Figure 3] Flowchart showing an example of the operation of the detection device [Figure 4] Flowchart showing an example of the operation of the central control device [Figure 5] Flowchart showing an example of the operation of the central control device according to the first modification of the first embodiment [Figure 6] Flowchart showing an example of the operation of the central control device according to the second modification of the first embodiment [Figure 7] Flowchart showing an example of the operation of the detection device according to the third modification of the first embodiment

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, the detailed configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a detection system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a detection device according to the first embodiment.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the detection system 100 includes a plurality of detection devices 10, a plurality of relay devices 20, and a central control device 30.

[0024] The plurality of detection devices 10 are installed, for example, on the detection object or in the vicinity of the detection object to detect abnormalities of the detection object, etc. Note that the detection object and the detected abnormality are not particularly limited.

[0025] The detection device 10 may be, for example, a flood detection device that detects flooding in an electrical room where electrical equipment is installed, such as in the basement of a building. The detection device 10 may also be a fire detection device that detects the occurrence of indoor fires or wildfires, or a gas detection device that detects gases that are generated (leaked out) from a surface to be inspected, such as the ground or the surface (outer surface) of a gas pipe. Furthermore, the detection device 10 may also be a disaster detection device that detects disasters such as rockfalls, rockslides, landslides, and debris flows.

[0026] Furthermore, the detection device 10 may be a fault detection device that detects a malfunction in the object to be detected, a leakage detection device that detects electrical leakage in the object to be detected, or a heat detection device that detects heat generation in the object to be detected. Also, the detection device 10 may be a wrong-way driving detection device that detects a vehicle driving in the wrong direction on a road with a designated direction of travel.

[0027] Each of the multiple detection devices 10 is assigned a unique ID for individual identification. When no abnormality is detected in the object being detected (normal state), each detection device 10 wirelessly transmits the unique ID assigned to it as health confirmation information (survival confirmation information) to the relay device 20 described later at predetermined time intervals (for example, 0.1 times / minute, 1 time / hour). The predetermined time interval can be set as appropriate. For example, the predetermined time interval can be set to 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 60 minutes, 1 day, etc. However, if the time interval is long, the health of the detection device 10 during that time will be unknown, so it is best to set it to transmit the unique ID information at the shortest possible time interval. However, if the transmission interval is too short, power consumption will increase, so it is best to set it according to the battery capacity.

[0028] Furthermore, when the detection device 10 detects that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected, it transmits the unique ID information assigned to the detection device 10 and an alert signal indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected to the relay device 20 wirelessly and / or via wired connection.

[0029] Furthermore, the unique ID information may be linked to the location information of the installation site where the detection device 10 is installed, and when the detection device 10 transmits the unique ID information to the relay device 20, it may transmit and / or (pre-register) the location information of its own installation site along with the unique ID information.

[0030] Furthermore, the detection device 10 and the relay device 20 are not limited to being connected wirelessly; they may also be connected by a wired connection (such as a LAN cable or fiber optic cable). Connecting the detection device 10 and the relay device 20 by a wired connection enables high-speed communication, allowing the relay device 20 to receive data from the detection device 10 more reliably and without delay.

[0031] Alternatively, the area where multiple detection devices 10 are installed may be divided into multiple regions, and one wireless communication device may be provided for each group of multiple detection devices 10 assigned to each region. That is, the multiple detection devices 10 belonging to the divided groups may be connected by wire, and the data from the multiple detection devices 10 belonging to the group may be transmitted to the relay device 20 using a single wireless communication device. With this configuration, it becomes unnecessary for each of the multiple detection devices 10 to have its own wireless communication device. More specifically, each of the multiple detection devices 10 does not need to have the wireless communication unit 13 and transmitting antenna 15 described later, thus reducing manufacturing costs.

[0032] The relay device 20 is positioned to receive data transmitted wirelessly from multiple detection devices 10 installed within a certain range (communication range). The data received by the relay device 20 includes unique ID information transmitted at predetermined time intervals as described above, and / or unique ID information and alert signals transmitted when an abnormality occurs in the object to be detected.

[0033] For example, if the communication range (communication distance) of the detection device 10 is 2 km, the relay devices 20 will be placed at intervals of 2 km or less from the furthest detection device 10. Multiple relay devices 20 will each receive data from multiple detection devices 10 installed within a certain range (communication range), and will transmit the received data wirelessly and / or via wire to a remote central control unit 30 and / or signal generator.

[0034] The central control unit 30 is connected wirelessly and / or wired to multiple relay devices 20 and receives data from multiple detection devices 10 transmitted via the relay devices 20. The central control unit 30 centrally manages the data transmitted from the multiple detection devices 10 and received via the relay devices 20, and provides notification by displaying information based on the received data, for example, on a display, so that it can be visually recognized.

[0035] Specifically, if the central control unit 30 cannot receive unique ID information transmitted from the detection device 10 at predetermined time intervals, it notifies that there is an abnormality (failure) in the detection device 10 to which the unreceived unique ID information was assigned. Furthermore, if the central control unit 30 receives unique ID information and an alert signal, it notifies that the detection device 10 to which the received unique ID information was assigned has detected an abnormality in the object being detected.

[0036] Furthermore, the notification of abnormality detection by the central control unit 30 is not limited to displaying it on a screen; it may also be made visually recognizable, for example, by lighting up an LED. In addition, the notification is not limited to displaying it on a screen for visual recognition; for example, it may be made auditorily recognizable by emitting a sound, or tactilely recognizable by vibrating a vibrating body.

[0037] The configuration of the detection device 10 will now be explained using Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the detection device 10 comprises a control unit 11, a detection unit 12, a wireless communication unit 13, a battery 14, and a transmitting antenna 15.

[0038] The control unit 11 comprehensively controls the entire detection device 10. The control unit 11 is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 11 may operate according to a program stored in a memory unit (not shown) to control each part, or it may implement some or all of the functions using hardware electronic circuits.

[0039] The control unit 11, which constitutes the first control unit, determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected based on the detection result of the detection unit 12. If the control unit 11 determines that no abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected, it controls the wireless communication unit 13 and transmits the unique ID information assigned to the detection device 10 at predetermined time intervals. On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected, it controls the wireless communication unit 13 and transmits the unique ID information assigned to the detection device 10 and an alert signal indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected.

[0040] The detection unit 12 is composed of sensors that detect abnormalities in the object to be detected. For example, the detection unit 12 is composed of a water ingress sensor that detects water ingress, a heat sensor that detects heat generation, or a gas sensor that detects gas. However, the detection unit 12 is not limited to water ingress sensors, heat sensors, or gas sensors, and may be composed of other sensors that detect abnormalities in the object to be detected. Furthermore, the detection unit 12 is not limited to sensors that detect abnormalities in the object to be detected, and may be composed of a camera that acquires an image of the object to be detected and an image processing unit that detects abnormalities in the object to be detected from the image acquired by the camera.

[0041] The first communication unit, the wireless communication unit 13, transmits unique ID information wirelessly to the relay device 20 via the transmitting antenna 15 at predetermined time intervals based on the control unit 11, if no abnormality occurs in the object to be detected. On the other hand, if an abnormality occurs in the object to be detected, the wireless communication unit 13 transmits unique ID information and an alert signal wirelessly to the relay device 20 via the transmitting antenna 15, based on the control unit 11.

[0042] Communication by the wireless communication unit 13 can be set, for example, to a communication distance of several meters to several tens of kilometers, and to a frequency band of 420 MHz, etc., but is not limited thereto. The communication frequency band for wireless transmission can be any frequency band from 135 kHz to 30 GHz, and is set appropriately according to the amount of data to be transmitted, the transmission speed, and / or the regulations of the radio wave law of the country of use.

[0043] The battery 14 supplies power to each circuit block and the transmitting antenna 15 of the detection device 10. However, if the detection device 10 is installed in a location where a power source can be secured, the detection device 10 does not need to be equipped with the battery 14.

[0044] Next, the configuration of the relay device 20 and the central control unit 30 will be described using Figure 1. As shown in Figure 1, the relay device 20 comprises a control unit 21, a wireless communication unit 22, and a transmitting / receiving antenna 23. The control unit 21 comprehensively controls the entire relay device 20. The control unit 21 is composed of a processor using a CPU or FPGA, etc. The control unit 21 may operate according to a program stored in a memory unit (not shown) to control each part, or it may implement some or all of each function with hardware electronic circuits.

[0045] The wireless communication unit 22 receives data transmitted wirelessly from the detection device 10 via the transmitting and receiving antenna 23, based on the control of the control unit 21. The wireless communication unit 22 also transmits the data received from the detection device 10 wirelessly to the central control unit 30 via the transmitting and receiving antenna 23, based on the control of the control unit 21.

[0046] The relay device 20 is positioned within an area where wireless communication with the detection device 10 is possible, and is capable of receiving data from multiple detection devices 10 installed within that area. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in the object to be detected, the relay device 20 can receive or sequentially receive unique ID information and alert signals from at least one or more detection devices 10 and transmit them to the central control unit 30.

[0047] The central control unit 30 comprises a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a wireless communication unit 33, a notification unit 34, and a receiving antenna 35. The central control unit 30 is configured, for example, as a general-purpose desktop computer or notebook computer, but is not limited to these, and may also be a tablet terminal or the like.

[0048] The control unit 31 comprehensively controls the entire central control unit 30. The control unit 31 is composed of a processor such as a CPU or FPGA. The control unit 31 may operate according to a program stored in the memory unit 32 to control each part, or it may implement some or all of the functions using hardware electronic circuits.

[0049] The wireless communication unit 33, which constitutes the second communication unit, receives data transmitted wirelessly from the relay device 20 via the receiving antenna 35, based on the control of the control unit 31. The control unit 31 stores the data received by the wireless communication unit 33 in the storage unit 32 along with the reception time.

[0050] Preferably, the storage unit 32 stores data from the control unit 31 and also stores table information that associates unique ID information with location information of the installation site. The association between unique ID information and location information of the installation site may be done manually, but it can be done more easily by using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) such as GPS (Global Positioning System). Furthermore, the association between unique ID information and location information of the installation site is not limited to GNSS, and may also be done using Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), ultrasound, or UWB (Ultra-Wide Band), etc. However, as described above, when the detection device 10 transmits location information of the installation site linked with unique ID information, the central control unit 30 does not need to have table information that associates unique ID information with location information of the installation site.

[0051] The control unit 31, which constitutes the second control unit, notifies the notification unit 34, based on the data stored in the storage unit 32, of when and which individual (location, position) detection device 10 had an abnormality (failure), and / or when and which individual (location, position) detection device 10 detected an abnormality in the object to be detected.

[0052] Specifically, the control unit 31 refers to the data stored in the memory unit 32 and detects whether unique ID information has been received at predetermined time intervals. If the control unit 31 detects that unique ID information has not been received at predetermined time intervals, it acquires the location information of the installation site associated with that unique ID information and notifies the notification unit 34. If unique ID information has not been received at predetermined time intervals, it is highly likely that some kind of malfunction has occurred in the detection device 10 that is supposed to transmit that unique ID information. Therefore, the control unit 31 notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10 that has not been received at predetermined time intervals, as the location where the malfunction occurred in the detection device 10. In addition, the control unit 31 may also notify the notification unit 34 of the time the malfunction occurred, based on the reception time information stored in the memory unit 32, in addition to the location information of the installation site of the malfunctioning detection device 10.

[0053] Furthermore, if the data transmitted from the relay device 20 includes unique ID information and an alert signal, the control unit 31 refers to the storage unit 32, obtains the location information of the installation site associated with the unique ID information, and notifies the notification unit 34. If an alert signal is transmitted, it is highly likely that the detection device 10 has detected an abnormality in the object to be detected. Therefore, the control unit 31 notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10 that detected the abnormality in the object to be detected, as the location where the abnormality occurred in the object to be detected. In addition, the control unit 31 may also notify the notification unit 34 of the unique ID information and the time the alert signal was received, in addition to the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10 that detected the abnormality in the object to be detected.

[0054] Furthermore, multiple detection devices 10 may be installed in one location. In this case, if an abnormality occurs in the object to be detected, at least two or more adjacent detection devices 10 can detect that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected. For this reason, the control unit 31 may be configured to notify the notification unit 34 of the location where an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected when it receives an alert signal from at least two or more adjacent detection devices 10.

[0055] Furthermore, it is possible that the detection unit 12 may temporarily detect an abnormality in the object being detected due to a false detection by the sensor or other reasons. In such cases, the detection device 10 will still issue unique ID information and an alert signal. That is, even though no abnormality has occurred in the object being detected, the alert signal will be transmitted from the detection device 10 to the central control unit 30 via the relay device 20.

[0056] Therefore, if the detection unit 12 detects an abnormality in the object to be detected, but the detection unit 12 no longer detects an abnormality in the object to be detected within a predetermined time (for example, within 1 minute, 3 minutes, or 5 minutes), the control unit 11 of the detection device 10 may send a recovery signal via the relay device 20 to the central control device 30 to notify that the previous alert signal was a false alarm. In this case, the detection device 10 sends the recovery signal along with unique ID information.

[0057] When the control unit 31 of the central control unit 30 receives unique ID information and a return signal from the detection device 10 via the relay device 20, it transmits the unique ID information from the detection device 10 to which it was assigned, and notifies the notification unit 34 that the previously received alert signal was a false alarm. As a result, it is possible to recognize that the previously received alert signal was a false alarm and that no abnormality has occurred in the object being detected.

[0058] A relay device 20 is installed between the detection device 10 and the central control unit 30 as a relay. In this case, the relay device 20 can be installed at a location where a power supply can be secured, but at a distance from where the detection device 10 is installed. As a result, the relay device 20 can use a larger current than the detection device 10, which has a built-in battery 14, and can also have a wider communication range than the detection device 10.

[0059] This allows the central control unit 30 to be located far away from the relay devices 20, and to receive data from multiple relay devices 20. In addition, the relay devices 20 and the central control unit 30 can communicate using existing mobile phone lines, and by using existing mobile phone lines, the central control unit 30 can be installed in a remote location.

[0060] Furthermore, the relay device 20 and the central control unit 30 can also be connected by a wire (such as a LAN cable or fiber optic cable). Because a wired connection allows for high-speed communication, even if the distance between the relay device 20 and the central control unit 30 is long (i.e., the central control unit 30 is installed in a remote location), the central control unit 30 can receive data from the detection device 10 without delay. Therefore, the central control unit 30 can notify the occurrence of an abnormality in the sample object more quickly and reliably.

[0061] Wired connections include direct connections via high-speed lines such as fiber optic lines and intranets, but connections via the internet or mobile communication networks are also acceptable, as long as it is possible to quickly and reliably notify that an abnormality has been detected in the object being detected. In addition to displaying the information on the central control unit 30's display, notification methods also include sending information about the detection of an abnormality in the object being detected via email or other means to other signal-generating devices, personal computers, mobile phones, smartphones, and other mobile terminals.

[0062] In this embodiment, a relay device 20 is installed between the detection device 10 and the central control device 30, and data transmitted from the detection device 10 is transmitted to the central control device 30 via the relay device 20. However, the system is not limited to this configuration. For example, if the central control device 30 can be installed within the communication range of the detection device 10, or if the communication range of the detection device 10 can be widened, data may be transmitted directly wirelessly from the detection device 10 to the central control device 30 without going through the relay device 20.

[0063] Next, the operation of the detection system 100 configured in this way will be described.

[0064] First, the operation of the detection device 10 will be explained. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the detection device according to the first embodiment.

[0065] The control unit 11 receives the detection result from the detection unit 12 (S1). Based on the detection result from the detection unit 12, the control unit 11 determines whether or not it has detected an abnormality in the object to be detected (S2). As described above, the detection unit 12 is composed of sensors that detect abnormalities in the object to be detected, and the control unit 11 determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected based on the detection result from the detection unit 12.

[0066] If the control unit 11 determines that it has not detected an abnormality in the object to be detected (S2:NO), it determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed (S3). If the control unit 11 determines that the predetermined time has not elapsed (S3:NO), it returns to the process of S1 and repeats the same process.

[0067] On the other hand, if the control unit 11 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed (S3: YES), it transmits unique ID information (S4). The transmission of the unique ID information is performed by the wireless communication unit 13 based on the control of the control unit 11. When the process in S4 is completed, the control unit 11 returns to the process in S1 and repeats the same process.

[0068] Furthermore, if the control unit 11 determines in the S2 process that an abnormality has occurred in the object being detected (S2: YES), it issues unique ID information and an alert signal (S5) and terminates the process. The wireless communication unit 13 issues the unique ID information and alert signal based on the control unit 11's control.

[0069] As described above, if the detection device 10 does not detect an abnormality in the object to be detected, it transmits unique ID information at predetermined time intervals. On the other hand, if the detection device 10 detects an abnormality in the object to be detected, it issues an alert signal indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the object to be detected, in addition to the unique ID information. The data transmitted from the detection device 10 is received by the central control unit 30 via the relay device 20.

[0070] Next, the operation of the central control unit 30 will be described. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the central control unit according to the first embodiment.

[0071] The control unit 31 receives data from the detection device 10 (S11). The data is received by the wireless communication unit 33 via the receiving antenna 35 and transmitted to the control unit 31. The data received by the central control unit 30 may also be data transmitted from the detection device 10 via the relay device 20.

[0072] Next, the control unit 31 stores the received data in the storage unit 32 along with the reception time (S12). Subsequently, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the received data contains an alert signal (S13). If the control unit 31 determines that the received data does not contain an alert signal (S13: NO), it determines whether or not unique ID information has been received at a predetermined time interval (S14).

[0073] If the control unit 31 determines that it has received unique ID information at predetermined time intervals (S14: YES), it returns to the process in S11 and repeats the same process. On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that it has not received unique ID information at predetermined time intervals (S14: NO), it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 associated with the unique ID information (S15).

[0074] If unique ID information cannot be received at predetermined time intervals, it indicates that some kind of abnormality has occurred in the detection device 10 associated with the unique ID information. The control unit 31 refers to the table information stored in the storage unit 32 and detects the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10 associated with the unique ID information. By detecting the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10 associated with the unique ID information, it is possible to identify which location or position of the detection device 10 has experienced an abnormality.

[0075] Next, the control unit 31 causes the notification unit 34 to notify the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10 where the abnormality occurred (S16). Once the process in S16 is completed, the control unit 31 returns to the process in S11 and repeats the same process.

[0076] On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines in processing S13 that the received data contains an alert signal (S13: YES), it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10, which is associated with the unique ID information (S17).

[0077] If the received data includes an alert signal, it indicates that the detection device 10 has detected an abnormality in the object being detected. The control unit 31 refers to the table information stored in the storage unit 32 and detects the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10, which is associated with the unique ID information. By detecting the location information of the installation site of the detection device 10, which is associated with the unique ID information, it is possible to identify where and at what location the abnormality occurred in the object being detected.

[0078] Next, the control unit 31 causes the notification unit 34 to notify the notification unit 34 of the location information of the detection device 10 that detected the occurrence of an abnormality in the object to be detected (S18). When the process of S18 is completed, the control unit 31 returns to the process of S11 and repeats the same process.

[0079] Through the above process, if the central control unit 30 has not received the unique ID information at a predetermined time interval, it can determine that an abnormality has occurred in the detection device 10 associated with that unique ID information and notify the notification unit 34.

[0080] On the other hand, when the central control unit 30 receives unique ID information and an alert signal, it can notify the notification unit 34 that an abnormality has occurred in the object being detected at the location where the detection device 10 associated with that unique ID information is installed.

[0081] For example, if the detection device 10 detects flooding, it is installed in an electrical room where electrical equipment is located, such as in the basement of a building. In other words, since at least one detection device 10 is installed in each building, a large number of devices will be installed depending on the number of buildings. If these numerous detection devices 10 are to be maintained and inspected periodically (for example, every six months or every year), enormous maintenance costs will be incurred due to the labor costs and other expenses involved in maintenance and inspection.

[0082] In this embodiment, the detection device 10 transmits unique ID information at predetermined time intervals. However, if any abnormality occurs in the detection device 10, it can be configured to stop transmitting unique ID information at predetermined time intervals. Therefore, if there is a detection device 10 that does not transmit unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, it is possible to determine that some kind of abnormality has occurred in that detection device 10.

[0083] The administrator managing the detection device 10 can accurately identify only the location of the detection device 10 that has malfunctioned when an abnormality occurs in the detection device 10. Furthermore, the administrator only needs to perform repair or replacement work on the malfunctioning detection device 10, eliminating the need for regular maintenance and inspections. As a result, the detection device 10 of this embodiment does not require labor costs for regular maintenance and inspections, thus reducing maintenance costs.

[0084] Furthermore, administrators can immediately identify any malfunctioning detection device 10 and perform repair or replacement work, thus ensuring that the detection device 10 is always in a malfunction-free state. As a result, the detection device 10 can reliably transmit an alert signal to the central control unit 30 when it detects an abnormality.

[0085] As described above, the detection device 10 and detection system 100 of this embodiment reduce maintenance costs, reliably issue alert signals when an abnormality occurs, and allow for remote monitoring of the health of the detection device 10 during normal operation.

[0086] (First modified example of the first embodiment) Next, a first modified example of the first embodiment will be described.

[0087] In the first embodiment, data is transmitted between the detection device 10 and the central control unit 30 using wireless communication. However, wireless communication may experience reduced communication speed or communication errors due to radio wave interference, signal disruption, or communication failures caused by bad weather. If the communication speed is reduced or communication errors occur, even if the detection device 10 transmits unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, the central control unit 30 may not be able to receive the unique ID information at predetermined time intervals. If the central control unit 30 cannot receive the unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, it may mistakenly detect that an abnormality (failure) has occurred in the normally functioning detection device 10, which is transmitting the unique ID information at predetermined time intervals.

[0088] Therefore, in the first modification of the first embodiment, a detection system 100 that does not falsely detect an abnormality in a normal detection device 10 will be described.

[0089] If the control unit 31 of the central control unit 30 has not received the unique ID information of any of the detection devices 10 within a predetermined time interval (for example, 10 minutes), it determines whether a certain amount of time (for example, 20 minutes since the last reception) has elapsed since the last reception. If the unique ID information cannot be received even after a certain amount of time (20 minutes) has elapsed, it determines that an abnormality has occurred in the detection device 10. When the control unit 31 determines that an abnormality has occurred, it notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 associated with the unique ID information.

[0090] However, if a temporary decrease in communication speed or a communication error occurs, and the unique ID information cannot be received at a predetermined time interval (10 minutes), but then the unique ID information can be received at the predetermined time interval again (for example, within 20 minutes of the last reception), the control unit 31 will not consider that an abnormality (failure) has occurred in the detection device 10, but will consider that it has automatically recovered. This prevents false detection of an abnormality (failure) in a normal detection device 10.

[0091] Furthermore, the fixed time is not limited to 20 minutes, but can be set as appropriate according to the predetermined time interval at which the detection device 10 transmits its unique ID information. For example, if the predetermined time interval is 10 seconds, the fixed time can be set to 30 seconds or 1 minute, and if the predetermined time interval is 1 minute, the fixed time can be set to 3 minutes or 5 minutes, etc.

[0092] Next, the operation of the central control unit 30 will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the central control unit, relating to a first modified example of the first embodiment. In Figure 5, the same reference numerals are used for processes that are the same as those in Figure 4, and their explanation is omitted.

[0093] If the control unit 31 determines in the process of S14 that it has not received unique ID information at a predetermined time interval, it determines whether a certain amount of time has elapsed (S21).

[0094] If the control unit 31 determines that a certain amount of time has not elapsed (S21: NO), it returns to the process in S11 and repeats the same process. Subsequently, if the control unit 31 determines in the process in S14 that it has been able to receive unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, it returns to the process in S11 and repeats the same process. In this way, if the control unit 31 is able to receive unique ID information at predetermined time intervals before a certain amount of time has elapsed, it will not notify the occurrence of an anomaly.

[0095] On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that a certain amount of time has elapsed (S21: YES), in the process of S15, it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 corresponding to the unique ID information, and in the process of S16, it notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 where the abnormality occurred. The other processes are the same as those in Figure 4.

[0096] As described above, when the control unit 31 fails to receive unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, it determines whether a certain amount of time has elapsed, and if a certain amount of time has elapsed, it determines that an abnormality has occurred. As a result, if the communication speed decreases or a communication error occurs, and it temporarily becomes impossible to receive unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, but then it becomes possible to receive unique ID information at predetermined time intervals again, the central control unit 30 will no longer determine that an abnormality has occurred in the normal detection device 10.

[0097] Therefore, according to the first modified detection system 100, it is possible to notify the notification unit 34 only of information (installation location) of a detection device 10 that has actually malfunctioned, without falsely detecting a malfunction in a normal detection device 10.

[0098] (Second modified example of the first embodiment) Next, a second modified example of the first embodiment will be described.

[0099] To avoid missing any abnormalities in the object being detected, multiple detection devices 10 may be installed in one location. When multiple detection devices 10 installed in one location detect an abnormality in the object being detected, even if one of the multiple detection devices 10 malfunctions, an alert signal will be issued by the other adjacent detection devices 10 along with their unique ID information.

[0100] However, if two or more adjacent detection devices 10 are both malfunctioning, even if an abnormality occurs in the object being detected, alert signals will not be issued from those detection devices 10, and there is a risk of missing the occurrence of the abnormality in the object being detected. Therefore, if there is a possibility that two or more adjacent detection devices 10 are malfunctioning (i.e., if unique ID information cannot be received from two or more adjacent detection devices 10 at predetermined time intervals), it is necessary to reliably and immediately notify the location information of the installation site.

[0101] Therefore, in the second modification of the first embodiment, a detection system 100 that can reliably and immediately notify location information of the installation site when there is a possibility of an abnormality occurring in two or more adjacent detection devices 10 will be described.

[0102] If there is a detection device 10 that has not received unique ID information within a predetermined time interval, the control unit 31 determines whether it has not received unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices 10.

[0103] If one detection device 10 has not received unique ID information as health confirmation information (survival confirmation information) at a predetermined time interval, the control unit 31 determines that an abnormality has occurred if unique ID information is not received even after a certain period of time has elapsed, and notifies the location information of the installation site.

[0104] On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that it has not received unique ID information as health confirmation information (survival confirmation information) from two or more adjacent detection devices 10, it determines that an abnormality has occurred at that point, even if a certain amount of time (for example, 20 minutes since the last reception) has not elapsed, and immediately notifies the location information of the installation site.

[0105] When the notification unit 34 notifies the administrator that an abnormality has occurred in two or more adjacent detection devices 10, the administrator immediately carries out repair or replacement work based on the location information of the installation site. This ensures that the administrator does not miss any abnormalities in the detection target objects.

[0106] Next, the operation of the central control unit 30 will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the central control unit, relating to a second modified example of the first embodiment. In Figure 6, the same reference numerals are used for processes that are the same as those in Figure 5, and their explanation is omitted.

[0107] If the control unit 31 determines in the processing of S14 that it has not received unique ID information at a predetermined time interval, it determines whether or not it has not received unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices 10 (S31).

[0108] If the control unit 31 determines that it has not received unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices 10 (S31:YES), in the process of S15, it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 corresponding to the unique ID information, and in the process of S16, it notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 where the abnormality occurred.

[0109] On the other hand, if the control unit 31 determines that it has received unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices 10 (S31:NO), specifically, if there is one detection device 10 that has not received unique ID information within a predetermined time interval, it determines in the process of S21 whether a certain amount of time has elapsed. If the control unit 31 determines that a certain amount of time has elapsed, in the process of S15 it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 corresponding to the unique ID information, and in the process of S16 it notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation location of the detection device 10 where the abnormality occurred.

[0110] As described above, if there is one detection device 10 that has not received unique ID information at a predetermined time interval, the control unit 31 will, after a certain period of time has elapsed, notify the notification unit 34 of the location information of the detection device 10 where the abnormality occurred.

[0111] On the other hand, if there are two or more adjacent detection devices 10 that have not been able to receive unique ID information within a predetermined time interval, the control unit 31 immediately notifies the notification unit 34 of the location information of the detection device 10 where the abnormality occurred.

[0112] As described above, the second modified detection system 100 can reliably and immediately notify the notification unit 34 of the location information of the installation site when there is a possibility that an abnormality has occurred in two or more adjacent detection devices 10.

[0113] (Third modified example of the first embodiment) Next, a third modified example of the first embodiment will be described.

[0114] In the first embodiment, the detection device 10 transmitted unique ID information once per transmission and transmitted unique ID information and an alert signal once per alarm. However, if the communication environment deteriorates due to radio wave interference or other problems, it may become difficult for the receiving central control unit 30 to recover the data. If it becomes difficult to recover the received data, there is a risk of falsely detecting that an abnormality (malfunction) has occurred in a normal detection device 10, and / or missing the occurrence of an abnormality in the object being detected.

[0115] Therefore, in the third modification of the first embodiment, a detection system 100 will be described that will not falsely detect an abnormality in a normal detection device 10, and / or will not miss the occurrence of an abnormality in the object to be detected.

[0116] The control unit 11 of the detection device 10 transmits and / or issues multiple data for each transmission (health confirmation) and / or alert (anomaly detection). Specifically, when the control unit 11 wirelessly transmits unique ID information as health confirmation information (survival confirmation information) at predetermined time intervals (10 minutes), it transmits multiple (8 IDs) of unique ID information in a single transmission. In addition, when the control unit 11 detects the occurrence of an anomaly in the object to be detected, it issues multiple (8 IDs and 8 alerts) of unique ID information and alert signals in a single alert. Note that the data to be transmitted is not limited to 8 data points; for example, the control unit 11 may control the wireless communication unit 13 to transmit and / or issue 5 or 10 data points for each transmission and / or alert.

[0117] Next, the operation of the detection device 10 will be described. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the detection device, relating to a third modified example of the first embodiment. In Figure 7, the same reference numerals are used for processes that are the same as those in Figure 3, and their explanation is omitted.

[0118] In the process of S3, if the control unit 11 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed, it transmits multiple unique ID information signals (S41). Also, in the process of S2, if the control unit 11 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the object being detected, it sends multiple unique ID information signals and alert signals (S42). The other processes are the same as those in Figure 3.

[0119] In the process shown in Figure 7, multiple transmissions and alerts are made, but it is also possible to make multiple transmissions or alerts, or only one of them. It is important to reliably notify when an abnormality occurs in the detected object. For this reason, for example, the unique ID information transmitted at predetermined time intervals may be transmitted once per transmission, while the unique ID information and alert signal to notify of the occurrence of an abnormality in the detected object may be transmitted multiple times in a single alert.

[0120] As described above, the control unit 11 transmits and / or signals the same data multiple times for each transmission and / or alert. Even if a bit error occurs in part of the data due to radio wave interference or other malfunctions, making it impossible to restore the data normally, the receiving side can restore the data normally as long as at least one of the multiple transmitted data does not have a bit error. As a result, the central control unit 30 can reliably restore the unique ID information and will not mistakenly detect that an abnormality has occurred in a normal detection device 10. Furthermore, since the central control unit 30 can reliably restore the alert signal, it can reliably detect the occurrence of an abnormality in the object being detected.

[0121] Therefore, according to the third modified detection system 100, there will be no false detection of a malfunction in a normal detection device 10, and / or the occurrence of an abnormality in the object to be detected will not be overlooked.

[0122] Furthermore, the steps in the flowcharts in this specification may be executed in a different order, executed simultaneously, or executed in a different order each time, as long as this does not contradict their nature.

[0123] The inventions described in the above embodiments and modifications are not limited to those embodiments and modifications, and various modifications can be made in the implementation stage without departing from the gist of the invention. Furthermore, the above embodiments and modifications include inventions at various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by appropriate combinations of the multiple constituent elements disclosed.

[0124] For example, if the problem described can be solved and the effect described can be obtained even if some of the constituent elements shown in each embodiment are deleted, then the configuration with the deleted constituent elements can be extracted as an invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0125] 10...Detection device, 11...Control unit, 12...Detection unit, 13...Wireless communication unit, 14...Battery, 15...Transmitting antenna, 20...Relay device, 21...Control unit, 22...Wireless communication unit, 23...Transmitting and receiving antenna, 30...Central control unit, 31...Control unit, 32...Storage unit, 33...Wireless communication unit, 34...Notification unit, 35...Receiving antenna, 100...Detection system

Claims

1. A detection system comprising multiple detection devices installed at appropriate intervals, and a central control unit that communicates with the multiple detection devices, The above detection device is A detection unit that detects the occurrence of an anomaly, A first communication unit that transmits a signal to the central control unit, If the above detection unit does not detect the occurrence of the above abnormality, the first control unit controls the first communication unit to transmit unique ID information at predetermined time intervals, Equipped with, The detection system is characterized in that the central control unit determines whether it has not received the unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices among the multiple detection devices installed, at predetermined time intervals, and if it has not received the unique ID information from two or more adjacent detection devices, it immediately identifies and notifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information.

2. The aforementioned central control unit is A second communication unit that receives the signal transmitted from the first communication unit, A second control unit determines whether the unique ID information has not been received from two or more adjacent detection devices among the multiple detection devices installed, and if the unique ID information has not been received from two or more adjacent detection devices, it immediately identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information. A notification unit that notifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device identified by the second control unit, The detection system according to claim 1, characterized by comprising the following:

3. The detection system according to claim 2, characterized in that if there is one detection device that has not received the unique ID information, and the unique ID information cannot be received even after a certain period of time has elapsed, the second control unit identifies the location information of the installation site of the detection device associated with the unique ID information and causes the notification unit to notify it.

4. The detection system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first control unit controls the first communication unit to issue the unique ID information and an alert signal indicating that the occurrence of the abnormality has been detected when the detection unit detects the occurrence of the abnormality.

5. The detection system according to claim 4, characterized in that the first control unit controls the first communication unit to transmit and / or issue an alarm by associating the location information of the installation location where the detection device is installed with the unique ID information.

6. The detection system according to claim 4, characterized in that when the second control unit receives the unique ID information and the alert signal via the second communication unit, it identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information and causes the notification unit to notify it.

7. It has a storage unit that associates the unique ID information with the location information of the installation location of the detection device, The detection system according to claim 4, characterized in that the second control unit, if it is unable to receive the unique ID information even after a certain period of time has elapsed, or if it has received the unique ID information and the alert signal, refers to the storage unit and identifies the location information of the installation location of the detection device associated with the unique ID information.

8. The detection system according to claim 7, characterized in that the association between the unique ID information and the location information of the installation location of the detection device is performed using GNSS, Wi-Fi, RFID, ultrasound, or UWB.

9. The detection system according to claim 4, characterized in that the first control unit controls the first communication unit to transmit the unique ID information multiple times and / or emit the unique ID information and the alert signal multiple times for each transmission and / or alert.

10. The detection system according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of the multiple transmissions and / or the transmissions and / or the alerts of the unique ID information uses a different frequency.

11. The detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a relay device installed within the communication range of the plurality of detection devices, which transmits data transmitted from the plurality of detection devices to the central control device.

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