COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION DEVICE, AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

Abstract

To provide a communication system, a communication device, and a communication method which attain aggregation of server functions and reduce cost of construction and maintenance.SOLUTION: A communication system includes: a server 108 which stores firmware; and a plurality of wireless communication terminals 101 which are connected with respective industrial devices 106. The wireless communication terminals include: a processor 103; a recording device 105; a local communication unit 104 which is used for communication with the industrial device connected therewith by wire or wirelessly; and a wide-area communication unit 102 which is used for wireless wide-area communication. The recording unit 105 stores first firmware of the connected industrial device and second firmware of the wireless communication terminal. The processing unit 103 attains a function of reading out and executing the second firmware, a function of receiving the first firmware from the server storing the first firmware via a second interface, and a function of transmitting the first firmware to the connected industrial device via a first interface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication system, a communication device, and a communication method. [Background technology]

[0002] With the recent development of information processing technology, advanced software is being embedded in devices used for various industrial purposes (industrial equipment), and the operation of the devices is being controlled by such software. Software embedded in such devices is sometimes called firmware.

[0003] As firmware becomes more advanced and complex, there is a growing possibility that it may potentially create defects or be used in ways that were not intended at the time of design. On the other hand, because some of the functions of devices are realized by firmware, it is also attracting attention that by rewriting firmware, the functions of devices can be improved after shipment.

[0004] Furthermore, in recent years, there have been many cases where industrial equipment has been equipped with communication functions to transmit and receive various data, thereby improving convenience. Some of these industrial equipment have the ability to use the communication functions to download part or all of their firmware and rewrite their own firmware.

[0005] There are wired and wireless communication functions that can be added to industrial equipment, but adding wired communication functions is generally less expensive than adding wireless communication functions. Therefore, industrial equipment often comes standard with wired communication functions, and when wireless communication functions are required, wireless communication is achieved by attaching a separate wireless communication terminal. Wireless communication terminals used for such purposes have the function of communicating with industrial equipment via wired communication and the function of connecting to a wireless network via wireless communication.

[0006] The function of rewriting the firmware of the device using the communication function described above can be realized, for example, by the device manufacturer preparing a server on the network that has the function of storing and downloading part or all of the firmware data, and the device downloads the relevant data from the server and rewrites its own firmware. Therefore, to realize the firmware rewriting function using the above method, it is necessary to prepare a server with the appropriate functions on the network. However, in order to operate such a server, in addition to the initial work of preparing the server hardware, installing the appropriate software, and correctly configuring it, maintenance work is also required, such as periodically checking the server status, updating the software as necessary, and restarting the server. Therefore, the initial cost and running cost associated with these are incurred.

[0007] These costs are not thought to be proportional to the number of devices connected to the server. In general, the more devices there are, the higher the costs, but the rate of increase is slower than the increase in the number of devices. In other words, the more devices you connect to a server, the smaller the server cost divided by the number of devices, i.e., the server cost per device, will be, and conversely, the fewer the number of devices you connect to a server, the higher this cost will be.

[0008] For this reason, for devices that are expected to sell in large numbers, it is possible to implement the above-mentioned firmware rewriting function using a network and server at a relatively low cost, but for devices with small sales volumes, it is difficult to implement such a firmware rewriting function due to cost constraints.For this reason, there is an issue that there are many devices that cannot be equipped with a firmware rewriting function, even though they could create greater value if they were equipped with such a function.

[0009] The inventions disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 to 4 are known. Patent Document 1 discloses a system in which, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like of Patent Document 1, a communication carrier server 107, a distribution server 117, a management server 115, a user system 111 (which may be a user server), and an end user client 113 are connected to a communication network 109C, a communication module 101A (communication module 101B) is connected to an industrial device 103A (industrial device 103B), and a communication network 109C is connected to the communication networks 109A and 109B.

[0010] Patent Document 2 discloses a firmware distribution system configured by connecting an Internet distribution server 71 publicly available on the Internet via the Internet 100 to a customer's intranet environment 110, as shown in FIG. 1 of Patent Document 2.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures of Patent Document 3, Patent Document 3 discloses a firmware updating system in which a server 2 and a TCU 11 of a vehicle 1 can communicate with each other using a public wireless system and firmware is updated via wireless communication.

[0012] Patent Document 4 discloses an automatic setting system for an inter-network connection device that can automatically set up a VPN through a firewall even when a new base LAN is added. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6746826 [Patent Document 2] JP 2013-145504 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2020-30607 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2004-328688 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] In view of the problems described above, the present invention aims to provide a communication system, a communication device, and a communication method that can consolidate server functions and reduce construction and maintenance costs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication system as follows. The communication system includes a server connected to a network and storing firmware, and a plurality of communication devices connected to each of the industrial devices. The communication device includes a processor, a recording device, a first interface used for communication with the industrial devices connected by wire or wirelessly, and a second interface used for wireless wide area communication. The recording device stores first firmware of the connected industrial devices and second firmware of the communication device used for executing processing corresponding to the connected industrial devices. The processor realizes a function of reading and executing the second firmware, a function of receiving the first firmware from the server via the second interface, and a function of transmitting the first firmware to the connected industrial devices via the first interface.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication device of the following aspect. The communication device is connected to an industrial device. The communication device includes a processor, a recording device, a first interface used for communication with the industrial device connected by wire or wirelessly, and a second interface used for wireless wide area communication. The recording device can store a first firmware of the connected industrial device and a second firmware of the communication device. The processor realizes a function of reading and executing the second firmware, a function of receiving the first firmware from a server that holds the first firmware via the second interface, and a function of transmitting the first firmware to the connected industrial device via the first interface.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication method of the following aspect. This communication method is performed using a server connected to a network and storing firmware, and a plurality of communication devices connected to each of the industrial devices. This method includes the steps of: recording second firmware of the communication device used to execute a process corresponding to the connected industrial device in each of the communication devices; receiving first firmware of the connected industrial device from the server by any one of the communication devices; and transmitting the first firmware to the connected industrial device by the communication device having received the first firmware. Effect of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, a communication system, a communication device, and a communication method are provided that are capable of consolidating server functions and reducing construction and maintenance costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system described in the present embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration in which a dedicated server is connected without using a wireless communication terminal. [Diagram 3] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure for rewriting firmware of an industrial device. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure in which a wireless communication terminal downloads data from a firmware server and stores the data. [Diagram 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a procedure in which an industrial device downloads data from a wireless communication terminal and rewrites its own firmware. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration in which a dedicated server is prepared for each type of industrial equipment without using a wireless terminal device. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration in which a wireless communication terminal is used and one firmware storage server is provided. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system implemented using a wireless communication terminal. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data held by a firmware holding server. [Figure 10] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the wireless communication terminal in the system shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 11] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation performed when an industrial device (air compressor) acquires firmware in the system shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 12] 9 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation performed when an industrial device (a pump) acquires firmware in the system shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a system implemented using a wireless communication terminal. [Figure 14] 4 is a diagram showing an example of storage of firmware for each device in a firmware holding server; [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of a screen used by a user to transmit firmware. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data held by a firmware holding server. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] An example of a system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows an example of a system according to the present embodiment. Fig. 1 shows the configuration of a wireless communication terminal 101 and how the wireless communication terminal 101 is connected to a firmware storage server 108 via a wide area network 107.

[0021] 1, a wireless communication terminal 101 (communication device) includes a wide area communication unit 102, a processing unit 103, a local communication unit 104, and a recording unit 105. An industrial device 106 includes an interface (not shown) and has a communication function. The wireless communication terminal 101 is connected to the industrial device 106 via the local communication unit 104. The industrial device 106 is also configured to have a function of downloading and acquiring data using its own communication function, and rewriting part or all of its own firmware using the data.

[0022] The wide area communication unit 102 includes an interface (second interface), is connected to the wide area network 107, and has a function of wirelessly communicating with the firmware holding server 108 (server) via the wide area network 107. Therefore, the communication system 1 can wirelessly communicate with the firmware holding server 108 via the wide area communication unit 102.

[0023] The processing unit 103 includes a processor and performs a predetermined process. The processor may be, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), but may be another semiconductor device. In addition, a RAM (Random Access Memory) may be appropriately provided in the wireless communication terminal 101, and the processor may read appropriate data into the RAM to perform the process.

[0024] The local communication unit 104 includes an interface (first interface) used for communication. Therefore, the communication system 1 can communicate with the industrial equipment 106 via the local communication unit 104. Note that either wired communication or wireless communication may be used, and the local communication unit 104 may be configured with an appropriate interface.

[0025] The recording unit 105 can be configured by an appropriate recording device capable of recording data and programs. As an example, the recording device can be a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0026] Here, an example in which the wireless communication terminal 101 is not used will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a case in which a connection is made to a dedicated server 201 without using the wireless communication terminal 101.

[0027] 2, the industrial equipment 106 connects to the dedicated server 201 using its own communication function, and the industrial equipment 106 can rewrite a part or all of its own firmware using data downloaded from the dedicated server 201. The industrial equipment 106 downloads data from the dedicated server 201 at a predetermined opportunity, and can rewrite a part or all of its own firmware using the data.

[0028] This trigger is, for example, when the industrial device 106 periodically makes an inquiry to the dedicated server 201 and the dedicated server 201 instructs the execution of a download. Alternatively, this trigger is, for example, when the dedicated server 201 communicates with the industrial device 106 according to a predetermined procedure. At such a trigger, data is downloaded from the dedicated server 201 and firmware is rewritten.

[0029] When the industrial equipment 106 downloads data, it is necessary to specify from where the data is to be downloaded. This specification may be written, for example, in firmware when the industrial equipment 106 is shipped. Alternatively, as described above, when the dedicated server 201 issues an instruction to execute a download, it may specify from where the data is to be downloaded as part of the instruction.

[0030] For the industrial equipment 106 having such characteristics, in this embodiment, firmware for the wireless communication terminal 101 is created so that the wireless communication terminal 101 operates in the same manner as the dedicated server 201, and this firmware (second firmware) is stored in the recording unit 105.

[0031] The storage in the recording unit 105 may be performed, for example, when the wireless communication terminal 101 is manufactured in the manufacturer's factory, or may be performed in some way after shipping from the manufacturer. When storing firmware after shipping from the manufacturer, the functions of the wide area communication unit 102 and the local communication unit 104 may be used, or configurations and functions of the wireless communication terminal 101 other than those shown in the figure may be used.

[0032] On the other hand, the wireless communication terminal 101 downloads firmware (first firmware) for the industrial device 106 from the firmware storage server 108, and stores it in the recording unit 105. The procedure at this time may be different from the procedure in which the industrial device 106 downloads firmware from the dedicated server 201.

[0033] With the above-mentioned configuration, the industrial equipment 106 becomes able to rewrite its own firmware by downloading, from the wireless communication terminal 101, data that the wireless communication terminal 101 has downloaded from the firmware storage server 108 and stored in the recording unit 105. Next, a typical procedure for rewriting the firmware of the industrial equipment 106 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0034] Step 301 is a step in which the wireless communication terminal 101 checks a trigger for downloading data from the firmware holding server 108. If this trigger is met (if the trigger has occurred), the process proceeds to step 302. Step 302 is a step in which firmware for the industrial equipment 106 is acquired, and the wireless communication terminal 101 downloads data from the firmware holding server 108 and stores the data in the recording unit 105. On the other hand, if this trigger is not met (i.e., if the trigger has not occurred), the process returns to step 301, and the wireless communication terminal 101 continues checking until the trigger is met.

[0035] Step 303 is a step in which the industrial equipment 106 checks a trigger for downloading data from the wireless communication terminal 101. If this trigger is met (if the trigger has occurred), the process proceeds to step 304. Step 304 is a step in which the industrial equipment 106 acquires firmware. The industrial equipment 106 downloads data from the wireless communication terminal 101 and rewrites its own firmware using that data. If this trigger is not met (i.e., if the trigger has not occurred), the process returns to step 303, and the industrial equipment 106 continues checking until the trigger is met.

[0036] In Fig. 3, the operation of the wireless communication terminal 101 and the operation of the industrial equipment 106 are shown together in one flowchart, but if the operations of the wireless communication terminal 101 and the industrial equipment 106 are shown separately, they will look like Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the wireless communication terminal 101, and Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the industrial equipment 106. When the wireless communication terminal 101 and the industrial equipment 106 that operate in this way are combined, the firmware of the industrial equipment 106 is rewritten according to the operation shown in Fig. 3.

[0037] The above is an example of the configuration and procedure for rewriting firmware for a single industrial device 106. The above-described configuration can be simultaneously applied to a plurality of industrial devices that perform different operations. This will be described below.

[0038] Here, when adding a function of downloading and rewriting firmware to the industrial equipment 106 without using the wireless communication terminal 101 of this embodiment, it is considered necessary to prepare a dedicated server 201 that is compatible with the operation of the industrial equipment 106, as shown in Fig. 2. However, the specific operation of the industrial equipment 106 to download firmware can vary widely depending on the characteristics of the industrial equipment 106. To deal with this, the operation of the dedicated server 201 must also be designed to match the operation of the industrial equipment 106, and therefore it is considered necessary to prepare a dedicated server 201 for each type of industrial equipment 106.

[0039] Generally, regular costs are incurred in maintaining and managing a server. This cost generally increases the more devices connected to the server, but it is not a simple proportional relationship, and the increase in cost is usually gradual with the increase in the number of devices connected to the server. Therefore, the more devices connected to the server, the smaller the server cost per device, and conversely, the fewer devices connected to the server, the higher this cost.

[0040] As described above, there are various variations in the specific operation of the industrial device 106 when downloading data. On the other hand, it is possible to standardize all the operations of the wireless communication terminal 101 when downloading data from the firmware holding server 108. The industrial device 106 downloads data from the wireless communication terminal 101, and the variations in the operation of each industrial device 106 at this time are handled by the variations in the firmware of the wireless communication terminal itself that is recorded in the recording unit 105 and defines the operation of the wireless communication terminal 101. In this way, the communication procedures between all the wireless communication terminals 101 and the firmware holding server 108 are standardized, so that it is sufficient to prepare only one firmware holding server 108. Therefore, the servers that incur costs for maintenance and management can also be standardized to one, so that the costs per wireless communication terminal 101 and therefore per industrial device 106 are reduced.

[0041] The above will be explained in more detail using the figures. Figure 6 shows a method of preparing a dedicated server for each type of industrial equipment without using the wireless terminal device 101. As in the example shown in Figure 2, the industrial equipment 106 can download firmware from the dedicated server 201. Although not indicated by reference numbers in the figure, a plurality of industrial equipment that operates in the same manner as the industrial equipment 106 can download firmware from the dedicated server 201.

[0042] On the other hand, industrial equipment 602, which downloads data using a procedure different from that of industrial equipment 106, can download data from dedicated server 601, which is different from dedicated server 201, and update its own firmware. Furthermore, industrial equipment 604, which downloads data using a procedure different from that of either of the industrial equipment (106, 602), can download data from dedicated server 603, which is different from the dedicated servers (201, 601), and update its own firmware. Although no reference numerals are given to either, industrial equipment that operates in the same way as industrial equipment (602, 604) can download data from the dedicated servers (601, 603) and rewrite its own firmware.

[0043] 6 without using the wireless terminal device 101, a function of an industrial device downloading data and updating firmware can be realized, but a dedicated server must be prepared for each type of industrial device, and maintained and managed, resulting in high costs. In particular, when the number of industrial devices connected to a dedicated server is small compared to the cost of maintaining and managing the server, adding such a function may not be realistic in terms of cost.

[0044] 7 shows a system configured using a wireless communication terminal 101. Different types of industrial equipment (106, 602, 604) can update their own firmware using data downloaded using their own communication functions. Here, the wireless communication terminal 101 is connected to each of the equipment. The firmware (second firmware) of these wireless communication terminals 101 is configured to conform to the procedure by which the industrial equipment connected to it downloads data (i.e., to perform processing corresponding to the industrial equipment to be connected).

[0045] The wireless communication terminal 101 connected to the industrial equipment 106 downloads firmware compatible with the industrial equipment 106 from the firmware holding server 108 and records it in the recording unit 105. On the other hand, the wireless communication terminals 101 connected to the industrial equipment (602, 604) respectively download firmware compatible with the industrial equipment (602, 604) from the firmware holding server 108 and record it in the recording unit 105. Although not indicated by reference numerals in the figure, the wireless communication terminals 101 connected to industrial equipment other than the industrial equipment (106, 602, 604) also download firmware compatible with the industrial equipment to which they are connected from the firmware holding server 108 and record it in the recording unit 105.

[0046] Each of the industrial devices shown in Fig. 7 can download data from the wireless communication terminal 101 and update its own firmware, as shown in the flowchart in Fig. 5. At this time, since the firmware of the wireless communication terminal 101 to which each of the industrial devices (106, 602, 604) is connected is appropriately configured, the industrial devices can download data in the same procedure as when they are connected to the dedicated servers (201, 601, 603).

[0047] In this way, by using the wireless communication terminal 101, firmware updates for industrial devices that previously required multiple dedicated servers can now be achieved with a single firmware holding server 108, as shown in Fig. 7. This reduces the maintenance and management costs for the servers required for each piece of industrial device, and enables more industrial devices to have firmware update functions.

[0048] Below, we will explain a specific example of how this can be implemented. For example, there are various examples of infrastructure in production sites such as factories, but here we will explain an example that uses compressed air and industrial water. Compressed air is used as a power source to drive air cylinders, and is also used for cleaning by blowing away dust and debris. Meanwhile, industrial water is used for cooling, cleaning, and other purposes.

[0049] Compressed air is supplied to the production site by an air compressor, while industrial water is supplied to the production site by a pump.

[0050] Air compressors are generally driven by a motor. By controlling the rotation speed of this motor, the amount of compressed air discharged by the air compressor can be adjusted. Since the amount of compressed air required by a production site changes from moment to moment depending on the situation, the rotation speed of the motor that drives the air compressor must also be changed appropriately. On the other hand, it is known that if the rotation speed of the motor is changed significantly and frequently, the power consumed increases. Therefore, it is desirable to control the rotation speed of the motor that drives the air compressor so that it does not change more than necessary while responding to the demands of the production site.

[0051] Such control is performed by firmware built into the air compressor, which usually contains control algorithms and parameters to ensure proper operation in many production sites.

[0052] However, when the air compressor actually starts operating, it may be possible to determine more appropriate algorithms and parameters from the operating history of the air compressor itself and the equipment installed at the production site, etc. If such algorithms and parameters can be applied, it will be possible to reduce the power consumption of the air compressor and operate it more efficiently.

[0053] Furthermore, optimal algorithms and parameters may change due to changes or improvements to the layout of the production site. Even in such cases, more efficient operation can be achieved if algorithms and parameters that suit the changed environment can be applied.

[0054] Similarly, pumps are generally driven by a motor, and the flow rate and pressure of the water discharged by the pump can be adjusted by controlling the rotation speed of the motor. As with compressed air, it is desirable to control the flow rate and pressure so as to meet the demands of the production site while avoiding any unnecessarily large changes.

[0055] Like air compressors, pumps are controlled by built-in firmware. The control algorithms and parameters are usually also built into the firmware in advance, but if more appropriate algorithms and parameters can be found and applied based on the operating history of the pump itself and its peripheral devices, more efficient operation can be achieved.

[0056] Considering the above, consider a system as shown in Fig. 8. This system includes a wireless communication terminal 101, a firmware holding server 108, air compressors (801, 802), pumps (803, 804), air piping 805, compressed air utilization equipment 806, an air compressor firmware generation system 807, water piping 808, a water utilization equipment 809, and a pump firmware generation system 810. In this system example, the firmware holding server 108 is connected to the wireless communication terminal 101, the air compressor firmware generation system 807, and the pump firmware generation system 810 via a wide area network 107.

[0057] In Fig. 8, the air compressors (801, 802) have a communication function, a function of using the communication function to download data and rewrite their own firmware, and a function of transmitting their operation history. The pumps (803, 804) also have a communication function, a function of downloading data and rewriting their own firmware, and a function of transmitting their operation history. The wireless communication terminal 101 in Fig. 8 has a function of downloading data from the firmware storage server 108, recording it in the recording unit 105, and transmitting the data to the air compressors (801, 802) and pumps (803, 804), which are industrial equipment connected to the wireless communication terminal 101.

[0058] The compressed air utilizing device 806 receives the compressed air generated by the air compressor 801 through the air piping 805, and performs operations related to actual production activities. Additionally, the compressed air utilizing device 806 is equipped with a communication function, and can use this to transmit its own operation history.

[0059] The air compressor firmware generation system 807 has a communication function and can receive the operation history from the air compressor 801 and the compressed air utilization device 806. The air compressor firmware generation system 807 generates firmware for the air compressor 801 based on the received operation history. Furthermore, the air compressor firmware generation system 807 can transmit the generated air compressor firmware to the firmware holding server 108 via the wide area network 107.

[0060] The water-using equipment 809 receives the water discharged by the pump 804 through water piping 808, and performs operations related to actual production activities. Like the compressed air-using equipment 806, the water-using equipment 809 also has a communication function and can transmit its own operation history.

[0061] Like the air compressor firmware generation system 807, the pump firmware generation system 810 also has communication capabilities and can receive operation history from the pump 804 and water utilization equipment 809, generate firmware for the pump 804 based on this, and transmit this to the firmware holding server 108 via the wide area network 107.

[0062] Although omitted in FIG. 8 for the sake of simplicity, the air compressor 802 and the pump 803 also supply compressed air and water to the compressed air appliances and the water appliances through piping, respectively. These compressed air appliances and the water appliances may be the same as the compressed air appliance 806 and the water appliance 809 connected to the air compressor 801 and the pump 804 through piping, or may be different appliances. In addition, the operation history of these compressed air appliances and the water appliances, and the operation history of the air compressor 802 and the pump 803 are transmitted to the air compressor firmware generation system 807 and the pump firmware generation system 810. The air compressor firmware generation system 807 and the pump firmware generation system 810 also create firmware for the air compressor 802 and the pump 803, and transmit them to the firmware storage server 108 through the wide area network 107.

[0063] The firmware holding server 108 holds the firmware of each device as a file. The firmware holding server 108 has a database that associates the ID of the wireless communication terminal 101 with the file name of the firmware of the industrial device to which the wireless communication terminal 101 is connected, as shown in Fig. 9. This enables the firmware holding server 108 to transmit appropriate firmware to each individual wireless communication terminal 101.

[0064] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the wireless communication terminal 101 in the system shown in Fig. 8. The flowchart in Fig. 10 embodies the trigger for the wireless communication terminal 101 to download data in step 301 in Fig. 4, which is step 1001, in which the wireless communication terminal 101 transmits its own ID to the firmware holding server 108 and receives a response that it holds firmware for the device connected to the wireless communication terminal 101. If the firmware holding server 108 responds that it holds the corresponding firmware, in step 1002 the wireless communication terminal 101 downloads the firmware and records it in the recording unit 105.

[0065] Next, an example of the operation of the air compressors (801, 802) is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11. After starting up, the air compressors (801, 802) inquire of the wireless communication terminal 101 in step 1101 as to whether their own firmware is held. Then, the operation branches depending on the response. If the wireless communication terminal 101 responds that its own firmware is held, the air compressors (801, 802) download data from the wireless communication terminal 101, rewrite their own firmware, and restart. On the other hand, if the wireless communication terminal 101 responds that it does not hold firmware, the air compressors (801, 802) control the number of revolutions of the motor in step 1103. After that, in step 1104, the result of the control is transmitted to the air compressor firmware generation system 807 as an operation history. Thereafter, the control of the number of revolutions of the motor in step 1103 and the transmission of the operation history in step 1104 are repeated.

[0066] An example of the operation of the pumps (803, 804) is shown in the flowchart of FIG. 12. The steps constituting the flowchart are similar to those of the air compressors (801, 802) shown in FIG. 11, but the order of execution of each step is different. That is, the pumps (803, 804) first execute step 1103 of controlling the rotation speed of the motor after startup, and execute step 1201 of transmitting the result to the pump firmware generation system 810 as an operation history. Then, execute step 1101 of inquiring the wireless communication terminal 101 as to whether its own firmware is held and obtaining a response. If the response from the wireless communication terminal 101 indicates that its own firmware is held, the pumps (803, 804) execute step 1102. That is, the pumps (803, 804) download data from the wireless communication terminal 101, rewrite their own firmware, and restart. On the other hand, if the response indicates that the firmware is not held, the process returns to step 1103, where the pumps control the rotation speed of the motor again and transmit the operation history.

[0067] As shown here, even if the air compressors (801, 802) and the pumps (803, 804) operate differently, the system shown in FIG. 8 is valid. Although not shown in the figure, the contents of communication between the air compressors (801, 802) and the pumps (803, 804) and the wireless communication terminal 101 may be different. For example, the message used to inquire of the wireless communication terminal 101 to which it is connected whether it holds its own firmware may be different between the air compressors (801, 802) and the pumps (803, 804). Here, the wireless communication terminal 101 records firmware for correctly communicating with the device to be combined when it is installed in combination with the air compressors (801, 802) or the pumps (803, 804) or before that.

[0068] In the example described here, an air compressor firmware generation system 807 and a pump firmware generation system 810 are considered as firmware generation systems, and these are connected to the wide area network 107. However, in reality, the opportunities for generating firmware for the air compressor and the pump are limited, so the air compressor firmware generation system 807 and the pump firmware generation system 810 do not need to be connected to the wide area network 107 at all times. Alternatively, the air compressor firmware generation system 807 and the pump firmware generation system 810 may not be directly connected to the wide area network 107, and the generated firmware may be copied to another device connected to the wide area network 107, and the data may be transmitted from that device to the firmware holding server 108. In addition, in order to generate firmware for the air compressor and the pump, a method using other information may be adopted in addition to using the operation history of the air compressor, the pump, and the device as in this example.

[0069] As described above, this example shows that firmware updates can be realized by one server at a production site using multiple types of industrial equipment. In this example, one production site has been described for simplicity, but in reality, the wide area network 107 and firmware storage server 108 can be used across multiple production sites. These production sites do not necessarily have to belong to one company, and may span multiple companies. Furthermore, although air compressors and pumps are taken up in this example, other industrial equipment such as presses, injection molding machines, cutting machines, etc. can also be mixed. These equipment are generally manufactured by different manufacturers, but the firmware storage server 108 can store the firmware of all of these equipment. Therefore, the manufacturers of these equipment do not need to prepare and maintain their own servers. This makes it possible to provide firmware update functions to these equipment at low cost.

[0070] Next, another specific example will be described with reference to Fig. 13. The system in Fig. 13 includes wireless communication terminal 101, firmware holding server 108, cleaners with displays (1301, 1303), surveillance cameras (1305, 1306), a cleaner manufacturer's operation terminal 1307, and a surveillance camera manufacturer's operation terminal 1308. The cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) include displays (1302, 1304), respectively. In this system example, firmware holding server 108 is connected to wireless communication terminal 101, cleaner manufacturer's operation terminal 1307, and surveillance camera manufacturer's operation terminal 1308 via wide area network 107.

[0071] The cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) are devices that automatically clean objects using a water flow, an automatic brush, or the like. The cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) clean not just one type of object, and the cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) can select a cleaning method suited to the object, such as the strength of the water flow, the number of brush rotations, and the cleaning time. Here, the displays (1302, 1304) are touch panels that can display information and accept user operations, and the user of the cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) can use the displays (1302, 1304) to indicate what object is to be cleaned. However, an input device other than a touch panel may be provided, and the user may input information using this input device.

[0072] The surveillance cameras (1305, 1306) are equipped with appropriate recording devices and are capable of recording the images they capture in their own recording devices. For the sake of simplicity, detailed components of the display-equipped cleaner and the surveillance cameras are omitted in Fig. 13.

[0073] The cleaning method tailored to the object by the cleaner with display (1301, 1303) is realized by the firmware of the cleaner with display (1301, 1303). Therefore, by rewriting the firmware of the cleaner with display (1301, 1303), it is possible to add a new cleaning object or improve the cleaning method for an existing object, for example.

[0074] On the other hand, the operations from processing the images captured by the surveillance cameras (1305, 1306) to recording them on a recording device are realized by the firmware of the surveillance cameras (1305, 1306). Therefore, for example, by rewriting the firmware of the surveillance cameras (1305, 1306), the surveillance cameras (1305, 1306) can record images with higher resolution or for a longer period of time.

[0075] In addition, any device may have a malfunction in its firmware that causes it to behave in an unintended manner. In such a case, the malfunction can be resolved by rewriting the firmware with a new one that corrects the malfunction.

[0076] Although not shown in the figure, in this example, the manufacturers of the cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) and the security cameras (1305, 1306) are different. Therefore, the firmware for the cleaners with displays (1301, 1303) and the firmware for the security cameras (1305, 1306) are created by different manufacturers. The firmware created by each manufacturer is transmitted to firmware holding server 108 via wide area network 107 by operation terminal 1307 of the cleaner manufacturer and operation terminal 1308 of the security camera manufacturer. Then, firmware holding server 108 holds the transmitted firmware.

[0077] In FIG. 13, the cleaning machine manufacturer's operation terminal 1307 and the surveillance camera manufacturer's operation terminal 1308 are shown as being connected to the wide area network 107, but this connection only needs to be made when firmware is to be transmitted to the firmware retention server 108, and does not need to be maintained all the time.

[0078] The firmware holding server 108 in this example holds a database that associates the ID of the wireless communication terminal, the manufacturer of the connected device, the type of the connected device, and the file name of the firmware of the connected industrial device, as shown in Fig. 14. Note that the database shown in Fig. 14 also includes information on devices that are not shown in Fig. 13.

[0079] 14, the ID of the wireless communication terminal is information for identifying each individual wireless communication terminal 101. The manufacturer of the connected device indicates the manufacturer of the device connected to each wireless communication terminal 101, and here, it is assumed that there are two companies, Washer_maker and Camera_maker. The type of connected device indicates the type of device connected to each wireless communication terminal 101. In many cases, this can be expressed by the model of the device. Here, it is assumed that Washer_maker sells cleaning machines called Washer_A and Washer_B, and Camera_maker sells surveillance cameras called Camera_01 and Camera_02. The file name of the firmware of the connected industrial device indicates the file name of the firmware of the device held by the firmware holding server 108.

[0080] This database enables firmware holding server 108 to identify which file should be transferred to which wireless communication terminal 101. Furthermore, as described below, firmware holding server 108 can appropriately restrict operations from operation terminal 1307 of the cleaning machine manufacturer and operation terminal 1308 of the surveillance camera manufacturer, using the database shown in Fig. 14.

[0081] Generally, the people who can create firmware for a certain industrial device are limited to the device's manufacturer itself or those authorized by the manufacturer, and in most cases the manufacturer does not permit anyone else to create or distribute firmware. Therefore, it is desirable to appropriately limit the people who can send firmware for a certain industrial device to the firmware storage server 108.

[0082] In addition, since an industrial equipment manufacturer usually manufactures and sells multiple models of industrial equipment, and the firmware to be applied differs depending on the model, it is desirable to transmit firmware for an industrial equipment to the firmware storage server 108 so that the firmware can be applied to all equipment of a certain model.

[0083] In consideration of the above, FIG. 15 shows the transition of screens when firmware is transmitted to firmware storage server 108 from cleaning machine manufacturer's operation terminal 1307 or security camera manufacturer's operation terminal 1308.

[0084] In this example, the cleaning machine manufacturer's operation terminal 1307 and the security camera manufacturer's operation terminal 1308 can both be general personal computers equipped with a screen and an input device, and browser software can be used. A user who operates the operation terminal uses a browser to access a Web page provided by the firmware holding server 108, and transmits firmware by performing a specific operation on the Web page. Figure 15 shows the transition of the screens on this Web page.

[0085] 15, when firmware holding server 108 is accessed using a browser from cleaning machine manufacturer's operation terminal 1307 or security camera manufacturer's operation terminal 1308, login screen 1501 is displayed first. The login screen has an ID input field 1502 and a password input field 1503, and the operator inputs the ID and password that have been registered in firmware holding server 108 in advance.

[0086] 16 shows a database that associates user IDs, passwords, and company names, which is held by the firmware holding server 108 in this example. In reality, passwords are recorded in a state in which necessary security measures, such as encryption, are implemented.

[0087] When an ID and password are entered on login screen 1501 in Fig. 15, firmware retention server 108 checks the entered information against the database in Fig. 16 to see if the corresponding ID and password exist. If the corresponding ID and password do not exist, login fails and login screen 1501 is displayed again. On the other hand, if the corresponding ID and password exist, login is successful and firmware upload screen 1504 for each model is displayed.

[0088] A list of industrial equipment models and a list of the IDs of the wireless communication terminals connected to each of the industrial equipment models are displayed on a firmware upload screen 1504 for each model. In addition, a button 1505 for selecting a file for each industrial equipment model is displayed. Also, a button 1506 for executing the upload is displayed. Note that when an ID of a wireless communication terminal displayed on this screen is individually selected, the screen transitions to an individual firmware upload screen 1507.

[0089] Here, the information displayed on the firmware upload screen 1504 for each model is determined according to the company name associated with the ID entered on the login screen 1501. That is, the ID is associated with the company name in the database shown in FIG. 16, and the company name is associated with the ID of the wireless communication terminal and the type of connected device in the database shown in FIG. 14. This allows the model and wireless communication terminal ID displayed on the firmware upload screen 1504 for each model to be limited to the model and wireless communication terminal ID associated with the company name associated with the ID used for login. This allows the operation of transmitting firmware from the operating terminal to the firmware storage server 108 to be limited. That is, the targets to which firmware can be transmitted by operating the screen shown in FIG. 15 and ultimately using the system in FIG. 13 are limited to only the devices associated with the ID used for login.

[0090] When the user presses a file selection button 1505 on the model-specific firmware upload screen 1504, a dialog is displayed, allowing the user to select the file to be sent. Note that this dialog is not shown in Fig. 15. When the user presses an upload execution button 1506 with the file to be sent selected, the selected file is sent to the firmware holding server 108.

[0091] When the file transmission is complete, an upload completion screen 1508 is displayed. When the user presses an end button 1509 on this screen, the browser closes and the operation ends. Meanwhile, the firmware holding server 108 saves the transmitted firmware as a file. Furthermore, the file name of this file is used to overwrite the file name of the firmware of the connected industrial device associated with the corresponding type of connected device in the database shown in FIG. 14.

[0092] On the other hand, the user can select the ID of an individual wireless communication terminal on the model-specific firmware upload screen 1504. When the ID of an individual wireless communication terminal is selected, the screen transitions to an individual firmware upload screen 1507.

[0093] The operation on the individual firmware upload screen 1507 is similar to that on the firmware upload screen 1504 for each model. That is, when the user presses the file selection button 1505, a dialog box is displayed, and the user can select the file to be transmitted. This dialog box is not shown in FIG. 15. When the user presses the upload execution button 1506 with the file to be transmitted selected, the selected file is transmitted to the firmware storage server 108. When the transmission of the file is completed, an upload completion screen 1508 is displayed, and when an end button 1509 is pressed on this screen, the browser is closed and the operation is terminated. The firmware storage server 108 stores the transmitted firmware as a file in the same manner as when the firmware upload screen 1504 for each model is operated.

[0094] On the other hand, unlike the case of the firmware upload screen 1504 for each model, when firmware is uploaded by operating the individual firmware upload screen 1507, only the file name of the firmware of the connected industrial equipment associated with the ID of the corresponding wireless communication terminal is overwritten in the database shown in FIG. 14.

[0095] The operation of the wireless communication terminal 101 downloading data from the firmware storage server 108 and transmitting it to the display-equipped cleaners (1301, 1303) and the surveillance cameras (1305, 1306) is similar to that described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0096] By using the method described in this example, when wireless communication terminal 101 is used to rewrite firmware for industrial equipment, it is possible to prevent a situation in which firmware for industrial equipment made by different manufacturers is stored in firmware holding server 108 and equipment that should not be operated is operated when those manufacturers transmit firmware to firmware holding server 108. This makes it possible to build a system in which firmware for a large number of industrial equipment is stored in one server and firmware is rewritten, thereby reducing the maintenance and management costs of the server per equipment and making it easier to realize a firmware rewriting function.

[0097] Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the present invention may be modified by adding other configurations to a part of the configuration of the embodiment. , deletion and replacement are possible.

[0098] The firmware holding server 108 can appropriately hold the firmware acquired from the firmware generation system. For example, the firmware holding server 108 may update existing firmware with the generated firmware and hold the generated firmware. The firmware holding server 108 may also hold the generated firmware in association with information such as the ID of the wireless communication terminal 101.

[0099] A system may be provided in which only one domain for downloading firmware is set in the firmware holding server 108. Then, each wireless communication terminal 101 can access this domain to download firmware. In this way, by maintaining only one domain, construction and maintenance costs may be reduced.

[0100] For wireless communication, a wireless communication antenna or the like may be used as appropriate. For wired communication, a LAN cable or the like may be used as appropriate.

[0101] The display-equipped washer (1301, 1303) can be, for example, an automatic car wash for automobiles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 101 Wireless communication terminal 102 Wide Area Communications Department 103 Processing section 104 Local communication unit 105 Recording Section 108 Firmware Holding Server 807 Air Compressor Firmware Generation System 810 Pump Firmware Generation System

Claims

1. A server connected to the network for storing firmware; A plurality of communication devices connected to each of the industrial devices; Equipped with The communication device includes: A processor; A recording device; a first interface used for communication with an industrial device connected by wire or wirelessly; a second interface used for wireless wide area communication; Equipped with The recording device includes: storing a first firmware of the connected industrial device and a second firmware of the communication device used to execute a process corresponding to the connected industrial device; The processor, A function of reading and executing the second firmware; receiving the first firmware from the server via the second interface; a function of transmitting the first firmware to a connected industrial device via the first interface; the server receives an input of a user ID from an operation terminal capable of transmitting firmware to the server, and outputs a screen enabling transmission of a first firmware of an industrial device associated with the input user ID to the server. A communication system comprising:

2. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, The communication device includes: checking whether a trigger for downloading the first firmware has occurred, and if the trigger has occurred, downloading the first firmware from the server and recording the downloaded first firmware in the recording device; A communication system comprising:

3. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, The server, The first firmware of the industrial equipment to which the communication device is connected is stored in association with an ID of the communication device; transmitting the first firmware to the communication device corresponding to an ID of the communication device; A communication system comprising:

4. 2. The communication system according to claim 1, The server, Maintain one domain for firmware downloading that is accessed from a communication device connected to each piece of industrial equipment; A communication system comprising:

5. A server connected to the network for storing firmware; A plurality of communication devices connected to each of the industrial devices; an operation terminal capable of transmitting firmware to the server; Equipped with The communication device includes: A processor; A recording device; a first interface used for communication with an industrial device connected by wire or wirelessly; a second interface used for wireless wide area communication; Equipped with The recording device includes: storing a first firmware of the connected industrial device and a second firmware of the communication device used to execute a process corresponding to the connected industrial device; The processor, A function of reading and executing the second firmware; receiving the first firmware from the server via the second interface; a function of transmitting the first firmware to a connected industrial device via the first interface; The operation terminal includes: A screen for inputting a user ID is displayed. outputting a screen on which the first firmware of the industrial device associated with the input user ID can be transmitted; A communication system comprising:

6. A communication method using a server connected to a network and storing firmware, and a plurality of communication devices connected to respective industrial devices, comprising: A step of recording, in each communication device, a second firmware of the communication device used for executing a process corresponding to the connected industrial device; A step in which a communication device receives a first firmware of a connected industrial device from the server; a step of transmitting the first firmware to an industrial device connected to the communication device having received the first firmware; and a step of outputting a screen by the server that allows the server to transmit a first firmware of the industrial equipment associated with the input user ID to the server, the step of receiving an input of a user ID from an operation terminal capable of transmitting firmware to the server. A communication method comprising:

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