Communication system for warm water washing toilet seat

Abstract

To provide a communication system for warm water washing toilet seats that can reduce the work load of pairing work between a plurality of warm water washing toilet seats and a network apparatus.SOLUTION: In a communication system 1 for warm water washing toilet seats, a communication device 16 provided in a warm water washing toilet seat 10 communicates with a network apparatus 20. The warm water washing toilet seat 10 has a first state in which pairing with the network apparatus 20 is not allowed and a second state to which by a switching operation to the warm water washing toilet seat 10 switched from the first state and in which pairing is allowed. When receiving a pairing command signal transmitted from a command device 25, the communication device 16 is made not to shift to a pairing mode for pairing with the network apparatus 20 when the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is in the first state. When receiving the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device 25, the communication device 16 is made to shift to the pairing mode for pairing with the network apparatus 20 when the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is in the second state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a communication system for a warm water washing toilet seat. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art A communication system is known that allows a manager to manage restrooms using a manager's terminal by transmitting the state of the restroom to an external device via a network (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Also known is a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat that allows a manager to centrally manage the usage status and the need for maintenance of the warm-water washing toilet seat provided in the toilet bowl using a manager's manager terminal.

[0004] In such a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat, information such as the state and usage of the warm-water washing toilet seat is transmitted from a network device such as a gateway to an external device. In this case, one network device is connected to each of the warm-water washing toilet seats by using a communication standard that allows communication with multiple warm-water washing toilet seats. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6636892 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat, in order to build a network, a pairing operation must be performed between the network device and each warm-water washing toilet seat. In this case, the pairing operation may require complicated work processes to prevent erroneous pairing. If this complicated work process is performed individually for multiple warm-water washing toilet seats, a lot of work time must be spent, and there is a risk that the work efficiency of the pairing operation will decrease.

[0007] The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such problems, and aims to provide a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat that can reduce the workload involved in pairing multiple warm-water washing toilet seats with network devices. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first invention is a communication system for a warm water washing toilet seat comprising: a network device connected to an external device via a network; an infrared receiving unit that receives an infrared signal; and a communication device connected to the network device; and a command device that transmits a pairing command signal for pairing the communication device with the network device to the infrared receiving unit by infrared signal, wherein the communication device is capable of communicating with the network device using a communication standard that provides two-way communication; the warm water washing toilet seat has a first state that does not allow the pairing, and a second state that is switched from the first state by a switching operation to the warm water washing toilet seat and allows the pairing; and when the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device is received, if the warm water washing toilet seat is in the first state, the communication device is not transitioned to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device, and when the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device is received, if the warm water washing toilet seat is in the second state, the communication device is transitioned to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device.

[0009] According to this warm water washing toilet seat communication system, the infrared receiving unit provided in the warm water washing toilet seat can be used to efficiently switch the communication device to pairing mode. Even if the warm water washing toilet seat receives a pairing command signal from the command device, the warm water washing toilet seat does not switch the communication device to pairing mode unless the warm water washing toilet seat is in the second state, so erroneous pairing between the network device and the communication device can be suppressed. Therefore, the workload of pairing multiple warm water washing toilet seats with the network device can be reduced.

[0010] A second invention is a communication system for a warm water washing toilet seat according to the first invention, characterized in that the warm water washing toilet seat is equipped with a human body detection unit that detects a human body, and the second state is a state in which the human body detection unit detects a human body.

[0011] According to this communication system for the warm-water washing toilet seat, the human body detection unit of the warm-water washing toilet seat can be used to transition the communication device into pairing mode, which prevents erroneous pairing and allows for easy and rapid network construction.

[0012] A third invention is a communication system for a warm water washing toilet seat comprising a plurality of warm water washing toilet seats each having a network device connected to an external device via a network, an infrared receiving unit which receives an infrared signal, and a communication device connected to the network device, and a command device which transmits a pairing command signal to the infrared receiving unit by infrared signal for pairing the communication device with the network device, wherein when the warm water washing toilet seat receives the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device, the warm water washing toilet seat transitions the communication device to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device.

[0013] According to this warm-water washing toilet seat communication system, the communication device can be efficiently switched to pairing mode by utilizing the infrared receiving unit provided in the warm-water washing toilet seat, thereby reducing the workload of pairing multiple warm-water washing toilet seats with network devices.

[0014] A fourth invention is a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat, in any one of the first to third inventions, characterized in that the command device has an operation device for operating the warm-water washing toilet seat.

[0015] According to this communication system for a warm water washing toilet seat, a network can be constructed using an operating device that operates the warm water washing toilet seat. For example, a communication device can be switched to pairing mode by performing a special operation on the operating device that is different from the operation of the warm water washing toilet seat. Therefore, there is no need to prepare a dedicated command device for network construction, which can suppress an increase in costs. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to an aspect of the present invention, a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat is provided that can reduce the workload involved in pairing multiple warm-water washing toilet seats with network devices. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a network system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic diagram of a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart showing a control process executed by a control unit of the communication device. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a control process executed by a control unit of the device main body. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a control process executed by a control unit of the network device. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for a case where the communication device is shifted to a pairing mode. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram for a case where a network device is shifted to a pairing mode. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which pairing is completed. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram in which a command device used in a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat according to a second embodiment of the present invention is an operating device that operates the warm-water washing toilet seat. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing pairing settings of a communication system of a warm-water washing toilet seat according to a modified example of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like elements are designated by like reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of a network system. As shown in FIG. 1, the network system 101 includes a warm water washing toilet seat 10, an external device 40 connected to the warm water washing toilet seat 10 via a network 30, and an administrator terminal 50 connected to the external device 40 via the network 30.

[0019] The warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is installed in facilities used by an unspecified number of people, such as public toilets TR, toilets in buildings, and unit baths in hotels. The warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is installed above a toilet bowl 100. The warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 has a device main body 11 and a communication device 16 installed in the device main body 11.

[0020] The device main body 11 has a toilet seat 11a, a cleaning nozzle 11b that sprays cleaning water onto the body parts (such as the buttocks) of a user sitting on the toilet seat 11a, a lid 11c that covers the top of the toilet seat 11a, a human body detection unit 12 that detects the human body, a control unit 13 that controls the operation of the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10, a memory unit 14 in which a control program executed by the control unit 13 is stored, and a communication unit 15 that receives signals from a command device 25.

[0021] The network device 20 transmits a plurality of pieces of device information relating to, for example, the usage status of the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 and the necessity for maintenance to the external device 40 via the network 30. The network device 20 is connected to a plurality of warm-water washing toilet seats 10, and transmits a plurality of pieces of device information of each warm-water washing toilet seat 10 to the external device 40. The network device 20 also receives various command signals transmitted from the external device 40 and transmits them to each warm-water washing toilet seat 10.

[0022] The network device 20 performs wireless communication with the external device 40 via the network 30, and also performs wireless communication with each of the warm-water-cleaning toilet seats 10 via the network 35. The network device 20 is, for example, a gateway that converts between the protocol of the network 30 on the external device 40 side and the wireless communication protocol of the warm-water-cleaning toilet seat 10. Note that the network device 20 is not limited to a gateway, and may be any communication device that is capable of communicating with the outside.

[0023] The network 30 is, for example, the Internet or a LAN (Local Area Network), and connects the network device 20, the administrator terminal 50, and the display unit 60 via the external device 40. The network 30 may connect the external device 40 and the administrator terminal 50, the external device 40 and the network device 20, and the external device 40 and the display unit 60 with a wire, may connect them wirelessly, or may be a combination of wire and wireless. The network 30 may be any network that enables communication between the network device 20, the external device 40, and the administrator terminal 50.

[0024] The external device 40 is provided at a location away from the warm-water washing toilet seat 10. The external device 40 is, for example, a cloud server, which is connected to an administrator terminal 50 via a network 30 and manages information about the warm-water washing toilet seat 10.

[0025] The manager terminal 50 is a terminal owned by a manager who manages the toilet room TR, and is, for example, a mobile terminal 50a or a PC terminal 50b. The manager terminal 50 is connected to an external device 40 via a network 30. The manager can, for example, connect to the external device 40 and obtain (view) various information on the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 installed in the toilet room TR. In addition, the manager can operate the manager terminal 50 to output various command signals from the external device 40 to the warm-water washing toilet seat 10.

[0026] The display unit 60 is installed, for example, at the entrances and exits of public facilities and buildings, or at information centers, and displays information within the facility. For example, the display unit 60 displays whether the toilet room TR is vacant or not, the cleaning status, etc. This allows the user to recognize the situation within the facility by checking the display unit 60.

[0027] In this way, the network system 101 makes the toilet room TR an Internet of Things (IoT), allowing the administrator to centrally manage the usage status of each warm water washing toilet seat 10 and the need for maintenance. This allows the administrator to grasp the malfunctions, maintenance, and usage status of the warm water washing toilet seat 10 from a location away from the toilet room TR. In addition, the administrator can perform various settings related to the warm water washing toilet seat 10 by operating the administrator terminal 50. Therefore, the administrator can manage the toilet room TR without going to a public toilet room TR.

[0028] Next, a description will be given of the warm-water washing toilet seat communication system 1 for performing pairing so that the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 and the network device 20 authenticate each other before the network system 101 is used. FIG. 2 is a block diagram that shows a schematic diagram of a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 2, the warm-water washing toilet seat communication system 1 includes a warm-water washing toilet seat 10, a network device 20, and a command device 25. The warm-water washing toilet seat communication system 1 is a system for constructing a network 35 between the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 and the network device 20 before using the network system 101.

[0029] The warm water washing toilet seat 10 has a device main body 11 and a communication device 16 electrically connected to the device main body 11. The warm water washing toilet seat 10 transmits information on the usage status of the device main body 11, the need for maintenance, and the like from the communication device 16 to a network device 20. The device main body 11 includes a human body detection unit 12 that detects a human body, a control unit 13 that controls the operation of the device main body 11, a storage unit 14 that stores the state and usage status of the device main body 11, and a communication unit 15 that transmits and receives information on the warm water washing toilet seat 10.

[0030] The human body detection unit 12 detects a human body. Examples of the human body detection unit 12 include a seating sensor 12a that detects a user sitting on the toilet seat 11a, and a human body detection sensor 12b that detects a human body in front of the toilet bowl 100.

[0031] The control unit 13 controls the operation of the device main body 11 of the warm water washing toilet seat 10. The control unit 13 controls, for example, the temperature of the toilet seat 11a, the temperature of the posterior cleansing water, and the amount of posterior cleansing water. In addition, when constructing a network between the communication device 16 and the network device 20, the control unit 13 determines whether the device main body 11 of the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is in a first state that does not allow pairing between the communication device 16 and the network device 20, or in a second state that allows pairing. The pairing control between the communication device 16 and the network device 20 will be explained later.

[0032] The storage unit 14 is a memory that stores the usage history of the warm water washing toilet seat 10, the status of various devices provided in the warm water washing toilet seat 10, and the presence or absence of human body detection by the human body detection unit 12. The storage unit 14 also stores a control program executed by the control unit 13. The storage unit 14 may be provided within the control unit 13.

[0033] The communication unit 15 is connected to the command device 25, and has an infrared receiving unit 15a that receives a first pairing command signal transmitted from the command device 25, and a transmitting unit 15b that transmits a pairing permission signal to the control unit 18 of the communication device 16. The infrared receiving unit 15a also receives various command signals from an operating device 70 (see FIG. 9), such as a remote control that is operated to start the operation of the warm water washing toilet seat 10. The command device 25 is a device for transitioning the communication device 16 to a pairing mode. The first pairing command signal constitutes the pairing command signal of the present invention.

[0034] The communication device 16 pairs with the network device 20 when establishing a network with the network device 20, and communicates with the network device 20 after the network is established. The communication device 16 includes a communication unit 17, a control unit 18, and a storage unit 19.

[0035] The communication unit 17 is connected to the network device 20 and has a receiving unit 17a that receives various command signals from the network device 20, and a transmitting unit 17b that transmits the command signals received by the receiving unit 17a to the control unit 13 and transmits information about the warm water washing toilet seat 10 to the network device 20.

[0036] The control unit 18 controls the operation of the communication device 16. After the network is established, the control unit 18 controls the device information of the device main body 11 that is transmitted to the network device 20, and the command signal of the device main body 11 transmitted from the network device 20. In addition, the control unit 18 transitions to a pairing mode in response to a pairing permission signal transmitted from the control unit 13 of the device main body 11, for example.

[0037] The storage unit 19 is a memory that stores signals transmitted and received by the communication unit 17. The storage unit 19 also stores identification information of the paired network device 20. This identification information is set individually for each network device 20. The storage unit 19 also stores a control program executed by the control unit 18. The storage unit 19 may be provided within the control unit 18.

[0038] The network device 20 is disposed, for example, in a public toilet TR, a toilet in a building, or a unit bath in a hotel, with one device provided for each of the plurality of warm-water washing toilet seats 10. The network device 20 is connected to the plurality of warm-water washing toilet seats 10 via a network 35, and communicates information relating to each of the warm-water washing toilet seats 10 with an external device 40 and a communication device 16. The network device 20 has a communication unit 21, a control unit 22, and a storage unit 23.

[0039] The communication unit 21 is connected to the setting device 27, and has a receiving unit 21a that receives a second pairing command signal transmitted from the setting device 27, and a transmitting unit 21b that transmits identification information of the network device 20. The setting device 27 is a device for transitioning the network device 20 to a pairing mode.

[0040] The control unit 22 controls the operation of the network device 20. For example, the control unit 22 stores the second pairing command signal received by the receiving unit 21a of the communication unit 21 in the storage unit 23, and transmits identification information of the network device 20 from the transmitting unit 21b of the communication unit 21 to each warm water washing toilet seat 10. In addition, the control unit 22 transitions the network device 20 to a pairing mode in response to the second pairing command signal transmitted from the setting device 27.

[0041] The storage unit 23 is a memory that stores the second pairing command signal received by the receiving unit 21a of the communication unit 21, signals transmitted and received by the communication unit 21, and the like. The storage unit 23 also stores identification information of the communication device 16 of the paired warm-water washing toilet seat 10. This identification information is set individually for each communication device 16. The storage unit 23 also stores a control program executed by the control unit 22. The storage unit 23 may be provided within the control unit 22.

[0042] The command device 25 transmits to the communication device 16 a first pairing command signal for pairing the communication device 16 with the network device 20. That is, the command device 25 transitions the communication device 16 of the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 to a pairing mode. The command device 25 is, for example, a remote control owned by an administrator who manages the warm-water washing toilet seat 10.

[0043] The command device 25 transmits a first pairing command signal to the communication unit 15 by an infrared signal. This infrared signal is capable of communication without pairing with the communication unit 15. Therefore, the communication unit 15 of each warm-water washing toilet seat 10 can be switched to pairing mode with one command device 25 without preparing a dedicated command device for each communication unit 15 of each warm-water washing toilet seat 10. In other words, the first pairing command signal is a common signal for each communication unit 15.

[0044] On the other hand, communication between the network device 20 and each communication device 16 is based on a communication standard different from infrared communication. This communication standard allows, for example, two-way communication between the network device 20 and the communication device 16, but does not allow information communication until pairing (network construction) is performed.

[0045] The setting device 27 transmits a second pairing command signal to the network device 20 for pairing the communication device 16 with the network device 20. That is, the setting device 27 transitions the network device 20 to a pairing mode. The setting device 27 is, for example, a tablet terminal owned by an administrator who manages the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10. Note that the setting device 27 is not limited to a tablet terminal, and may be, for example, a switch provided in the network device 20.

[0046] The warm-water washing toilet seat communication system 1 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above. Next, the pairing operation for pairing the communication device 16 of the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 with the network device 20 will be described.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control process executed by the control unit of the communication device. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the control process executed by the control unit of the device main body. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the control process executed by the control unit of the network device. 3 to 5, each step is indicated by "S", for example, "step 1" is indicated by "S1". 3 is stored in advance in the storage unit 19 of the communication device 16. The control process shown in Fig. 4 is stored in advance in the storage unit 14 of the device main body 11. The control process shown in Fig. 5 is stored in advance in the storage unit 23 of the network device 20.

[0048] First, the pairing control process executed by the control unit 18 of the communication device 16 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0049] In S1, it is determined whether or not a pairing permission signal has been received from the control unit 13 of the device main body 11. Then, if the result of S1 is "YES", that is, if the control unit 18 determines that the pairing permission signal has been received, the process proceeds to S2. On the other hand, if the result of S1 is "NO", that is, if the control unit 18 determines that the pairing permission signal has not been received, the process ends.

[0050] In S2, the mode transitions to pairing mode. That is, the control unit 18 transitions to a state in which the identification information of the network device 20 is accepted in order to perform pairing with the network device 20. The pairing mode continues for a predetermined time (e.g., 3 to 10 minutes). The control unit 18 causes the identification information of the communication device 16 to be transmitted to the network device 20 during the pairing mode.

[0051] In S3, it is determined whether or not the identification information of the network device 20 has been received. That is, the control unit 18 determines whether or not the identification information of the network device 20 transmitted by the network device 20 transitioning to the pairing mode has been received. The pairing control for transitioning the network device 20 to the pairing mode is executed based on the control process of Fig. 5. The control process of Fig. 5 will be described later.

[0052] Then, if S3 is "YES", that is, if the control unit 18 determines that the identification information of the network device 20 has been received, the process proceeds to S4. On the other hand, if S3 is "NO", that is, if the control unit 18 determines that the identification information of the network device 20 has not been received, the control unit 18 monitors the identification information of the network device 20 for the predetermined time (e.g., 3 to 10 minutes). When this predetermined time has elapsed, the pairing mode is released and the process ends.

[0053] In the next step S4, the control unit 18 stores the identification information of the network device 20. That is, the control unit 18 causes the storage unit 19 to store the identification information of the network device 20, and then the process ends.

[0054] Next, a pairing control process executed by the control unit 13 of the device main body 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0055] In S11, it is determined whether or not a first pairing command signal has been received from the command device 25. Then, if the result of S11 is "YES", that is, if the control unit 13 determines that the first pairing command signal has been received from the command device 25, the process proceeds to S12. On the other hand, if the result of S11 is "NO", that is, if the control unit 13 determines that the first pairing command signal has not been received from the command device 25, the process ends.

[0056] In S12, it is determined whether the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is in the second state. That is, the control unit 13 determines whether the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is in the first state in which pairing is not permitted, or in the second state in which pairing is permitted after being switched from the first state by a switching operation to the warm water washing toilet seat 10.

[0057] Here, the second state in which pairing is possible refers to a state in which at least one of the devices and sensors provided in the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is operated (activated) by an administrator, etc. In other words, the first state is a standby state in which the warm water washing toilet seat 10 (device body 11) is on standby, and the second state is a state switched from the first state by a switching operation.

[0058] The second state refers to, for example, a state in which the human body detection unit 12 detects a human body (a manager) or a state in which an operation switch that activates the function of the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is operated. As one example, the second state can be a state in which a seating sensor serving as the human body detection unit 12 detects a person sitting on the toilet seat. It may also be a state in which a radio wave sensor serving as the human body detection unit 12 detects a human body in front of the toilet bowl 100.

[0059] Then, if S12 is "YES", that is, the control unit 13 determines that the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is in the second state, the process proceeds to S13. On the other hand, if S12 is "NO", that is, the control unit 13 determines that the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is in the first state, the process ends. In other words, the control unit 13 refuses the communication device 16 from transitioning to the pairing mode when the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is in the first state.

[0060] In S13, the control unit 13 transmits a pairing permission signal to the communication device 16. That is, the control unit 13 permits the communication device 16 to transition to the pairing mode, and then the process ends.

[0061] Next, a pairing control process executed by the control unit 22 of the network device 20 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0062] First, in S21, it is determined whether or not a second pairing command signal has been received from the setting device 27. That is, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the receiving unit 21a has received the second pairing command signal.

[0063] Then, if the result in S21 is "YES", that is, if the control unit 22 determines that the second pairing command signal has been received, the second pairing command signal is stored in the storage unit 23 and the process proceeds to S22. On the other hand, if the result in S21 is "NO", that is, if the control unit 22 determines that the second pairing command signal has not been received, the process ends.

[0064] In S22, the mode transitions to a pairing mode. That is, the control unit 22 transitions to a state in which the control unit 22 accepts the identification information of the communication device 16 in order to perform pairing with the communication device 16. The pairing mode continues for a predetermined time (for example, 3 to 10 minutes). The control unit 22 causes the identification information of the network device 20 to be transmitted to the communication device 16 during the pairing mode.

[0065] In the next step S23, it is determined whether or not the control unit 22 has received the identification information of the communication device 16. That is, the control unit 22 determines whether or not the control unit 22 has received the identification information of the communication device 16 that was transmitted when the communication device 16 transitioned to the pairing mode.

[0066] Then, if S23 is "YES", that is, if the control unit 22 determines that the identification information of the communication device 16 has been received, the process proceeds to S24. On the other hand, if S23 is "NO", that is, if the control unit 22 determines that the identification information of the communication device 16 has not been received, the control unit 22 monitors the identification information of the communication device 16 for the predetermined time (e.g., 3 to 10 minutes). When this predetermined time has elapsed, the pairing mode is released and the process ends.

[0067] In the next step S24, the identification information of the communication device 16 is stored. That is, the control unit 22 stores the identification information of the communication device 16 in the storage unit 23, and the process ends.

[0068] Next, the pairing operation between the communication device 16 provided in the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 and the network device 20a will be described with reference to Figs.

[0069] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a case where the communication device is shifted to the pairing mode. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a case where a network device is shifted to a pairing mode. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which pairing is completed.

[0070] In the toilet room TR shown in Figures 6 to 8, a male toilet room TR1 and a female toilet room TR2 are adjacent to each other. The toilet room TR1 is provided with, for example, warm water washing toilet seats 10a-10d, urinals 80a-80e, automatic faucets 81a, 81b, and a hand dryer 82a. The toilet room TR2 is provided with warm water washing toilet seats 10, such as warm water washing toilet seats 10e-10j, automatic faucets 81c, 81d, and a hand dryer 82b. The toilet room TR1 is provided with a network device 20a for the toilet room TR1, and the toilet room TR2 is provided with a network device 20b for the toilet room TR2.

[0071] In this example, the warm-water washing toilet seat 10a is set to be in the second state when the seating sensor serving as the human body detection unit 12 detects that the toilet seat 11a of the warm-water washing toilet seat 10a is seated. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 6, the manager can switch the communication device 16 to the pairing mode by operating the command device 25 while seated on the toilet seat 11a of the warm-water washing toilet seat 10a. Note that in Fig. 6, the seated state of the toilet seat 11a is indicated by diagonal lines for ease of explanation.

[0072] If the manager operates the command device 25 without being seated on the toilet seat 11a, the warm-water washing toilet seat 10a is in the first state, and therefore the communication device 16 cannot be switched to the pairing mode. In other words, when the command device 25 is operated to switch the warm-water washing toilet seat 10a to the pairing mode, even if the adjacent warm-water washing toilet seat 10b receives a pairing command signal, the warm-water washing toilet seat 10b is in the first state and therefore does not switch to the pairing mode.

[0073] Next, as shown in Fig. 7, the administrator operates the setting device 27. In this case, since both the network device 20a and the network device 20b are provided within the communication range of the setting device 27, a selection screen for selecting which network device 20 is to be put into pairing mode is displayed on the setting device 27. Then, when the administrator selects the network device 20a, a second pairing command signal is transmitted from the setting device 27 to the network device 20a. Then, when the network device 20a receives the second pairing command signal, it goes into pairing mode.

[0074] As shown in Fig. 8, when both the communication device 16 of the warm water washing toilet seat 10a and the network device 20a transition to the pairing mode, the communication device 16 and the network device 20a are automatically paired. In this case, the setting device 27 displays the identification information of the paired communication device 16. If an erroneous pairing is displayed, the setting device 27 can cancel the pairing between the erroneously paired communication device 16 and the network device 20. After pairing is performed, the communication device 16 of the warm water washing toilet seat 10a and the network device 20a store each other's identification information, and data communication can be performed according to the communication standard.

[0075] Other warm water washing toilet seats 10 can also be paired with the communication device 16 and the network device 20 by using the same procedure. The communication device 16 can continue the pairing mode for a predetermined time. Therefore, by switching multiple warm water washing toilet seats 10 to the pairing mode and switching the network device 20 to the pairing mode within the predetermined time, multiple warm water washing toilet seats 10 can be paired with the network device 20 collectively. This can prevent erroneous pairing and reduce the work time required for the pairing work, thereby improving the work efficiency of the pairing work.

[0076] Thus, the warm water washing toilet seat communication system 1 according to this embodiment includes a network device 20 connected to an external device 40 via a network 30, a plurality of warm water washing toilet seats 10 each having an infrared receiving unit 15a that receives an infrared signal and a communication device 16 connected to the network device 20, and a command device 25 that transmits a pairing command signal for pairing the communication device 16 with the network device 20 to the infrared receiving unit 15a via an infrared signal.

[0077] The communication device 16 is capable of communicating with the network device 20 using a communication standard that enables two-way communication, and the warm-water cleaning toilet seat 10 has a first state that does not allow pairing, and a second state that is switched from the first state by a switching operation to the warm-water cleaning toilet seat 10 and allows pairing. When a pairing command signal transmitted from the command device 25 is received and the warm-water cleaning toilet seat 10 is in the first state, the communication device 16 does not transition to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device 20, and when a pairing command signal transmitted from the command device 25 is received and the warm-water cleaning toilet seat 10 is in the second state, the communication device 16 transitions to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device 20.

[0078] This allows the communication device 16 to efficiently transition to the pairing mode by utilizing the infrared receiving unit 15a provided in the warm-water washing toilet seat 10. Furthermore, even if the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 receives a pairing command signal from the command device 25, the communication device 16 is not transitioned to the pairing mode unless the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 is in the second state, so that erroneous pairing between the network device 20 and the communication device 16 can be suppressed. In other words, even if another warm-water washing toilet seat 10 that is not desired to be paired receives a pairing command signal, it does not transition to the pairing mode, so that erroneous pairing can be suppressed. Therefore, the workload of pairing work between multiple warm-water washing toilet seats 10 and the network device 20 can be reduced.

[0079] The warm water washing toilet seat 10 also includes a human body detection unit 12 that detects a human body, and the second state is a state in which the human body detection unit 12 detects a human body. This allows the communication device 16 to transition to pairing mode using the human body detection unit 12 of the warm water washing toilet seat 10. This prevents erroneous pairing and allows for easy and rapid network construction.

[0080] Next, a communication system for a warm water washing toilet seat according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 9. The second embodiment is characterized in that, instead of a command device 25 dedicated to pairing, an operation device 70 for operating the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is provided with the function of a command device. In the second embodiment, the same components as those in the above-mentioned first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0081] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a case where a command device used in a communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat according to a second embodiment of the present invention is an operating device for operating the warm-water washing toilet seat.

[0082] The operating device 70 is, for example, a remote control provided on a wall surface standing to the side of the warm water washing toilet seat 10. This operating device 70 has, for example, switches or buttons, and is used to operate each function such as toilet flushing and private parts washing. The operating device 70 also serves as a remote control that transmits a pairing command signal to the warm water washing toilet seat 10.

[0083] The pairing command signal is not transmitted, for example, during normal use of the operating device 70. For example, the operating device 70 may have a switch for pairing commands inside a lid that can only be opened by an administrator. The operating device 70 may also transmit a pairing command signal by performing a special operation on the switch that is different from normal use, such as operating the flush switch of the warm water washing toilet seat 10 multiple times within a predetermined period of time, or operating multiple switches in an arbitrary order.

[0084] In the second embodiment configured as described above, the workload of pairing multiple warm water washing toilet seats 10 with the network device 20 can be reduced, as in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, a network can be constructed using an operation device 70 that operates the warm water washing toilet seats 10. Therefore, there is no need to prepare a dedicated command device for network construction, and the administrator does not need to carry the command device, and the network can be constructed efficiently.

[0085] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, an example was described in which the communication device 16 was shifted to the pairing mode when the warm-water washing toilet seat 10 was in the second state in which pairing was possible. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, regardless of the state of the warm-water washing toilet seat 10, the communication device 16 may shift to the pairing mode for pairing with the network device 20 when it receives a pairing command signal transmitted from the command device 25. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0086] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing pairing settings of a communication system of a warm-water washing toilet seat according to a modified example of the present invention. In the above-described first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, a case has been described in which pairing is automatically performed when both the communication device 16 and the network device 20 are in the pairing mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as in a modified example shown in FIG. 10, when both the communication device 16 and the network device 20 are in the pairing mode, the setting device 27 may confirm whether or not to pair the communication device 16 and the network device 20 before pairing the communication device 16 and the network device 20. That is, the communication device 16 and the network device 20 may be paired after both the communication device 16 and the network device 20 transition to the pairing mode and the setting device 27 issues an instruction to permit pairing. This is the same in the second embodiment.

[0087] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, an example was described in which the control unit 13 of the device main body 11 detected the second state of the warm water washing toilet seat 10 and transmitted a pairing permission signal to the communication device 16. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the control unit 18 of the communication device 16 may detect the second state of the warm water washing toilet seat 10 and that the infrared receiving unit 15a has received a pairing command signal, and determine whether or not the control unit 18 should transition to pairing mode. This is similar to the second embodiment.

[0088] In the above-described first embodiment, the case has been described as an example in which the infrared receiver 15a of the device main body 11 receives a pairing command signal from the command device 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the infrared receiver 15a may be provided in the communication device 16. The same applies to the second embodiment.

[0089] In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the case where the external device 40 is a cloud server has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the control process performed by the external device 40 may be performed by the administrator terminal 50. That is, the administrator terminal 50 may have a control function for the external device 40. In other words, the administrator terminal 50 may directly manage the warm-water washing toilet seat 10. This also applies to the second embodiment.

[0090] The above describes the embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Regarding the above-mentioned embodiments, designs modified by a person skilled in the art as appropriate are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, dimensions, material, arrangement, etc. of each element of the warm water washing toilet seat communication system 1 are not limited to those exemplified, and can be modified as appropriate. In addition, each element of each of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined to the extent technically possible, and combinations of these are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they include the features of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 1 Communication system for warm water washing toilet seat, 10 Warm water washing toilet seat, 11 Device body, 11a Toilet seat, 11b Washing nozzle, 11c Lid, 12 Human body detection unit, 12a Sitting sensor, 12b Human body detection sensor, 13 Control unit, 14 Memory unit, 15 Communication unit, 15a Infrared receiving unit, 15b Transmission unit, 16 Communication device, 17 Communication unit, 17a Receiving unit, 17b Transmission unit, 18 Control unit, 19 Memory unit, 20 Network device, 21 Communication unit, 21a Receiving unit, 21b Transmission unit, 22 Control unit, 23 Memory unit, 25 Command device, 27 Setting device, 30, 35 Network, 40 External device, 50 Administrator terminal, 50a Mobile terminal, 50b PC terminal, 60 display unit, 70 operation device, 100 toilet bowl, 101 network system, TR toilet room

Claims

1. A network device connected to an external device via a network; A plurality of warm water washing toilet seats each having an infrared receiving unit for receiving an infrared signal and a communication device connected to the network device; a command device that transmits a pairing command signal for pairing the communication device and the network device to the infrared receiving unit by an infrared signal; Equipped with the communication device is capable of communicating with the network device; The warm water washing toilet seat is a first state in which the pairing is not permitted, and a second state in which the pairing is permitted and which is switched from the first state by a switching operation to the warm water washing toilet seat, when receiving the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device, if the warm water washing toilet seat is in the first state, the communication device is not transitioned to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device, When the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device is received and the warm water washing toilet seat is in the second state, the communication device is transitioned to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device; The warm water washing toilet seat communication system is characterized in that the warm water washing toilet seat does not accept the identification information of the network device in the first state and the second state, and when it transitions to the pairing mode, it enters a state in which it accepts the identification information of the network device.

2. The warm water washing toilet seat includes a human body detection unit that detects a human body, 2. The communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the second state is a state in which the human body detection unit detects a human body.

3. A network device connected to an external device via a network; A plurality of warm water washing toilet seats each having an infrared receiving unit for receiving an infrared signal and a communication device connected to the network device; a command device that transmits a pairing command signal for pairing the communication device and the network device to the infrared receiving unit by an infrared signal; Equipped with The warm water washing toilet seat is When the pairing command signal transmitted from the command device is received, the communication device may be transitioned to a pairing mode for pairing with the network device, The pairing mode continues for a predetermined time. A communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat, characterized in that when the multiple warm-water washing toilet seats are transitioned to pairing mode, the multiple warm-water washing toilet seats and the network device can be paired together by transitioning the network device to pairing mode within the specified time.

4. 4. The communication system for a warm-water washing toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the command device has an operation device for operating the warm-water washing toilet seat.

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