Water supply device and communication method for water supply device

Abstract

To provide a water supply device which can stably communicate with a management device, and can quickly cope with the occurrence of a trouble such as a disaster.SOLUTION: A water supply device 10 of the present invention having a pump unit 12 having a pump 13 and a motor 14 for driving the pump 13 comprises: a storage unit 27 for storing information related to the pump unit 12; a communication apparatus 25 for transmitting the information stored in the storage unit 27 via a moving-body communication circuit MN; a communication control unit 24 for controlling the communication apparatus 25; a power supply part 42 including a charging unit 43, and supplying power to each constitution of the water supply device 10; and a power stop detection unit 44 for detecting a stop of the supply of power. When the power stop detection unit 44 detects the stop of the supply of the power, the communication control unit 24 consumes the power remaining in the charging unit 43, and controls the communication apparatus 25 so as to transmit the information at random timing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water supply apparatus and a communication method for the water supply apparatus, and in particular to a water supply apparatus equipped with a communication device connected to a communication line, and a communication method for the water supply apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Water supply systems are widely used to supply water for use in apartment buildings, commercial facilities, factories, and the like. Water supply systems play an important role in providing a stable supply of water for daily life and industrial water for economic activity. For this reason, various sensors are attached to the water supply system to obtain information on its operating state and malfunctions, and the information obtained by the sensors is transmitted to a remote management device. This allows an operator of the management device to monitor the water supply system so that a stable operating state can be maintained, and to dispatch workers to replace parts and perform maintenance, etc. as necessary. In addition, by transmitting the information obtained by the sensors to a remote management device, the operator can quickly take appropriate measures to restore the system even if operation is temporarily suspended due to, for example, a power outage.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a water supply device and a communication device are connected by short-range wireless communication to transmit information about the operating status and malfunctions of the water supply device to a remote server. Examples of the communication device include an information terminal near the site where the water supply device is installed, or a mobile terminal carried by a worker, such as a PC, a tablet terminal, a smartphone, or a laptop terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-128751 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] By connecting a water supplying device to a wide area communication network such as the Internet, it is possible to transmit the operating status and fault information of the water supplying device to a remote management device. However, since water supplying devices play an important role in supplying water for daily life and industrial use, there is a demand for stable communications and the ability to quickly recover in the event of a natural disaster or other disaster.

[0006] In particular, when a disaster occurs, the communication lines are congested due to communications to confirm the safety of disaster victims, and the stability of communication decreases. This state in which communication performance decreases due to the congestion of the communication lines is called congestion. When a disaster occurs, congestion can cause communication failure between the water supply device and the management device, which can hinder a rapid response to the water supply device.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a water supply device and a communication method for a water supply device that enables more stable communication between the water supply device and a remote management device, thereby enabling a rapid response in the event of a disaster or other trouble. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The problem is solved by a water supplying device of the present invention, which is provided with a pump unit having a pump and an electric motor for driving the pump, and which comprises a memory unit for storing information relating to the pump unit, a communication unit for transmitting the information stored in the memory unit via a mobile communication line, a communication control unit for controlling the communication unit, a power supply unit having a charging unit and supplying power to each component of the water supplying device, a power stop detection unit for detecting a stop in the supply of power, and a life determination unit for measuring the capacity of the charging unit when power is cut off and determining the life of the charging unit based on the measurement result, and when the power stop detection unit detects a stop in the supply of power, the communication control unit controls the communication unit to consume the remaining power in the charging unit and transmit the information at random timing, and when the life determination unit determines that the charging unit has reached its life, the communication control unit transmits life reaching information indicating that the charging unit has reached its life upon completion of the life measurement process, or transmits the information after power is restored if the information cannot be transmitted upon completion of the life measurement process. the communication control unit has a pseudorandom number generator that generates pseudorandom numbers, and sets the random timing based on the pseudorandom numbers generated by the pseudorandom number generator; the communication control unit collects a system log, and uses the system log to generate the pseudorandom numbers with the pseudorandom number generator to set the random timing; and the information regarding the pump unit includes the system log including an event history of the water supplying device, and unique information including identification information that identifies the water supplying device. This is solved by:

[0009] During a power outage, i.e. when the power outage detection unit detects an interruption in the supply of power, information about the stopped water supply device is sent to a management device, etc., allowing the manager to know that the water supply device has stopped, and to take prompt action regarding the water supply device. However, since information is also sent from other water supply devices in the vicinity during a power outage, there is a risk of congestion occurring, in which multiple water supply devices send information at the same time, and it may not be possible to send information normally. According to the water supply device of the present invention, congestion on the communication lines is suppressed by the communication device transmitting information at random timing, and information can be transmitted reliably even when the power is cut off. In addition, a lifespan determination unit is provided that measures the capacity of the charging unit and determines its lifespan when the power is turned off, and the communication unit transmits lifespan end information when the charging unit reaches its lifespan, upon completion of the lifespan measurement process, or after power is restored if the information cannot be transmitted upon completion of the lifespan measurement process. By measuring the capacity of the charging unit, it is possible to set the timing for transmitting information based on, for example, the discharge time of the charging unit, and to determine when to replace the charging unit. In addition, by using pseudo-random numbers to set random timing, the timing of sending information becomes more variable. This reduces the number of water supply devices sending information at the same time, which suppresses congestion on communication lines, resulting in more stable communication. In addition, the system log is information unique to each water supply device and is updated each time an event occurs. By using the system log to generate pseudo-random numbers, variation occurs in the timing at which the water supply device transmits information to the management device. This reduces simultaneous communication between multiple water supply devices and suppresses congestion on communication lines, allowing for more stable communication.

[0010] In the water supply device, the charging section includes a smoothing capacitor and an electric double layer capacitor. ,also may be a secondary battery. Smoothing capacitor, electric double layer capacitor ,also By supplying power from a charging unit consisting of a secondary battery, information can be transmitted reliably even when the power is cut off.

[0011] In the water supply device, the charging unit is composed of a smoothing capacitor and an electric double layer capacitor, and the smoothing capacitor is used under normal circumstances, and when the power stop detection unit detects an interruption in the power supply, the smoothing capacitor is switched to the electric double layer capacitor. Normally, the power supply unit is equipped with a smoothing capacitor, but the discharge time that can be achieved with a smoothing capacitor is only a few hundred milliseconds, and terminals that start communication after a few hundred milliseconds or more experience a drop in power supply and have difficulty communicating. On the other hand, an electric double capacitor can store more charge than a smoothing capacitor, allowing communication times of several seconds or more. Therefore, by switching to an electric double capacitor when the power interruption detection unit detects an interruption in the power supply, it is possible to create a longer period of variation in the timing of transmitting information, which reduces congestion on communication lines and allows information to be transmitted more reliably.

[0012] Further, in the water supply device, The life determination unit is When power is restored measuring a charging time until a terminal voltage of the charging unit reaches a predetermined voltage; Based on the measurement results live part Lifespan Determine the following: The life determination unit live part When it is determined that the life of the communication device has been reached, control The department is The above It is advisable to transmit end of life information. Electric double layer capacitor etc., live parts The capacity of a battery drops significantly due to accumulated temperature. Therefore, the operating time is generally not guaranteed. live partThe temperature environment of the water supply equipment in which the device is installed varies depending on the installation environment. live part It is difficult to predict the lifespan of a capacitor. For this reason, conventionally, the capacitors were replaced with a margin of error relative to the rated voltage, or their lifespan was extended by derating, but this increases costs and requires extra space. revenge When electricity is turned on, live part A lifespan determination unit is provided to measure the capacity of the communication control The department is live part When the lifespan is reached, lifespan information is transmitted. live part By measuring the capacity of live part It is possible to determine when to replace the filter.

[0013] In the water supply device, the life determination unit is configured to determine the discharge current when the power is cut off. live part The discharge time required for the terminal voltage to reach a predetermined voltage is measured, and the life of the battery is determined based on the measured discharge time. Measuring discharge time for more accurate live part It is possible to grasp the lifespan of the

[0014] Further, in the water supply device, The communication control unit measures the quality of the communication line based on the number of communication packets received within a predetermined time or the communication time upon power recovery. It is recommended to 。

[0015] Also, The pseudo-random number generator generates the pseudo-random number by combining the system log and the unique information of the water supply apparatus. good 。

[0017] In addition, in the water supplying device, the communication control unit may control the communication unit so that when the water supplying device is started up when power is restored, the communication unit starts a communication connection at a random timing other than the random timing. Even when power is restored, random timing can cause variations in the timing of communication connections from multiple water supply devices to the management device, which can reduce congestion on the communication lines caused by multiple water supply devices simultaneously connecting to the management device, thereby achieving more stable communication.

[0018] In addition, in the water supply device, the other random timing may be composed of a first waiting time until the startup of a connection program for communication connection is completed, and a second waiting time until the communication connection is started by the communication connection program. By configuring the random timing to consist of a first waiting time and a second waiting time, connection can be initiated at a more random timing, making it possible to avoid congestion on communication lines caused by a large number of water supply devices connecting at the same time. In addition, since the minimum and maximum values ​​can be set separately for the first waiting time and the second waiting time, the "deviation width" can also be set in accordance with the communication line or operation.

[0019] The above-mentioned problem is solved by a communication method for a water supply device of the present invention, which includes a pump unit having a pump and an electric motor for driving the pump, a memory unit for storing information about the pump unit, a communication unit for transmitting the information stored in the memory unit via a mobile communication line, a communication control unit for controlling the communication unit, a power supply unit including a charging unit and supplying power, a power interruption detection unit for detecting an interruption in the supply of power, and a life determination unit for measuring the capacity of the charging unit when the power is interrupted and determining the life of the charging unit based on the measurement result, wherein the power interruption detection unit detects an interruption in the capacity of the charging unit when the power is interrupted and determines the life of the charging unit based on the measurement result, a step of detecting an interruption in the power supply; a step of the communication control unit consuming the power remaining in the charging unit and controlling the communication unit to transmit the information at random timing when the interruption in the power supply is detected; a step of the life determination unit determining the life of the charging unit; and a step of the communication control unit transmitting life reaching information indicating that the charging unit has reached its life at the completion of the life measurement process when the life determination unit determines that the charging unit has reached its life, or transmitting the information after power is restored if the information cannot be transmitted at the completion of the life measurement process. a step in which the communication control unit generates pseudo-random numbers using a pseudo-random number generator and sets the random timing based on the pseudo-random numbers generated by the pseudo-random number generator; a step in which the communication control unit collects a system log and uses the system log to generate the pseudo-random numbers using the pseudo-random number generator and sets the random timing; Have The information regarding the pump unit includes the system log including an event history of the water supply device, and unique information including identification information that identifies the water supply device. This is solved by:

[0020] When the power outage detection unit detects an interruption in power supply, the communication control unit controls the communication unit to transmit information at random timing, thereby reducing congestion on the communication line and enabling information to be transmitted more reliably. More stable communication will be achieved between the water supply equipment and the remote management device, enabling a quicker response in the event of a disaster or other problem. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the water supply device and communication method for the water supply device of the present invention, more stable communication is achieved between the water supply device and a remote management device, making it possible to respond quickly when a problem such as a disaster occurs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] A configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of a water supply device management system equipped with a water supply device and a management device. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of the water supply apparatus. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the flow of communication processing during a power outage. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of a first life measurement process. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of a connection process at the time of startup. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of a second life measurement process. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of a connection start wait process. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the concept of randomization at start-up. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a circuit of a power supply unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of a portion of the circuit. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the voltage state from when the power is turned on until when the power is turned off. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. FIG.

[0024] <<Water Supply Equipment Management System>> An overview of a water supply device management system 1 equipped with a water supply device 10 of this embodiment will be described. The water supply apparatus management system 1 is a system that is set to communicate at appropriate timing even when a natural disaster or other disaster occurs and communication lines are congested. By having the water supply apparatus 10 and the remote management device 50 communicate with each other at appropriate communication timing, a stable communication line is secured between the water supply apparatus 10 and the remote management device 50, enabling a rapid response to the water supply apparatus 10.

[0025] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a water supply apparatus management system 1. The water supply apparatus management system 1 is composed of a plurality of water supply apparatuses 10 and a management device 50 that collects information on the operating status and abnormalities of the water supply apparatuses 10 and centrally manages the water supply apparatuses 10. The management device 50 is, for example, a cloud server, and collects information on the operating status and abnormalities of each water supply device 10 from each water supply device 10, and consolidates and stores this information. The management device 50 may utilize the stored information on the water supply devices 10. The multiple water supply devices 10 and management device 50 are communicatively connected via a mobile communication line (mobile phone line) MN operated by a mobile communication operator (mobile phone carrier) and an Internet line IN, which is a wide area communication network.

[0026] The mobile communication line MN is compliant with the fourth generation mobile communication standard (LTE) and includes a plurality of base stations B, Mobility Management Equipment (MME) (not shown) and Service Gateway (SGW) (not shown) that perform communication control for signals received by base station B, and Packet Data Network Gateway (PDNG) (not shown) that acts as a gateway connecting to the Internet line IN. It may also include communication facilities and communication devices that are compliant with the third generation mobile communication standard or the fifth generation mobile communication standard.

[0027] 1 shows four water supply devices 10, the number of water supply devices 10 is not limited to four, and the management device 50 may centrally manage four or more water supply devices 10. Similarly, while FIG 1 shows mobile communication lines MN each operated by one mobile communication carrier, there may be two or more mobile communication lines each operated by two or more mobile communication carriers. Furthermore, a plurality of water supply devices 10 may communicate with the management device 50 by directly connecting to the Internet line IN via a wired connection, without going through the mobile communication line MN.

[0028] As described below, the water supply device 10 has a function of communicating with the management device 50 via a mobile communication line MN. In addition, when a power outage or other interruption occurs in the power supply, the water supply device 10 has a function of consuming the charge remaining in a capacitor of the power supply and transmitting information to the management device 50. In addition, the water supply device 10 automatically transmits information when a power outage occurs, but in order to avoid congestion caused by simultaneous access by multiple water supply devices 10, it is possible to delay the timing of communication by using a random wait time.

[0029] This allows the water supply apparatus 10 to avoid congestion while more reliably transmitting information to the management device 50. When a power outage occurs, the water supply apparatus 10 transmits to the management device 50, for example, information regarding the operating state, setting information, or abnormality at the time of the power outage, so that the manager can understand the state in which the water supply apparatus 10 stopped and can take prompt action regarding the water supply apparatus 10.

[0030] <<Outline of the water supply system>> The water supply device 10 of this embodiment is a device used for general water supply in an apartment building or a building. The water supply device 10 may be used for water supply for a simple water supply system, agricultural water, or industrial water, for example. In this embodiment, the water supply device 10 is used in a water tank system in which tap water supplied from a water pipe is temporarily stored in a water tank and then the water in the water tank is pumped up. However, this is only one example, and the water supply device 10 can also be used in a direct connection system in which the water supply device 10 is directly connected to a water pipe and directly pumps up the tap water supplied from the water pipe.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the water supply device 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the water supply device 10 has a base 11, a pump unit 12 installed on the base 11, a control unit 22 that controls the operation of the pump unit 12, and a control panel 16 that houses the control unit 22. The pump unit 12 is composed of two pump units (a first pump unit 12A and a second pump unit 12B) that are installed next to each other.

[0032] Each of the two pump units 12A and 12B is provided with a suction port 17 (first suction port 17A, second suction port 17B). The two pump units 12A and 12B have their respective discharge ports connected to each other by a junction pipe 18. The two pump units 12A and 12B increase the pressure of water sucked from a suction pipe connected to the suction port 17, merge the discharged water in the junction pipe 18, and discharge the discharged water from a merged discharge port 19 of the junction pipe 18. In addition, a pressure accumulator tank 20 is connected to the junction pipe 18 for maintaining the water pressure in the junction pipe 18 at a predetermined pressure.

[0033] Fig. 3 shows functional blocks of the water supply device 10. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the pump units 12A and 12B is provided with a pump 13 (first pump 13A, second pump 13B) that generates lift, and a motor 14 (electric motor: first motor 14A, second motor 14B) that transmits rotational power to the pump 13. In addition, each of the pump units 12A and 12B has a detector 15 (first detector 15A, second detector 15B) that detects the operating status of the pump units 12A and 12B.

[0034] Here, since the first pump unit 12A and the second pump unit 12B have the same configuration, in the following description, when there is no need to particularly distinguish between the first pump unit 12A and the second pump unit 12B, they will be simply described as "pump unit 12." The same is true for the pump 13, motor 14, detector 15, and suction port 17, which are components of the pump unit 12.

[0035] The control unit 22 can control the first pump unit 12A and the second pump unit 12B to operate alone or simultaneously in parallel. This allows the amount of water that can be supplied from the water supply apparatus 10 to be increased compared to the case of a single pump unit 12. By configuring the water supply apparatus 10 with multiple pump units 12A and 12B, the desired water supply performance can be achieved in a more compact manner and with high energy saving properties compared to the case of configuring the water supply apparatus 10 with a single large pump unit. The number of pump units 12 is not limited to two as long as the desired water supply performance can be obtained. The water supply device 10 may have three or more pump units 12, for example, six pump units 12. In this case, the control unit 22 can control the six pump units 12.

[0036] <Control panel> The control panel 16 is electrically connected to (the motor 14 of) the pump unit 12 and controls the pump unit 12. The control panel 16 controls the driving of the motor 14 of the pump unit 12 via an inverter 21 based on sensing signals from various sensors. A control unit 22 housed in the control panel 16 controls the rotation of the motor 14 according to the amount of water to be supplied, and the multiple pump units 12 operate independently or simultaneously in parallel to supply water. That is, the motor 14 converts electrical energy supplied from an inverter 21 housed inside the control panel 16 together with the control unit 22 into rotational power, and this rotational power rotates an impeller (not shown) disposed inside the pump 13. The rotational motion of the impeller applies centrifugal force to the water sucked in from the suction port 17 of the pump 13. This centrifugal force becomes lift, and the sucked water is discharged in an increased pressure state.

[0037] <Inverter> The inverter 21 is a device that supplies AC power of a predetermined frequency to the pump unit 12 (the motor 14 thereof). The inverter 21 receives an inverter control signal from the control unit 22 and operates in response to this inverter control signal. For example, the inverter 21 receives an inverter control signal equivalent to an operation stop signal or an operation start signal to stop or start operation. The inverter 21 receives an inverter control signal equivalent to a rotation control signal to control the rotation speed of the motor 14.

[0038] The inverter 21 has a converter circuit, a smoothing capacitor, and an inverter circuit (not shown). The converter circuit takes in AC power from an AC power source and converts the taken-in AC power into DC power by rectifying it. The smoothing capacitor smoothes the voltage of the DC power output by the converter circuit to make it DC power of a substantially constant voltage. The inverter circuit converts the DC power smoothed by the smoothing capacitor into AC power of a predetermined frequency according to an inverter control signal from the control panel 16 and supplies it to the motor 14.

[0039] <Motor> In this embodiment, the motor 14 is a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PM motor), but as long as it is capable of transmitting the necessary rotational power to the pump 13, the motor 14 may be, for example, an induction motor or an electromagnetic synchronous motor.

[0040] <Detector> The detector 15 is a type of sensor capable of detecting operational information of the water supply device 10, and includes a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, etc. The output of the detector 15 is used as information required for the control unit 22 to control the pump unit 12.

[0041] <Control Unit> The control unit 22 controls the operation of the pump unit 12 and determines the presence or absence of an abnormality based on signals acquired via an operation information acquisition unit 23, which will be described later. Specifically, the control unit 22 determines whether there is an abnormality in the pump unit 12 and an abnormality in the liquid level of the water tank, and stores the determination results in a history information storage unit 28 of the storage unit 27, which will be described later. Information regarding power outages and power restorations in the event of a disaster or the like, and information regarding communication failures detected by a communication control unit 24, which will be described later, are also stored in the history information storage unit 28.

[0042] The control unit 22 has a CPU, non-volatile memory, and volatile memory (not shown). The non-volatile memory stores in advance an OS (Operating System) program and a program for monitoring the operating state of the pump unit 12 and controlling the operation of the pump unit 12. The CPU loads these programs from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory and executes them sequentially.

[0043] The control unit 22 also has a power interruption detection unit 44 that receives a power interruption signal from the power supply unit 42 and detects that the power supply has been cut off, and a lifespan determination unit 45 that measures the capacitance of the electric double layer capacitor 43b mounted in the power supply unit 42 and determines its lifespan. The power interruption detection unit 44 and the lifespan determination unit 45 will be described in detail later.

[0044] The operation information acquisition unit 23 acquires, as operation information of the pump unit 12, various sensor signals output by the detector 15 of the pump unit 12 and operation information of the inverter 21. Furthermore, the operation information acquisition unit 23 acquires information regarding the liquid level of the water tank connected to the water supply device 10 and outputs this information to the control unit 22. The driving information acquisition unit 23 has an A / D converter, an LPF (low pass filter), and a BPF (band pass filter), and can convert an analog signal into a digital signal as necessary, remove noise in unnecessary frequency bands, and output a signal having desired frequency components.

[0045] <Storage section> The storage unit 27 is a non-volatile memory made up of a flash memory, and has a history information storage unit 28, a setting storage unit 29, a water supply apparatus identification information storage unit 31, and a waiting time storage unit 32.

[0046] The history information storage unit 28 stores history data related to abnormalities in the water supply apparatus 10 as information stored in the storage unit 27. The history data can include the date and time when the abnormality occurred, the type of abnormality, and the operating status of the pump unit 12 at the time when the abnormality occurred. As described above, the type of abnormality can include an abnormality in the pump unit 12, a liquid level abnormality in the water tank, a power supply abnormality including a power outage and a power restoration, and a communication abnormality. The operating status of the pump unit 12 may include the operating frequency of the inverter 21, the detection values ​​of the suction pressure sensor, the flow rate sensor, and the discharge pressure sensor output by the detector 15, and the accumulated operating time of the pump unit 12. In addition, the transmission of an "emergency stop notification" in the event of a disaster such as an earthquake, and a "suction pressure drop notification" in the event of a water pipe burst or the like may be stored as history data. As will be described later, the power supply unit 42 of the water supply device 10 is provided with an electric double layer capacitor 43b, and the determination results of the capacity and lifespan of this electric double layer capacitor 43b may also be stored as history data. This information is stored as a system log 41 in the history information storage unit 28.

[0047] The setting memory unit 29 stores setting information of the water supply device 10 as information stored in the memory unit 27. Specifically, the setting information includes the delivery date, installation date, and installation location of the water supply device 10, as well as the operating pressure setting value, acceleration time, and deceleration time, which are operating parameters of the water supply device 10.

[0048] The water supply apparatus identification information memory unit 31 stores information stored in the memory unit 27, including the product type and product model number of the water supply apparatus 10, and water supply apparatus identification information capable of identifying the water supply apparatus 10. Furthermore, in the case where the water supply apparatus 10 of this embodiment has multiple pump units 12A, 12B, the memory unit 31 stores pump unit identification information capable of identifying each of the first pump unit 12A and the second pump unit 12B.

[0049] The waiting time storage unit 32 stores a waiting time WT for a wait process executed when the communication device 25 performs communication. The waiting time WT will be described in detail later.

[0050] <Communication control unit and communication device> Next, the communication control unit 24 and the communicator 25 (the communication unit of the present invention) will be described. The communicator 25 is a communication device equipped with a SIM (Subscriber Identification Module) and capable of communicating via a mobile communication line (mobile phone line) MN operated by a mobile communication carrier. Specifically, the communicator 25 has an embedded SIM (eSIM) built-in, and can be equipped with a USIM (Universal Subscriber Identification Module) as an expansion card. The communicator 25 is an LTE-compliant communication modem capable of performing packet communication with a remote management device 50 via the mobile communication line MN.

[0051] The communication control unit 24 is serially connected to the communicator 25 and controls communication with the communicator 25. Specifically, the communication control unit 24 controls the communicator 25 to transmit history data of the water supply apparatus 10 stored in the history information storage unit 28 to the management device 50 together with the identification information stored in the water supply apparatus identification information storage unit 31 and the setting information stored in the setting storage unit 29. This allows the management device 50 to centrally manage information relating to abnormalities in multiple water supply apparatuses 10 together with the identification information of the water supply apparatuses 10. Note that the information transmitted by the communicator 25 may be only the history data, or may transmit only the identification information or the setting information in response to a request from the management device 50.

[0052] Like the control unit 22, the communication control unit 24 has a CPU, non-volatile memory, and volatile memory (not shown). The non-volatile memory stores an OS program, a program for setting random timing for communication by the communication device 25, and the like. The CPU loads these programs from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory and executes them sequentially.

[0053] An operator of management device 50 can check the setting information of water supplying device 10 and change the operating parameters of water supplying device 10 as necessary. Communication device 25 receives the operating parameters transmitted from management device 50 to water supplying device 10. Control unit 22 stores the operating parameters received by communication device 25 in setting memory unit 29 described above.

[0054] <Operation panel> The operation panel 26 can receive input operations from an operator and input setting information for the water supply apparatus 10. The operation panel 26 can also output and display information regarding the operating state and abnormalities of the water supply apparatus 10.

[0055] <Power supply section> The power supply unit 42 is a device that supplies power to each component of the water supply device 10 (control panel 16, pump unit 12, etc.). As described above, in the case of a power outage or the like causing a power outage, the communication device 25 of the water supply device 10 automatically transmits information in the water supply device 10 of this embodiment, but in order to avoid congestion caused by simultaneous access by multiple water supply devices 10, the communication timing is delayed using a random wait time. The longer the delay in communication timing to avoid congestion, the more preferable it is. Therefore, the power supply unit 42 of this embodiment is configured to be able to communicate for a longer period of time using the built-in charging unit 43, even after a power outage.

[0056] The configuration of the power supply unit 42 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10 to Fig. 12. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the circuit of the power supply unit 42, and Fig. 11 is a diagram showing another example of a part of the circuit. Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the voltage state from when the power is turned on to when the power is turned off.

[0057] The power supply unit 42 has a DC converter 61, a smoothing capacitor 43a, and a step-up / step-down power supply 66. During normal operation, the DC converter 61 converts AC from a commercial power supply into DC current, and the smoothing capacitor 43a smoothes the voltage of the DC power, thereby obtaining DC power of a substantially constant voltage (5 V shown in FIG. 12) flowing in the direction of arrow G on the path A. The DC power obtained by the smoothing capacitor 43a is stepped up and down by the step-up and step-down power supply 66, and is supplied as power having a voltage of 3.3 V through a path C to each component of the control panel 16 (the control unit 22, the communication control unit 24, etc.).

[0058] When the power is cut off, it is possible to supply power to each component by consuming the charge stored in the smoothing capacitor 43a. However, since the discharge time that can be realized by the smoothing capacitor 43a is about several hundred milliseconds, if the start time of communication becomes several hundred milliseconds or more, the voltage drops and the communicator 25 cannot communicate. In this embodiment, when the power supply is cut off, the smoothing capacitor 42a is switched to the electric double layer capacitor 43b, which can store a larger amount of charge, thereby ensuring a longer communication time (for example, several seconds or more) and enabling communication by the communicator 25.

[0059] 10, the power supply unit 42 further includes an electric double layer capacitor 43b and an ideal diode 64 provided on the path B. Charge is accumulated in the electric double layer capacitor 43b via a charging resistor 62. The electric double layer capacitor 43b is a capacitor that stores more electric charge than the smoothing capacitor 43a, and is also called a supercapacitor. Furthermore, when the voltage of VIN becomes higher than the voltage of VOUT, the two ideal diodes 64 connect VIN and VOUT. Therefore, when the power supply from the DC converter 61 is cut off, power is supplied from the electric double layer capacitor 43b in the direction of the arrow H on the path B. The DC power supplied from the electric double layer capacitor 43b is stepped up and down by the step-up and step-down power supply 66, and is supplied to each component of the control panel 16 as power having a voltage of 3.3V. Furthermore, in the event of a power outage, VIN and VOUT of the ideal diode 64 are connected, and at this time, ST of the ideal diode 64 becomes Hi (high level), and the fact that the power has been cut off is notified to the control unit 22 (the power outage detection unit 44 of the control unit 22) as a power outage notification signal via path D. In this embodiment, a power outage can be detected in this manner.

[0060] The ideal diode 64 provided in the power supply unit 42 is a FET SW, which eliminates the voltage drop between VIN and VOUT and eliminates power loss. The ideal diode 64 is an example, and if power loss is acceptable, a normal diode 64A may be used as shown in FIG.

[0061] The power supply unit 42 also includes two hysteresis comparators 65 (an upper limit voltage comparator 65A and a lower limit voltage comparator 65B) for measuring the capacitance of the electric double layer capacitor 43b. More specifically, when charging of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is completed, the upper limit voltage comparator 65A goes Low, and a charging completion signal is sent to the control unit 22 (the life determination unit 45 thereof). When the discharge of the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches a lower limit, the lower limit voltage comparator 65B goes Hi, and a discharge end signal is sent to the control unit 22 (the life determination unit 45 thereof) (see FIG. 12).

[0062] The life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b can be calculated from a function of voltage and temperature (details will be described later). However, since the temperature inside the water supply device 10 is not stable, it is difficult to predict the life using only a function. Therefore, in this embodiment, the actual capacity of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is measured by measuring the time (charging time CT) until charging of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is completed when power is restored, and the time (DT) until the charge of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is discharged to a lower limit value after the power is turned off. Then, when the actual capacity becomes lower than a predetermined value, it is determined that the life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b has been reached.

[0063] As described above, when the charging of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is completed and the upper limit voltage comparator 65A becomes Low, a charging completion signal is sent to the control unit 22 (life determination unit 45) via the path E. The life determination unit 45 of the control unit 22 calculates the charging time of the electric double layer capacitor 43b, obtains the capacity from the calculated charging time, and determines whether or not it has reached the end of its life. When the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches a lower limit (for example, 1.9 V in the graph of FIG. 12), the lower limit voltage comparator 65B becomes Hi and sends a discharge end signal to the life determination unit 45 of the control unit 22 via the path F. The life determination unit 45 calculates the discharge time (DT) of the electric double layer capacitor 43b based on the discharge end signal from the power supply unit 42, obtains the capacity, and determines whether or not it has reached the end of its life.

[0064] In the graph shown in Fig. 12, voltage B1 indicated by a thin line indicates the voltage of electric double layer capacitor 43b at the initial stage, and voltage B2 indicated by a thin dashed dot line indicates the voltage of electric double layer capacitor 43b when the capacity has decreased. When the capacity has decreased, the time CT2 until charging is completed is shorter than the time CT1 until charging is completed at the initial stage. Also, when the power is turned off, it can be seen that when the capacity has decreased, the discharge time DT2 until the lower limit value is reached is shorter than the discharge time DT1 at the initial stage.

[0065] A constant voltage diode 63 for controlling the charging voltage is provided between the electric double layer capacitor 43b and the ideal diode 64. The constant voltage diode 63 allows the electric double layer capacitor 43b to be used at a voltage lower than its rated charging voltage (5V), for example, 3.6V. The life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b can be extended by using it at a voltage lower than the rated voltage.

[0066] When the life determination unit 45 determines that the electric double layer capacitor 43b has reached the end of its life, the control unit 22 notifies the management device 50. The notification is made immediately after a power outage or when the power is restored. The notification may also be made during regular communication.

[0067] <Power outage detection section> In this embodiment, as described above, when the voltage of VIN is higher than the voltage of VOUT, a current flows through the ideal diode 64 connected to the electric double layer capacitor 43b of the power supply unit 42, and a power-off notification signal is sent to the control unit 22. The power-off detection unit 44 can detect an interruption in the supply of power by receiving the power-off notification signal. The method of detecting an interruption in the power supply is not limited to this, and for example, the power interruption detection unit 44 may detect that the power supply from the power supply unit 42 has been interrupted when the charge amount of the smoothing capacitor 43a falls below a predetermined threshold. The power interruption detection unit 44 can also calculate the charge amount of the smoothing capacitor 43a based on a detection signal from a voltmeter (not shown) connected to both ends of the smoothing capacitor 43a.

[0068] Furthermore, the power supply interruption may be detected by the power interruption detection unit 44 based on the logic level of the output signal of an operational amplifier for detecting low voltage that is provided downstream of the smoothing capacitor 43a in the power supply unit 42, i.e., on the side to which power is supplied. When the power interruption detection unit 44 detects an interruption in the supply of power by the power supply unit 42, it notifies the control unit 22 that the supply of power has been interrupted, and the control unit 22 instructs the communication control unit 24 to transmit information such as the history data and the water supply device identification information to the management device 50.

[0069] <Lifespan judgment section> As described above, the control unit 22 has a life determination unit 45 that determines the life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b. As described above, the power supply unit 42 of this embodiment is equipped with the electric double layer capacitor 43b, and when the power is turned off, the communication device 25 communicates by consuming the charge remaining in the electric double layer capacitor 43b. Therefore, it is necessary to know whether it is possible to store a sufficient charge in the electric double layer capacitor 43b, but the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor 43b may decrease significantly due to accumulated temperature. In particular, since the temperature environment inside the water supply device 10 varies depending on the installation environment, it is difficult to predict the life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b for each water supply device 10. Conventionally, capacitors have been replaced with a margin of error relative to the rated voltage, or their lifespan has been extended by derating, but this is costly and requires extra space to install a large-capacity capacitor.

[0070] Therefore, in this embodiment, the capacitance of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is measured when the power is turned off or restored. As described above, the capacitance of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is realized by measuring the discharge time DT or the charge time CT using the charge completion signal or the discharge lower limit signal from the hysteresis comparator 65 of the power supply unit 42. Then, the control unit 22 is configured to notify the management device 50 of life end information indicating that the electric double layer capacitor 43b has reached the end of its life when the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches the end of its life.

[0071] The relationship between the charge (Q) of the electric double layer capacitor 43b, the current (I), and time (T) is as follows, where C is the capacitance, and V is the voltage between the electrodes of the capacitor. Q = CV = ∫IdT As this relationship indicates, when the electric double layer capacitor 43b deteriorates and the capacitance (C) decreases, the discharge time DT when the power is turned off becomes shorter (see discharge times DT1 and DT2 in FIG. 12). Therefore, the time until the terminal voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches a voltage determined during discharge, for example, a lower limit value of 1.93 V, is measured, and if the time is a predetermined time, for example, 2 seconds or less, it is determined that the life has been reached, and life end information is stored in (the history information storage unit 28 of) the storage unit 27, which is a non-volatile memory. The communication control unit 24 transmits the life end information to the management device 50 when the life measurement process is completed or after power is restored.

[0072] Furthermore, when the electric double layer capacitor 43b deteriorates and its capacitance (C) decreases, the charging time when power is restored becomes shorter (see charging completion times CT1 and CT2 in FIG. 12). The time until the terminal voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches a voltage determined during charging, for example, 3.3 V, is measured, and if the time is a predetermined time, for example, 100 seconds or less, it is determined that the capacitor has reached the end of its life, and life end information is stored in the storage unit 27. The communication control unit 24 transmits the life end information to the management device 50 when the life measurement process is completed, or when a periodic communication process for transmitting information periodically during operation is performed.

[0073] <Communication during power outages> When the power interruption detection unit 44 detects an interruption in the power supply, i.e., an interruption in the power supply, the communication control unit 24 controls the communicator 25 to transmit information to the management device 50 at random timing. In this embodiment, when an interruption in the power supply is detected, the smoothing capacitor 43a of the power supply unit 42 is switched to the electric double layer capacitor 43b. The communication control unit 24 and the communicator 25 consume the charge remaining in the electric double layer capacitor 43b to transmit information, for example, identification data of the water supply device 10 and history data indicating the interruption in the power supply and the operating status, to the management device 50.

[0074] After the power supply is stopped due to a power outage or the like, the water supply apparatus 10 may become unable to communicate. However, reporting historical data indicating the power supply stoppage to the management device 50 immediately after the power supply stoppage is detected helps the management device 50 to estimate the operating state of the water supply apparatus 10 immediately before it became unable to communicate. The data on the operating status is material for estimating, for example, whether power could not be temporarily acquired due to a power outage or the like, or whether the control panel 16 was destroyed by a disaster such as an earthquake or fire. In addition, by combining the data on the operating status with power outage information or disaster information, etc. for the area where the water supply apparatus 10 is installed, the operating status of the water supply apparatus 10 can be more accurately estimated.

[0075] In addition, during a power outage, if multiple water supply devices 10 simultaneously send operating status data to the management device 50, there was a risk that the communication lines between the water supply devices 10 and the management device 50 would become congested, resulting in a decrease in communication quality. Therefore, when an interruption in the power supply is detected, the communication control unit 24 sets random timing and controls the communicator 25 to notify the management device 50 at the random timing. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in communication quality caused by multiple water supply devices 10 communicating with the management device 50 simultaneously, and to more reliably transmit information to the management device 50. The random timing may be set based on a generated random number. A detailed method for generating the random timing will be described later.

[0076] <Communication connection when power is restored> The communication control unit 24 controls the communication device 25 so as to connect to the management device 50 at random timing when the operation of the water supply device 10 is started upon power recovery. Conventionally, when power is restored after a power outage, multiple water supply devices 10 simultaneously initiate communication connections to the management device 50, which could result in congestion on the communication lines between the water supply devices 10 and the management device 50 and a decrease in communication quality. Therefore, even when operation is resumed when power is restored, the communication control unit 24 sets random timing, and thereby establishes communication connections with the management device 50 at random timing. Simultaneous communication connections from multiple water supply devices 10 to the management device 50 are suppressed, and a decrease in communication quality can be prevented. The random timing may be set based on a generated random number.

[0077] <How to generate random timing> Here, a method for generating the random timing will be described. The random timing is generated as the power-off waiting time WT, and the communication device 25 executes information transmission after the power-off waiting time WT has elapsed after the communication device 25 becomes capable of transmitting information. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 24 includes a pseudo-random number generator 40 that generates pseudo-random numbers, and the communication control unit 24 generates a waiting time WT when the power is turned off using the pseudo-random number generator 40. Specifically, the communication control unit 24 collects an entropy pool, and generates a waiting time WT when the power is turned off based on the collected entropy pool. The entropy pool is a collection of irregular and unpredictable event information acquired by the communication control unit 24. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 24 collects the entropy pool from a system log 41 acquired by the OS of the communication control unit 24.

[0078] More specifically, the system log 41 is data acquired by the OS installed in the CPU that executes the functions of the communication control unit 24. The system log 41 records information about various events that occur together with the start-up of the communication control unit 24. The system log 41 accumulates, for example, communication messages with the control unit 22 and the communicator 25, the start-up and end of the communication control unit 24, warning and error information acquired by the OS, and the like, together with the time of occurrence. Therefore, the system log 41 of the communication control unit 24 becomes event history data specific to each of the multiple water supply devices 10, and the contents are updated as events occur. Therefore, the communication control units 24 of the multiple water supply devices 10 can generate pseudo-random numbers based on their own unique entropy pool (a collection of irregular and unpredictable event information).

[0079] The waiting time WT when the power is turned off is generated by inputting an entropy pool, which is generated based on a system log 41 acquired by the OS of the communication control unit 24, to the pseudo-random number generator 40. In this embodiment, the system log 41 is recorded in the history information storage unit 28. The pseudorandom numbers output by the pseudorandom number generator 40 are random numbers with a predetermined maximum waiting time as an upper limit. The maximum waiting time WT during power off is preferably set between 1 and 3 seconds, and more preferably 2 seconds, taking into consideration the possible communication time using the charge remaining in the electric double layer capacitor 43b. This is just one example, and the setting of the maximum waiting time during power off may be changed depending on the performance of the installed electric double layer capacitor 43b.

[0080] Furthermore, when generating a pseudo-random number, the unique information of the water supply apparatus 10 may be combined with the above-mentioned system log 41. The unique information of the water supply apparatus 10 may include, for example, the identification information stored in the water supply apparatus identification information storage unit 31, the serial number of the control panel 16, the failure history of the water supply apparatus 10, and location information of the water supply apparatus 10. The method of generating pseudorandom numbers is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and may be a known pseudorandom number generation algorithm such as a linear congruential method.

[0081] In addition, in this embodiment, the pseudorandom number generator 40 is used to generate pseudorandom numbers by software, but the random numbers may be obtained by a physical method. For example, random noise is generated electrically, and the noise value at any time is converted into time to set random timing. Since the noise is generated electrically, even if the value is obtained periodically, it will be a random value. This random noise may be, for example, avalanche noise generated from the cathode side of a diode by applying a voltage to a constant voltage diode, so-called white noise, or pink noise passed through a -3 dB filter. White noise or pink noise is also used when measuring the frequency characteristics of a measuring device.

[0082] <Communication processing during power outage> The following describes the power outage communication process that is performed between the water supply device 10 and the management device 50 during a power outage. The power outage communication process includes an information transmission process that is performed during a power outage until information is transmitted to the management device 50, and a life measurement process that measures the life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b. First, the information transmission process performed during a power outage will be described below.

[0083] 4 shows the overall flow of the power failure communication process executed by the communication control unit 24 during a power failure of the water supply apparatus 10. The power failure communication process is a process executed when the control panel 16 of the water supply apparatus 10 transmits information to the management device 50 in the event of a sudden power outage due to a power failure or the like. In step S10, the power interruption detection unit 44 monitors the power status. Since a power interruption due to a power failure or the like is a sudden event, the power interruption detection unit 44 constantly monitors the power status while the water supply device 10 is operating. In step S11, a determination is made as to whether the power supply is interrupted, and if a power supply interruption is not detected (No in step S11), the power status continues to be monitored and the process returns to step S10. If a power supply interruption is detected (Yes in step S11), the smoothing capacitor 43a used in the power supply unit 42 is switched to the electric double layer capacitor 43b (step S12). The determination as to whether the power supply is interrupted is made based on, for example, a power interruption signal output from the ideal diode 64 of the power supply unit 42.

[0084] Next, the communication control unit 24 collects an entropy pool to generate a waiting time WT at random power off (step S13). Specifically, the communication control unit 24 acquires the system log 41 accumulated by the OS mounted on the CPU and recorded in the history information storage unit 28.

[0085] Next, the communication control unit 24 generates a waiting time WT when the power is turned off (step S14). In step S14, the communication control unit 24 generates the waiting time WT by inputting the entropy pool collected in step S13 to the pseudo-random number generator 40.

[0086] Next, the communication control unit 24 executes a wait process, that is, waits until the waiting time WT at the time of power off has elapsed (step S15). After the waiting time WT has elapsed, the communication control unit 24 transmits information to the management device 50 using the communication device 25 (step S16).

[0087] In the water supply device 10 of this embodiment, after the communication device 25 transmits the information, the capacitance of the installed electric double layer capacitor 43b is measured and it is determined whether or not it has reached the end of its life (first life measurement process: step S17).

[0088] <First life measurement process> The first life measurement process executed when the power is turned off will be described below with reference to Fig. 5. First, the life determination unit 45 measures the discharge time DT of the electric double layer capacitor 43b (step S20). The life determination unit 45 measures, for example, the discharge time DT until the terminal voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches a voltage determined during discharge, for example, 1.93 V (see Fig. 12). When the power supply unit 42 reaches the lower limit, it notifies the life determination unit 45 of the control unit 22 of a discharge lower limit signal of Hi.

[0089] Next, the life determination unit 45 compares the measured discharge time DT with a predetermined threshold DTH (e.g., 2 seconds) (step S21). If the discharge time DT is greater than the threshold DTH, it is determined that the life has not yet been reached (No in step S21), and the first life measurement process is terminated. If the measured discharge time DT is equal to or less than the threshold value DTH, it is determined that the life has been reached (Yes in step S21). The life determination unit 45 then stores the measurement result in the memory unit 27 as life reach information. If the communication device 25 is capable of transmitting information, it transmits the life reach information to the management device 50 (step S23). If it is not capable of transmitting, it only records the life reach information and ends the process. Then, after power is restored, the measurement result is transmitted when reconnected to the management device 50.

[0090] <Connection process at startup> Next, the communication connection process performed between the water supply apparatus 10 and the management apparatus 50 at the time of start-up will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 9. Figure 6 shows the overall flow of the communication connection process at the time of start-up. The communication connection process at startup is a process that is executed when the water supply apparatus 10 recovers due to the restoration of power after a power outage, for example, and establishes a communication connection with the management device 50. The communication connection process at startup is also a process that is executed when the water supply apparatus 10 is restarted and establishes a communication connection with the management device 50 after maintenance work on the water supply apparatus 10 is completed.

[0091] When power is restored, the water supply device 10 starts up the control unit 22 and the communication control unit 24 and performs a startup process (step S30) such as loading the OS. Next, a life measurement process (hereinafter, second life measurement process: step S31) is performed to measure the capacity of the electric double layer capacitor 43b when power is restored and determine the life. Thereafter, a connection start wait process (step S32) is performed to connect to the management device 50. After the connection to the management device 50 is completed (step S33), information is transmitted by the communication device 25 and the communication control unit 24 (step S34).

[0092] <Second life measurement process> The second life measurement process will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 7. First, the life determination unit 45 measures the charging time CT of the electric double layer capacitor 43b (step S40). For example, the life determination unit 45 measures the charging time CT until the terminal voltage of the electric double layer capacitor 43b reaches a voltage determined during charging, for example, 3.3V.

[0093] Next, the measured charging time CT is compared with a predetermined threshold CTH (e.g., 100 seconds) (step S41). If the charging time CT is greater than the threshold CTH, it is determined that the life has not yet been reached (No in step S41), and the second life measurement process is terminated. This predetermined threshold value CTH is set based on the initial capacitance of the installed electric double layer capacitor 43b, etc. If the measured charging time CT is equal to or less than the threshold value CTH, it is determined that the life has been reached (Yes in step S41). Thereafter, the life determination unit 45 stores the measurement result in the memory unit 27 as life reaching information (step S42). The stored life reaching information is transmitted after connection with the management device 50, that is, during the connection start wait process (step S32). The life reaching information may be transmitted when a periodic communication process is performed in which information is transmitted periodically while the water supply device 10 is in operation. The second life measurement process may be executed in parallel with the connection start wait process. That is, the connection start wait process may be executed while the electric double layer capacitor 43b is being charged.

[0094] <Connection start wait process> As shown in Fig. 6, the communication control unit 24 performs a connection start wait process (step S32) after or in parallel with the second life measurement process. Specifically, in order to prevent congestion caused by multiple water supply devices 10 simultaneously connecting to the management device 50, a process is performed to randomly delay the timing at which the communicator 25 of the water supply device 10 connects to the management device 50. That is, a random waiting time based on a random number is calculated, and after the waiting time has elapsed, a connection process to the management device 50 (step S33) is performed, and after the connection is completed, an information transmission process (step S34) is performed.

[0095] The concept of randomizing the connection timing is shown in Fig. 9. As shown in Fig. 9, two types of waiting time (a first waiting time WT1 and a second waiting time WT2) are set between the time when the communication control unit 24 is started and the time when the connection to the management device 50 is started.

[0096] <First waiting time WT1> The first waiting time WT1 is the time from when the communication control unit 24 is started to when the start of the connection program for connecting to the management device 50 is completed. In other words, it is the waiting time from when the connection program is loaded into memory to when the loading is completed. In this embodiment, a random time with a maximum waiting time of 60 seconds is set as the first waiting time WT1.

[0097] <Second waiting time WT2> The second waiting time WT2 is a waiting time from the end of the launch of the connection program to the actual start of connection processing to the management device 50. In other words, it is a time from the completion of loading of the connection program to the start of connection to the management device 50. In this embodiment, a random time with a maximum waiting time of 600 seconds (10 minutes) is set as the second waiting time WT2.

[0098] The first waiting time WT1 and the second waiting time WT2 are generated using the pseudorandom number generator 40, similar to the waiting time WT when the power is turned off. Specifically, the communication control unit 24 collects an entropy pool, and generates the first waiting time WT1 and the second waiting time WT2 based on the collected entropy pool. The communication control unit 24 collects the entropy pool from a system log 41 acquired by the OS of the communication control unit 24.

[0099] The maximum waiting time of the first waiting time WT1 should be set between 30 and 90 seconds, taking into consideration the startup time of the connection program, and is preferably set to 60 seconds. The maximum value of the second waiting time WT2 should be set, for example, taking into consideration the number of water supply devices 10 managed by the management device 50. In this embodiment, the maximum waiting time of the second waiting time WT2 is set to 600 seconds (10 minutes). This is just one example, and the setting of the maximum waiting time may be changed depending on the configuration of the water supply device management system 1.

[0100] 8 shows the flow of the connection start wait process executed by the communication control unit 24. The communication control unit 24 first collects an entropy pool (step S50). Specifically, the communication control unit 24 acquires the system log 41 accumulated by the OS mounted on the CPU and recorded in the history information storage unit 28.

[0101] Next, the communication control unit 24 generates a first waiting time WT1 (step S51). Then, the communication control unit 24 generates a second waiting time WT2 (step S52). For example, in steps S51 and S52, the communication control unit 24 generates the first waiting time WT1 and the second waiting time WT2 by inputting the entropy pool collected in step S50 to the pseudo-random number generator 40.

[0102] Next, the communication control unit 24 executes a first wait process (step S53). That is, the communication control unit 24 waits until the first waiting time WT1 generated in step S51 has elapsed since the communication control unit 24 was started. After the first waiting time WT1 has elapsed, the communication control unit 24 starts a connection program for connecting to the management device 50, specifically, loads the connection program from a non-volatile memory (not shown) to a volatile memory (step S54).

[0103] Then, the communication control unit 24 executes a second wait process (step S55), and after the second waiting time WT2 generated in step S52 has elapsed, ends the connection start wait process and continues to execute a connection process (step S33 in FIG. 6) to the management device 50. After the connection with the management device 50 is completed, the communication control unit 24 transmits information (step S34 in FIG. 6).

[0104] This connection start wait process delays the time from when the communication control unit 24 is started until the connection process with the management device 50 begins by using two random waiting times (a first waiting time WT1 and a second waiting time WT2). By setting a random waiting time in two stages, the degree of variation in the connection timing from the water supplying device 10 to the management device 50 becomes greater than when a random waiting time is set in one stage. This prevents multiple water supplying devices 10 from simultaneously establishing a communication connection to the management device 50, thereby preventing congestion caused by simultaneous connections. Furthermore, since the minimum and maximum values ​​can be set individually for the first waiting time WT1 and the second waiting time WT2, it is also possible to set the "deviation width" in accordance with the communication line or operation.

[0105] In this embodiment, a random waiting time is set in two stages before starting a connection, but this is just one example, and a random waiting time may be set in one stage, or either one of the first waiting time WT1 or the second waiting time WT2 may be set to a random waiting time before starting a connection with the management device 50. Furthermore, after the second waiting time WT2 in the second stage, a further random waiting time may be set before starting a connection with the management device 50.

[0106] <Connection process for management device> Next, the connection process (step S33) to the management device 50 in Fig. 6 will be described. The connection process to the management device 50 includes a process of connecting to a mobile communication line MN and a process of measuring the communication quality of the connected mobile communication line MN and the Internet line IN. Specifically, the communication control unit 24 measures the quality of the communication line based on the number of communication packets received from the management device 50 within a predetermined time or the communication time.

[0107] Conventionally, communication quality has been measured based on the received signal level of radio waves, that is, based on the radio waves transmitted by the base station B to which the communication device 25 is connected. However, even if a high signal level radio wave can be received from base station B, if the Internet line IN beyond base station B is in a congested state, the transmitted communication packet may be lost without reaching the other party (management device 50). Therefore, even when the measured radio wave reception signal level is high, normal communication with the management device 50 may not be possible. In this embodiment, in order to determine whether or not a connection is secure, the quality of the communication line is measured based on the number of communication packets received from the management device 50 or the communication time, rather than the received signal level of the wireless radio waves. By measuring the quality of the communication line by calculating the number of communication packets that actually reach the communication partner in a specified communication time, the reliability of the communication line can be improved.

[0108] After the connection process to the management device is performed, the communication control unit 24 transmits information to the management device 50. The transmitted information includes operation information of the pump unit 12 and history data on information relating to abnormalities in the water supply device 10 stored in the history information storage unit. If the life of the electric double layer capacitor 43b is detected in the second life measurement process (step S31), the transmitted information includes life end information.

[0109] After the water supply apparatus 10 and management device 50 are connected by the above-mentioned startup connection process, a periodic notification process may be performed to periodically transmit information. By the periodic notification process, the operating information, history data, and setting information are transmitted to the management device 50 together with the water supply apparatus identification information. The operator of the management device 50 can check the operating information, history data, and setting information for each water supply apparatus identification information, allowing centralized management of multiple water supply apparatuses 10.

[0110] Furthermore, if there is any abnormality in the historical data, the operator of the management device 50 can check the operating information and setting information received along with the historical data and determine whether or not the setting information needs to be changed. If it is necessary to change the setting information, new setting information is transmitted to the water supplying device 10. The water supplying device 10 receives the new setting information and changes the settings based on the received setting information. Because the operating information of the water supplying device can be checked on a regular basis, the operator of the management device 50 can take prompt action if an abnormality occurs in the water supplying device 10.

[0111] Although the embodiment and modifications of the present invention have been described above using the drawings, these are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and of course, the present invention includes equivalents thereof. In this embodiment, the charging unit 43 is composed of the smoothing capacitor 43a and the electric double layer capacitor 43b, but the charging unit 43 may be composed of only the smoothing capacitor 43a or only the electric double layer capacitor 43b. Also, the charging unit 43 may be composed of a primary battery or a rechargeable secondary battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 1. Water supply equipment management system 10 Water supply device 11 Foundation 12 Pump unit 12A First pump unit 12B Second pump unit 13. Pump 13A First Pump 13B Second Pump 14 Motor (electric motor) 14A First Motor 14B Second motor 15 Detector 15A First Detector 15B Second detector 16 Control Panel 17 Intake port 17A First Inlet 17B Second intake 18 Confluence pipe 19 Merging outlet 20 Accumulator tank 21 Inverter 22 Control section 23 Driving Information Acquisition Department 24 Communication control section 25 Communication device (communication section) 26 Operation Panel 27 Memory section 28 History information storage unit 29 Setting memory section 31 Water supply device identification information storage unit 32 Waiting time memory unit 40 Pseudorandom number generator 41 System Log 42 Power supply section 43 Live parts 43a smoothing capacitor 43b Electric double layer capacitor 44 Power outage detection unit 45 Life judgment section 50 Management device 61 DC converter 62 Charging resistance 63 Constant voltage diode 64 Ideal Diode 65 Hysteresis Comparator 65A Upper Limit Voltage Comparator 65B Lower Limit Voltage Comparator 66 Buck-boost power supply WT Waiting Time WT1 First Waiting Time WT2 Second Waiting Time CT, CT1, CT2 charging time DT, DT1, DT2 discharge time B base station IN Internet line MN Mobile communication line

Claims

1. A water supply device including a pump unit having a pump and an electric motor for driving the pump, A storage unit that stores information about the pump unit; a communication unit that transmits the information stored in the storage unit via a mobile communication line; A communication control unit that controls the communication unit; A power supply unit having a charging unit and supplying power to each component of the water supply device; a power interruption detection unit that detects an interruption in the supply of power; a life determination unit that measures a capacity of the charging unit when a power source is turned off and determines a life of the charging unit based on a measurement result, When the power interruption detection unit detects an interruption in the supply of power, the communication control unit controls the communication unit to consume the remaining power in the charging unit and transmit the information at random timing; When the life determination unit determines that the charging unit has reached the end of its life, the communication control unit transmits life arrival information indicating that the charging unit has reached its life upon completion of a life measurement process, or, if the information cannot be transmitted upon completion of the life measurement process, transmits the information after power is restored; the communication control unit has a pseudorandom number generator that generates pseudorandom numbers, and sets the random timing based on the pseudorandom numbers generated by the pseudorandom number generator; the communication control unit collects a system log, and uses the system log to generate the pseudo-random numbers with the pseudo-random number generator to set the random timing; A water supplying apparatus, characterized in that the information regarding the pump unit includes the system log including an event history of the water supplying apparatus, and unique information including identification information for identifying the water supplying apparatus.

2. 2. The water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the charging unit is a smoothing capacitor, an electric double layer capacitor, or a secondary battery.

3. The water supply device described in claim 1, characterized in that the charging unit is composed of a smoothing capacitor and an electric double layer capacitor, the smoothing capacitor is used under normal circumstances, and when the power supply stop detection unit detects an interruption in the power supply, the smoothing capacitor is switched to the electric double layer capacitor.

4. the life determination unit measures a charging time until a terminal voltage of the charging unit reaches a predetermined voltage when power is restored, and determines a life of the charging unit based on a measurement result; The water supply device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the life determination unit determines that the charging unit has reached the end of its life, the communication control unit transmits the life reaching information.

5. The water supply device described in claim 1, characterized in that the life determination unit measures the discharge time until the terminal voltage of the charging unit being discharged reaches a predetermined voltage when the power is turned off, and determines the life based on the measured discharge time.

6. 2. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication control unit measures the quality of the communication line based on the number of communication packets received within a predetermined time or the communication time when power is restored.

7. A water supply device described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the pseudo-random number generator generates the pseudo-random number by combining the system log and the unique information of the water supply device.

8. A water supplying device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that when the water supplying device is started up when power is restored, the communication control unit controls the communication unit so that the communication unit starts a communication connection at a random timing other than the random timing.

9. The water supply device as described in claim 8, characterized in that the other random timing is composed of a first waiting time until the startup of a connection program for communication connection is completed, and a second waiting time until the communication connection is started by the communication connection program.

10. A pump unit having a pump and an electric motor for driving the pump; A storage unit that stores information about the pump unit; a communication unit that transmits the information stored in the storage unit via a mobile communication line; A communication control unit that controls the communication unit; A power supply unit including a charging unit and supplying power; a power interruption detection unit that detects an interruption in the supply of power; A communication method for a water supply device comprising: a life determination unit that measures the capacity of the charging unit when the power is turned off and determines the life of the charging unit based on the measurement result, a step of the power interruption detection unit detecting an interruption in the supply of power; When the power supply interruption is detected, the communication control unit controls the communication unit to consume the remaining power in the charging unit and transmit the information at random timing; a step of the life determination unit determining a life of the charging unit; When the life determination unit determines that the charging unit has reached the end of its life, the communication control unit transmits life reaching information indicating that the charging unit has reached the end of its life when a life measurement process is completed, or transmits the information after power is restored if the communication control unit cannot transmit the information when the life measurement process is completed; a step of the communication control unit generating a pseudorandom number using a pseudorandom number generator and setting the random timing based on the pseudorandom number generated by the pseudorandom number generator; The communication control unit collects a system log, and generates the pseudorandom numbers by the pseudorandom number generator using the system log to set the random timing, A communication method for a water supplying apparatus, characterized in that the information regarding the pump unit includes the system log including an event history of the water supplying apparatus, and unique information including identification information that identifies the water supplying apparatus.

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