Toilet remote control device and application program

Abstract

To provide a remote control device for a toilet that can immediately remotely control a toilet by a judgment of a person who intends to remotely control the toilet even when the toilet is in use.SOLUTION: A smartphone 30 remotely controls settings of a plurality of toilet bowls 10 via a network 50. When the toilet bowl 10 to be remotely controlled is in use, the smartphone 30 displays a first selection screen 315 including first information for selecting whether to perform setting by remote control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a remote control device for a toilet and an application program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional remote control device for a toilet. This remote control device for a toilet remotely controls a toilet via a network. The toilet includes a human body detection unit, a reception unit, and a control unit. When the human body detection unit of this toilet detects a human body, the control unit of the toilet determines that the toilet is in use and prohibits control based on a signal transmitted from the remote control device for the toilet and received by the reception unit. Therefore, a person who attempts to remotely control this toilet using the remote control device for the toilet cannot remotely control it when the toilet is in use, and can only remotely control it when it is not in use.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The remote control device for a toilet of Patent Document 1 cannot remotely control a toilet in use. Therefore, there is a possibility that a person who attempts to remotely control a toilet using this remote control device for a toilet may not be able to immediately remotely control the toilet when remotely controlling it.

[0005] An object to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide a remote control device for a toilet that can be immediately remotely controlled according to the determination of a person attempting to remotely control it even when the toilet is in use.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The remote operation device for a toilet according to the present disclosure is a remote operation device for remotely operating the settings of a plurality of toilets via a network. When the toilet to be remotely operated is in use, it outputs, to the user, first information for allowing the user to select whether to perform a setting by remote operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Embodiments 1 to 3 embodying the remote operation device for a toilet and the application program according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0009] <Embodiment 1> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the smartphone 30 that functions as the remote operation device for the toilet in Embodiment 1 can remotely operate the settings of a plurality of toilets 10 installed in a plurality of toilet rooms in office buildings, commercial facilities, etc. via the network 50. The smartphone 30 has an application program installed for remotely operating the plurality of toilets 10. An administrator of an office building, a commercial facility, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "administrator") can start the application program installed in the smartphone 30 and remotely operate the settings of the plurality of toilets 10 installed in each toilet room. The administrator corresponds to the user of the remote operation device for the toilet. When the application program is installed in the smartphone 30, an icon for toilet operation is displayed on the home screen. The application program is started when the icon for toilet operation displayed on the home screen of the smartphone 30 is touched.

[0010] The network 50 is composed of the Internet 51, a mobile phone line network 53, a LAN (Local Area Network) 55 of an office building, a commercial facility, etc. Each toilet room is provided on each floor of an office building, a commercial facility, etc. Each toilet 10 is connected to the network 50 via a wireless router 57 provided in each toilet room. When connecting each toilet 10 to the wireless router 57, the administrator performs a pairing operation using a remote controller 70 described later. Each toilet 10 is installed one by one in a plurality of toilet booths provided in each toilet room.

[0011] Each toilet 10 includes a toilet body, a toilet flushing device, a toilet seat device, a local flushing device, a running water sound reproduction device, and a deodorizing device. The toilet flushing device can change the set value of the amount of flushing water used for one toilet flushing and the set value of the flushing start time. The toilet seat device can change the set value of the temperature of the toilet seat. The local flushing device can change the set value of the flushing strength and the set value of the temperature of the local flushing water. The running water sound reproduction device can change the set value of the reproduction volume of the running water sound.

[0012] The toilet seat device and the local cleaning device are equipped with a power-saving function that reduces the temperature of the toilet seat and the temperature of the local cleaning water to suppress power consumption, and it is possible to set whether or not to execute the power-saving function. The toilet cleaning device is equipped with an automatic toilet cleaning function that automatically performs toilet cleaning when the user stands up from the toilet seat, and it is possible to set whether or not to execute the automatic toilet cleaning function. The running water sound reproduction device is equipped with an automatic reproduction function in which the running water sound automatically plays when the user sits on the toilet seat and stops when the user stands up from the toilet seat, and it is possible to set whether or not to execute the automatic reproduction function.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, each toilet 10 has a control unit 11, a storage unit 13, a transmission / reception unit 15, a reception unit 17, and a human body detection unit 19. The human body detection unit 19 detects a user sitting on the toilet seat attached to the toilet 10. When the human body detection unit 19 detects a user, the control unit 11 determines that the toilet 10 is in use, and transmits information indicating that it is in use from the transmission / reception unit 15 to the smartphone 30 in which the application program is activated via the network 50. The control unit 11 transmits a signal corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and a signal corresponding to the set temperature of the local cleaning water stored in the storage unit 13 from the transmission / reception unit 15 to the smartphone 30 in which the application program is activated via the network 50.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each toilet 10 is equipped with a remote controller 70 provided in each installed toilet booth. The remote controller 70 is used by the user of the toilet 10 or the like when operating each device provided in the toilet 10 installed in the same toilet booth. As shown in FIG. 2, the remote controller 70 has a control unit 71, a storage unit 73, and a transmission unit 75.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 3, the remote controller 70 has two operation buttons 710 and 711 for operating the toilet cleaning device. These two operation buttons 710 and 711 are a large cleaning button 710 for performing toilet cleaning during defecation and a small cleaning button 711 for performing toilet cleaning during urination. When the large cleaning button 710 or the small cleaning button 711 is pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a drive signal corresponding to each operation button 710 and 711. The toilet 10 causes the toilet cleaning device to perform toilet cleaning according to the drive signal received by the receiving unit 17.

[0016] The remote controller 70 has five operation buttons 720, 721, 722, and 723 for operating the local cleaning device. These five operation buttons 720, 721, 722, and 723 are an anus cleaning button 720 for performing anus cleaning, a bidet button 721 for performing female local cleaning, a stop button 722 for stopping these cleanings, and a pair of adjustment buttons 723 for adjusting the cleaning strength. When the anus cleaning button 720, the bidet button 721, or the stop button 722 is pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a drive signal corresponding to each operation button 720, 721, and 722. The toilet 10 causes the local cleaning device to perform local cleaning or stop according to the drive signal received by the receiving unit 17. When the pair of adjustment buttons 723 is pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a setting signal corresponding to each adjustment button 723. The control unit 11 of the toilet 10 sets the cleaning strength according to the setting signal transmitted from the transmission unit 75 of the remote controller 70 and received by the receiving unit 17 of the toilet 10, and stores the set cleaning strength in the storage unit 13 described later as setting information.

[0017] The remote controller 70 has three operation buttons 730 and 731 for operating the running water sound reproducing device. These three operation buttons 730 and 731 are a running water sound button 730 for starting and stopping the reproduction of the running water sound, and a pair of volume adjustment buttons 731 for adjusting the reproduction volume of the running water sound. When the running water sound button 730 is pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a drive signal. The toilet bowl 10 starts or stops the reproduction of the running water sound according to the drive signal received by the reception unit 17. When a pair of volume adjustment buttons 731 are pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a setting signal corresponding to each volume adjustment button 731. The control unit 11 of the toilet bowl 10 sets the volume according to the setting signal transmitted from the transmission unit 75 of the remote controller 70 and received by the reception unit 17 of the toilet bowl 10, and stores the set volume in the storage unit 13 as setting information.

[0018] The remote controller 70 has a toilet seat button 740 for setting the temperature of the toilet seat and a warm water button 750 for setting the temperature of the local washing water. The remote controller 70 enters the administrator mode when two specific buttons are pressed simultaneously. Since the toilet seat button 740 and the warm water button 750 function only when the remote controller 70 is in the administrator mode, only the administrator can operate them, and the user of the toilet bowl 10 cannot operate them. Each time the toilet seat button 740 and the warm water button 750 are pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 sequentially switches four temperature levels and switches the lighting states of three display lamps 760 arranged above each button 740 and 750. When the toilet seat button 740 and the warm water button 750 are pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a setting signal corresponding to each button 740 and 750. The control unit 11 of the toilet bowl 10 sets the temperature of the toilet seat and the temperature of the local washing water according to the setting signal transmitted from the transmission unit 75 of the remote controller 70 and received by the reception unit 17 of the toilet bowl 10, and stores the set temperature in the storage unit 13 as setting information.

[0019] The remote controller 70 has a power-saving on / off button 770 for setting whether to execute the power-saving function of the toilet seat device and the local cleaning device. Since the power-saving on / off button 770 functions only when the remote controller 70 is in the administrator mode, only the administrator can operate it, and the user of the toilet 10 cannot operate it. When the power-saving on / off button 770 is pressed, the control unit 71 of the remote controller 70 causes the transmission unit 75 to transmit a setting signal that is either a signal for executing the power-saving function or a signal for stopping the power-saving function. The control unit 11 of the toilet 10 executes or stops the power-saving function according to the setting signal transmitted from the transmission unit 75 of the remote controller 70 and received by the reception unit 17 of the toilet 10, and stores the state of the power-saving function after setting in the storage unit 13 as setting information.

[0020] When the remote controller 70 is in the administrator mode, it can set, by operating each operation button, the amount of washing water used for one toilet cleaning, the cleaning start time in the automatic toilet cleaning function, whether to execute the automatic toilet cleaning function, whether to execute the automatic playback function of the running water sound playback device, and whether to execute the power-saving function.

[0021] The smartphone 30 includes a communication unit (not shown) and a display as an output unit. When the application program is started, as shown in FIG. 4, a batch control screen 310 is displayed on the display. The batch control screen 310 has a first screen 311, a second screen 312, and a third screen 313. The first screen 311 contains third information for selecting the toilet 10 to be remotely operated. The first screen 311 is arranged at the vertical center from the upper part of the batch control screen 310. The second screen 312 extends downward from the lower end of the first screen 311 and is arranged on the lower end side of the batch control screen 310. The third screen 313 is below the second screen 312 and is arranged at the lower end of the batch control screen 310.

[0022] The first screen 311 displays a plurality of pictograms 311A showing the silhouette of the toilet 10. These pictograms 311A correspond to each toilet 10 installed in a toilet room in an office building, commercial facility, etc. The first screen 311 displays information indicating the installation location of the toilet 10 on the right side of the pictogram 311A indicating each toilet 10. The information indicating the installation location of the toilet 10 is the building name such as an office building or commercial facility, the floor number where the toilet room is provided, a display indicating whether it is a men's toilet room or a women's toilet room, and the toilet booth number. The first screen 311 has a temperature display section 311B indicating the set temperature of the toilet seat and a temperature display section 311C indicating the set temperature of the local washing water arranged side by side on the right side of the pictogram 311A indicating each toilet 10 and below the information indicating the installation location. Each of the temperature display sections 311B and 311C displays the set temperature in four levels. The set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water shown for each toilet 10 are displayed based on a signal corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat transmitted from each toilet 10 to the smartphone 30 via the network 50 and a signal corresponding to the set temperature of the local washing water.

[0023] The first screen 311 displays check boxes 311D below each pictogram 311A. The first screen 311 also displays a display 311E indicating the floor number of an office building, commercial facility, etc. where a plurality of toilets 10 are installed, and a check box 311F is displayed to the left of this display 311E. Each of the check boxes 311D and 311F repeats the display and non-display of a check mark each time the portion where the pictogram 311A is displayed and the portion where the display 311E indicating the floor number are touched. As a result, the administrator can confirm whether the corresponding toilet 10 and floor are selected. When the administrator touches the portion where the display 311E indicating the floor number is located and a check mark is displayed in the check box 311F displayed to the left of the display 311E indicating the floor number, putting it in a selected state, it means that all the toilets 10 installed on the selected floor have been selected. The first screen 311 displays all the toilets 10 installed in the toilet rooms provided on each floor by scrolling in the vertical direction. The first screen 311 displays a window 314 that can be touched to select all toilets 10 and deselect them.

[0024] The second screen 312 displays "Seat Temperature" and "Warm Water Temperature", and the characters "Off", "Low", "Medium", and "High" are displayed on the right side of each display. "Seat Temperature" is the set temperature of the toilet seat. "Warm Water Temperature" is the set temperature of the local washing water. The set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water are divided into four levels. When the portion where the characters "Off", "Low", "Medium", and "High" are displayed on the second screen 312 is touched, the set temperature corresponding to the character displayed in the touched portion is selected.

[0025] On the third screen 313, a cancel button 313A and an OK button 313B are displayed. The cancel button 313A and the OK button 313B become touch-operable when the toilet 10 to be set is selected on the first screen 311 and the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water are selected on the second screen 312. When the cancel button 313A is touch-operated, the smartphone 30 cancels the selection of the toilet 10 on the first screen 311 and cancels the selection of the set temperature on the second screen 312.

[0026] When the OK button 313B is touch-operated, if all of the toilets 10 selected on the first screen 311 are not in use, the smartphone 30 transmits, via the network 50, setting signals corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water selected on the second screen 312 to all of the toilets 10 selected by the communication unit. The case where the toilet 10 is not in use means that the human detection unit 19 of the toilet 10 has not detected a user and no information indicating that it is in use has been transmitted from the toilet 10. The control unit 11 of the toilet 10 sets the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water based on the setting signals corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water transmitted from the communication unit of the smartphone 30 and received by the transceiver 15, and stores these set temperatures in the storage unit 13. In this way, the administrator can remotely set the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water for all of the toilets 10 selected using the smartphone 30.

[0027] When the OK button 313B is touch-operated and at least one of the toilets 10 selected on the first screen 311 is in use, as shown in FIG. 5, the smartphone 30 displays, superimposed on the upper side of the batch control screen 310, a first selection screen 315 including first information for selecting whether to perform remote operation setting. The case where the toilet 10 is in use means that the human detection unit 19 of the toilet 10 has detected a user, information indicating that it is in use has been transmitted from the toilet 10, and the smartphone 30 has acquired that information.

[0028] When the part where "Yes" is displayed on the first selection screen 315 is touched, the smartphone 30 transmits, via the network 50, setting signals corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water selected on the second screen 312 to all the toilets 10 selected from the communication unit. The control unit 11 of each toilet 10 sets the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water based on the setting signals corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water transmitted from the smartphone 30 and received by the transceiver 15, and stores these set temperatures in the storage unit 13. In this way, even when the toilet 10 is in use, the administrator can remotely set the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water for all the selected toilets 10 using the smartphone 30 according to the administrator's judgment. In this case, by notifying the user of the toilet 10 of the change in the setting by voice, display, etc., the discomfort of the user of the toilet 10 can be reduced.

[0029] When the part where "No" is displayed on the first selection screen 315 is touched, the smartphone 30, as shown in FIG. 6, displays, on the upper side of the batch control screen 310, a second selection screen 316 including second information for allowing the user to select whether to perform a remote operation setting after one hour instead of the first selection screen 315.

[0030] When the part where "After 1 hour" is displayed on the second selection screen 316 is touched, the smartphone 30 makes the second selection screen 316 disappear and, by means of the notification function of the application program, executes a notification prompting a remote operation setting after one hour has elapsed. When the part where "Do not" is displayed on the second selection screen 316 is touched, the smartphone 30 makes the second selection screen 316 disappear and displays the batch control screen 310.

[0031] As described above, the smartphone 30 of Embodiment 1 remotely operates the settings of a plurality of toilets 10 via the network 50. When the toilet 10 to be remotely operated is in use, this smartphone 30 displays a first selection screen 315 including first information for allowing selection of whether to perform a setting by remote operation.

[0032] The application program of Embodiment 1 includes a communication unit and an output unit, and is for causing a smartphone 30 that remotely operates the settings of a plurality of toilets 10 via the network 50 to execute. When this application program acquires information indicating that the toilet 10 to be remotely operated is in use via the communication unit, it is for causing a first selection screen 315 including first information for allowing selection of whether to perform a setting by remote operation to be displayed on the display.

[0033] When the installed application program of this smartphone 30 is activated by an administrator, the smartphone 30 functions as a remote operation device for a toilet. If the administrator selects to perform a setting by remote operation on the first selection screen 315, even if the toilet 10 to be set is in use, the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water can be set by remote operation. Thus, the smartphone 30 of Embodiment 1 can immediately perform a setting by remote operation according to the judgment of the administrator even if the toilet 10 is in use.

[0034] When the application program of Embodiment 1 is installed and the smartphone 30 functions as a remote operation device for a toilet, if a selection not to perform a setting by remote operation is made on the first selection screen 315, a second selection screen 316 including second information for allowing selection of whether to perform a setting by remote operation after one hour has passed is displayed. On this second selection screen 316, this smartphone 30 can select to perform a remote operation after one hour has passed. Therefore, if the administrator does not immediately perform a setting when the toilet 10 is in use, the administrator can be prompted to perform a remote operation by using the notification function after one hour has passed.

[0035] In Embodiment 1, the smartphone 30 displays, on the batch control screen 310, a first screen 311 including third information for selecting the toilet 10 to be remotely controlled. This smartphone 30 can be selected by the administrator to select the toilet 10 to be set.

[0036] The smartphone 30 installed with this application program starts the application program and functions as a remote control device for the toilet. On the first selection screen 315, if the administrator selects to make a remote control setting, even if the toilet 10 to be set is in use, the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water can be set by remote control.

[0037] <Embodiment 2> The smartphone 30 functioning as a remote device for the toilet in Embodiment 2 is different from Embodiment 1 in that, as shown in FIG. 7, it displays a fourth selection screen 317 including fourth information for selecting whether to set only the toilets 10 that are not in use. The same components as in Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0038] When the part where "No" is displayed on the first selection screen 315 is touched on this smartphone 30, the fourth selection screen 317 is displayed overlaid on the upper side of the batch control screen 310 in place of the first selection screen 315.

[0039] When a portion where "Yes" is displayed on the fourth selection screen 317 is touched, the smartphone 30 transmits, from the communication unit, setting signals corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water, respectively, to the non-in-use toilet 10 selected from the toilets 10 selected on the first screen 311 via the network 50. The control unit 11 of the non-in-use toilet 10 receives, at the transceiver 15, the setting signals corresponding to the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water transmitted from the smartphone 30, and based on these setting signals, sets the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water, and stores these set temperatures in the storage unit 13. In this way, the administrator can use the smartphone 30 to remotely set the set temperature of the toilet seat and the set temperature of the local washing water for the non-in-use toilets 10 selected from the selected toilets 10. When a portion where "No" is displayed on the fourth selection screen 317 is touched, the smartphone 30 makes the fourth selection screen 317 disappear and displays the batch control screen 310.

[0040] As described above, the smartphone 30 of the second embodiment displays the fourth selection screen 317 including the fourth information for selecting whether to set only the non-in-use toilets 10. For this reason, this smartphone 30 can easily select the non-in-use toilets 10, and can remotely set each set temperature only for the non-in-use toilets 10.

[0041] <Embodiment 3> As shown in FIG. 8, the smartphone 30 functioning as the remote device for the toilet of the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that when the second screen 312 is scrolled downward, characters such as "toilet washing water volume", "automatic washing", and "power saving mode" and check boxes 312A are displayed to the left of each character. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0042] While scrolling the second screen 312 downward so that the characters of "Toilet flushing water volume", "Automatic cleaning", and "Power saving mode", and the check boxes 312A to the left of these characters are displayed, each time a part where each character is displayed is touched, the display and non-display of the check mark are repeated in the check box 312A to the left of the touched character. Thus, the administrator can confirm which item is selected. When the OK button 313B displayed on the third screen 313 is touched in a state where any one of the parts where the characters of "Toilet flushing water volume", "Automatic cleaning", and "Power saving mode" are displayed is touched and selected, as shown in FIG. 9, the setting item screen 320 is displayed.

[0043] On the setting item screen 320, the characters of "Toilet flushing water volume", "Automatic cleaning", and "Power saving mode" are displayed in order from the top. Below the character of "Toilet flushing water volume", the characters of "8L" and "6L" indicating three types of water volumes, and check boxes 320A are displayed to the left of the characters indicating each water volume. Each time a part where the characters indicating the three types of water volumes are displayed is touched, the display and non-display of the check mark are repeated in the check box 320A to the left of that character. Thus, the administrator can confirm the selected toilet flushing water volume.

[0044] Below the display of the character of "Automatic cleaning", the characters of "On" and "Off", and check boxes 320B are displayed to the left of these characters. Each time any one of the parts where each character is displayed is touched, the display and non-display of the check mark are repeated in the check box 320B to the left of that character. Thus, the administrator can confirm whether any one of allowing or not allowing the automatic toilet cleaning function to be executed is selected.

[0045] Below the character "ON" and above the character "OFF", there are the characters "Start Time", and below it, the characters "6 seconds later", "10 seconds later", "15 seconds later" indicating three types of time, and check box 320C is displayed to the left of each character indicating time. When touching the part where the character "ON" is displayed to execute the automatic toilet flushing function and a check mark is displayed in the adjacent check box 320B, every time any one of the parts where the characters indicating the three types of time displayed below the character "Start Time" are touched, the display and non-display of the check mark are repeated in the check box 320C to the left of that character. Thus, the administrator can confirm the start time of the selected toilet flushing.

[0046] Below the display of the character "Power Saving Mode", there are the characters "ON", "OFF", and check box 320D is displayed to the left of these characters. Every time any one of the parts where each character is displayed is touched, the display and non-display of the check mark are repeated in the check box 32D to the left of that character. Thus, the administrator can confirm whether either to execute the power saving function or not has been selected. Below the display of this character "OFF", there are a cancel button 320E and an OK button 320F displayed.

[0047] The cancel button 320E and the OK button 320F become touch-operable when the items on the setting item screen 320 are in the selected state corresponding to the "Toilet Flushing Water Volume", "Automatic Flushing", and "Power Saving Mode" selected on the second screen 312. When the cancel button 320E is touched, the smartphone 30 cancels the item selected on the setting item screen 320 and the batch control screen 310 is displayed.

[0048] When the OK button 320F is operated, the smartphone 30 transmits, via the communication unit, a setting signal corresponding to the item selected on the setting item screen 320 to all the toilets 10 selected via the network 50. The control unit 11 of the toilet 10 sets items related to "toilet flushing water volume", "automatic flushing", and "power saving mode" based on the setting signal transmitted from the smartphone 30 and corresponding to the item selected on the setting screen, and stores these settings in the storage unit 13.

[0049] Regarding items that are difficult for the user of the toilet 10 to notice, such as changes in the toilet flushing water volume, whether the automatic toilet flushing function is executed, changes in the automatic toilet flushing start time, and whether the power saving function is being executed, even when the toilet 10 is in use, remote operation of the settings by the smartphone 30 is allowed.

[0050] As described above, for the settings regarding "toilet flushing water volume", "automatic flushing", and "power saving mode", the smartphone 30 of Embodiment 3 can perform remote operation without displaying the first selection screen 315 described in Embodiment 1. Therefore, this smartphone 30 can immediately set specific settings that are difficult for the user of the toilet 10 to notice by remote operation.

[0051] The present disclosure is not limited to Embodiments 1 to 3 described by the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope. (1) In Embodiments 1 to 3, the remote operation device for the toilet is the smartphone 30. In contrast, the remote operation device for the toilet may be any terminal connectable to the network, such as a tablet terminal or a PC (Personal Computer). (2) In Embodiment 1, the smartphone is configured to display the second selection screen. In contrast, the smartphone may end the remote operation setting without displaying the second selection screen. (3) The time for notifying whether to perform the remote operation setting on the second screen is not limited to 1 hour, and may be shorter or longer than 1 hour. (4) Items set by remote operation may be the setting value of the washing strength, the setting value of the playback volume of the running water sound, the automatic playback function of the running water sound, or whether to execute other functions provided in the toilet. (5) Functions that can be set by remote operation without displaying the first selection screen including the first information may be other than "toilet washing water volume", "automatic washing", and "power saving mode" shown in Embodiment 3, as long as they are not easily noticed by the user. (6) It is not necessary to be able to select toilets for remote operation one by one. In this case, all toilets installed in an office building, commercial facility, etc., or any of a plurality of toilets installed on each floor are remotely operated collectively. (7) The smartphone may remotely operate the settings of a plurality of toilets only via the wireless LAN of an office building, commercial facility, etc. (8) In addition to being displayed on the display of the smartphone, the fourth information from the first information may be output as sound from the speaker or displayed in the virtual reality space.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0052] 10…Toilet, 30…Smartphone (Remote Operation Device for Toilet), 50…Network, 311…First Screen (Third Information), 315…First Selection Screen (First Information), 316…Second Selection Screen (Second Information), 317…Fourth Selection Screen (Fourth Information)

Claims

1. A toilet remote control device that remotely controls settings of multiple toilets via a network, A toilet remote control device that outputs first information to a user to allow the user to select whether or not to perform settings via remote control only when at least one of the plurality of toilets to be remotely controlled is in use.

2. A toilet remote control device that remotely controls the settings of multiple toilets via a network, comprising: If the toilet to be remotely operated is in use, first information is output to the user to allow the user to select whether or not to perform setting by remote operation; A remote control device for a toilet that outputs second information to a user after a predetermined time has elapsed to allow the user to select whether or not to set up via remote control if a selection is made in response to the output first information indicating not to set up via remote control.

3. The toilet remote control device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: third information for allowing a user to select the toilet to be remotely controlled.

4. A toilet remote control device for remotely controlling settings of multiple toilets via a network, comprising: If the toilet to be remotely operated is in use, first information is output to the user to allow the user to select whether or not to perform setting by remote operation; A toilet remote control device that outputs fourth information to a user to allow the user to select whether or not to set only the toilet bowl that is not in use.

5. A toilet remote control device for remotely controlling settings of multiple toilets via a network, comprising: If the toilet to be remotely operated is in use, first information is output to the user to allow the user to select whether or not to perform setting by remote operation; A toilet remote control device in which specific settings of the toilet are made by remote control without outputting the first information to a user.

6. An application program for causing a toilet remote control device, which comprises a communication unit and an output unit, to execute the application program on the toilet remote control device that remotely controls settings of a plurality of toilets via a network, An application program for outputting first information to the output unit to allow the user to select whether or not to perform settings via remote control only when information indicating that at least one of the multiple toilets to be remotely controlled is in use is obtained via the communication unit.

7. An application program for causing a toilet remote control device to execute the application program, the toilet remote control device having a communication unit and an output unit and remotely controlling settings of a plurality of toilets via a network, a first piece of information for allowing the user to select whether or not to perform setting by remote operation when information indicating that the toilet to be remotely operated is in use is acquired via the communication unit; and second information for allowing the user to select whether or not to perform setting by remote operation after a predetermined time has elapsed, when a selection is made to not perform setting by remote operation in response to the first information output to the output unit; An application program for causing the output unit to output the above.

Images