Water quality control system, information processing device, program and water quality control method

Abstract

To allow for managing the quality of tap water more inexpensively and simply.SOLUTION: A water management system 1 is provided, comprising a communication unit 21 functioning as acquisition means for acquiring a plurality of pieces of water quality information of tap water from one or more terminal devices 10, determination means 231 configured to determine the state of acquisition of abnormal data representing water quality information suggesting abnormal quality of the tap water on the basis of the plurality of pieces of water quality information, and output means 232 configured to generate an output according to the state of acquisition of abnormal data on the basis of a determination result.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a water quality control system, an information processing device, a program, and a water quality control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a system for managing the quality of tap water supplied from a water purification plant to consumers via water pipelines. In the system described in Patent Document 1, a water quality monitor that measures water quality is installed in a small water distribution pipe network that branches off from a main water distribution pipe network and heads toward the consumers, and water distribution equipment that manages the quality of tap water is installed at the starting point of the small water distribution pipe network. In the system described in Patent Document 1, the quality of tap water flowing through the small water distribution pipe network is managed by the water distribution equipment based on the measurement results of the water quality monitor. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-84537 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the system described in Patent Document 1, a lot of work and cost is required to install and maintain equipment such as a water quality monitor.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to more inexpensively and simply manage the quality of tap water.

[0006] A water quality management system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an acquisition means for acquiring multiple pieces of water quality information about tap water from one or more terminal devices, a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information that suggests an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the multiple pieces of water quality information, and an output means for outputting information according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination.

[0007] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises an acquisition means for acquiring multiple pieces of water quality information about tap water from one or more terminal devices, a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information that suggests an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the multiple pieces of water quality information, and an output means for outputting information according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination.

[0008] A program according to one embodiment of the present invention causes an information processing device to function as an acquisition means for acquiring multiple pieces of water quality information about tap water from one or more terminal devices, a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information that suggests an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the multiple pieces of water quality information, and an output means for outputting an output according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination.

[0009] A water quality management method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of acquiring multiple pieces of water quality information about tap water from one or more terminal devices, determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information that suggests an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the multiple pieces of water quality information, and outputting the abnormal data according to the acquisition status based on the result of the determination. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the quality of tap water can be managed more cheaply and simply. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a water quality control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of the water quality control system shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram for explaining an example of the operation of a determination means shown in FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or equivalent components.

[0013] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a water quality control system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The water quality control system 1 according to this embodiment is a system that manages the quality of tap water supplied to water consumers from water supply facilities such as water purification plants based on information obtained from terminal devices 20 owned by residents or other water consumers, instead of information obtained from sensors installed in a pipe network. The water quality control system 1 eliminates the need to install dedicated sensors such as water quality monitors, making it possible to manage water quality more easily.

[0014] The water quality control system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a terminal device 10, an information processing device 20, and a water quality control device 30, which are connected via a network 2 such as a mobile phone network.

[0015] The terminal device 10 is capable of communicating with the information processing device 20 via the network 2.

[0016] The terminal device 10 is a device owned by a resident who is a water consumer, such as a smartphone, tablet device, or digital camera. The terminal device 10 acquires tap water quality information and transmits it to the information processing device 20 via the network 2. Here, the tap water quality information will be explained using three specific examples below.

[0017] In a first example, the water quality information of tap water is information indicating the water quality of tap water (e.g., the concentration of residual chlorine, VOCs (volatile organic compounds) such as trihalomethanes, or odor-producing substances) measured by any method. For example, official water quality tests or simple analyses can be used to measure water quality. Official water quality tests for residual chlorine include, for example, the diethyl-p-phenylenediamine method, the amperometric method, the absorptiometry method, and the polarographic method, all of which are water quality tests established under the Water Supply Act. Furthermore, simple analyses are simple analyses performed using, for example, simple analytical equipment, chlorine test strips, or Pack Test (registered trademark). However, the invention is not limited to official water quality tests and simple analyses, and any method capable of measuring water quality can be used.

[0018] In the second example, the tap water quality information is information indicating the quality of tap water estimated by any method. Examples of methods for estimating water quality include a method for estimating the quality of tap water from an image (still image or video) of tap water to which a predetermined reagent (e.g., DPD reagent, STB reagent, potassium permanganate, phenol red, etc.) that reacts depending on the quality of the tap water has been added, and a method for estimating the quality of tap water from an image of a predetermined test paper to which tap water has been applied (e.g., a reagent applied to or absorbed in a reagent and then dried) or a predetermined test paper immersed in tap water. These methods, for example, detect the reaction of the reagent or test paper (e.g., a change in color and intensity of the reagent) from the captured image using any image processing, and the quality of the tap water can be estimated based on the detected reaction of the reagent or test paper. However, the method is not limited to estimating the quality of tap water from a captured image or video, and any method capable of estimating the quality of tap water can be used.

[0019] In both the first and second examples above, the water quality information of tap water is information that directly indicates the quality of tap water. In contrast, in the third example, the water quality information of tap water is information that allows the quality of tap water to be estimated. In other words, in the third example, the water quality information of tap water is information that indirectly indicates (suggests) the quality of tap water. Specifically, examples of water quality information that indirectly indicates the quality of tap water include an image of tap water to which a predetermined reagent that reacts according to the quality of tap water has been added, and an image of a predetermined test paper coated with tap water or a predetermined test paper immersed in tap water. When the water quality information according to the third example is used, the information processing device 20 estimates the quality of tap water based on the water quality information received from the terminal device 20, as will be described later.

[0020] The water quality information of tap water is not limited to the first to third examples described above.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the terminal device 10 includes an acquisition unit 11 for acquiring water quality information.

[0022] For example, when the water quality information according to the first example described above is employed, the acquisition unit 11 may be an input interface such as a keyboard, a touch screen, or a microphone. The owner of the terminal device 10 inputs the quality of tap water measured by any method via the acquisition unit 11. The acquisition unit 11 acquires the input information as the water quality information according to the first example.

[0023] Furthermore, for example, when the water quality information according to the second example described above is employed, the acquisition unit 11 may be, for example, a camera that generates an image of a predetermined range and a processor such as a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) that performs image recognition on the image. In this case, the acquisition unit 11 uses the camera to capture (acquire) an image suggesting the quality of tap water. An "image suggesting the quality of tap water" is, for example, an image of tap water supplied from a water supply facility (tap water collected from a faucet, tap, or water supply outlet installed in a residence or facility) to which a predetermined reagent that reacts depending on the quality of the tap water has been added. An image suggesting the quality of tap water is, for example, an image of a predetermined test paper coated with tap water or a predetermined test paper immersed in tap water. An image suggesting the quality of tap water is, for example, an image of a predetermined test paper coated with tap water to which a predetermined reagent has been added or a predetermined test paper immersed in tap water to which a predetermined reagent has been added. The acquisition unit 11 then uses the processor to estimate the quality of the tap water from the image, for example, by image recognition, and acquires information indicating the estimated water quality as water quality information according to the second example.

[0024] Furthermore, for example, when the water quality information according to the third example described above is adopted, the acquisition unit 11 may be, for example, a camera that generates an image capturing a predetermined range. The acquisition unit 11 uses the camera to capture (acquire) an image suggesting the water quality of the tap water described above, and acquires the image as the water quality information according to the third example.

[0025] The tap water from which water quality information is obtained is not tap water that has been drawn and stored for a long enough period of time that fluctuations in water quality would occur, but water that has been drawn and stored for a sufficient amount of time that no fluctuations in water quality would occur. The tap water to be photographed is water supplied from a water supply facility through a pipe network. The tap water to be photographed is water sampled from a faucet, tap, or water supply port at a location sufficiently far from the water supply facility (a location where water quality fluctuations sufficient to require water quality management control may occur before the tap water leaves the water supply facility and is sampled). In order to adequately control the quality of tap water, it is preferable to photograph tap water sampled at multiple scattered locations rather than at a single location.

[0026] The terminal device 10 may have a location information acquisition function that acquires location information of the terminal device 10 based on a GPS (Global Positioning System) signal or the like. When the terminal device 10 has the location information acquisition function, the terminal device 10 may transmit to the information processing device 20, along with the water quality information, location information of the terminal device 10 at the time the water quality information was acquired. The location information of the terminal device 10 may be input by a user operating the terminal device 10. Furthermore, the terminal device 10 may transmit, along with the water quality information, time information indicating the time the water quality information was acquired to the information processing device 20. The time the tap water was acquired may be, for example, the time the tap water photographed by the terminal device 10 was sampled, or the time the water quality of the tap water was determined. The time information may be input, for example, by a user operating the terminal device 10.

[0027] The information processing device 20 is a device that acquires water quality information transmitted from the terminal device 10 and determines the acquisition status of abnormal data (described below) based on the acquired water quality information. The information processing device 20 is also a device that outputs an alarm to the water quality management device 30 based on the result of the determination. The information processing device 20 is, for example, a device such as a server device or a personal computer that can communicate with the terminal device 10 and the water quality management device 30 via the network 2. As shown in FIG. 1 , the information processing device 20 includes a communication unit 21 as an acquisition means, a memory unit 22, and a control unit 23.

[0028] The communication unit 21 is one or more communication interfaces that communicate with external devices via wired or wireless connections. In this embodiment, the communication unit 21 includes a communication interface that communicates with the terminal device 10 and the water quality management device 30 via the network 2. The communication unit 21 acquires multiple pieces of water quality information transmitted from one or more terminal devices 10 and outputs the information to the control unit 23. Note that the water quality information acquired by the terminal device 10 may be transmitted to the information processing device 20 by another device that has acquired the water quality information from the terminal device 10. In this case, the communication unit 21 includes a communication interface that communicates with the other device that acquires the water quality information from the terminal device 10.

[0029] The storage unit 22 is one or more memories. The memory may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory, but is not limited to these, and may be any memory. The storage unit 22 functions as, for example, a primary storage device or a secondary storage device. The storage unit 22 is, for example, built into the information processing device 20, but may also be configured to be externally connected to the information processing device 20 via any interface.

[0030] The control unit 23 is one or more processors. The control unit 23 is, for example, but is not limited to, a microcontroller, and can be any processor, such as a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The control unit 23 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 20.

[0031] Next, the software configuration of the information processing device 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. One or more programs used to control the operation of the information processing device 20 are stored in the storage unit 22. When the one or more programs are loaded by the control unit 23, they cause the control unit 23 to function as a determination unit 231 and an output unit 232.

[0032] The determination means 231 is a means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information suggesting abnormalities in the water quality of tap water, based on multiple pieces of water quality information about tap water acquired via the communication unit 21. "Water quality information suggesting abnormal water quality (i.e., abnormal data)" refers to water quality information when the water quality indicated in certain water quality information or the water quality estimated from the water quality information (hereinafter, these will not be distinguished and will also be referred to as "water quality ascertained from water quality information") is determined to be abnormal in light of predetermined criteria. Water quality being abnormal in light of predetermined criteria means, for example, a state in which the concentration of a predetermined substance contained in tap water is outside the range predetermined for that substance based on the Water Supply Act or the like. Furthermore, water quality being abnormal in light of a predetermined criterion means, for example, a state in which the water quality ascertained from water quality information acquired from a certain terminal device 10 deviates by a predetermined value or more compared to water quality ascertained from water quality information previously acquired from that terminal device 10 (for example, a state in which the deviates by a significant difference or more in light of the standards prescribed in the Water Supply Act). Furthermore, water quality being abnormal in light of a predetermined criterion means, for example, a state in which the water quality ascertained from water quality information acquired from a certain terminal device 10 deviates by a predetermined value or more compared to water quality ascertained from water quality information acquired from terminal devices 10 in the vicinity of that terminal device 10. However, examples in which the quality of tap water is abnormal in light of the predetermined criterion are not limited to the examples described above.

[0033] In this embodiment, when the determination means 231 determines that the water quality ascertained from the acquired water quality information is abnormal in light of the above-mentioned predetermined determination criteria, it determines that the water quality information has been acquired as abnormal data. Then, the determination means 231 determines the acquisition status of abnormal data based on the number of abnormal data items acquired over a certain period of time. The "acquisition status of abnormal data" and the details of the determination by the determination means 231 will be described later.

[0034] The output means 232 is a means for performing output according to the acquisition status of abnormal data based on the result of the judgment by the judgment means 231 under the control of the judgment means 231. The output means 232 outputs an alarm to the water quality control device 30, for example, according to the acquisition status of abnormal data.

[0035] The water quality control device 30 is installed, for example, at a water purification plant that manages tap water, and is a device that controls the water quality management of tap water supplied from a water supply facility based on the determination result output from the information processing device 20. For example, when it is determined that the water quality of the tap water is abnormal, the water quality control device 30 controls the residual chlorine concentration in the tap water.

[0036] As described above, in this embodiment, the information processing device 20 acquires multiple pieces of tap water quality information from one or more terminal devices 10 and determines whether abnormal data has been acquired based on the multiple pieces of water quality information.The information processing device 20 then outputs the results of the determination according to the abnormal data acquisition status.This eliminates the need to install and maintain equipment such as water quality monitors in water pipelines, making it possible to manage tap water quality more cheaply and simply.

[0037] 1 illustrates an example in which the information processing device 20 includes the communication unit 21 as an acquisition means, the determination means 231, and the output means 232, but the present invention is not limited to this. The communication unit 21, the determination means 231, and part of the output means 232 as acquisition means may be provided in one device, and the rest may be provided in another device. Furthermore, the communication unit 21, the determination means 231, and the output means 232 as acquisition means may each be provided in a separate device. The key is that the water quality control system 1 only needs to include the communication unit 21 as acquisition means, the determination means 231, and the output means 232.

[0038] Next, the operation of the water quality control system 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of the water quality control system 1 according to this embodiment, and is a diagram for explaining the water quality control method according to this embodiment.

[0040] The terminal device 10 acquires water quality information about tap water (step S11).

[0041] For example, when the water quality information according to the first example described above is adopted, the owner of the terminal device 10 measures the water quality of tap water (e.g., the concentration of residual chlorine) and inputs the measured water quality value into the terminal device 10. The terminal device 10 then acquires, via the acquisition unit 11, the input measured water quality value of the tap water as the water quality information according to the first example.

[0042] Alternatively, when the water quality information according to the second example described above is adopted, the owner of the terminal device 10 takes an image suggesting the quality of tap water (for example, an image of tap water to which a reagent has been added). The terminal device 10 estimates the quality of the tap water from the image, for example, by image recognition, and acquires the estimated value of the water quality as the water quality information according to the second example.

[0043] Alternatively, when the water quality information according to the third example described above is adopted, the owner of the terminal device 10 takes an image suggesting the quality of tap water (for example, an image of tap water to which a reagent has been added), and the terminal device 10 acquires the image as the water quality information according to the third example.

[0044] Here, the tap water from which water quality information is acquired is, for example, tap water sampled from a faucet installed in a consumer's residence or facility. If the terminal device 10 has a location information acquisition function, the terminal device 10 may acquire location information of the terminal device 10 when the tap water quality information is acquired. In this case, it is desirable that location information of the tap water sampling location or its vicinity be acquired as the location information of the terminal device 10. In this way, the tap water sampling location (such as the faucet from which the tap water was sampled) from which the water quality information was acquired can be identified from the location information of the terminal device 10. Identifying the tap water sampling location makes it possible to identify the route of the water pipeline from the water supply facility to the tap water sampling location.

[0045] The terminal device 10 transmits the acquired water quality information to the information processing device 20 via the network 2 (step S12). As described above, the terminal device 10 may transmit the location information of the terminal device 10 together with the water quality information to the information processing device 20. In addition, the terminal device 10 may transmit time information indicating the time when the tap water was sampled or the time when the water quality information was acquired to the information processing device 20 together with the water quality information.

[0046] The information processing device 20 receives (acquires) the plurality of pieces of water quality information transmitted from one or more terminal devices 10 via the communication unit 21 (step S13).

[0047] The information processing device 20 uses the determination means 231 to determine the acquisition status of abnormal data (i.e., water quality information suggesting abnormality in the water quality of tap water) based on the multiple pieces of water quality information acquired (step S14). In detail, for example, when the determination means 231 determines that the water quality understood from certain water quality information is abnormal in light of a predetermined determination criterion, it counts the water quality information as abnormal data. Then, as will be described later, the determination means 231 determines the acquisition status of abnormal data based on the number of abnormal data acquired over a certain period of time.

[0048] The information processing device 20 outputs to the water quality control device 30, using the output means 232, information according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the determination result of the determination means 231 (step S15). The water quality control device 30 controls the water quality management of tap water supplied from the water supply facility based on the output of the information processing device 20 (step S16).

[0049] Thus, the water quality management method of this embodiment includes a step of acquiring multiple pieces of water quality information about tap water from one or more terminal devices 10, which are transmitted from the terminal device 10 (step S13), a step of determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information that suggests an abnormality in the water quality of tap water, based on the multiple pieces of water quality information (step S14), and a step of outputting the abnormal data acquisition status based on the result of the determination (step S15).

[0050] Next, we will explain in detail the "abnormal data acquisition status" and the determination made by the determining means 231. As described above, the determining means 231 determines the abnormal data acquisition status based on the water quality information.

[0051] Specifically, the determination means 231 determines, as the abnormal data acquisition status, whether the number of abnormal data acquired in a first period W is equal to or greater than a first threshold value X. Then, when the determination means 231 determines that the number of abnormal data acquired in the first period W is equal to or greater than the first threshold value X, it causes the output means 232 to output an alert.

[0052] Alternatively, the determination means 231 determines, as the abnormal data acquisition status, whether the number of abnormal data acquired in a first period W is less than a first threshold X and the number of abnormal data acquired in a second period Z longer than the first period W is equal to or greater than a second threshold Y. Then, when the determination means 231 determines that the number of abnormal data acquired in the first period W is less than the first threshold X and the number of abnormal data acquired in the second period Z is equal to or greater than the second threshold Y, it causes the output means 232 to output an alert.

[0053] Here, the second period Z may be a period (second period Z1) extending back from the day on which the determination is made until a specified number of days (Z days) have passed, or a period (second period Z2) extending back from the day on which the determination is made until the cumulative number of days on which one or more abnormal data items have been acquired reaches the specified number of days (Z days). For example, on a day on which no water quality information is acquired from the terminal device 10, the number of abnormal data items acquired will also be zero. Therefore, simply because the number of abnormal data items acquired on a certain day is zero, it cannot be determined that the quality of the tap water on that day is normal. In order to exclude days on which it is not necessarily possible to determine whether the quality of the tap water is normal, it is preferable to use the second period Z as a period (second period Z2) extending back from the present until the cumulative number of days on which one or more abnormal data items have been acquired reaches the specified number of days (Z days).

[0054] Whether the second period Z is defined as the period (second period Z1) from the day of determination back to the specified number of days (Z days) until the specified number of days is reached, or the period (second period Z2) from the day of determination back into the past until the cumulative number of days on which one or more pieces of abnormal data were acquired reaches the specified number of days (Z days) can be set, for example, by the administrator of the water quality management system 1.

[0055] As described above, the second period Z is a period going back into the past from the current day, but the determination means 231 may set an upper limit on the number of days going back into the past.

[0056] For example, when the second period Z is the period going back into the past from the day of determination until the cumulative number of days on which one or more pieces of abnormal data were acquired reaches the specified number of days (Z days), the determination means 231 may set an upper limit V (where Z < V) on the number of days going back into the past. In other words, the second period Z may be the shorter of the period going back into the past from the day of determination until the cumulative number of days on which one or more pieces of abnormal data were acquired reaches the specified number of days (Z days), or the period from the day of determination back to reach V days. By doing so, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of inconveniences such as extremely old data being used due to consecutive days without acquisition of abnormal data.

[0057] Also, for example, regardless of whether the second period Z is any of the periods described above (second period Z1 or second period Z2), an upper limit determined according to the day when the last warning was output may be set. Specifically, when a warning is output, the determination means 231 may set the second period Z as the shorter of any of the periods described above (second period Z1 or second period Z2), or the period from the current day to the day after the day when the last warning was output. That is, the determination means 231 may make the upper limit V on the number of days going back into the past from the current day variable depending on whether a warning has been output.

[0058] For example, if a large amount of abnormal data is acquired on a specific day, there is a risk that an alarm will continue to be output as long as that day is included in the second period Z. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the water quality management device 30's management of the tap water quality will be reviewed once an alarm is output. Therefore, when an alarm is output, the second period Z may be set to one of the above-mentioned periods (second period Z1 or second period Z2) or the shorter of the period from the current day to the day after the last alarm was output. In this way, for example, if an alarm is output because a large amount of abnormal data is acquired on a specific day, the determination means 231 will only look back to the day after the alarm was output, and that specific day will not be included in the second period Z, thereby preventing excessive output of alarms.

[0059] Furthermore, the determination means 231 may vary the upper limit V of the number of days going back from the current day as the second period Z depending on whether the cause of the abnormality in the quality of the tap water has been identified (or estimated) or whether the manager has taken measures. For example, when the settings for managing the quality of tap water have been changed, the determination means 231 may set the second period Z to one of the above-mentioned periods (second period Z1 or second period Z2) or the shorter of the period from the current day to the day after the last alarm was output. Furthermore, when the settings have not been changed, the determination means 231 may set the second period Z to one of the above-mentioned periods (second period Z1 or second period Z2). Furthermore, the manager may be able to set whether to switch the second period Z depending on whether the cause of the abnormality in the quality of the tap water has been identified (or estimated) or whether the manager has taken measures.

[0060] Next, we will explain how the determination means 231 counts abnormal data. For example, each time the water quality determined from certain water quality information is determined to be abnormal based on a predetermined standard, the determination means 231 may count the water quality information as one case of abnormal data. Furthermore, the determination means 231 may count, for example, the number of terminal devices 10 that have transmitted the water quality information that served as the basis for the abnormal data (water quality information determined to be abnormal data) within a single day as the number of cases of abnormal data. In this case, even if the same terminal device 10 transmits the water quality information that served as the basis for the abnormal data multiple times within a single day, the determination means 231 may count the number of abnormal data as one case. Furthermore, when the same terminal device 10 transmits the water quality information that served as the basis for the abnormal data on different days, the determination means 231 may cumulatively count each case of abnormal data. Therefore, for example, if the same terminal device 10 transmits the water quality information that served as the basis for the abnormal data on three consecutive days, the determination means 231 counts it as three cases of abnormal data.

[0061] Here, a specific example of how to count abnormal data will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the number of abnormal data acquired in a certain week and whether an alarm is output. In the following, the second period Z is set in advance as either the period from the day on which the determination is made until a specified number of days (Z days) has passed (second period Z1) or the period from the day on which the determination is made until the day after the last alarm was output, whichever is shorter. In the following, the first threshold X is set to 10, the second threshold Y is set to 6, the first period W is set to 1, and the second period Z is set to 3. Therefore, in FIG. 3, if 10 or more abnormal data items are acquired in one day, the output means 232 will output an alarm (condition 1). In addition, if 6 or more abnormal data items are acquired within the specified number of days (3 days), the output means 232 will output an alarm (condition 2).

[0062] As shown in Figure 3, suppose two abnormal data items were acquired on the first day, one on the second day, three on the fourth day, one on the fifth day, three on the sixth day, and ten on the seventh day. Also, suppose no abnormal data items were acquired on the third day.

[0063] From the first day to the fifth day, the number of abnormal data items per day is 10 or less, and the cumulative number of abnormal data items over the specified number of days (3 days) is also 6 or less. In other words, since neither condition 1 nor condition 2 is met, the determination means 231 determines that no abnormality has occurred in the quality of the tap water, and does not output an alarm.

[0064] On the sixth day, the cumulative number of abnormal data items for the specified number of days (the three days from the fourth day to the sixth day) reaches seven, satisfying condition 2. Therefore, the determination means 231 determines that an abnormality has occurred in the quality of the tap water, and causes the output means 232 to output an alarm.

[0065] On the seventh day, the number of abnormal data items in one day reaches 10, and condition 1 is satisfied. Therefore, the determination means 231 determines that the number of abnormal data items in one day has reached or exceeded X. The output means 232 outputs an alarm to the water quality control device 30 based on the result of the determination by the determination means 231.

[0066] For example, if the number of abnormal data items acquired on the seventh day were three instead of ten, condition 1 would not be met. Therefore, the determination means 231 determines whether condition 2 is met. Here, if the second period Z is the period up to the specified number of days (three days) prior to the day on which the determination is made, the number of abnormal data items in the second period Z will be 7 (=1+3+3), and condition 2 will be met. If condition 2 is met, the alarm may continue to be output even though the administrator has responded to the alarm on the sixth day.

[0067] On the other hand, if the second period Z is the period from the current day to the day after the day on which the last alert was issued (the sixth day), the cumulative number of abnormal data items in the second period Z on the seventh day will be 3, so no alert will be issued. Therefore, it is possible to prevent excessive alerts from being issued, such as an alert being issued on the seventh day following the sixth day.

[0068] In some cases, it may be possible to estimate the type of abnormality that has occurred based on the number of abnormal data items or the source of the water quality information that is the basis of the abnormal data. In such cases, the determination means 231 may include information about the estimated abnormality or a method for resolving the estimated abnormality in an alarm and output it to the water quality control device 30.

[0069] Furthermore, if an alarm is output because the number of abnormal data items in one day is equal to or exceeds the first threshold value X (if condition 1 is met), there is a possibility that an abnormality in the quality of tap water is occurring in the entire area or a wide area within the area managed by the water quality management system 1. On the other hand, if an alarm is output because the cumulative number of abnormal data items within a specified number of days is equal to or exceeds the second threshold value Y (if condition 2 is met), there is no problem in the entire area, but there is a possibility that a specific individual or a narrow area is experiencing a continuous water quality problem.

[0070] Whether an alert is issued because condition 1 is met or because condition 2 is met, it may be possible to estimate the area (scope) in which the abnormality is occurring and its cause by identifying the terminal device 10 that sent the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data.

[0071] Therefore, the determination means 231 may, for example, identify the terminal device 10 that transmitted the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data, and determine whether or not the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data has been received from the same terminal device 10 a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period U. As described above, the determination means 231 may count the number of abnormal data items as one each time the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data is transmitted from the same terminal device 10. Alternatively, if the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data is transmitted multiple times within a predetermined period (e.g., one day) from the same terminal device 10, the determination means 231 may count the number of abnormal data items as one. The determination means 231 determines whether or not the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data has been received from the same terminal device 10 a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period U that corresponds to the method of counting the abnormal data. If the determination means 231 determines that the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data has been received from the same terminal device 10 a predetermined number of times or more within the predetermined period U, the output means 232 may output information about the terminal device 10. The information about the terminal device 10 is, for example, information about the home of the owner of the terminal device 10, information about the water supply location where the owner of the terminal device 10 supplies water, or information about the distribution pipes and water supply pipes that supply water to the home of the owner of the terminal device 10, or information about the sampling location of tap water from which the terminal device 10 obtained water quality information. In this way, the determination means 231 can notify the water quality management device 30 that an abnormality in water quality has been detected at a specific point or range. For example, if water quality information containing abnormal data is obtained from a specific terminal device 10 a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period U, the water quality management device 30 can infer that there is a problem with the usage status of the user of the terminal device 10 or with the distribution pipes or water supply pipes that supply water to the user's home, etc.

[0072] Furthermore, for example, when the determination means 231 acquires water quality information on which abnormal data is based from multiple terminal devices 10, it may cause the output means 232 to output information on the multiple terminal devices 10. In this case, for example, when the same terminal device 10 transmits water quality information on which abnormal data is based multiple times within a predetermined period (e.g., one day), the determination means 231 may count the number of abnormal data items as one. By considering information on the multiple terminal devices 10, for example, when water quality information on which abnormal data is based is transmitted from multiple terminal devices 10 near a reservoir, the water quality management device 30 can estimate the cause of the abnormality, such as a high chlorine concentration in the reservoir water. Furthermore, for example, when water quality information on which abnormal data is based is transmitted from multiple terminal devices 10 far from the reservoir, the water quality management device 30 can estimate the cause of the abnormality, such as a low chlorine concentration in the reservoir water. Furthermore, when water quality information that is the basis of abnormal data is transmitted from multiple terminal devices 10 throughout the area managed by the water quality management system 1, the water quality management device 30 can estimate the cause of the abnormality, such as the possibility that the chlorine concentration of the water in the distribution reservoir is significantly different from the specified value.

[0073] In the above-described embodiment, the determination means 231 determines whether the cumulative number of abnormal data items over a specified number of days is equal to or greater than the second threshold Y, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the determination means 231 may determine whether the ratio of the cumulative number of abnormal data items over a specified number of days to the total number of pieces of water quality information acquired over the specified number of days is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. However, by using the cumulative number of abnormal data items over the specified number of days, it is possible to prevent the number of abnormal data items from having a greater impact when a small amount of water quality information is acquired, compared to when a large amount of water quality information is acquired.

[0074] Furthermore, the administrator may be able to set whether or not to output an alarm by the determination means 231. This allows water quality management to be carried out in accordance with the level of proficiency of the administrator of the water quality control system 1.

[0075] Although the present invention has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art would easily be able to make various modifications and alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the functions included in each means, step, etc. can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple means and steps can be combined or divided into one. The above is merely one embodiment of the present invention, and it goes without saying that various modifications may be made within the scope of the claims.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the various means realized by the water quality control system 1 are described as software configurations, but at least some of these means may be a concept that includes software resources and / or hardware resources.

[0077] Furthermore, a device such as a computer can be used to function as the water quality control system 1 according to the above-described embodiment. The device can be realized by storing a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the water quality control system 1 according to the embodiment in the memory of the device, and having the processor of the device read and execute the program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1. Water Quality Management System 2 Network 10 Terminal Equipment 11 Acquisition Department 20 Information processing equipment 21 Communication unit (acquisition means) 22 Memory section 23 Control Unit 231 Judgment means 232 Output means 30 Water quality control equipment

Claims

1. An acquisition means for acquiring tap water quality information from a plurality of terminal devices together with information regarding the locations of the terminal devices; a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information suggesting an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the water quality information from the plurality of terminal devices; and an output means for outputting the abnormal data according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination, The determination means determines whether the water quality of tap water at the location corresponding to the terminal device is abnormal based on the water quality information transmitted from the terminal device, counts the number of terminal devices that transmitted the water quality information that was the basis for determining the abnormality during a specified period as the number of abnormal data items, and estimates the range of the abnormal state based on the number of abnormal data items and the location of the terminal device that transmitted the water quality information corresponding to the abnormal data. the output means outputs a warning regarding the range of the estimated abnormal state; The output means outputs the alarm when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data acquired during a first period is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and outputs the alarm when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data acquired during the first period is less than the first threshold and that the number of abnormal data acquired during a second period longer than the first period is greater than or equal to a second threshold.A water quality control system.

2. The water quality control system according to claim 1, The determination means identifies the terminal device that transmitted the water quality information that is the source of the abnormal data, A water quality management system in which the output means outputs information about the terminal device when the determination means determines that the water quality information that formed the basis of the abnormal data has been obtained from the same terminal device a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period.

3. In the water quality control system according to claim 1 or 2, The determination means identifies the terminal device that transmitted the water quality information that is the source of the abnormal data, A water quality management system in which the output means outputs information about a plurality of terminal devices when the water quality information on which the abnormal data is based is obtained from the plurality of terminal devices.

4. An acquisition means for acquiring tap water quality information from a plurality of terminal devices together with information relating to the locations of the terminal devices; a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information suggesting an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the water quality information from the plurality of terminal devices; and an output means for outputting the abnormal data according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination, The determination means determines whether the water quality of tap water at the location corresponding to the terminal device is abnormal based on the water quality information transmitted from the terminal device, counts the number of terminal devices that transmitted the water quality information that was the basis for determining the abnormality during a specified period as the number of abnormal data items, and estimates the range of the abnormal state based on the number of abnormal data items and the location of the terminal device that transmitted the water quality information corresponding to the abnormal data. the output means outputs a warning regarding the estimated range of the abnormal state; The output means outputs the alarm when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data items acquired in a first period is equal to or greater than a first threshold, and outputs the alarm when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data items acquired in the first period is less than the first threshold and that the number of abnormal data items acquired in a second period longer than the first period is equal to or greater than a second threshold.

5. An information processing device an acquisition means for acquiring tap water quality information from a plurality of terminal devices together with information relating to the locations of the terminal devices; a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information suggesting an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the water quality information from the plurality of terminal devices; and outputting the abnormal data in accordance with the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination. The determination means determines whether the water quality of tap water at the location corresponding to the terminal device is abnormal based on the water quality information transmitted from the terminal device, counts the number of terminal devices that transmitted the water quality information that was the basis for determining the abnormality during a specified period as the number of abnormal data items, and estimates the range of the abnormal state based on the number of abnormal data items and the location of the terminal device that transmitted the water quality information corresponding to the abnormal data. the output means outputs a warning regarding the estimated range of the abnormal state; The output means outputs a preliminary warning when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data items acquired in a first period is equal to or greater than a first threshold, and outputs the warning when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data items acquired in the first period is less than the first threshold and that the number of abnormal data items acquired in a second period longer than the first period is equal to or greater than a second threshold.

6. A step of acquiring tap water quality information from a plurality of terminal devices together with information regarding the locations of the terminal devices; A step of determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information suggesting an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the water quality information from the plurality of terminal devices; and performing an output according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination, In the determination, based on the water quality information transmitted from the terminal device, it is determined whether the water quality of the tap water at the location corresponding to the terminal device is abnormal, the number of terminal devices that transmitted the water quality information that was the basis for the abnormality determination during a specified period is counted as the number of abnormal data items, and the range of the abnormal state is estimated based on the number of abnormal data items and the location of the terminal device that transmitted the water quality information corresponding to the abnormal data items, The output includes outputting an alarm regarding the range of the estimated abnormal state; In the output, the alarm is output when it is determined that the number of abnormal data acquired during a first period is equal to or greater than a first threshold, and the alarm is output when it is determined that the number of abnormal data acquired during the first period is less than the first threshold and the number of abnormal data acquired during a second period longer than the first period is equal to or greater than a second threshold.

7. An acquisition means for acquiring tap water quality information from a plurality of terminal devices together with information regarding the locations of the terminal devices; a determination means for determining the acquisition status of abnormal data, which is water quality information suggesting an abnormality in the water quality of the tap water, based on the water quality information from the plurality of terminal devices; and an output means for outputting the abnormal data according to the acquisition status of the abnormal data based on the result of the determination, The determination means determines whether the water quality of tap water at the location corresponding to the terminal device is abnormal based on the water quality information transmitted from the terminal device, counts the number of terminal devices that transmitted the water quality information that was the basis for the abnormality determination during a specified period as the number of abnormal data items, and estimates the cause of the abnormality in the water reservoir that distributes tap water at the location corresponding to the plurality of terminal devices based on the number of abnormal data items and the locations of the terminal devices that transmitted the water quality information corresponding to the abnormal data. The output means outputs an alarm regarding the estimated cause of the abnormality in the water reservoir, The output means outputs the alarm when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data acquired during a first period is greater than or equal to a first threshold, and outputs the alarm when the determination means determines that the number of abnormal data acquired during the first period is less than the first threshold and that the number of abnormal data acquired during a second period longer than the first period is greater than or equal to a second threshold.A water quality control system.

Images