COMMUNICATION CONTROL DEVICE AND COMMUNICATION SETTING SUPPORT METHOD

Abstract

To search at high speed for combinations of communication paths and communication processes that satisfy communication request conditions.SOLUTION: A communication control device connects to a sensor terminal that transmits sensor information and a communication platform that collects the sensor information. The sensor terminal and the communication platform can communicate with each other via communication paths with different communication methods. The communication platform can execute multiple communication processes to control the transmission of the sensor information. The communication control device obtains communication performance conditions between the sensor terminal and the communication platform, identifies communication processes that may satisfy the conditions, generates combinations of the communication paths and the communication processes, calculates communication performance of the combinations, and identifies combinations that satisfy the conditions based on the communication performance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for setting up a communication network for transmitting and receiving sensor information. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for remote monitoring / control systems that monitor and maintain facilities, or analyze and control energy consumption within facilities, from a center located far from the facilities. Connecting communication cables to each sensor to acquire information used in the system from the sensors that monitor the monitored object increases costs, and the cable connections must be changed as the monitored object moves. Therefore, configurations that use wireless communication to collect information from sensors have attracted attention.

[0003] In remote monitoring / control systems, applications running at a center often consolidate information from multiple geographically dispersed locations (facilities) to execute processing. Wide-area cellular networks are often used in addition to wired communications to consolidate information. From the perspective of communications costs, it is not appropriate to simply transfer information collected from sensors to a cellular network. Therefore, a platform is needed to store the collected information and convert it into a data format that can be processed by applications. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-209787 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The communication requirements of an application vary depending on the process executed by the application. Here, the communication requirements of an application are conditions related to communication performance, such as the amount of collected information data, the frequency of collection, or reliability such as delivery rate. In the following description, the communication requirements of an application are referred to as communication requirements.

[0006] There are various communication methods with different characteristics that can be selected for the communication network between the sensor and the platform, such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), which excels in communication speed, Zigbee (registered trademark), which excels in power consumption, and LPWA (Low Power Wide Area network), which excels in communication distance. It is necessary to select a communication network that communicates using a communication method that meets the communication requirements of the application.

[0007] In the following, a communication network that communicates using any communication method will be referred to as a communication path.

[0008] A known technology for selecting a communication path in accordance with the requirements of an application is, for example, the technology described in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a communication system including: "a network including a wireless communication section having a plurality of paths and a wired communication section having one or more paths; and a communication control device that controls the network, wherein a communication terminal is connected to the wireless communication section and a server is connected to the wired communication section; the communication control device acquires communication states of the plurality of paths in the wireless communication section and communication states of one or more paths in the wired communication section; and, when a data communication request is made between the communication terminal connected to the wireless communication section and the server connected to the wired communication section, selects each path from the paths of the plurality of wireless communication sections and the path of the one or more wired communication sections so that the communication quality of the wireless communication section and the wired communication section satisfies the communication quality required for communication between the communication terminal and the server."

[0009] There are cases where a communication path that satisfies communication requirements cannot be selected due to constraints such as hardware processing power, etc. Therefore, it is difficult for the technology described in Patent Document 1 to solve the above-mentioned problem.

[0010] The platform has the functions to perform data processing such as storing collected information, converting it into a data format that applications can process, and extracting information required by the applications from the stored information (e.g., information containing values ​​that have changed).The platform also has the functions to perform communication processing to control information transmission, such as time diversity, which causes a terminal to repeatedly transmit information, spatial diversity, which causes multiple terminals to transmit the same information, and distribution of the same information stream to multiple terminals.By utilizing communication processing, it is possible to improve the reliability of communication networks and increase effective communication speeds.

[0011] Even if the communication requirements cannot be met by selecting a communication path alone, the communication requirements can be met by combining the communication path and the communication processing of the platform.

[0012] However, since there are an extremely large number of combinations of communication paths and communication processes, searching for the optimal combination requires a huge amount of calculation.

[0013] The present invention is an invention for solving the above-mentioned problems, and provides a technology for quickly searching for a combination of communication paths and platform communication processes that satisfies communication requirements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] A representative example of the invention disclosed in this application is as follows. That is, a communication control device includes a processor, a storage device connected to the processor, and a network interface connected to the processor, and is connected to a sensor terminal that transmits sensor information including values ​​measured by a sensor, a communication platform that collects the sensor information, and a center device on which an application that executes processing using the collected sensor information runs, wherein the sensor terminal and the communication platform can communicate with each other via communication paths having different communication methods, and the communication platform can execute multiple communication processes to control the transmission of the sensor information, and the communication control device manages a communication path database for managing the communication performance of the multiple communication paths and a communication process database for managing the degree of impact that each of the multiple communication processes has on the communication performance, obtains communication performance conditions between the sensor terminal and the communication platform, refers to the communication process database to identify the communication processes that may satisfy the conditions, generates combinations of the communication paths and the communication processes, refers to the communication path database and the communication process database to calculate the communication performance of each of the combinations, identifies the combination that satisfies the conditions based on the calculated communication performance, and generates and outputs display information for presenting the identified combination. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to quickly search for a combination of communication paths and platform communication processes that satisfies communication requirements. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a remote monitoring / control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration and a software configuration of a communication control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication path database according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication processing database according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by the communication control device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a communication processing database according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a combination list generated by a communication control device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by a communication control device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by a communication control device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by a communication control device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a database update process executed by a communication control device according to a fifth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the description of the embodiments shown below. Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the specific configuration can be changed without departing from the spirit or intent of the present invention.

[0018] In the configuration of the invention described below, the same or similar configurations or functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0019] In this specification, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. are used to identify components and do not necessarily limit the number or order.

[0020] To facilitate understanding of the invention, the position, size, shape, range, etc. of each component shown in the drawings etc. may not represent the actual position, size, shape, range, etc. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the position, size, shape, range, etc. disclosed in the drawings etc. [Example]

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a remote monitoring / control system according to a first embodiment.

[0022] The remote monitoring / control system 10 includes at least one sensor terminal 101, at least one communication platform 102, one center device 103, one communication control device 104, and multiple communication devices 105. In Fig. 1, four communication devices 105-1, 105-2, 105-3, and 105-4 are included.

[0023] The sensor terminal 101 and communication devices 105-1 and 105-2 are located in a facility, and the communication platform 102, center device 103, and communication devices 105-3 and 105-4 are located in a center that stores and analyzes sensor information. The communication control device 104 may be located either in the facility or in the center. Furthermore, the communication control device 104 may be located in a location different from the facility or the center.

[0024] The number of elements constituting the remote monitoring / control system 10 is merely an example and is not limited to this. For example, the number of communication devices 105 in each of the facilities and the center may be one or three.

[0025] The communication control device 104 is connected to the sensor terminal 101, the communication platform 102, and the center device 103 via a communication network (not shown). The connection method of the communication network may be either wired or wireless. There are no limitations on the communication method of the communication network that connects the communication control device 104 to other devices or systems.

[0026] The communication devices 105 are connected to each other via wireless communication paths. It is assumed that there are multiple communication paths available for communication between the communication devices 105. The sensor terminal 101 and the communication devices 105-1 and 105-2 are connected via a wireless communication network. The communication method of the communication network connecting the sensor terminal 101 and the communication devices 105-1 and 105-2 is not limited. The communication platform 102 and the communication devices 105-3 and 105-4 are connected via a wireless communication network. The communication method of the communication network connecting the communication platform 102 and the communication devices 105-3 and 105-4 is not limited. The communication platform 102 and the center device 103 are connected via a wired or wireless communication network. The communication method of the communication network connecting the communication platform 102 and the center device 103 is not limited.

[0027] The sensor terminal 101 collects sensor information including measurement values ​​such as temperature and pressure, and transmits the information to the communication devices 105-1 and 105-2 in accordance with instructions from the communication control device 104. The sensor terminal 101 is composed of, for example, a sensor and a computer having a CPU, memory, and a communication interface.

[0028] The communication device 105 communicates between the facility and the center via a communication path. The communication devices 105-1 and 105-2 transmit sensor information received from the sensor terminal 101 to the communication devices 105-3 and 105-4. The communication devices 105-3 and 105-4 transmit the received sensor information to the communication platform 102.

[0029] The communication platform 102 executes data processing on the sensor information received from the communication devices 105-3 and 105-4 in accordance with instructions from the communication control device 104, and also executes communication processing such as spatial diversity to control the transmission of data to the center device 103. The communication platform 102 is a system composed of a computer having a CPU, memory, and a communication interface.

[0030] The center device 103 accumulates the sensor information received from the communication platform 102 and executes an application that performs analysis, display, etc. in response to a request from a system administrator. The center device 103 is, for example, a computer having a CPU, a memory, and a communication interface.

[0031] The communication control device 104 transmits various instructions to the sensor terminal 101, the communication platform 102, and the center device 103. The communication control device 104 of the first embodiment has a function of searching for a combination of a communication path and a communication process that satisfies communication requirements. Based on the search result, the communication control device 104 of the first embodiment transmits instructions to the sensor terminal 101 and the communication platform 102 to set up the communication path and the communication process.

[0032] The communication requirements are conditions related to communication performance. The communication performance includes multiple items such as communication distance, communication speed, and delay. Hereinafter, the items included in the communication requirements are referred to as specified items.

[0033] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration and a software configuration of the communication control device 104 according to the first embodiment.

[0034] The communication control device 104 includes a processor 201, a main memory device 202, a secondary memory device 203, and a network interface 204. The hardware elements are connected to each other via an internal bus 205.

[0035] The main memory device 202 is a memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) that stores programs executed by the processor 201 and information used by the programs. The main memory device 202 is also used as a storage device that provides a work area for temporarily storing data. Note that the communication control device 104 may have a buffer memory that provides a work area separate from the main memory device 202.

[0036] The secondary storage device 203 is a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), and stores information permanently. The programs and information stored in the main storage device 202 may be stored in the secondary storage device 203. In this case, the processor 201 reads the programs and information from the secondary storage device 203 and loads them into the main storage device 202.

[0037] The processor 201 executes a program stored in the main memory device 202. The processor 201 functions as a functional unit (module) by executing processing in accordance with the program. In the following description, when processing is described using the functional unit as the subject, this indicates that the processor 201 is executing a program that realizes the functional unit.

[0038] The network interface 204 communicates with external devices via a network. The communication control device 104 has a network interface 204-1 for communicating with the sensor terminal 101, a network interface 204-2 for communicating with the communication platform 102, and a network interface 204-3 for communicating with the center device 103.

[0039] The main storage device 202 stores programs that realize the search unit 210 and the condition conversion unit 211, and also stores a communication path database 220 and a communication processing database 221. The communication path database 220 and the communication processing database 221 may also be stored in the secondary storage device 203.

[0040] The communication path database 220 is a database for managing the communication performance of the communication path. The communication process database 221 is a database for managing the influence of communication processes on the communication performance.

[0041] The search unit 210 searches for a combination of communication paths and communication processes that satisfy the communication requirements. The condition conversion unit 211 converts the input conditions into communication requirements. The processing related to the condition conversion unit 211 will be described in the fourth embodiment.

[0042] The main memory device 202 stores programs and information (not shown), but these are omitted as they are not related to the present invention. The functions of the communication control device 104 may be realized as a system consisting of multiple computers.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the communication path database 220 according to the first embodiment.

[0044] The communication path database 220 stores entries including a communication path 301, a cost 302, a communication distance 303, a delay 304, a communication speed 305, and a battery life 306. There is one entry for each communication path. Note that the fields included in the entry are not limited to those described above.

[0045] The communication path 301 is a field for storing the type of communication path, such as the name of the communication method.

[0046] Cost 302 is a field that stores the cost required for setting up a communication path, etc. Communication distance 303, delay 304, communication speed 305, and battery life 306 are fields that store values ​​of items that represent communication performance. Communication distance 303 is a field that stores the communication distance of the communication path. Delay 304 is a field that stores the delay of the communication path. Communication speed 305 is a field that stores the communication speed of the communication path. Battery life 306 is a field that stores the battery life of the communication device 105 for communication using the communication path.

[0047] The communication path database 220 does not have to be in a table format, but may be in a format such as CSV (Comma Separated Values) or XML (Extensible Markup Language).

[0048] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the communication processing database 221 according to the first embodiment.

[0049] The communication process database 221 stores entries including a communication process 401, a cost 402, a communication distance 403, a delay 404, a communication speed 405, and a battery life 406. There is one entry for one communication process. Note that the fields included in the entry are not limited to those described above.

[0050] The communication process 401 is a field for storing the type of communication process, such as the name of the communication process.

[0051] Cost 402 is a field that stores the cost required to apply a communication process. Communication distance 403, delay 404, communication speed 405, and battery life 406 are fields that store values ​​related to the impact of an item representing communication performance on communication performance. Communication distance 403, delay 404, communication speed 405, and battery life 406 are fields that store values ​​that indicate whether or not communication performance will be impacted when a communication process is applied. If communication performance is improved, a plus sign is stored in the field, and if communication performance is degraded, a minus sign is stored in the field. Furthermore, if there is no impact on communication performance, "no impact" is stored in the field.

[0052] The communication processing database 221 does not have to be in a table format, but may be in a format such as CSV (Comma Separated Values) or XML (Extensible Markup Language).

[0053] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by the communication control device 104 according to the first embodiment.

[0054] When the communication control device 104 receives the communication request conditions, the communication control device 104 starts a search process. The communication request conditions are acquired from an application running on the center device 103, for example.

[0055] The communication control device 104 identifies available communication paths and generates a list of the communication paths (step S101). For example, the communication control device 104 acquires information about available communication paths from at least one of the sensor terminal 101 and the communication platform 102.

[0056] The communication control device 104 identifies available communication processes and generates a list of communication processes (step S102). For example, the communication control device 104 acquires information on executable communication processes from the communication platform 102.

[0057] The communication control device 104 refers to the communication process database 221 and identifies a communication process that will not have a negative impact on the communication performance of the specified item (step S103). That is, a communication process that has the potential to satisfy the communication requirements is identified. Specifically, the following process is executed.

[0058] (S103-1) The communication control device 104 selects one communication process from the list generated in step S102. The selected communication process is referred to as a target communication process.

[0059] (S103-2) The communication control device 104 refers to the entry corresponding to the target communication process in the communication process database 221. The communication control device 104 determines whether or not a minus sign is set in any of the fields corresponding to each specified item.

[0060] (S103-3) If a minus sign is set in the field of at least one specified item, the communication control device 104 deletes the target communication process from the list and proceeds to S103-4. If a minus sign is not set in the fields corresponding to all specified items of the communication request conditions, the communication control device 104 proceeds to S103-4.

[0061] (S103-4) The communication control device 104 determines whether or not all communication processes registered in the list have been completed.

[0062] (S103-5) If the processing for all communication processes registered in the list has not been completed, the communication control device 104 returns to S103-1. If the processing for all communication processes registered in the list has been completed, the communication control device 104 ends the processing.

[0063] The communication control device 104 generates combinations of communication paths and communication processes based on the list of communication paths and the list of communication processes (step S104).

[0064] The communication control device 104 calculates the value (performance value) and cost of each specified item for each combination (step S105).

[0065] The communication control device 104 calculates the cost by adding the value of the cost 402 to the cost 302. The communication control device 104 calculates the communication distance by multiplying the communication distance 303 by a numerical value corresponding to the value of the communication distance 403. For example, if a plus sign is stored, it is multiplied by "1.2", if a minus sign is stored, it is multiplied by "0.7", and if "no effect" is stored, it is multiplied by "1". The delay, communication speed, and battery life are also calculated in the same way as the communication distance.

[0066] Based on the calculated performance values, the communication control device 104 identifies a combination of communication paths and communication processes that satisfies the conditions of each specified item defined in the communication requirements (step S106).

[0067] The communication control device 104 generates and outputs display information for displaying the identified combination of communication paths and communication processes (step S107). The display information is transmitted to the communication platform 102 or the center device 103, for example.

[0068] The user selects a combination to adopt based on the displayed information. The selection result is input to the communication control device 104. Based on the selection result, the communication control device 104 transmits instructions to the sensor terminal 101 and the communication platform 102 to set up a communication path and communication processing corresponding to the selected combination.

[0069] The communication control device 104 of the first embodiment can reduce the number of combinations of communication paths and communication processes by excluding communication processes that have a negative impact on the communication performance of the specified items from the selection candidates, thereby reducing the amount of calculation required to search for the optimal combination.

[0070] The communication control device 104 may perform the search even when the communication process is not applied.

[0071] The functions of the communication control device 104 may be included in any one of the sensor terminal 101, the communication platform 102, and the center device 103. [Example]

[0072] In the second embodiment, the method of narrowing down communication processes is different from that in the first embodiment. The second embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0073] The configuration of the remote monitoring / control system 10 of the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The hardware configuration and software configuration of the communication control device 104 of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. However, the communication processing database 221 of the second embodiment is partially different from that of the first embodiment.

[0074] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the communication processing database 221 according to the second embodiment.

[0075] The fields of the entries stored in the communication processing database 221 are the same as those in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the values ​​stored in the communication distance 403, the delay 404, the communication speed 405, and the battery life 406 are different from those in the first embodiment. In the communication distance 403, the delay 404, the communication speed 405, and the battery life 406 in the second embodiment, values ​​representing the magnitude of the impact of the item on communication performance when the communication processing is applied are stored. In the communication distance 403 and the communication speed 405, a value greater than 1 is stored if there is a positive impact on communication performance, a value less than 1 is set in the field if there is a negative impact on communication performance, and 1 is stored if there is no impact on communication performance. In the delay 404 and the battery life 406, a value less than 1 is stored if there is a positive impact on communication performance, a value greater than 1 is set in the field if there is a negative impact on communication performance, and 1 is stored if there is no impact on communication performance.

[0076] The flow of the search process in the second embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, except for the process in step S103 in the second embodiment.

[0077] (S103-1) The communication control device 104 selects one target communication process from the list generated in step S102.

[0078] (S103-2) The communication control device 104 refers to an entry corresponding to the target communication process in the communication process database 221. The communication control device 104 determines whether a value smaller than the threshold value is stored in a field corresponding to at least one specified item. In other words, it determines whether the degradation in communication performance is within an acceptable range. It is assumed that the threshold value is set in advance.

[0079] (S103-3) If a value smaller than the threshold is stored in the field corresponding to at least one of the specified items, the communication control device 104 deletes the target communication process from the list and proceeds to S103-4. If a value smaller than the threshold is not stored in the field corresponding to at least one of the specified items, the communication control device 104 proceeds to S103-4.

[0080] (S103-4) The communication control device 104 determines whether or not all communication processes registered in the list have been completed.

[0081] (S103-5) If the processing for all communication processes registered in the list has not been completed, the communication control device 104 returns to S103-1. If the processing for all communication processes registered in the list has been completed, the communication control device 104 ends the processing.

[0082] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it takes into consideration the degree of negative impact on communication performance. That is, the communication control device 104 controls so as not to exclude communication processes that have a small negative impact on communication performance. This makes it possible to increase the variety of combinations while suppressing an explosion in the number of combinations.

[0083] A specific example will be used to explain the search process of the second embodiment. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a combination list generated by the communication control device 104 of the second embodiment.

[0084] Here, it is assumed that the communication requirements are that the communication distance is 1 km or more and the communication speed is 100 kbps or more. In step S102, a list is generated in which M_1, M_2, M_3, M_4, M_5, and M_6 are registered, and in step S103, a list is generated in which repeat transmission, distribution, and copy are registered. It is also assumed that the threshold is set to 0.35. It is also possible to set a different threshold for each item.

[0085] In step S103, if repeat transmission is selected as the target communication process, the communication control device 104 determines that the value (0.5) of the communication speed 405 is greater than the threshold value (0.35). Therefore, repeat transmission is not excluded. Distribution and copying are not excluded because they do not have a negative impact on communication performance.

[0086] In step S104, six communication paths (M_1, M_2, M_3, M_4, M_5, M_6) and three communication processes (repeated transmission, distribution, copy) are combined to generate eighteen combinations.

[0087] In step S105, the communication control device 104 calculates the value (performance value) of each specified item for each combination. In the case of cost, the communication control device 104 adds the value of cost 402 to cost 302. In the case of communication distance, the communication control device 104 multiplies the value of communication distance 403 by the value of communication distance 303. The delay, communication speed, and battery life are also calculated in the same way as the communication distance. Through the above processing, a combination list 700 as shown in FIG. 7 is generated.

[0088] Of the combinations registered in the combination list 700, the six combinations enclosed in bold frames satisfy the communication requirements. In step S107, display information for displaying the six combinations is generated. [Example]

[0089] The search process is partially different in the third embodiment. The following describes the third embodiment, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0090] The configuration of the remote monitoring / control system 10 of the third embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The hardware configuration and software configuration of the communication control device 104 of the third embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0091] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by the communication control device 104 according to the third embodiment.

[0092] The processing from step S101 to step S106 in the third embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0093] The communication control device 104 sorts the identified combinations based on cost or performance value (step S201). The index that serves as the basis for sorting is set in advance. For example, it is conceivable to sort the combinations in ascending order of cost.

[0094] The communication control device 104 generates and outputs display information for displaying the sorted combinations (step S202).

[0095] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by the communication control device 104 according to the third embodiment.

[0096] The processing from step S101 to step S106 in the third embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0097] The communication control device 104 selects a combination to be adopted from the identified combinations based on cost or performance values ​​(step S301). The index that serves as the basis for selection is assumed to be set in advance. For example, it is conceivable to select the combination with the lowest cost.

[0098] The communication control device 104 transmits to the sensor terminal 101 and the communication platform 102 instructions for setting up a communication path and communication processing corresponding to the selected combination (step S302). [Example]

[0099] In the fourth embodiment, the communication control device 104 acquires at least one of functional and non-functional requirements from the application. The fourth embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0100] The configuration of the remote monitoring / control system 10 of the fourth embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The hardware configuration and software configuration of the communication control device 104 of the fourth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0101] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a search process executed by the communication control device 104 according to the fourth embodiment.

[0102] When the communication control device 104 receives at least one of functional and non-functional requirements, it starts a search process. The functional / non-functional requirements include, for example, encryption strength of data handled by the application, processing throughput, and the like.

[0103] The communication control device 104 converts the received requirements into communication request conditions (step S401). The processes from step S101 to step S107 in the fourth embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. [Example]

[0104] The communication control device 104 of the fifth embodiment updates the communication processing database 221. The fifth embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0105] The configuration of the remote monitoring / control system 10 of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment. The hardware configuration and software configuration of the communication control device 104 of the fifth embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment. The search process of the fifth embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0106] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of database update processing executed by the communication control device 104 according to the fifth embodiment. The communication control device 104 starts the database update processing after being started or when an execution instruction is received.

[0107] The communication control device 104 acquires, as measurement information, the type of communication path being used, the type of communication processing being executed, performance values, etc. from the sensor terminal 101 and the communication platform 102 (step S501).

[0108] The communication control device 104 determines whether a database update event has occurred (step S502). A database update event may be, for example, the expiration of an update period or a failure in a search process.

[0109] If a database update event has not occurred, the communication control device 104 returns to step S501.

[0110] When a database update event occurs, the communication control device 104 updates the communication processing database 221 based on the measurement information and the communication processing database 221 (step S503), and then returns to step S501. This allows information that reflects the actual communication situation to be accumulated.

[0111] For example, the communication control device 104 acquires an entry corresponding to the type of communication path included in the measurement information from the communication path database 220. The communication control device 104 calculates the magnitude of the impact of each communication performance item on communication performance based on the acquired entry and the performance value included in the measurement information. The communication control device 104 refers to the communication process database 221 and updates the values ​​of each field of the entry corresponding to the type of communication process included in the measurement information.

[0112] The communication path database 220 may be updated based on the measurement information.

[0113] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments are provided to explain the present invention in detail, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, some of the configurations of each embodiment can be added to, deleted from, or replaced with other configurations.

[0114] Furthermore, the above-described configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be partially or entirely implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The present invention can also be realized by software program code that implements the functions of the embodiments. In this case, a storage medium on which the program code is recorded is provided to a computer, and a processor included in the computer reads the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium on which it is stored constitute the present invention. Examples of storage media for providing such program code include flexible disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, hard disks, solid-state drives (SSDs), optical disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-Rs, magnetic tapes, non-volatile memory cards, and ROMs.

[0115] Furthermore, the program code that realizes the functions described in this embodiment can be implemented in a wide range of program or script languages, such as assembler, C / C++, perl, Shell, PHP, Python, and Java (registered trademark).

[0116] Furthermore, the program code of the software that realizes the functions of the embodiments may be distributed via a network and stored in a storage means such as a computer's hard disk or memory, or in a storage medium such as a CD-RW or CD-R, and the processor of the computer may read and execute the program code stored in the storage means or storage medium.

[0117] In the above-described embodiment, the control lines and information lines are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and not all control lines and information lines are necessarily shown in the product. All components may be interconnected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0118] 10 Remote monitoring / control system 101 sensor terminals 102 Communication Platform 103 Center Equipment 104 Communication control device 105 Communication equipment 201 processor 202 Main storage 203 Secondary storage device 204 Network Interface 205 Internal Bus 210 Search Department 211 Conditional conversion section 220 Communication Route Database 221 Communication Processing Database 700 combination list

Claims

1. A communication control device, a processor, a storage device connected to the processor, and a network interface connected to the processor; a sensor terminal that transmits sensor information including values ​​measured by a sensor, a communication platform that collects the sensor information, and a center device on which an application that executes processing using the collected sensor information is running; the sensor terminal and the communication platform are capable of communicating with each other via communication paths having different communication methods, The communication platform is capable of executing a plurality of communication processes for controlling transmission of the sensor information, The communication control device managing a communication path database for managing the communication performance of the plurality of communication paths, and a communication process database for managing the degree of influence that each of the plurality of communication processes has on the communication performance; acquiring a condition of communication performance between the sensor terminal and the communication platform; referring to the communication process database to identify the communication process that may satisfy the condition; generating a combination of the communication path and the communication process; calculating communication performance of each of the combinations by referring to the communication path database and the communication processing database; Identifying the combination that satisfies the condition based on the calculated communication performance; A communication control device that generates and outputs display information for presenting the identified combination.

2. 2. The communication control device according to claim 1, the communication processing database stores data indicating whether or not each of the plurality of communication processing has an effect on communication performance for each item representing communication performance; The communication control device Select the communication process, referring to the data of the selected communication process, and determining whether or not the communication performance specified by the condition will be reduced; a communication control device configured to exclude the selected communication process from the communication processes constituting the combination when the communication performance specified by the condition is degraded;

3. 2. The communication control device according to claim 1, the communication processing database stores data indicating the magnitude of an influence on communication performance for each of the plurality of communication processings, for each item representing communication performance; The communication control device Select the communication process, referring to the data of the selected communication process, and determining whether the degradation of communication performance specified by the condition is within an acceptable range; a communication control device that excludes the selected communication process from the communication processes that constitute the combination when the degradation in communication performance specified in the condition is not within an acceptable range;

4. 2. The communication control device according to claim 1, obtaining functional and / or non-functional requirements for the application; A communication control device that converts the requirements into the conditions.

5. 2. The communication control device according to claim 1, acquiring measurement information including the communication path being used, the communication process being executed, and communication performance between the sensor terminal and the communication platform; The communication control device updates the communication processing database based on the measurement information.

6. A communication setting support method executed by a communication control device, comprising: The communication control device a processor, a storage device connected to the processor, and a network interface connected to the processor; a sensor terminal that transmits sensor information including values ​​measured by a sensor, a communication platform that collects the sensor information, and a center device on which an application that executes processing using the collected sensor information is running; the sensor terminal and the communication platform are capable of communicating with each other via communication paths having different communication methods, The communication platform is capable of executing a plurality of communication processes for controlling transmission of the sensor information, the communication control device manages a communication path database for managing communication performance of the plurality of communication paths, and a communication process database for managing the degree of influence of each of the plurality of communication processes on the communication performance; The communication setting support method includes: a first step in which the communication control device acquires a condition of communication performance between the sensor terminal and the communication platform; a second step in which the communication control device refers to the communication process database to identify the communication process that has the potential to satisfy the condition; a third step in which the communication control device generates a combination of the communication path and the communication process; a fourth step in which the communication control device refers to the communication path database and the communication processing database to calculate communication performance of each of the combinations; a fifth step in which the communication control device identifies the combination that satisfies the condition based on the calculated communication performance; a sixth step of the communication control device generating and outputting display information for presenting the identified combination.

7. 7. The communication setup support method according to claim 6, the communication processing database stores data indicating whether or not each of the plurality of communication processing has an effect on communication performance for each item representing communication performance; The second step includes: a step of the communication control device selecting the communication process; a step of the communication control device referring to the data of the selected communication process and determining whether or not the communication performance specified by the condition will be reduced; A communication setting support method characterized by including a step in which the communication control device excludes the selected communication process from the communication processes that constitute the combination when the communication performance specified in the conditions deteriorates.

8. 7. The communication setup support method according to claim 6, the communication processing database stores data indicating the magnitude of an influence on communication performance for each of the plurality of communication processings, for each item representing communication performance; The second step includes: a step of the communication control device selecting the communication process; a step of the communication control device referring to the data of the selected communication process and determining whether or not the degradation of communication performance specified by the condition is within an allowable range; A communication setting support method characterized by including a step in which the communication control device excludes the selected communication process from the communication processes that constitute the combination if the degradation in communication performance specified in the conditions is not within an acceptable range.

9. 7. The communication setup support method according to claim 6, The communication control device acquires at least one of functional and non-functional requirements of the application; a step of the communication control device converting the requirements into the conditions.

10. 7. The communication setup support method according to claim 6, The communication control device acquires measurement information including the communication path being used, the communication process being executed, and communication performance between the sensor terminal and the communication platform; a step of the communication control device updating the communication processing database based on the measurement information.

Images