Communication devices, communication methods, and computer programs

Abstract

To properly acquire information required for analyzing an error, while suppressing increase in traffic that is generated in acquiring information on operation or state of a drive unit of an automobile or the like.SOLUTION: A communication apparatus includes: a drive unit communication unit which communicates with a drive unit to which the apparatus is connected; an external communication unit which communicates with another device over a network; a notification information storage unit which stores notification information to be acquired from the drive unit when connected to the drive unit communication unit, the notification information indicating operation or state of the drive unit; and a control unit which acquires the notification information from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit, records the acquired notification information on the notification information storage unit, and transmits, on receipt of error information from the drive unit, one or more pieces of notification information stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined another device via the external communication unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to technologies of a communication device, a communication method, and a computer program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, information regarding the operation and state of a driving device such as an automobile or an agricultural working vehicle has been acquired by an information processing device such as a server, and the state of the driving device has been determined or the collected information has been utilized for research and development or the like (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, if detailed information is constantly collected from the driving device, problems such as an excessive increase in communication volume and a shortage of the capacity of the storage device will occur. On the other hand, when an error occurs in the driving device, detailed information may be required for its analysis.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of appropriately acquiring information necessary for error analysis while suppressing an increase in communication volume that occurs when acquiring information regarding the operation and state of a driving device such as an automobile.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, a driving device communication unit that communicates with a driving device to which the own device is connected, an external communication unit that communicates with other devices via a network, A notification information storage unit stores notification information, which is information obtained from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit. A control unit which acquires notification information from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit, records the acquired notification information in the notification information storage unit, and when it receives error information from the drive unit, transmits one or more notification pieces stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit, A communication device equipped with the following is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately acquire information necessary for error analysis while suppressing the increase in communication volume that occurs when acquiring information about the operation and status of drive systems such as automobiles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram showing the system configuration of a drive unit communication system 100 according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This figure shows a specific example of the functional configuration of the communication device 10. [Figure 3] This figure shows a specific example of the functional configuration of the control device 30. [Figure 4] This figure shows a specific example of an identification information table stored in the identification information storage unit 321. [Figure 5] This figure shows a specific example of a setting information table stored in the setting information storage unit 322. [Figure 6] This figure shows a specific example of a device information table stored in the device information storage unit 323. [Figure 7] This is a sequence chart illustrating specific examples of actions related to notification information. [Figure 8] This is a sequence chart that specifically illustrates how error information is handled. [Figure 9] This sequence chart specifically illustrates the operation related to error handling. [Figure 10] This is a schematic diagram illustrating a specific example of error reporting information. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the system configuration of a drive unit communication system 100 according to one embodiment. First, the general outline of the drive unit communication system 100 will be described. The drive unit communication system 100 comprises a communication device 10, a drive unit 20, and a management device 30. The communication device 10 is communicatively connected to the drive unit 20. The communication device 10 communicates with the management device 30 via a network 90. ​​The communication device 10 may be connected to the network 90 via, for example, a base station 91. The network 90 may be a network using wireless communication or a network using wired communication. The network 90 may be composed of a combination of multiple networks. The communication device 10 may also communicate with an artificial satellite 92. Each device will be described in more detail below. The drive unit communication system 100 may also be provided with a user terminal 40. The user terminal 40 communicates with the management device 30 via, for example, the network 90. ​​Each device will be described below.

[0011] First, let's describe the communication device 10. Figure 2 shows a specific example of the functional configuration of the communication device 10. The communication device 10 is a communication-capable information device. The communication device 10 may be, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit), or it may be configured as another communication device. The communication device 10 includes a drive unit communication unit 11, an external communication unit 12, a location information acquisition unit 13, a storage unit 14, and a control unit 15.

[0012] The drive unit communication unit 11 communicates with the drive unit 20 to which it is connected (communication device 10). More specifically, the drive unit communication unit 11 may communicate with the control device of the drive unit 20 (for example, the ECU (Electronic Control Unit)). The drive unit communication unit 11 may, for example, perform CAN (Controller Area Network) communication with the drive unit 20.

[0013] The drive unit communication unit 11 may be physically connected to the drive unit 20 using terminals, plugs, etc. In this case, the drive unit communication unit 11 may be configured as a connector such as terminals or plugs. The drive unit communication unit 11 may be wired and communicatively connected to the drive unit 20 using a cable. In this case, the drive unit communication unit 11 may be configured as a communication interface equipped with a connector to which a communication cable is connected. The drive unit communication unit 11 may be wirelessly connected and communicatively connected to the drive unit 20. In this case, the drive unit communication unit 11 may be configured as a communication interface that performs wireless communication with the drive unit 20. The wireless communication between the drive unit communication unit 11 and the drive unit 20 may be, for example, short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth®), wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Wi-Fi®, or LPWA (Low Power, Wide Area).

[0014] The external communication unit 12 is a communication device that is communicably connected to a network 90, which is an example of an external network. The external communication unit 12 may be connected to the network 90, for example, by wirelessly communicating with a base station 91. The external communication unit 12 may be connected to the network 90 via the base station 91 using, for example, 4G or 5G mobile communication technology. The external communication unit 12 communicates with other devices via the network 90. For example, the external communication unit 12 communicates with the management device 30.

[0015] The position information acquisition unit 13 acquires the position information of the current position of the communication device 10. The position information acquisition unit 13 acquires the position information of the current position, for example, by means of a satellite positioning system or communication with a base station of a mobile phone network. Specific examples of satellite positioning systems include GPS (Global Positioning System) and Galileo. The position information acquisition unit 13 outputs the acquired position information to the control unit 15. The drive device communication unit 11, the external communication unit 12, and the position information acquisition unit 13 described so far may be provided in a housing that houses them integrally. In this case, the communication device 10 further includes a housing.

[0016] The storage unit 14 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk device or a semiconductor storage device. The storage unit 14 functions as a communication device identification information storage unit 141, a type identification information storage unit 142, a drive device identification information storage unit 143, a setting information storage unit 144, and a notification information storage unit 145. The communication device identification information storage unit 141 stores the identification information (communication device identification information) assigned to the own device (communication device 10). The communication device identification information is different for each communication device 10. That is, the communication device identification information is information that uniquely indicates the communication device 10.

[0017] The type identification information storage unit 142 stores the type identification information of the drive device 20 to which the own device (communication device 10) is connected. The type identification information is information indicating the type of the drive device 20, such as the model name, product name, model number, etc. of the drive device 20 (that is, information that has the same value for drive devices 20 of the same type). The type identification information may further include information indicating the version of the drive device 20.

[0018] The drive unit identification information storage unit 143 stores identification information (drive unit identification information) of the drive unit 20 to which its own device (communication device 10) is connected. The drive unit identification information may be, for example, identification information of the drive unit 20 itself, or identification information of an ECU provided in the drive unit 20. The drive unit identification information is uniquely assigned to each drive unit 20 or ECU.

[0019] The setting information storage unit 144 stores setting information. The setting information is information used when the control unit 15 of the communication device 10 operates, and includes information indicating the content of the operation of the control unit 15. The setting information may be, for example, the following:

[0020] • The content and type of information (notification information) that the communication device 10 acquires from the drive device 20. • Timing at which the communication device 10 acquires notification information from the drive unit 20. • Timing at which the communication device 10 begins to acquire notification information from the drive device 20 • Timing at which the communication device 10 transmits notification information acquired from the drive unit 20 to another device (e.g., the management device 30) • Content of the information that the communication device 10 transmits to other devices (e.g., the management device 30) from the notification information acquired by the drive device 20. • Content of the determination process performed by the communication device 10 based on the information acquired from the drive device 20 • Timing at which the communication device 10 transmits information corresponding to the result of the determination process to another device (e.g., the management device 30) The timing at which the communication device 10 begins to transmit information corresponding to the result of the determination process to another device (e.g., the management device 30). • The control details of each device provided by the communication device 10 (e.g., startup timing)

[0021] For example, the startup timing of the external communication unit 12 may be set in the configuration information. In this case, the startup timing may be set to be different for each product. By configuring it in this way, abrupt interruptions can be suppressed.

[0022] The notification information storage unit 145 stores the content of the notification information transmitted from the drive unit 20. The notification information storage unit 145 may store, for example, the content of the notification information in association with information indicating the timing (e.g., date and time) when the notification information was acquired. The notification information storage unit 145 may discard notification information that has been stored and meets predetermined conditions indicating that it has become outdated, and may not store any further such information.

[0023] The control unit 15 is composed of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory. The control unit 15 functions as an identification information acquisition unit 151, a setting information acquisition unit 152, and a communication control unit 153 when the processor executes a program. Note that all or part of the functions of the control unit 15 may be implemented using hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), PLD (Programmable Logic Device), or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include, for example, portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, and semiconductor memory devices (e.g., SSDs: Solid State Drives), as well as storage devices such as hard disks and semiconductor memory devices built into computer systems. The program may also be transmitted via a telecommunications line.

[0024] The identification information acquisition unit 151 communicates with the drive unit 20 via the drive unit communication unit 11 and acquires the type identification information of the drive unit 20 to which its own device (communication device 10) is connected. The identification information acquisition unit 151 records the acquired type identification information in the type identification information storage unit 142. The identification information acquisition unit 151 may also acquire the drive unit identification information of the drive unit 20 to which its own device is connected. The identification information acquisition unit 151 records the acquired drive unit identification information in the drive unit identification information storage unit 143.

[0025] The setting information acquisition unit 152 communicates with the management device 30 via the external communication unit 12 and acquires setting information. At this time, the setting information acquisition unit 152 acquires setting information corresponding to the type identification information stored in the type identification information storage unit 142. That is, the setting information acquisition unit 152 acquires setting information corresponding to the type of drive device 20 to which its own device (communication device 10) is connected. At this time, the setting information acquisition unit 152 may further acquire setting information (auxiliary setting information described later) corresponding to the drive device identification information of the drive device 20 to which its own device is connected. The setting information acquisition unit 152 records the acquired setting information in the setting information storage unit 144.

[0026] The communication control unit 153 operates based on the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 144. The communication control unit 153 controls, for example, communication with the drive unit 20 via the drive unit communication unit 11, communication with the management device 30 via the external communication unit 12, and the operation of the device itself. The communication control unit 153 operates according to the setting information stored in the setting information storage unit 144.

[0027] Next, the drive unit 20 will be described. The drive unit 20 is a device that includes a drive mechanism such as an engine or a motor. The drive unit 20 may be a device that moves by the drive of a drive mechanism, or it may be a device that includes a drive mechanism but does not move on its own. The drive unit 20 may be, for example, an automobile that moves people or objects, a work machine such as a lawnmower or snowplow, a marine engine (outboard motor) that is attached to and driven by a ship, a transport trolley, a generator or general-purpose engine, or other devices. A work machine may, for example, have a separate drive mechanism for the work section in addition to the drive mechanism that generates the power for movement, or it may be equipped with a transmission that distributes the power of the drive mechanism that generates the power for movement to the work section. The drive unit 20 may be equipped with a control device such as an ECU. In this case, the control device such as an ECU controls the operation of the drive unit 20 or controls the components provided in the drive unit 20. The power supply connected to the drive unit 20 may supply power to the communication device 10 connected to the device (drive unit 20). The control device of the drive unit 20 transmits information (hereinafter referred to as "notification information") indicating the operation and status of its own device (drive unit 20) (including the operation and status of its components) to the communication device 10 at a predetermined timing. The timing at which the control device transmits notification information to the communication device 10 may be predetermined in the drive unit 20, set by the communication device 10, or at the timing when the communication device 10 makes an inquiry. The content of the notification information may be predetermined in the drive unit 20, set by the communication device 10, or defined in an inquiry sent from the communication device 10. The timing and content of such notification information may also be defined in the setting information that the communication device 10 receives from the management device 30.

[0028] Next, the management device 30 will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the functional configuration of the management device 30. The management device 30 is configured using information processing equipment such as a personal computer or a server device. The management device 30 includes a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a control unit 33.

[0029] The communication unit 31 is a communication device that is connected to the network 90 in a communication-enabled manner. The communication unit 31 communicates with other devices via the network 90. ​​For example, the communication unit 31 communicates with the communication device 10 and the user terminal 40.

[0030] The storage unit 32 is configured using a storage device such as a magnetic hard disk drive or a semiconductor storage device. The storage unit 32 functions as an identification information storage unit 321, a setting information storage unit 322, a device information storage unit 323, and a history information storage unit 324.

[0031] Figure 4 shows a specific example of an identification information table stored by the identification information storage unit 321. The identification information table has multiple identification information records. Each identification information record has values ​​for communication device identification information and type identification information. The communication device identification information indicates the identification information of the communication device 10. The type identification information indicates the type of drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 indicated by the communication device identification information in the same identification information record is connected. That is, the communication device 10 indicated by the communication device identification information included in the identification information record is connected to a drive device 20 of the type indicated by the type identification information included in the same identification information record. The identification information record may also have a value for drive device identification information. In this case, the communication device identification information, type identification information, and drive device identification information are stored in association with each other.

[0032] Figure 5 shows a specific example of a setting information table stored by the setting information storage unit 322. The setting information table has multiple setting information records. Each setting information record has type identification information and a setting information value. The type identification information indicates the type of drive device 20. The setting information is the setting information to be applied to the communication device 10 connected to the drive device 20 of the type indicated by the type identification information of the same setting information record. A single setting information record may contain one or more type identification information entries.

[0033] The device information storage unit 323 stores a device information table. The device information table has multiple device information records. The device information records contain information indicating the history of the state of the drive unit 20, as well as information indicating the settings for the drive unit 20 and the operation of the drive unit 20. Figure 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of the device information table stored by the device information storage unit 323. In the example in Figure 6, the device information record has values ​​for drive unit identification information, failure information, and auxiliary setting information. The drive unit identification information is the identification information of the drive unit 20. The failure information is information indicating a failure that occurred in the past or is currently occurring in the drive unit 20 indicated by the drive unit identification information of the same device information record. The failure information may also indicate the type of failure and the date and time the failure occurred. The auxiliary setting information indicates setting information that is set in addition to the setting information that is normally applied to the drive unit 20 indicated by the drive unit identification information of the same setting information record. The auxiliary setting information may be automatically set by the control unit 33 in response to, for example, fault information of the drive unit 20, or it may be set based on information received from the owner's terminal device (user terminal 40) of the drive unit 20.

[0034] The history information storage unit 324 records the history of information transmitted from the communication device 10. For example, the communication device 10 transmits notification information acquired from the drive device 20 to the management device 30 at a predetermined timing based on the setting information stored in the device. The history information storage unit 324 stores this notification information transmitted from each communication device 10. For example, the history information storage unit 324 may store the communication device identification information of the communication device 10, the drive device identification information of the drive device 20, the notification information acquired from the drive device 20, and information indicating the date and time in association with each other. Also, for example, the communication device 10 generates error report information based on error information received from the drive device 20 and transmits it to the management device 30. The history information storage unit 324 stores this error report information transmitted from each communication device 10.

[0035] The control unit 33 is configured using a processor such as a CPU and memory. The control unit 33 functions as an identification information acquisition unit 331, a setting information provision unit 332, and an information management unit 333 when the processor executes a program. Note that all or part of the functions of the control unit 33 may be implemented using hardware such as an ASIC, PLD, or FPGA. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include, for example, portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, and semiconductor memory devices (e.g., SSDs: Solid State Drives), as well as storage devices such as hard disks and semiconductor memory devices built into computer systems. The program may also be transmitted via a telecommunications line.

[0036] The identification information acquisition unit 331 communicates with the communication device 10 via the communication unit 31 and acquires the identification information of the communication device 10 (communication device identification information) and the type identification information of the drive unit 20 to which the communication device 10 is connected. The identification information acquisition unit 331 associates the acquired communication device identification information and type identification information and records them in the identification information storage unit 321.

[0037] When the setting information provision unit 332 receives a request for setting information from the communication device 10, it reads setting information from the setting information storage unit 322 according to the type of drive device 20 to which the communication device 10 is connected. For example, if type identification information is received when setting information is requested, the setting information provision unit 332 reads the setting information recorded in the setting information storage unit 322 in association with that type identification information. Then, the setting information provision unit 332 transmits the read setting information to the requesting communication device 10.

[0038] The request for configuration information may include the drive unit identification information of the drive unit 20 to which the transmitting communication device 10 is connected. In this case, the configuration information providing unit 332 determines whether the requested drive unit identification information is registered in the device information record stored in the device information storage unit 323 in association with auxiliary configuration information. If such auxiliary configuration information is registered, the configuration information providing unit 332 reads the auxiliary configuration information and transmits it to the requesting communication device 10.

[0039] The information management unit 333 manages the information stored in the device information storage unit 323 and the information stored in the history information storage unit 324. For example, the information management unit 333 manages the auxiliary setting information stored in the device information storage unit 323. The information management unit 333 may register or change auxiliary setting information for a specific drive device 20 based on change information transmitted from, for example, a user terminal 40. Such change information includes auxiliary setting information and drive device identification information. Based on the received change information, the information management unit 333 may register a new device information record recorded in the device information storage unit 323, or update already registered device information. In addition, if fault information is registered in the device information storage unit 323, the information management unit 333 may register auxiliary setting information according to that fault information. Rules (correspondence) for what auxiliary setting information is registered when what kind of fault information is registered may be predetermined.

[0040] The information management unit 333 receives notification information and error report information transmitted from each communication device 10 and records it in the history information storage unit 324. For example, the information management unit 333 may record the communication device identification information of the communication device 10, the drive device identification information of the drive device 20, the notification information or error report information obtained from the drive device 20, and information indicating the date and time in association with each other in the history information storage unit 324. The information management unit 333 may also determine whether a malfunction has occurred in each drive device 20 based on the information stored in the history information storage unit 324. The criteria for determining a malfunction may be predetermined. If the information management unit 333 determines that a malfunction has occurred, it registers the drive device identification information of the drive device 20 that was the subject of the determination and the information indicating the determined malfunction in association with each other in the device information storage unit 323.

[0041] Next, we will describe a first specific example of communication control based on configuration information. For example, the communication device 10 may operate as follows based on the configuration information.

[0042] The communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 sets the content of the notification information and the transmission timing on the control device of the drive device 20 based on the setting information. The control device of the drive device 20 generates the notification information according to the settings made by the communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 and transmits it to the communication device 10. The communication control unit 153 records the content of the notification information received (acquired) from the drive device 20 in the notification information storage unit 145. The communication control unit 153 records the notification information so that the notification information is retained in the notification information storage unit 145 for a predetermined period of time.

[0043] The control device of the drive unit 20 determines whether a predetermined error has occurred in its own unit, and if it determines that a predetermined error has occurred, it transmits error information (hereinafter referred to as "error information") to the communication device 10. The error information may include, for example, information indicating the type of error. For example, a DTC (Diagnostic Trouble Code) may be used as the error information. When the communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 receives the error information, it generates error report information that includes at least notification information acquired in the past up to that point in time, and transmits it to the management device 30.

[0044] Error reporting information includes at least notification information acquired between the time the error information was received and a predetermined first hour prior. Error reporting information may further include notification information acquired between the time the error information was received and a predetermined second hour has elapsed. The lengths of the first and second hours may be defined in the configuration information. The first hour may be set to be longer than the second hour, or the first hour may be set to be shorter than the second hour, or the first and second hours may be set to be the same length. To generate such error reporting information, the notification information storage unit 145 continues to store notification information for a period longer than the first hour. Different values ​​may be applied to the length of the first hour and the length of the second hour, depending on the type identification information. This information may be defined, for example, in the configuration information.

[0045] Figures 7-9 are sequence charts showing specific examples of the operation of the drive unit communication system 100, which includes a communication device 10 that operates based on the above-described setting information. Figure 7 is a sequence chart showing a specific example of the operation related to notification information in particular. The control unit of the drive unit 20 waits for processing related to notification information until the notification timing arrives (step S101-NO). When the notification timing arrives (step S101-YES), the control unit generates notification information (step S102). Then, the control unit transmits the generated notification information to the communication device 10 (step S103). When the communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 receives the notification information, it records the received notification information in the notification information storage unit 145 (step S104).

[0046] Figure 8 is a sequence chart showing a specific example of the operation related to error information. The control unit of the drive unit 20 waits for processing related to error information until an error occurs (step S201-NO). When an error occurs (step S201-YES), the control unit generates error information (step S202). The control unit then transmits the generated error information to the communication device 10 (step S203). When the communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 receives the error information, it records the received error information in the notification information storage unit 145 and executes error response processing (step S204).

[0047] Figure 9 is a sequence chart showing a specific example of the operation related to error handling processing. The communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 waits for a predetermined time to elapse after an error occurs before generating error report information (step S301-NO). This predetermined time is the same as or longer than the second time. Once the predetermined time has elapsed after the error occurs (step S301-YES), the communication control unit 153 generates error report information (step S302). The communication control unit 153 then transmits the generated error report information to the management device 30 (step S303). The management device 30 records the received error report information in the history information storage unit 324 (step S304).

[0048] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing a specific example of error reporting information. In Figure 10, multiple arrows 71 pointing from the drive unit 20 to the communication device 10 indicate notification information, and arrows 72 pointing from the drive unit 20 to the communication device 10 indicate error information. In the example in Figure 10, notification information is transmitted from the drive unit 20 to the communication device 10 at predetermined intervals. When an error occurs, the drive unit 20 transmits error information to the communication device 10 (arrow 72). When the communication control unit 153 of the communication device 10 receives the error information, it then generates error reporting information and transmits it to the management device 30. The error reporting information includes one or more notification pieces of information (71_2~71_6) obtained between the time the error information was received and the first time period prior, and one or more notification pieces of information (71_7~71_9) obtained between the time the error information was received and the second time period has elapsed.

[0049] In the drive unit communication system 100 configured in this way, it is possible to appropriately acquire the information necessary for error analysis while suppressing the increase in the amount of communication that occurs when acquiring information about the operation and status of the drive unit 20. Specifically, this is as follows.

[0050] In the drive unit communication system 100, the drive unit 20 transmits notification information to the communication device 10 at predetermined timings. The notification information includes information about the operation and status of the drive unit 20. The communication device 10 stores the received notification information for a predetermined period. When error information is transmitted from the drive unit 20 to the communication device 10, the communication device 10 transmits one or more notification pieces of information obtained from the time the error information was received up to a point one hour prior to that time to the management device 30. As a result, the management device 30 can acquire notification information obtained by the drive unit 20 over a predetermined period (first hour) immediately before the error occurs. Moreover, notification information prior to the first hour is not transmitted to the management device 30. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the increase in communication volume.

[0051] Furthermore, the communication device 10 may transmit one or more notification pieces of information obtained between the time the error information is received and the second time interval to the management device 30. With this configuration, the management device 30 can appropriately acquire more information necessary for error analysis.

[0052] Furthermore, notification information included in the error reporting information is stored in the storage device of the communication device 10, not in the storage device of the drive unit 20. Therefore, it is possible to send the necessary notification information to the management device 30 without putting a strain on the storage area of ​​the drive unit 20.

[0053] The notification information that the communication device 10 obtains from the drive device 20 may include, for example, one or more of the following: the engine's rotational speed per unit time, whether or not the lawnmower blade is rotating, the lawnmower blade's rotational speed per unit time, and the measurement value of a thermometer installed around the engine. If the drive device 20 is equipped with a motor, the communication device 10 may also obtain from the drive device 20 the motor's rotational speed per unit time, the voltage applied to the motor, and the motor's current. In particular, if the drive device 20 is a work machine, information regarding the drive unit (engine or motor) mounted on the work machine may be used as notification information. In particular, if the drive device 20 is a work machine, information regarding the drive unit (engine or motor) that drives the work part (lawnmower blade, snowblower auger, outboard motor propeller, etc.) mounted on the work machine may be used as notification information. If the drive unit 20 is equipped with a battery, the communication device 10 may obtain values ​​such as fluctuations in battery capacity from the drive unit 20.

[0054] (modified version) In the device information storage unit 323, communication device identification information may be stored instead of drive device identification information. Alternatively, in the device information storage unit 323, drive device identification information and communication device identification information may be registered in association with each other.

[0055] The management device 30 does not necessarily have to be configured as a single device. For example, the management device 30 may be configured using multiple information processing devices. The multiple information processing devices that make up the management device 30 may be connected to each other via a communication path such as a network 90 and configured as a system such as a cluster machine or a cloud.

[0056] <Summary of Embodiments> The above embodiments disclose at least the following communication and management devices. 1. The communication device (e.g., 10) of the above embodiment is A drive unit communication unit (e.g., 11) that communicates with the drive unit (e.g., 20) to which the device is connected, An external communication unit (e.g., 12) that communicates with other devices (e.g., 30) via a network (e.g., 90), A notification information storage unit (e.g., 145) stores notification information, which is information obtained from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit. A control unit which acquires notification information from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit, records the acquired notification information in the notification information storage unit, and when it receives error information from the drive unit, transmits one or more notification pieces stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit, It is equipped with.

[0057] According to this embodiment, notification information to be transmitted to other devices is stored in the storage device of the communication device, rather than in the storage device of the drive device. Therefore, it is possible to transmit necessary notification information to other devices without putting a strain on the storage area of ​​the drive device.

[0058] 2. According to the above embodiment, When the control unit receives error information from the drive unit, it transmits the notification information acquired at least between the time the error information was received and a predetermined first time period prior to that time to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit.

[0059] According to this embodiment, notification information that was notified before the error information was received can be transmitted to a predetermined other device. Therefore, it becomes possible to obtain detailed information before the error occurred.

[0060] 3. According to the above embodiment, The predetermined first time is defined in the setting information corresponding to the type identification information indicating the type of drive device.

[0061] According to this embodiment, it is possible to individually set the information necessary for analysis as notification information depending on the type of drive device to which the communication device 10 is attached.

[0062] 4. According to the above embodiment, The aforementioned drive device is a work machine. The aforementioned notification information concerns the drive unit of the work machine.

[0063] According to this embodiment, Based on information about the drive unit, it becomes possible to analyze the cause of the failure and determine whether repairs are necessary.

[0064] 5. According to the above embodiment, The aforementioned error information is generated when the control device of the drive unit determines whether or not an error has occurred based on the information acquired by the drive unit, and determines that an error has occurred.

[0065] According to this embodiment, It becomes possible to obtain log data for various errors.

[0066] 6. According to the above embodiment, The system further includes a housing that integrally houses the drive unit communication unit, the external communication unit, and the notification information storage unit.

[0067] According to this embodiment, By integrating the two systems, a single communication device can be used to support multiple models without requiring any software modifications.

[0068] 7. The communication method of the above embodiment is: A computer comprising: a drive unit communication unit that communicates with a drive unit to which the device is connected; an external communication unit that communicates with other devices via a network; and a notification information storage unit that stores notification information, which is information obtained from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit, The steps include: obtaining the notification information from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit; The steps include recording the acquired notification information in the notification information storage unit, When error information is received from the drive unit, the control step includes transmitting one or more of the notification information stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit, It has.

[0069] 8. The computer program of the above embodiment is A computer comprising: a drive unit communication unit that communicates with the drive unit to which the device is connected; an external communication unit that communicates with other devices via a network; and a notification information storage unit that stores notification information, which is information obtained from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit; A control unit that obtains notification information from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit, records the obtained notification information in the notification information storage unit, and when it receives error information from the drive unit, transmits one or more of the notification information stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit. It will function as a communication device equipped with these features.

[0070] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 100…Drive unit communication system, 10…Communication device, 11…Drive unit communication unit, 12…External communication unit, 13…Location information acquisition unit, 14…Storage unit, 141…Communication device identification information storage unit, 142…Type identification information storage unit, 143…Drive unit identification information storage unit, 144…Setting information storage unit, 145…Notification information storage unit, 15…Control unit, 151…Identification information acquisition unit, 152…Setting information acquisition unit, 153…Communication control unit, 20…Drive unit, 30…Management device, 31…Communication unit, 32…Storage unit, 321…Identification information storage unit, 322…Setting information storage unit, 323…Device information storage unit, 324…History information storage unit, 33…Control unit, 331…Identification information acquisition unit, 332…Setting information provision unit, 333…Information management unit, 40...User terminal, 90...Network, 91...Base station, 92...Artificial satellite

Claims

1. A drive unit communication unit that communicates with the drive unit to which the device is connected, An external communication unit that communicates with other devices via a network, A notification information storage unit stores notification information, which is information obtained from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit. A control unit which acquires notification information from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit, records the acquired notification information in the notification information storage unit, and when it receives error information from the drive unit, transmits one or more notification pieces stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit, Equipped with, When the control unit receives error information from the drive unit, it transmits the notification information acquired at least between the time the error information was received and a predetermined first time back to that time to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit. There are multiple types of the aforementioned drive device. The type identification information is information indicating the type of the drive device, A communication device in which the predetermined first time is set to a different value according to the type identification information.

2. The aforementioned drive device is a work machine. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein the notification information is information relating to the drive unit of the work machine.

3. The communication device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the error information is information generated when the control device of the drive device determines whether or not an error has occurred based on information acquired by the drive device, and determines that an error has occurred.

4. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a housing that integrally houses the drive unit communication unit, the external communication unit, and the notification information storage unit.

5. The communication device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the control unit receives error information from the drive device, it transmits to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit the notification information acquired at least between the time the error information was received and a predetermined first time prior to that time, and the notification information acquired between the time the error information was received and a predetermined second time has elapsed.

6. A computer comprising: a drive unit communication unit that communicates with a drive unit to which the device is connected; an external communication unit that communicates with other devices via a network; and a notification information storage unit that stores notification information, which is information obtained from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit, The steps include: obtaining the notification information from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit; The steps include recording the acquired notification information in the notification information storage unit, When error information is received from the drive unit, the control step includes transmitting one or more of the notification information stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit, It has, In the control step described above, when error information is received from the drive unit, the notification information acquired at least between the time the error information was received and a predetermined first time period prior is transmitted to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit. There are multiple types of the aforementioned drive device. The type identification information is information indicating the type of the drive device, A communication method wherein the predetermined first time is set to a different value according to the type identification information.

7. A computer comprising: a drive unit communication unit that communicates with the drive unit to which the device is connected; an external communication unit that communicates with other devices via a network; and a notification information storage unit that stores notification information, which is information obtained from the drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit and which indicates the operation or status of the drive unit; A control unit that acquires notification information from a drive unit connected to the drive unit communication unit, records the acquired notification information in the notification information storage unit, and when it receives error information from the drive unit, transmits one or more of the notification information stored in the notification information storage unit to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit. Equipped with, When the control unit receives error information from the drive unit, it transmits the notification information acquired at least between the time the error information was received and a predetermined first time back to that time to a predetermined other device via the external communication unit. There are multiple types of the aforementioned drive device. The type identification information is information indicating the type of the drive device, The predetermined first time is a computer program that causes the communication device to function as a communication device for which different values ​​are set according to the type identification information.

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