Management systems and management methods

Abstract

To provide a management system and management method for appropriately recognizing an abnormality.SOLUTION: A management system A1 includes: a plurality of sensor devices Es1-Esn for measuring temperature of an object; a plurality of illumination devices L1-Ln; a control device Ct; and a setting device CL, a user terminal Ut, and a management terminal Mt which are mutually communicable via the Internet It. The control device Ct or the setting device CL determines presence / absence of an abnormality on the object based on measurement data. The setting device CL or the management terminal Mt transmits an abnormality notification indicating the abnormality to the user terminal Ut when it is determined that the abnormality exists on the object based on a determination result. When a confirmation answer is not received and also it is determined that an abnormality being the same as the abnormality has occurred by the control device Ct or the setting device CL or when a predetermined time elapses, the setting device CL or the management terminal Mt transmits the abnormality notification to the user terminal Ut.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management system and a management method.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various management systems using a plurality of sensors such as temperature sensors have been proposed. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional management system. In the management system disclosed in this document, the recorded data of the temperature sensor is recorded in the monitoring unit. When the recorded data of the temperature sensor is an abnormal value, an email notifying the abnormality to the relevant person is sent via the communication unit.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is a concern that the abnormality may not be appropriately recognized when the relevant person forgets to check the email notifying the abnormality.

[0005] The present invention has been conceived under the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a management system and a management method capable of more appropriately recognizing an abnormality.

[0006] A management system provided by a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a plurality of sensor devices for measuring the temperature of an object; a plurality of relay units for transmitting and receiving measurement data measured by the plurality of sensor devices; a control device for receiving the measurement data from the plurality of relay units; and a setting device, a user terminal, and a management terminal that can communicate with each other over a public network. The setting device stores the measurement data transmitted from the control device, the management terminal and the user terminal can confirm the contents of the measurement data, the control device or the setting device determines whether there is an abnormality in the object based on the measurement data, and if the setting device or the management terminal determines that there is an abnormality in the object based on the result of the determination, it transmits an abnormality notification indicating the abnormality and a confirmation notification to the user terminal requesting confirmation of whether a reminder setting is necessary to send the abnormality notification over a predetermined period of time, and if the setting device or the management terminal has not received the confirmation response and the control device or the setting device determines that the same abnormality has occurred, or if a predetermined time has elapsed, it transmits the abnormality notification to the user terminal.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the setting device or the management terminal repeatedly transmits the abnormality notification at predetermined intervals until it receives the confirmation response from the user terminal.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the setting device or the management terminal sends the abnormality notification to the user terminal only once, based on having received the confirmation response from the user terminal.

[0009] A management method provided by a second aspect of the present invention uses a plurality of sensor devices for measuring the physical quantity of an object, a plurality of relay units for transmitting and receiving measurement data measured by the plurality of sensor devices, a control device for receiving the measurement data from the plurality of relay units, and a setting device, a user terminal, and a management terminal that can communicate with each other via a public network, wherein the setting device stores the measurement data transmitted from the control device, and the management terminal and the user terminal can confirm the contents of the measurement data, and the management method includes the step of the control device or the setting device determining whether or not there is an abnormality in the object based on the measurement data. The setting device or the management terminal, when it determines that there is an abnormality with respect to the object based on the result of the determination, sends an abnormality notification indicating the abnormality and a confirmation notification requesting a confirmation response regarding whether or not a reminder setting is necessary to send the abnormality notification for a predetermined period of time to the user terminal; the setting device or the management terminal confirms receipt of the confirmation response; and the setting device or the management terminal, when it has not received the confirmation response and the control device or the setting device determines that the same abnormality as the abnormality has occurred, or when a predetermined time has elapsed, sends the abnormality notification to the user terminal. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, abnormalities can be recognized more appropriately.

[0011] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a system configuration diagram showing a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing a lighting device for a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3]It is a block diagram showing a control device of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] (a) to (c) are tables showing examples of management temperatures of management targets of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing a sensor device of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a block diagram showing a user terminal of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing a management terminal of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic layout diagram showing a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a sequence diagram of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a sequence diagram of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] It is another example of a sequence diagram of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is another example of a sequence diagram of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] It is another example of a flowchart of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] It is a system configuration diagram of a first modification example of a management system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] It is a sequence diagram of a management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19](a) to (c) are diagrams for explaining the setting of the transmission interval of the abnormality notification. [Figure 20] (a) to (c) are diagrams for explaining other examples of the setting of the transmission interval of the abnormality notification.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] Terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc. in the present invention are used merely for identification and are not intended to assign an order to those objects.

[0015] <First Embodiment> Figs. 1 to 18 show a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The management system A1 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of sensor devices Es, a plurality of lighting devices L, a control device Ct, a setting device CL, a user terminal Ut, and a management terminal Mt. The management system A1 is a system for managing the temperature inside the showcase Sc using a sensor device Es having a temperature measurement function installed in the showcase Sc arranged inside the store, for example, as shown in Fig. 8. However, the physical quantity detected by the sensor device Es and the environment in which the plurality of sensor devices Es are installed are not limited in any way.

[0016] 〔Lighting Device L (Relay Unit)〕 The lighting device L is a specific example of the relay unit in the present invention. The specific example of the relay unit is not limited to the lighting device L. For example, a relay unit with a dedicated configuration obtained by removing the light source unit 11 from the lighting device L described hereinafter may also be used.

[0017] Multiple lighting devices L are used, for example, for indoor lighting and are installed in various locations such as ceilings, walls, and floors. Alternatively, lighting devices L may be configured for outdoor lighting. The specific form of lighting devices L is not limited; various forms such as fluorescent tube replacements, high-bay lighting, ceiling lights, downlights, base lights, and spotlights can be used as appropriate. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, multiple lighting devices L are installed on the ceiling of a store. In the following description, the general configuration of lighting devices L will be referred to as "lighting device L," and symbols such as lighting device L1, ..., lighting device Ln may be used to distinguish between multiple lighting devices L (where n is a natural number). Multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln may have identical configurations, share some common features, or have different configurations. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the case where multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln have identical configurations will be used as an example.

[0018] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the lighting device L. The lighting device L comprises a light source unit 11, a control unit 12, a storage unit 13, a wireless communication module 14, and a power supply unit 15.

[0019] The light source unit 11 is the part of the lighting device L1 that performs the light-emitting function. The specific configuration of the light source unit 11 is not limited in any way, and for example, it consists of a substrate and a plurality of LEDs mounted in a row on the substrate. The lighting device L1 also has a transparent or translucent cover (not shown) that allows light from the light source unit 11 to pass through.

[0020] The control unit 12 controls various parts of the lighting device L based on instructions from, for example, the control device Ct. The specific configuration of the control unit 12 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 13 stores information necessary for controlling the control unit 12 and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example. The storage unit 13 is not limited to being built into the housing of the lighting device L (not shown), but may be detachably provided on the outside of the housing of the lighting device L.

[0021] The wireless communication module 14 is for wireless communication with the control device Ct, a plurality of lighting devices L, and a plurality of sensor devices Es, and is a module that transmits and receives wireless signals. The wireless communication module 14 is connected to the control unit 12 by, for example, UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication, but is not limited to this. The wireless communication module 14 has a first wireless communication unit 141 and a second wireless communication unit 142.

[0022] The functions of the wireless communication module 14 include, as an example, receiving signals from the control device Ct, other lighting devices L, and sensor device Es, and transmitting the data contained in the received signals to the control unit 12. It also transmits an acknowledgment signal to the control device Ct indicating that a lighting control signal has been received. Furthermore, it may transmit a status information signal indicating the operating status of the lighting devices L to the control device Ct.

[0023] In this embodiment, the unique luminaire ID of each of the multiple lighting devices L is stored in the wireless communication module 14. The format of the luminaire ID information is not particularly limited, and for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address may be used. The luminaire ID may be stored in either the first wireless communication unit 141 or the second wireless communication unit 142, or in other components of the wireless communication module 14, or for example, in the storage unit 13.

[0024] The first wireless communication unit 141 is for wireless communication with the control device Ct and other lighting devices L using the first protocol. The communication frequency for wireless communication using the first protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Also, the specific example of the first protocol is not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, etc. In this embodiment, a plurality of lighting devices L having the first wireless communication unit 141 and the control device Ct form a wireless communication network Cn1 which is a mesh network. Since the first protocol is used for transferring various data between the plurality of lighting devices L as described later, a protocol is selected that can build a mesh network while ensuring the transfer speed and reliability necessary for such data transfer.

[0025] The second wireless communication unit 142 is for wireless communication with the sensor device Es using the second protocol. The communication frequency for wireless communication using the second protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, the specific example of the second protocol is not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, etc. In the illustrated example, the second wireless communication unit 142 is connected to the first wireless communication unit 141 by SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, but is not limited to this.

[0026] It is preferable to select different communication frequencies for the first and second protocols so that their communications do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, it is preferable to have different communication timings for the wireless communication by the first wireless communication unit 141 and the wireless communication by the second wireless communication unit 142. Note that the wireless communication using the second protocol may, for example, have a shorter communication range than the wireless communication using the first protocol.

[0027] For example, when the wireless communication module 14 receives a request signal from the control device Ct via the first wireless communication unit 141 requesting data acquisition from the sensor device Es, it constructs transfer data by converting the request signal from the first protocol to the second protocol, and transmits this transfer data from the control unit 12 to the sensor device Es. Similarly, when the second wireless communication unit 142 receives measurement data transmitted from the sensor device Es, it constructs transfer data by converting the measurement data to the first protocol and transmits it to the control device Ct. To give a specific example, the wireless communication module 14 detects from the protocol flag in the communication data that the measurement data from the sensor device Es is being communicated using the second protocol. Next, it performs predetermined processing according to the procedure corresponding to the second protocol and receives the data with the second wireless communication unit 142. Then, it constructs transfer data by converting the measurement data to the data format of communication using the first protocol and transfers it to the adjacent lighting device L on the wireless communication network Cn1. Note that the construction of the transfer data includes the process of generating new transfer data. Furthermore, the construction of the transfer data includes the process of selecting transfer data that matches certain conditions from a plurality of pre-prepared transfer data. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the construction of the transfer data will be used to include these processes.

[0028] The power supply unit 15 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the light source unit 11, the control unit 12, and the wireless communication module 14, etc. The power supply unit 15 has functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, and a voltage transformation function.

[0029] [Control device Ct] The control device Ct controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln and controls the measurement of multiple sensor devices Es. The control device Ct may be installed in the same building (warehouse, etc.) where the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln are installed, or it may be installed in a different building. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the control device Ct is located in the store together with the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln. If the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln are some distance apart, the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln may communicate with each other using not only wireless communication, but also wired communication and wireless communication. The management system A1 only needs to have at least one control device Ct, and may have multiple control devices Ct in other configurations. The control device Ct in this embodiment is capable of communicating with both the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L.

[0030] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control device Ct. In this embodiment, the control device Ct includes a display unit 21, a control unit 22, a storage unit 23, a wireless communication unit 24, and a power supply unit 25.

[0031] The display unit 21 is not strictly necessary for the management method of the management system A1 described later, but it is used for initial setup and maintenance of the control device Ct. The display unit 21 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and may also have a touch panel function. Alternatively, instead of the display unit 21 functioning as a touch panel, the control device Ct may be equipped with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or mouse.

[0032] The control unit 22 is a key component that controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln and the measurement of multiple sensor devices Es, and controls each part of the control device Ct. For example, the control unit 22 transmits control signals to the wireless communication unit 24 so that the wireless communication unit 24 transmits control signals to the target lighting device L based on the instruction signals received by the setting device CL. The specific configuration of the control unit 22 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 23 stores information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 22, and may consist of a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive, for example.

[0033] Furthermore, the control device Ct may determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the measurement data from the sensor device Es.

[0034] The wireless communication unit 24 is for wireless communication with the first wireless communication unit 141 of the wireless communication module 14 of the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln. The frequency band and wireless communication standard that the wireless communication unit 24 conforms to is wireless communication using the first protocol described above. The wireless communication unit 24 transmits control signals from the control unit 22 to the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln. It also transmits measurement request signals to the multiple sensor devices Es. Alternatively, it receives instruction signals transmitted from the setting device CL. The received instruction signals are transmitted to the control unit 22. In the example shown in Figure 1, the control device Ct can communicate with the user terminal Ut via Wi-Fi® or the like, and is connected to the internet It via the user terminal Ut.

[0035] The power supply unit 25 is for supplying the power necessary for the operation of the display unit 21, the control unit 22, and the wireless communication unit 24, etc. The power supply unit 25 has functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, and a voltage transformation function.

[0036] The control device Ct holds the luminaire IDs of multiple lighting devices L and the device IDs of multiple sensor devices Es, which are stored, for example, in the storage unit 43. The luminaire IDs and device IDs held by the control device Ct may be the MAC addresses of the luminaire IDs held by the lighting devices L and the MAC addresses of the device IDs held by the sensor devices Es, or they may be other luminaire IDs and device IDs associated with these MAC addresses.

[0037] Furthermore, as described later, the control device Ct may transmit measurement data to the cloud (configuration device CL) via a public network such as the Internet It, without going through the user terminal Ut. Such a configuration can be realized by connecting the control device Ct to a mobile phone network (LTE) or LAN line.

[0038] A clock unit (not shown) may be separately placed within the management system A1. This clock unit receives FM radio waves and transmits time information to the control device Ct via the wireless communication network Cn1. This time information is added to the data transmitted from the control device Ct to each lighting device L and each sensor device Es. Each lighting device L and each sensor device Es counts the time based on the received clock information. This allows the time of the equipment and devices that make up the management system A1 to be synchronized more accurately.

[0039] [Setting device CL] The configuration device CL is built using, for example, a commercial cloud service, and has a control unit 61, a storage unit 62, and a communication unit 63. However, the configuration device of the present invention is not limited to the example built on the cloud, and may be, for example, a server device installed in a different location from the control device Ct and the user terminal Ut.

[0040] The control unit 61 controls the operation of the setting device CL, which will be described later, and may use a CPU or the like.

[0041] The memory unit 62 stores the specified information and pre-configured setting commands in the management system A1, as described later, and uses semiconductor memory, a hard disk, or the like.

[0042] The communication unit 63 communicates with the control device Ct, user terminal Ut, and management terminal Mt via a public network (for example, the Internet It), and is capable of either wired communication or wireless communication, or both.

[0043] The setting device CL stores measurement data transmitted from, for example, the control device Ct in the storage unit 62. The setting device CL also determines whether or not there is an abnormality based on the measurement data from the sensor device Es. The setting device CL may also have a function to send abnormality notification and confirmation notification emails to the user terminal Ut, as described later.

[0044] [Sensor device Es] The sensor device Es detects physical quantities of various objects and functions as, for example, a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, motion sensor, carbon dioxide concentration sensor, etc. The installation locations of multiple sensor devices Es are not limited; they can be attached to or built into various locations such as ceilings, walls, and floors, or into various devices installed indoors and outdoors. In the following description, the general configuration of the sensor device Es will be referred to as "sensor device Es," and reference numerals such as sensor device Es1, ..., sensor device Esn may be used to distinguish between multiple sensor devices Es. The multiple sensor devices Es1 to Esn in Figure 1 may have the same configuration, share some common parts, or have different configurations and forms. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the case where multiple sensor devices Es1 to Esn have the same configuration will be used as an example. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, the case where the sensor device Es functions as a temperature sensor attached to a showcase Sc installed in a store will be used as an example. Showcase Sc is an example of an object to which the sensor device Es measures a physical quantity. The object in this invention is a concept that includes, but is not limited to, various devices, equipment, objects, predetermined spaces, etc.

[0045] The sensor unit 41 performs the function of measuring physical quantities related to the environment of the sensor device Es. In this embodiment, the sensor unit 41 is a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. The measurement principle of the sensor unit 41 is not limited in any way.

[0046] The control unit 42 is for controlling each part of the sensor device Es. The specific configuration of the control unit 42 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The memory unit 43 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 42 and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example.

[0047] The wireless communication unit 44 is for performing wireless communication with the corresponding lighting device L using the second protocol described above.

[0048] In this embodiment, the sensor device Es has a unique device ID. The specific example of the device ID is not limited in any way, and for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address may be used. The device ID may be stored in the wireless communication unit 44, or for example, in the storage unit 43.

[0049] The power supply unit 45 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the sensor unit 41, the control unit 42, the wireless communication unit 44, etc. The power supply unit 45 may have functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, or a voltage transformation function, or it may be a rechargeable battery.

[0050] The wireless communication unit 44 transmits a setting command, described below, received from the corresponding lighting device L to the control unit 42 if the setting command includes the device ID of the device itself. The control unit 42 sets the transmission cycle according to the setting command. The control unit 42 also transmits a measurement request to the sensor unit 41. The sensor unit 41 outputs the measured value obtained as a result of the measurement to the control unit 42. The control unit 42 constructs measurement data including the device ID, measured value, measurement time (timestamp), etc., and transmits it from the wireless communication unit 44 according to the transmission cycle. Note that the construction of measurement data includes the process by which the control unit 42 generates new measurement data by executing a program. Furthermore, the construction of measurement data also includes the process by which the control unit 42 selects measurement data that matches certain conditions from, for example, multiple pre-prepared measurement data stored in the storage unit 43. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the construction of measurement data will be used to include these processes.

[0051] The measurement cycle in which the sensor unit 41 of the sensor device Es performs measurements is set, for example, based on the measurement cycle setting transmitted from the setting device CL. Alternatively, the measurement cycle may be set during the initial setup of the sensor device Es, and the sensor unit 41 may perform measurements at this initially set measurement cycle.

[0052] [User terminal Ut] User terminal Ut is a terminal installed in the back room of a store where management system A1 is used, as shown in Figure 8, and is operated by store employees. User terminal Ut can be, for example, a tablet or a PC.

[0053] Figure 6 is a block diagram of the user terminal Ut. In this embodiment, the user terminal Ut includes a display unit 31, a control unit 32, a storage unit 33, a communication unit 35, and a power supply unit 36.

[0054] The display unit 31 is for displaying information and images necessary for operating the user terminal Ut. The display unit 31 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. Furthermore, 31 may also have a touch panel function. Alternatively, instead of the display unit 31 functioning as a touch panel, the user terminal Ut may be equipped with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or mouse.

[0055] The control unit 32 is for controlling various parts of the user terminal Ut. The specific configuration of the control unit 32 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 33 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 32 and may consist of a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive, for example.

[0056] The communication unit 35 can communicate with, for example, a setting device CL via a public network (e.g., the Internet It). In this case, measurement data stored in the setting device CL can be checked by operation from the user terminal Ut. Furthermore, the communication unit 35 can communicate wirelessly with, for example, a control device Ct using a proprietary 2.4GHz protocol.

[0057] The power supply unit 36 ​​is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the display unit 31, the control unit 32, the communication unit 35, etc. The power supply unit 36 ​​is, for example, a rechargeable battery.

[0058] [Management terminal Mt] The management terminal Mt is located in a separate location from the store or other facility where the sensor device Es, multiple lighting devices L, control device Ct, and user terminal Ut are located, as shown in Figure 8, for example. It is located, for example, within the company that provides the management system A1. The management terminal Mt is a terminal that manages the management system A1 remotely. The management terminal Mt is, for example, a PC.

[0059] Figure 7 is a block diagram of the management terminal Mt. In this embodiment, the management terminal Mt comprises a display unit 51, a control unit 52, a storage unit 53, a communication unit 55, and a power supply unit 56.

[0060] The display unit 51 is for displaying information and images necessary for operating the management terminal Mt. The display unit 51 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0061] The control unit 52 is for controlling the various parts of the management terminal Mt. The specific configuration of the control unit 52 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 53 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 52 and may consist of a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive, for example.

[0062] The communication unit 55 can communicate with, for example, the setting device CL via a public network (e.g., the Internet It). In this case, measurement data stored in the setting device CL can be checked by operation from the management terminal Mt. The communication unit 55 also sends abnormality notification emails and confirmation notification emails to the user terminal Ut.

[0063] The power supply unit 56 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the display unit 51, the control unit 52, the communication unit 55, etc. The power supply unit 56 is, for example, a rechargeable battery.

[0064] The management terminal Mt may have a function to send abnormality notification and confirmation notification emails, as described below, to the user terminal Ut.

[0065] Furthermore, by having the control unit 32 of the user terminal Ut or the control unit 52 of the management terminal Mt execute a specific program, abnormality notifications, confirmation notifications, etc., from the management system A1 can be displayed on the display unit 31 of the user terminal Ut or the display unit 51 of the management terminal Mt. In addition, the concept is not limited to setting up a dedicated terminal called the management terminal Mt; an application installed on another general-purpose terminal may also function as the management terminal Mt of the management system A1.

[0066] Figure 8 shows an example of the layout of management system A1. In this example, multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln, multiple sensor devices Es, and a control device Ct are arranged inside a store such as a supermarket. The multiple sensor devices Es are attached to a showcase Sc and measure the temperature inside the showcase Sc. The user terminal Ut is installed in a location away from the store's display space, such as an office or back room.

[0067] Next, the operation of management system A1 will be explained below.

[0068] Figures 9 and 10 show an example of the operation of the management system A1. In step S1 of Figure 9, the control unit 22 of the control device Ct first checks the current time based on the RTC (Real Time Clock) function. Once it confirms that the current time is the measurement time, the control unit 22 sends a measurement prompt command from the wireless communication unit 24 to the sensor device Es. The measurement prompt command is a command that prompts the sensor device Es to measure the temperature. The measurement prompt command is transferred as data based on the first protocol in the wireless communication network Cn1 and relayed through multiple lighting devices L. When a lighting device L1 receives the transferred data, it recognizes that the measurement prompt command included in the transferred data targets the nearby sensor device Es1. The control unit 12 of the lighting device L1 converts the transferred data to the second protocol and sends it to the sensor device Es1 from the second wireless communication unit 142 of the wireless communication module 14 using the second protocol.

[0069] In step S2, when the wireless communication unit 44 of the sensor device Es1 receives a measurement acceleration command, the control unit 42 measures the internal temperature of the showcase Sc using the sensor unit 41 and acquires measurement data. The control unit 42 transmits the measurement data from the wireless communication unit 44 to the control device Ct using the second protocol. The transmitted measurement data is converted into transfer data based on the first protocol in the lighting device L1. This transfer data is then transferred from the lighting device L1 to the control device Ct via multiple lighting devices L using the first protocol.

[0070] In step S3, the wireless communication unit 24 of the control device Ct receives the transfer data containing the measurement data. The control unit 22 stores the measurement data contained in the received transfer data in the storage unit 23. The control unit 22 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the measurement data. The determination of whether or not there is an abnormality by the control unit 22 is based, for example, on the set temperature range of the showcase Sc shown in Figure 4 and the storage temperature of the food. For example, if the showcase Sc is a freezer case, the case upper limit temperature TU1 and the case lower limit temperature TL1 shown in Figure 4(a) are used as references. Also, if the target product is a group of frozen foods, the storage temperature of the group of frozen foods shown in Figure 4(c) is used as a reference. Based on the determination result, the wireless communication unit 24 transmits a determination result indicating whether or not there is an abnormality. In this embodiment, the transmitted determination result is received by the communication unit 35 of the user terminal Ut, for example, using Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The control unit 32 of the user terminal Ut transmits the received determination result to either or both the setting device CL and the management terminal Mt, for example, via the Internet It. Unlike this example, the setting device CL may determine whether or not there are any abnormalities in the measurement data.

[0071] In step S4 in Figure 9, the communication unit 63 of the setting device CL or the communication unit 55 of the management terminal Mt receives the judgment result. In step S5, the setting device CL or the management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification and a confirmation notification to the user terminal Ut. The abnormality notification is a notification indicating the nature of the abnormality when an abnormality is determined to exist in the measurement data based on the judgment result. The confirmation notification requests the user of the user terminal Ut to respond that they have confirmed the abnormality notification. The abnormality notification and the confirmation notification may be composed of separate emails, voice data, etc., or they may be a single email or voice data containing the nature of the abnormality and a request for confirmation that the abnormality notification has been confirmed. If both contents are included in a single email, the user can avoid the trouble of checking each email.

[0072] Figures 11 to 13 show an example of the processing performed by the setting device CL or the management terminal Mt based on the received determination result. These processes are performed by the control unit 61 of the setting device CL or the control unit 52 of the management terminal Mt as part of routine processing, such as timer interrupts.

[0073] Figure 11 shows the process of setting the reminder function flag to ON. In step S91, it is checked whether an abnormal result has been received. If no abnormal result has been received (step S91: No), step S91 is executed again. If an abnormal result has been received (step S91: Yes), it is checked whether a confirmation response corresponding to the abnormal notification is stored in the storage unit 62 of the setting device CL or the storage unit 53 of the management terminal Mt. If no confirmation response is stored (step S92: No), the reminder function flag is set to ON (step S93). On the other hand, if a confirmation response is stored (step S92: Yes), the process ends without executing step S93.

[0074] Figure 12 shows the process of setting the reminder function flag to OFF. In step S81, it is checked whether a confirmation response corresponding to the abnormality notification is stored in the storage unit 62 of the setting device CL or the storage unit 53 of the management terminal Mt. If a confirmation response is stored (step S81: Yes), the reminder function flag is set to OFF (step S82).

[0075] Figure 13 shows the confirmation process for whether to request the cancellation of the reminder setting. If, as a result of the judgment in step S101, an abnormality is determined (step S101: Yes), then in step S102, it is checked whether the reminder function flag is ON. If the reminder function flag is ON (step S102: Yes), the setting device CL or management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification and confirmation notification email to the user terminal Ut (step S103). On the other hand, if the reminder function flag is OFF in step S102 (step S102: No), the email in step S103 is not sent.

[0076] In Figure 9, following step S4, in step S5, the setting device CL or management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification and confirmation notification email to the user terminal Ut. In step S6, the user terminal Ut receives the abnormality notification and confirmation notification email.

[0077] In step S7, the configuration device CL or management terminal Mt checks whether a confirmation response has been received (corresponding to step S92). If no confirmation response is received in step S8 (corresponding to step S92: No), the reminder function flag is set to ON in step S9 (corresponding to step S93). If an abnormal result is received in step S10 (corresponding to step S101: Yes), the configuration device CL or management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification and confirmation notification email to the user terminal Ut (corresponding to step S102: Yes, step S103). As a result, the user terminal Ut receives the abnormality notification and confirmation notification email in step S12, following step S6.

[0078] If the same state as in steps S7 to S11 is maintained thereafter, for example, in steps S13 to S17, then in step S17, the setting device CL or management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification and confirmation notification email to the user terminal Ut.

[0079] In step S18, the user terminal Ut receives an error notification and confirmation notification email in step S12. For example, if the user of user terminal Ut confirms this email, the user sends a confirmation reply email from user terminal Ut to the configuration device CL or management terminal Mt (step S19). In step S20, the configuration device CL or management terminal Mt checks whether a confirmation reply has been received (corresponding to step S92). If it is confirmed in step S21 that a confirmation reply has been received (corresponding to step S92: Yes, step S81: Yes), the reminder function flag is set to OFF in step S22 (corresponding to step S82). As a result, the configuration device CL or management terminal Mt stops sending error notification emails (corresponding to step S102: No).

[0080] Figures 14 to 16 show other examples of the operation of the management system A1. Steps S1 to S9 in Figure 14 are the same as steps S1 to S9 in Figure 9. In this example, the process shown in Figure 16 is performed as part of routine processing, such as a timer interrupt, instead of the process shown in Figure 13, in the setting device CL and the management terminal Mt.

[0081] In the confirmation process for requesting the cancellation of the reminder setting shown in Figure 16, if an abnormality is determined in step S101 (step S101: Yes), the reminder function flag is checked in step S102. If the reminder function flag is ON (step S102: Yes), an abnormality notification and a response request email is sent in step S103. Next, in step S104, it is determined whether, for example, a predetermined time has elapsed. If the predetermined time has elapsed (step S104: Yes), step S102 is executed again. Here, if the reminder function flag is ON (step S102: Yes), step S103 is executed.

[0082] Because the process shown in Figure 16 is employed, in Figure 14, an abnormality notification and confirmation notification email is sent in step S10, and the user terminal Ut receives the abnormality notification and confirmation notification email (step S11). After this, steps S12 to S14 in Figure 15 are followed, and in step S15, it is confirmed whether a predetermined time has elapsed (corresponding to S104). If it is confirmed that the predetermined time has elapsed (S104: Yes), the setting device CL or management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification and confirmation notification email to the user terminal Ut (step S16). In step S18, the user terminal Ut receives the abnormality notification and confirmation notification email and sends a confirmation reply email (step S19), and steps S20 to S23 are executed in the same way as steps S20 to S23 in Figure 10.

[0083] Next, I will explain the operation of management system A1.

[0084] According to this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, when the reminder function is set to ON in step S9, an abnormality notification and response request email is sent from the setting device CL or management terminal Mt each time an abnormality result is received in steps S10 and S16 (steps S11 and S17). As a result, the user of the user terminal Ut repeatedly receives abnormality notification and response request emails (steps S12 and S18). Therefore, when an abnormality occurs in the showcase Sc, etc., the user can recognize the abnormality more appropriately, and situations where the user does not notice the abnormality or where sufficient measures are not taken to resolve the abnormality can be suppressed.

[0085] Furthermore, as shown in the operation examples in Figures 14 to 16, if the reminder function is ON, even if the abnormality notification is not received repeatedly, if a predetermined time has elapsed (step S15), abnormality notification and confirmation notification emails will be sent repeatedly. Therefore, the user can recognize abnormalities more appropriately. Note that the operations shown in Figures 9 to 13 and the operations shown in Figures 14 to 16 may be selected and executed in the management system A1, or both may be operated in combination.

[0086] Figures 17 to 20 show modified examples and other embodiments of the present invention. In these figures, elements identical or similar to those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the configurations of each part in each modified example and each embodiment can be appropriately combined with each other to the extent that no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0087] <First Embodiment, First Modification> Figure 17 shows a first modified example of management system A1. In this modified example of management system A11, the control device Ct can communicate directly with the internet It without going through the user terminal Ut. In this modified example, the control device Ct is connected to the internet It via, for example, a router and communication hub installed in the store. Alternatively, the control device Ct may be configured to be connected to the internet It via, for example, a mobile phone network.

[0088] As can be seen from this modified example, the specific connection configuration between the control device Ct and the Internet It is not limited in any way.

[0089] <Second Embodiment> Figure 18 shows the operation of the management system in the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, steps S1 to S6 are performed in the same way as steps S1 to S6 in Figure 9, and in step S7, the user of the user terminal Ut checks the abnormality notification and confirmation notification emails and sends a confirmation reply email to the setting device CL or management terminal Mt. In the second embodiment of Figure 18, steps S8 to S10 are performed in the same way as steps S20 to S22 in Figure 10. However, in step S10, the reminder function flag is set to OFF, and in step S11, the setting device CL or management terminal Mt sends an abnormality notification email to the user terminal Ut, which is different from the first embodiment described above. Therefore, in step S12, the user terminal Ut receives the abnormality notification email.

[0090] This embodiment also allows for more accurate recognition of abnormalities. Furthermore, even if the user of the user terminal Ut sends a confirmation email, the process of sending an abnormality notification email is redundantly executed (step S11). This ensures that if the confirmation email in step S7 is sent due to an error or other reason while the user is not fully aware of the abnormality notification and confirmation notification, the abnormality can be recognized even more reliably by receiving the abnormality notification email in step S12.

[0091] Figure 19 shows an example of a setting method for setting the time interval at which the control device Ct or setting device CL sends an abnormality notification. In this figure, the showcase Sc is a freezer case (as in Figure 4(a)), and the storage temperature of the target product is ice cream (as in Figure 4(c)). In Figure 19(a), the temperature Ts detected by the sensor device Es is -20°C. In this case, the detected temperature Ts is between the case lower limit temperature TL1 (-25°C) and the case upper limit temperature TU1 (-10°C), and it is presumed that the showcase Sc is operating normally. On the other hand, the detected temperature Ts is higher than the food upper limit temperature TU2. That is, this detected temperature Ts is within the normal range for the internal temperature of the showcase Sc, but is unsuitable as the storage temperature for the target product, ice cream. In this case, it is expected that the cooling function of the showcase Sc will correct the detected temperature Ts to an appropriate storage temperature. For this reason, the time interval for sending an abnormality notification is set to, for example, about 20 minutes.

[0092] Next, in Figure 19(b), the detected temperature Ts is -26°C. While this detected temperature Ts is appropriate for storing ice cream, it is below the case's lower limit temperature TL1. Therefore, there is a possibility that some kind of abnormality (malfunction) has occurred in the showcase Sc. Accordingly, in this case, the time interval for sending the abnormality notification is set to be shorter than, for example, 20 minutes as mentioned above, for example, to 10 minutes.

[0093] Next, in Figure 19(c), the detected temperature Ts is -9°C. This detected temperature Ts is higher than the food upper limit temperature TU2 and also higher than the case upper limit temperature TU1. In this case, it is presumed that the showcase Sc is not functioning properly and the temperature of the ice cream product has already deviated from the appropriate storage temperature. Since this situation needs to be rectified immediately and the user needs to be notified of the abnormality as soon as possible, the time interval for sending the abnormality notification is set to be shorter than, for example, 10 minutes as mentioned above, for example, to 3 minutes.

[0094] According to this example of setting time intervals, by comparing the temperature Ts detected by the sensor device Es with the case lower limit temperature TL1, the food upper limit temperature TU2, etc., it is possible to set time intervals by weighting the degree of abnormality, such as when the temperature of the target product is unsuitable, when the operation of the showcase Sc is unsuitable, or when both the temperature of the target product and the operation of the showcase Sc are unsuitable. This allows for sending abnormality notifications more frequently when a serious abnormality is suspected, while avoiding the sending of unnecessarily frequent abnormality notifications.

[0095] Figure 20 shows another example of a setting method for setting the time interval at which the control device Ct or setting device CL sends abnormality notifications. In this example, for a temperature Ts detected by a sensor device Es, it is possible to store different abnormal conditions in relation to the case lower limit temperature TL1, the case upper limit temperature TU1, and the food upper limit temperature TU2. That is, if an abnormality occurs on 2022 / 1 / 1 in (a) where the detected temperature Ts falls below the case lower limit temperature TL1, the control device Ct or setting device CL stores that this abnormality has occurred. If this abnormality in (a) is the first time it has occurred, the time interval for sending abnormality notifications is set to be shorter than, for example, 20 minutes as described above, for example, to 10 minutes.

[0096] Next, on January 4, 2022, an anomaly occurred again in (b), where the detected temperature Ts fell below the case lower limit temperature TL1. In this case, the control device Ct or setting device CL recognizes that this is the second time the anomaly has occurred and assumes that the cause of the anomaly has not been corrected since (a). Therefore, the time interval for sending an anomaly notification is set to be shorter than the aforementioned 10 minutes, for example, to 3 minutes.

[0097] Furthermore, on January 5, 2022, an anomaly occurred again in (c), where the detected temperature Ts fell below the case lower limit temperature TL1. In this case, the control device Ct or setting device CL recognizes that this is the third time the anomaly has occurred and assumes that the cause of the anomaly has not been corrected since (a), or that the same anomaly has recurred despite the cause of the anomaly being corrected since (b). Therefore, the time interval for sending an anomaly notification is set to be shorter than the aforementioned 10 minutes, for example, to 3 minutes.

[0098] With this time interval setting, if the same anomaly occurs multiple times in Showcase Sc, it is possible to set the time interval to be progressively shorter for the second occurrence than for the first occurrence, and even shorter for the third occurrence than for the second. This prevents the situation where the same anomaly repeatedly occurs is left unaddressed for a long period of time.

[0099] The management system and management method according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. The specific configuration of the management system and management method according to the present invention can be modified in various ways. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] A1, A11: Management System 11: Light source section 12: Control Unit 13: Storage section 14: Wireless communication module 15: Power supply section 21:Display section 22: Control Unit 23: Storage section 24: Wireless Communication Department 25: Power supply section 31: Display section 32: Control Unit 33: Storage section 35: Communications Department 36: Power supply section 41: Sensor section 42: Control Unit 43: Storage section 44: Wireless Communication Department 45: Power supply section 51: Display section 52: Control Unit 53: Storage section 55: Communications Department 56: Power supply section 61: Control Unit 62: Storage section 63: Communications Department 141: First Radio Communication Unit 142: 2nd Radio Communication Section CL: Setting device Cn1: Wireless communication network Ct: Control device Es, Es1, Esn: Sensor device HUB: Communications It: Internet L,L1,Ln:Lighting device Mt: Management terminal Sc: Showcase TL1: Case lower limit temperature TU1: Case upper temperature TU2: Food upper limit temperature Ts: Detected temperature Ut: User terminal

Claims

1. Multiple sensor devices for measuring the temperature of an object, Multiple relay units that transmit and receive measurement data measured by the multiple sensor devices, A control device that receives the measurement data from the plurality of relay units, It comprises a configuration device, a user terminal, and a management terminal that can communicate with each other via a public network, The aforementioned object is a showcase that has a cooling function and stores the target product inside. The plurality of sensor devices measure the internal temperature of the object, The setting device stores the measurement data transmitted from the control device, The management terminal and the user terminal are capable of confirming the contents of the measurement data. The control device or setting device determines whether there is an abnormality in the object based on the measurement data, based on the set temperature range of the object and the storage temperature of the product. If the setting device or the management terminal determines that there is an abnormality with respect to the object based on the result of the determination, it sends an abnormality notification indicating the abnormality and a confirmation notification requesting a response from the user terminal regarding whether or not a reminder setting is necessary to send the abnormality notification for a predetermined period of time. A management system that, if the setting device or the management terminal has not received the confirmation response, and the control device or the setting device determines that the same abnormality as the abnormality has occurred, or if a predetermined time has elapsed, sends the abnormality notification to the user terminal.

2. The control device or setting device sets a time interval for transmitting the abnormality notification by weighting the measurement data from the sensor device, the set temperature range of the object, and the storage temperature of the target product, according to claim 1.

3. The control device or setting device sets the time interval for transmitting the abnormality notification to be shorter when the same abnormality occurs multiple times in the object, as described in Claim 2.

4. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the setting device or the management terminal repeatedly transmits the abnormality notification at predetermined intervals until it receives the confirmation response from the user terminal.

5. The management system according to claim 4, wherein the setting device or the management terminal transmits the abnormality notification to the user terminal only once, based on the receipt of the confirmation response from the user terminal.

6. Multiple sensor devices for measuring the physical quantities of an object, Multiple relay units that transmit and receive measurement data measured by the multiple sensor devices, A control device that receives the measurement data from the plurality of relay units, Using a configuration device, user terminal, and management terminal that can communicate with each other via a public network, The aforementioned object is a showcase that has a cooling function and stores the target product inside. The plurality of sensor devices measure the internal temperature of the object, The setting device stores the measurement data transmitted from the control device, The management terminal and the user terminal are capable of confirming the contents of the measurement data, and the management method is as follows: The control device or setting device performs a step of determining whether there is an abnormality in the object based on the measurement data, based on the set temperature range of the object and the storage temperature of the target product, If the setting device or the management terminal determines that there is an abnormality with respect to the object based on the result of the determination, it sends an abnormality notification indicating the abnormality and a confirmation notification requesting a response from the user terminal regarding whether or not a reminder setting is necessary to send the abnormality notification for a predetermined period of time. The setting device or the management terminal confirms receipt of the confirmation response, A management method comprising the step of sending the abnormality notification to the user terminal if the setting device or the management terminal has not received the confirmation response, and the control device or the setting device determines that the same abnormality as the abnormality has occurred, or if a predetermined time has elapsed.

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