Management systems, lighting devices, and wireless tags

Abstract

To provide a management system. a lighting device and a wireless tag which eliminate the need to provide a battery in a wireless tag and are capable of widening an arrangement range of the wireless tag.SOLUTION: A management system comprises a control device, a plurality of relay units and a plurality of wireless tags. The wireless tag wirelessly communicates with the relay unit via a second radio wave. The plurality of relay units includes a second beacon output section which outputs a second beacon signal using a third radio wave. When a self-power-generation section generates power by receiving the third radio wave, the wireless tag transmits unique wireless tag information stored in a storage section from a wireless communication section to the relay unit via the second radio wave by power supply from the self-power-generation section, and the relay unit, upon receiving the wireless tag information. transfers the wireless tag information to the control device via a first wireless communication network.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a management system, a lighting device, and a wireless tag.

Background Art

[0002] Wireless tags are widespread as devices that transmit their own wireless tag information by wireless communication. Patent Document 1 discloses a management system including a plurality of wireless tags and a wireless tag reader. The management system disclosed in the document reads data transmitted from the wireless tags by the wireless tag reader. The wireless tags include batteries. The wireless tags perform wireless communication using the power supplied from the batteries.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When a battery is required for the operation of the wireless tag, the operation stops due to battery depletion, or when the battery is a rechargeable battery, a charging operation is required. Further, when the wireless tag does not exist within the predetermined range from the wireless tag reader, the data from the wireless tag cannot be read by the wireless tag reader.

[0005] The present invention has been conceived under the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a management system, a lighting device, and a wireless tag that do not require the wireless tag to have a battery and can expand the arrangement range of the wireless tag.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A management system provided by a first aspect of the present invention comprises a control device, a plurality of relay units, and a plurality of wireless tags, wherein the control device and the relay units constitute a first wireless communication network using first radio waves, and the wireless tag has a wireless communication unit, a control unit, a storage unit, and a self-generating unit, and when the self-generating unit generates power by receiving the first radio wave, the power supplied from the self-generating unit transmits unique wireless tag information stored in the storage unit from the wireless communication unit to the relay unit via a second radio wave different from the first radio wave, and the relay unit that receives the wireless tag information transfers the wireless tag information to the control device via the first wireless communication network.

[0007] A lighting device provided by a second aspect of the present invention is a lighting device constituting the relay unit of a management system provided by a first aspect of the present invention, comprising: a light source unit; a lighting device-side control unit for controlling the light source unit; a lighting device-side storage unit; a first wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication via the first wireless communication network; a first beacon output unit for transmitting a first beacon signal using the first radio waves; and a second wireless communication unit for receiving the radio tag information from the radio tag using the second radio waves, wherein the first beacon output unit outputs the first beacon signal at predetermined intervals and transfers a transfer data signal including the radio tag information received via the second radio waves, unique identification information stored in the lighting device-side storage unit, and a timestamp to the control device via the first wireless communication network.

[0008] The wireless tag provided by the third aspect of the present invention is a wireless tag used in a management system provided by the first aspect of the present invention, and is incorporated into a personal item carried by a user.

[0009] A wireless tag provided by a fourth aspect of the present invention is a wireless tag used in a management system provided by a first aspect of the present invention, which is incorporated into a sensor device equipped with a measuring unit, and when the self-generating unit generates power by receiving the first wireless radio wave, the wireless tag information and the measurement data of the measuring unit are transmitted from the wireless communication unit to the relay unit via the second wireless radio wave by the power supply from the self-generating unit.

[0010] A management system provided by a first aspect of the present invention comprises a control device, a plurality of relay units, and a plurality of wireless tags, wherein the control device and the relay units constitute a first wireless communication network using a first radio wave, the wireless tags communicate wirelessly with the relay units via a second radio wave different from the first radio wave, the plurality of relay units each have a second beacon output unit that outputs a second beacon signal using a third radio wave different from the first and second radio waves, the wireless tags each have a wireless communication unit, a control unit, a storage unit, and a self-generating unit, and when the self-generating unit generates power by receiving the third radio wave, it transmits unique wireless tag information stored in the storage unit from the wireless communication unit to the relay units via the second radio wave using power supplied from the self-generating unit, and the relay units that receive the wireless tag information transfer the wireless tag information to the control device via the first wireless communication network. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is not necessary to equip wireless tags with batteries, and the deployment range of wireless tags can be expanded.

[0012] 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]

[0013] [Figure 1]It is a system configuration diagram showing a management system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing a lighting device of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing a wireless tag of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing a control device of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a block diagram showing a mobile terminal of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a sequence diagram of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a block diagram showing a sensor device of a first modification example of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a sequence diagram of a first modification example of a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a schematic layout diagram showing a management system according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a block diagram showing a lighting device of a management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a sequence diagram of a management system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] Terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc. in the present disclosure are used only for identification and are not intended to assign an order to those objects.

[0016] <First Embodiment> Figures 1 to 6 show a management system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the management system A1 of the present embodiment includes a plurality of lighting devices L, a control device Ct, and a plurality of wireless tags Wt. In addition to these components, the management system A1 includes a mobile terminal Md, an external storage device Sd, and a clock unit Ut. Note that the management system A1 may be configured not to include all or any of the mobile terminal Md, the external storage device Sd, and the clock unit Ut. The management system A1 is a system that performs management using a plurality of wireless tags Wt.

[0017] 〔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 having a dedicated configuration obtained by removing the light source unit 11 from the lighting device L described later may be used.

[0018] The plurality of lighting devices L are used, for example, for indoor lighting and are installed at various locations such as ceilings, wall surfaces, and floor surfaces. In addition, the lighting device L may be configured to be used for outdoor lighting. The specific form of the lighting device L is not limited in any way, and various forms such as straight tube lighting, high ceiling lighting, ceiling light, downlight, base light, spotlight, etc. can be appropriately adopted. In the following description, when describing the general configuration of the lighting device L, it is referred to as the lighting device L, and when distinguishing between the plurality of lighting devices L, reference numerals such as lighting device L1, ··· lighting device Ln may be appropriately used. The plurality of lighting devices L1 to Ln in FIG. 1 may have the same configuration, a part of each other may be common, or they may have different configurations and different forms. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the case where the plurality of lighting devices L1 to Ln have the same configuration will be described as an example.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the lighting device L. The lighting device L includes a light source unit 11, a control unit 12, a storage unit 13, a wireless communication module 14, and a power supply unit 15.

[0020] The light source unit 11 is the part of the lighting device L 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 L also has a transparent or translucent cover (not shown) that allows light from the light source unit 11 to pass through.

[0021] The control unit 12 controls each part of the lighting device L based on control signals from the control device Ct, etc. The control unit 12 corresponds to the lighting device side control unit in the present invention. 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 corresponds to the lighting device side storage unit in the present invention. Note that 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.

[0022] The wireless communication module 14 is a communication unit for wireless communication with the control device Ct and other lighting devices L that constitute the communication network, and with at least one of the multiple wireless tags Wt, 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 in this embodiment has a first wireless communication unit 141, a second wireless communication unit 142, and a first beacon output unit 143.

[0023] To illustrate the functions of the wireless communication module 14, it receives data from the control device Ct and transmits a signal (for example, a specified signal) contained in the received data to the control unit 12. It also transmits an acknowledgment signal to the control device Ct indicating that data has been received. Furthermore, it may transmit a status information signal indicating the operating status of the lighting device L to the control device Ct.

[0024] In this embodiment, the unique lighting device ID of each of the multiple lighting devices L is stored in the wireless communication module 14. The specific examples of the lighting device ID are not particularly limited and may include, for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address or location information. The lighting device ID may be stored in any of the first wireless communication unit 141, the second wireless communication unit 142, and the first beacon output unit 143, or in other components of the wireless communication module 14, or it may be stored in, for example, the storage unit 13. When the wireless communication module 14 recognizes that a received signal corresponds to the lighting device ID of its own device, it transmits the signal to the control unit 12.

[0025] The first wireless communication unit 141 is for wireless communication with the control device Ct and other lighting devices L using first radio waves. The wireless communication using first radio waves is not limited in any way, and in this embodiment, it will be described as wireless communication using a first protocol. The communication frequency of 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. Furthermore, specific examples of the first protocol are not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, or proprietary protocols. In this configuration, multiple lighting devices L, each having a first wireless communication unit 141, and a control device Ct construct a first wireless communication network Cn1, which is a mesh network as shown in Figure 1, using a proprietary protocol that, for example, uses a first wireless radio wave in the 2.4GHz band. As the first protocol is used for transferring various types of data between multiple lighting devices L, as will be described later, a protocol is selected that can construct a mesh network while ensuring the transfer speed and reliability necessary for such data transfer.

[0026] In this embodiment, the control device Ct is the root node of the first wireless communication network Cn1. Any of the multiple lighting devices L may function as a GM (gate module). The gate module is the root node of the cluster and connects to the control device Ct. In this case, the gate module, together with other gate modules, forms a mesh network and communicates with the control device Ct. The gate module constantly evaluates the communication quality with other gate modules and the control device Ct, and automatically connects to the one with the best communication quality. Similarly, the lighting device L constantly evaluates the communication quality with other lighting devices L or gate modules, and automatically connects to the one with the best communication quality. The hardware configuration is the same for both a normal lighting device L and a lighting device L that functions as a gate module. The software installed on the lighting device L may be different, or it may be possible to switch between operating as a normal lighting device L and operating as a gate module by mode switching.

[0027] The second wireless communication unit 142 is for performing wireless communication with the wireless tag Wt using a second radio wave. The second radio wave is a different radio wave from the first radio wave, and its frequency band and protocol are different from those of the first radio wave. Wireless communication using the second radio wave is not limited in any way, and in this embodiment, it will be described as wireless communication using a second protocol. The communication frequency of 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, specific examples of the second protocol are not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, or a proprietary protocol. As for the second protocol, for example, if the intention is to perform wireless communication with a wireless tag Wt located at close range, Bluetooth® may be selected.

[0028] The first beacon output unit 143 transmits the first beacon signal via wireless communication using the first radio wave. The communication frequency of the wireless communication using the first radio wave is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the specific protocol used to transmit the first beacon signal, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, or proprietary protocols.

[0029] The first beacon signal is transmitted at predetermined intervals. The transmission interval of the beacon signal is set by, for example, a setting signal from the control device Ct, and is, for example, 100 to 500 ms. Power consumption can be reduced by increasing the output interval.

[0030] The first beacon signal transmitted by the first beacon output unit 143 may include the identification information of the lighting device L (lighting device ID). The first beacon signal may also include a timestamp. This identification information may be location information that directly indicates the location of the lighting device L, or it may be a MAC address or the like.

[0031] 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.

[0032] [Wireless Tag Wt] The wireless tag Wt is a device managed in the management system A1 of this embodiment. Figure 3 is a block diagram of the wireless tag Wt. The wireless tag Wt in this embodiment comprises a control unit 42, a storage unit 43, a wireless communication unit 44, and a self-power generation unit 45. The specific configuration of the wireless tag Wt is not limited in any way, and it may be configured as a dedicated chip-shaped tag device. Alternatively, the wireless tag Wt may be incorporated into a personal item carried by the user. The specific configuration of the personal item is not limited in any way. Examples of personal items include cards, tags, wearable terminals, etc. A specific example of a card is a transportation IC card.

[0033] In the following explanation, when describing the general configuration of a wireless tag Wt, it will be referred to as wireless tag Wt, and when distinguishing between multiple wireless tags Wt, codes such as wireless tag Wt1, ..., wireless tag Wtn may be used as appropriate. Multiple wireless tags Wt1 to Wtn may have the same configuration, some parts may be common to each other, or they may have different configurations. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the case in which multiple wireless tags Wt1 to Wtn have the same configuration will be used as an example.

[0034] The control unit 42 is for controlling each part of the wireless tag Wt. The specific configuration of the control unit 42 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage 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. In this embodiment, the storage unit 43 stores wireless tag information unique to each wireless tag Wt. The specific example of wireless tag information is not limited in any way and may be a tag ID, for example.

[0035] The wireless communication unit 44 is for performing wireless communication with the corresponding lighting device L using the second radio wave (second protocol) described above.

[0036] The self-generating unit 45 generates power when it receives a first radio wave (first beacon signal). This self-generating power is performed by converting the first radio wave into energy, for example, by utilizing the induced current generated by the reception of the first radio wave. The self-generating unit 45 that performs such self-generating power has, for example, an antenna section (not shown) that generates an induced current upon reception of the first radio wave. The power of the radio wave for generating the induced current is preferably 5 dBm or more, and by receiving a radio wave of 10 dBm or more, a sufficient induced current can be generated to control each part of the wireless tag Wt. The power generated by the self-generating unit 45 is supplied to the measurement unit 41, the control unit 42, the wireless communication unit 44, etc.

[0037] [Control device Ct] The control device Ct manages and controls multiple relay units (lighting devices L) and multiple wireless tags Wt, and controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln. In this embodiment, the control device Ct may be installed in the same room as the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln), in a different room or on a different floor in the same building, or in a different building. If the control device Ct and the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) are located some distance apart, the control device Ct and the multiple relay units (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.

[0038] Figure 4 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.

[0039] The display unit 21 is not necessarily required for the management processing 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.

[0040] The control unit 22 is a key component that performs management and control using multiple relay units (lighting devices L) and multiple wireless tags Wt, as well as controlling the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln, 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 control data is sent to the target relay unit (lighting device L). 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.

[0041] 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 relay units (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. In the example shown in Figure 1, the control device Ct constitutes the first wireless communication network Cn1 together with the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln). The wireless communication unit 24 transmits control data from the control unit 22 to the multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) via the first wireless communication network Cn1. In addition to the wireless communication unit 24, the control device Ct may also have a wired or wireless communication circuit that connects to the internet.

[0042] 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.

[0043] The control device Ct holds identification information such as lighting device IDs for multiple relay units (multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln) and wireless tag information for multiple wireless tags Wt, which are stored, for example, in the storage unit 23. The identification information held by the control device Ct may be, for example, the MAC address as the lighting device ID held by the lighting device L, or the tag ID held by the wireless tag Wt.

[0044] [Mobile device Md] The mobile terminal Md is a terminal operated by the user in the management system A1. For example, the user uses the mobile terminal Md to set various conditions and items for the operation of the management system A1. The conditions and items set by the mobile terminal Md are not limited in any way. Examples of conditions and items include matters related to the first wireless communication network Cn1 (selection of relay units, designation of route nodes, etc.), and the lighting control of each of the multiple lighting devices L (light intensity, color temperature, ON / OFF schedule, etc.).

[0045] The mobile terminal Md is not particularly limited as long as it has portability and information processing capabilities that enable user operation, such as tablets, smartphones, and notebook PCs. Furthermore, if the multiple lighting devices L (relay units) constituting the management system A1 are installed over a wide area, the management system A1 may be equipped with multiple mobile terminals Md.

[0046] Figure 5 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal Md. In this embodiment, the mobile terminal Md comprises a display unit 31, a control unit 32, a storage unit 33, a wireless communication unit 34, and a power supply unit 35.

[0047] The display unit 31 is for displaying information and images necessary for operating the mobile terminal Md. The display unit 31 is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, and in this embodiment, it has a touch panel function. Alternatively, instead of the display unit 31 functioning as a touch panel, the mobile terminal Md may be equipped with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or mouse.

[0048] The control unit 32 is for controlling the various parts of the mobile terminal Md. 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.

[0049] The wireless communication unit 34 communicates wirelessly with the control device Ct. The frequency band and wireless communication standard of the wireless communication unit 34 may be the same as or different from those of the first wireless communication unit 141 described above; for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) may be selected. The wireless communication unit 34 is portable. This could be a wireless communication module built into a tablet or similar device, or an external wireless communication module connected to a USB port or similar.

[0050] The power supply unit 35 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the display unit 31, the control unit 32, the wireless communication unit 34, etc. The power supply unit 35 is, for example, a rechargeable battery.

[0051] [External storage device Sd] The external storage device Sd is located outside the first wireless communication network Cn1 and can be, for example, a server or a commercial cloud. Communication between the external storage device Sd and the control device Ct is conducted using, for example, a commercial internet line or a dedicated line. The external storage device Sd is located away from the location where the multiple lighting devices L (relay units) constituting the management system A1 are installed, and is accessible to external users at any time. The control device Ct may, for example, store collected measurement data in the external storage device Sd.

[0052] [Clock Unit Ut] The clock unit Ut has the function of acquiring time information, for example by receiving FM radio waves, and the function of transmitting the time information to the control device Ct, for example by Wi-Fi (registered trademark). To possess.

[0053] Next, the operation of management system A1 will be explained below.

[0054] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram showing the operation of management system A1.

[0055] In this embodiment, first, time information is synchronized (step S1). The synchronization of time information is performed on the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L (relay units) that constitute the first wireless communication network Cn1. Specifically, the clock unit Ut transmits time information, and the control device Ct receives it. The control device Ct creates time data by converting the time information to the first protocol and transmits it to the multiple lighting devices L (relay units) via the first wireless communication network Cn1. The lighting devices L1 to Ln that receive the time information synchronize their own time with the time data and also forward the time data to the next lighting device L.

[0056] Next, the first beacon signal Bs1 is transmitted at predetermined intervals (step S2). Specifically, the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln transmit the first beacon signal Bs1 from the first beacon output unit 143 using the first radio wave. The first beacon signal Bs1 may include identification information for each lighting device L. The predetermined interval is, for example, 100 to 500 ms.

[0057] Next, in the lighting device L, the self-generating unit 45, upon receiving the first beacon signal Bs1, performs self-generation. For example, as shown in Figure 1, we will describe the case where a wireless tag Wt1 is placed near the lighting device L1 and a wireless tag Wtn is placed near the lighting device Ln. When the self-generating unit 45 of the wireless tag Wt1 receives the first beacon signal Bs1 from the lighting device L1, the self-generating unit 45 performs self-generation. When the control unit 42 of the lighting device L1 detects self-generation in the self-generating unit 45, such as by receiving power supply from the self-generating unit 45, it uses the power from the self-generating unit 45 to generate a wireless tag information signal Ws1, which includes the wireless tag information contained in the storage unit 43. Then, the control unit 42 transmits the wireless tag information signal Ws1 to the nearby lighting device L1 from the wireless communication unit 44 using the second protocol (second radio wave). Similarly, the wireless tag Wtn generates a wireless tag information signal Wsn and transmits the wireless tag information signal Wsn from the wireless communication unit 44 to the nearby lighting device Ln using the second protocol (second radio wave) (step S3).

[0058] Next, the multiple lighting devices L that have received the wireless tag information signals Ws1 to Wsn generate transfer data signals Ts1 to Tsn that include the wireless tag information contained in the wireless tag information signals Ws1 to Wsn and the identification information of their own devices. Then, using the first protocol (first radio wave), that is, via the first wireless communication network Cn1, they transfer the transfer data signals Ts1 to Tsn to the control device Ct (step S4).

[0059] Next, in step S5, the control device Ct sequentially receives the transfer data signals Ts1 to Tsn that have been transferred in the first wireless communication network Cn1. As a result, the control device Ct acquires the identification information of the lighting device L and the wireless tag information of the wireless tag Wt contained in each of the transfer data signals Ts1 to Tsn. Based on this acquisition, the control device Ct performs predetermined management processing. For example, it is estimated that the lighting device L and wireless tag Wt corresponding to the identification information and wireless tag information contained in a certain transfer data signal Ts are located close to each other. In the example shown in Figure 1, it is estimated that the wireless tag Wt1 is located near the lighting device L1, and the wireless tag Wtn is located near the lighting device Ln.

[0060] If multiple wireless tags Wt move over time, the positional relationship between multiple lighting devices L and multiple wireless tags Wt, i.e., the positional information of multiple wireless tags Wt, can be accumulated by repeating steps S2 to S5 described above. In the case of management system A1 equipped with a clock unit Ut, the time of multiple lighting devices L is synchronized by executing step S1. Then, in step S4, the lighting device L includes a timestamp in addition to identification information and wireless tag information in the transfer data signal Ts. As a result, the control device Ct can accumulate the positional information of multiple wireless tags Wt in a time series. The control device Ct may appropriately save this positional information to an external storage device Sd.

[0061] <First Embodiment, First Modification> Figures 7 and 8 show a first modified example of the management system A1. In this modified example, at least one of a plurality of wireless tags Wt is incorporated into the sensor device Es. The sensor device Es is a device that measures physical quantities related to the installed environment and transmits the measurement results wirelessly. Figure 7 is a block diagram of the sensor device Es. The sensor device Es in this embodiment comprises a measuring unit 41, a control unit 42, a storage unit 43, a wireless communication unit 44, and a self-power generation unit 45. That is, the sensor device Es incorporates a wireless tag Wt consisting of a control unit 42, a storage unit 43, a wireless communication unit 44, and a self-power generation unit 45. The specific configuration of the sensor device Es is not limited in any way.

[0062] The measurement unit 41 performs the function of measuring physical quantities related to the environment of the sensor device Es. The function of the measurement unit 41 is not particularly limited and can include various functions such as a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, illuminance sensor, motion sensor, airflow sensor, and carbon dioxide sensor. Furthermore, the measurement principle of the measurement unit 41 is not limited in any way and can employ various methods such as non-contact methods using optical or electromagnetic methods, contact methods, or methods that measure by monitoring the state of a specific part built into the measurement unit 41.

[0063] In this modified example, the control unit 42 performs the function of controlling the wireless tag Wt as described above, as well as controlling the display unit 31. The specific configuration of the control unit 42 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 43 stores information such as programs necessary for controlling the control unit 42 and setting conditions related to the measurement unit 41, and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example.

[0064] Next, the operation of this modified example will be explained below with reference to Figure 8.

[0065] For example, after performing steps S1 and S2 shown in Figure 6, step S3 shown in Figure 8 is performed. Here, the sensor device Esn is used as an example. In the sensor device Esn, when the self-power generation unit 45 receives the first beacon signal Bs1 and performs self-power generation, the control unit 42 generates a wireless tag information signal Wsn. This wireless tag information signal Wsn includes wireless tag information as well as measurement data from the measurement unit 41. The control unit 42 transmits the generated wireless tag information signal Wsn from the wireless communication unit 44 to the lighting device Ln using the second protocol (second radio wave). The lighting device Ln is, for example, the one closest to the sensor device Esn among a plurality of lighting devices L (relay units).

[0066] In step S4 of this modified example, the control unit 12 of the lighting device Ln, which has received the wireless tag information signal Wsn, generates a transfer data signal Tsn. This transfer data signal Tsn includes the wireless tag information and measurement data of the wireless tag Wtn contained in the wireless tag information signal Wsn, as well as the identification information and timestamp of the device itself. The control unit 12 of the lighting device Ln transfers the generated transfer data signal Tsn from the first wireless communication unit 141 to the control device Ct via the first wireless communication network Cn1.

[0067] In step S5, the control device Ct receives the transferred data signal Tsn. The control device Ct acquires, for example, that a sensor device Esn is located near the lighting device Ln, and the measurement data from the sensor device Esn. By providing multiple sensor devices Es, the control device Ct aggregates measurement data from sensor devices Es located near each of the multiple lighting devices L (relay units). It is possible to attach a timestamp to this measurement data. The control device Ct may appropriately save this measurement data to an external storage device Sd.

[0068] Furthermore, the specific configuration of the wireless tag Wt is not limited in any way. The management system A1 may contain multiple types of wireless tags Wt with various configurations, including wireless tags Wt embedded in personal belongings and wireless tags Wt embedded in sensor devices Es.

[0069] Next, we will explain the operation of the management system A1, the lighting device L, and the wireless tag Wt.

[0070] According to this embodiment, the series of operations by which the wireless tag Wt transmits the wireless tag information signal Ws are performed using power obtained by the self-generation of the self-generating unit 45. Therefore, there is no need to provide a battery or the like in the wireless tag Wt. Furthermore, the wireless tag information signal Ws from the wireless tag Wt is transmitted to the lighting device L, which acts as a relay unit, using a second radio wave. Therefore, there is no need to provide a dedicated reading device for reading the wireless tag information of the wireless tag Wt. By installing multiple relay units over a wide area, it is possible to transfer the wireless tag information signals Ws of wireless tags Wt located over a wider area to the control device Ct. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a battery in the wireless tag Wt, and the deployment range of the wireless tag Wt can be expanded.

[0071] The management system A1 of this embodiment includes lighting devices L that constitute a relay unit. Lighting devices L are fixtures that serve purposes such as illuminating an entire room, and are generally installed evenly over a wide area. Therefore, the wireless tag information signal Ws of the wireless tag Wt can be received over a wide area where multiple lighting devices L are installed.

[0072] When the wireless tag Wt is incorporated into a portable item, it can be attached to the user or mobile device without any problems. Furthermore, the configuration in which the self-generating unit 45 generates power is suitable for avoiding the portable item incorporating the wireless tag Wt becoming excessively large or heavy.

[0073] According to a modified example in which the wireless tag Wt is incorporated into the sensor device Es, measurement data from sensor devices Es, which are positioned over a wider area, can be efficiently acquired. Furthermore, there is no need to provide a battery in the sensor device Es, which is preferable for miniaturizing and reducing the weight of the sensor device Es.

[0074] <Second Embodiment> Figures 9 to 11 show a management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In these figures, elements that are the same as or similar to those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. The management system A2 of this embodiment differs from the above embodiment mainly in the configuration of the control device Ct, the relay unit (lighting device L), and the wireless tag Wt.

[0075] Figure 9 shows an example of the schematic layout of management system A2. Management system A2 is equipped with multiple lighting devices L (lighting devices L1 to L18) as multiple relay units. The multiple lighting devices L1 to L18 are arranged in a matrix on the ceiling of a room, for example, as shown in the figure.

[0076] Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the lighting device L of this embodiment. In this embodiment, the lighting device L is provided with a second beacon output unit 144 instead of the first beacon output unit 143 in the wireless communication module 14 of the lighting device L of the above-described embodiment.

[0077] The second beacon output unit 144 transmits the second beacon signal by wireless communication using a third radio wave different from the first and second radio waves. The communication frequency of the wireless communication using the third radio wave is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the specific protocol used to transmit the second beacon signal, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, or proprietary protocols. In addition, it is preferable to select a radio wave with higher power output than the first radio wave, or a radio wave that can reach a longer distance, as the third radio wave.

[0078] The second beacon signal is transmitted at predetermined intervals. The transmission interval of the beacon signal is set by, for example, a setting signal from the control device Ct, and is, for example, 100 to 500 ms. Power consumption can be reduced by increasing the output interval.

[0079] The second beacon signal transmitted by the second beacon output unit 144 may include the identification information of the lighting device L (lighting device ID). The second beacon signal may also include a timestamp. This identification information may be location information that directly indicates the location of the lighting device L, or it may be a MAC address or the like.

[0080] The self-generating unit 45 of the wireless tag Wt in this embodiment generates power by receiving a third radio wave. Such a self-generating unit 45 may be configured to generate power by receiving only the third radio wave, or it may also be configured to generate power by receiving the first radio wave. When the self-generating unit 45 generates power by receiving at least one of the first radio wave and the third radio wave, for example, the antenna unit (not shown) of the self-generating unit 45 may have one multi-purpose coil unit, or it may have a coil unit for the first radio wave and a coil unit for the third radio wave.

[0081] Next, the operation of management system A2 will be explained below, with reference to Figure 11.

[0082] First, the control device Ct executes step S11. In step S11, the control device Ct generates a setting signal Ds. The setting signal Ds includes information to individually set the ON / OFF status of the second beacon output unit 144 for multiple lighting devices L (relay units) (for example, identification information such as the luminaire ID and the ON / OFF information associated with the identification information). For example, in the example shown in Figure 9, a setting signal Ds is generated to set the second beacon output unit 144 of three lighting devices L, L1, L11, and L16, to ON, and to set the second beacon output unit 144 of the remaining lighting devices L to OFF. The second beacon signal is set to transmit radio waves with a stronger output than the first beacon signal described earlier, for example, radio waves of 10 dBm or more. Instead of outputting from all of the multiple lighting devices L, the system selects which lighting devices (in this example, lighting devices L1, L11, and L16) to output from depending on the usage environment. This effectively prevents interference between the two radio waves, even when a high-output radio wave is emitted as the second radio wave. Note that the combinations of lighting devices L set to ON and OFF in Figures 9 and 11 are just examples for illustrative purposes. Various combinations of lighting devices L set to ON and OFF are possible. Furthermore, there are no limitations on the number or arrangement of wireless tags Wt; the number and arrangement shown are for illustrative purposes only.

[0083] Next, as shown in Figure 11, the control device Ct transmits the setting signal Ds (step S12). The control device Ct transmits the setting signal Ds via the first wireless communication network Cn1.

[0084] One of the multiple lighting devices L (lighting device L1 in the figure) receives a setting signal Ds via the first wireless communication network Cn1. It then forwards the setting signal Ds to the other lighting devices L via the first wireless communication network Cn1 (step S13). As a result, all lighting devices L constituting the first wireless communication network Cn1 receive the setting signal Ds.

[0085] In the lighting device L, the first wireless communication unit 141 of the wireless communication module 14 receives the setting signal Ds. The control unit 12 refers to the ON / OFF information associated with the identification information of the device included in the setting signal Ds. If the ON / OFF information associated with the identification information of the device is ON, the control unit 12 of this lighting device L causes the second beacon output unit 144 of the wireless communication module 14 to transmit a second beacon signal Bs2 at predetermined intervals (step S14). In the example shown in Figure 11, lighting devices L1, L11, and L16 are performing step S14.

[0086] On the other hand, if the ON / OFF information associated with the identification information of the fixture is OFF, the control unit 12 of this lighting device L sets the second beacon output unit 144 of the wireless communication module 14 to OFF and stops transmitting the second beacon signal (step S15). In the example shown in Figure 11, lighting device L14 is executing step S14. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the control units 12 of multiple lighting devices L other than lighting devices L1, L11, and L16 also set the second beacon output unit 144 to OFF.

[0087] When a second beacon signal Bs2 is transmitted from each of the lighting devices L1, L11, and L16 at predetermined intervals, the self-generating unit 45 of the wireless tag Wt, upon receiving this second beacon signal Bs2, generates its own power. In the example shown in Figure 9, the wireless tag Wt is located at the indicated position, and upon receiving the second beacon signal Bs2 from the closest lighting device L16 among the lighting devices L1, L11, and L16, the self-generating unit 45 generates its own power.

[0088] When the control unit 42 of the lighting device L1 detects self-generation in the self-generation unit 45, it uses the power from the self-generation unit 45 to generate a wireless tag information signal Ws containing the wireless tag information stored in the storage unit 43. The control unit 42 then transmits the wireless tag information signal Ws to the nearest lighting device L from the wireless communication unit 44 using a second protocol (second radio wave). In the example shown in Figure 9, the wireless tag information signal Ws is transmitted to the lighting device L14 closest to the wireless tag Wt (step S16).

[0089] Upon receiving the wireless tag information signal Ws, the lighting device L14 generates a transfer data signal Ts that includes the wireless tag information contained in the wireless tag information signal Ws and the identification information of the device itself. Then, using the first protocol (first radio wave), that is, via the first wireless communication network Cn1, it transfers the transfer data signal Ts to the control device Ct (step S17).

[0090] Next, in step S18, the control device Ct receives the transfer data signal Ts transmitted in the first wireless communication network Cn1. As a result, the control device Ct acquires the identification information of the lighting device L14 and the wireless tag information of the wireless tag Wt contained in the transfer data signal Ts. Upon acquisition, the control device Ct performs predetermined management processing.

[0091] This embodiment also eliminates the need for a battery in the wireless tag Wt and expands the deployment range of the wireless tag Wt. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second beacon signal Bs2 is transmitted using a third radio wave different from the first radio wave. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the degradation of the communication quality of the first wireless communication network Cn1 by transmitting the second beacon signal Bs2. In addition, it is possible to reduce the impact on the first wireless communication network Cn1 when the transmission frequency of the second beacon signal Bs2 is increased. Moreover, by appropriately selecting the third radio wave, it is possible to have the second beacon signal Bs2 received by wireless tags Wt located at a greater distance, and wireless tags Wt can be deployed over a wider area.

[0092] The management system, lighting device, and wireless tag according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. The specific configurations of each part of the management system, lighting device, and wireless tag according to the present invention can be modified in various ways. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] A1, A2: Management System L,L1,L2,L3,L4,L5,L6,L7,L8,L9,L10,L11,L12,L13,L14,L15,L16,L17,L18,Ln: Lighting equipment Wt, Wt1, Wtn: Wireless tags Es, Esn: Sensor device Es 11: Light source part 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 34: Wireless Communication Department 35: Power supply section 41: Measuring part 42: Control Unit 43: Storage section 44: Wireless Communication Department 45: Self-generating power unit 141: First Radio Communication Unit 142: 2nd Radio Communication Section 143: First beacon output unit 144: Second beacon output unit Bs1: First beacon signal Bs2: Second beacon signal Cn1: First Wireless Communication Network Ct: Control device Ds: Setting signal Md: Mobile device S1, S11, S12, S13, S14, S15, S16, S17, S18, S2, S3, S4, S5: Step Sd: External storage device Ts, Ts1, Tsn: Transfer data signals Ut: Clock unit Ws, Ws1, Wsn: Wireless tag information signals

Claims

1. Control device and Multiple relay units, A management system comprising multiple wireless tags, The control device and the relay unit constitute a first wireless communication network using the first radio wave. The wireless tag communicates wirelessly with the relay unit via a second wireless radio wave, which is different from the first wireless radio wave. The plurality of relay units each have a second beacon output unit that outputs a second beacon signal using a third radio wave different from the first radio wave and the second radio wave. The aforementioned wireless tag is It has a wireless communication unit, a control unit, a memory unit, and a self-power generation unit, When the self-generating unit generates power by receiving the third radio wave, the power supplied from the self-generating unit transmits the unique radio tag information stored in the memory unit to the relay unit via the second radio wave from the wireless communication unit. A management system comprising: the relay unit that receives the wireless tag information transfers the wireless tag information to the control device via the first wireless communication network.

2. The relay unit is a lighting device, Furthermore, the lighting device is Light source section, The system comprises a lighting device side control unit that controls the light source unit, The lighting device is switched between a state in which it outputs the second beacon signal using the third radio wave and a state in which it does not output the second beacon signal, and one or more of the multiple lighting devices are set to the state in which they output the second beacon signal. When the wireless tag generates power by receiving the third wireless radio wave, it transmits the wireless tag information from the wireless communication unit to the lighting device via the second radio wave using the power supplied from the self-generating unit. The management system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device that has received the wireless tag information transfers the wireless tag information to the control device via the first wireless communication network.

3. The third radio wave has a higher output than the first radio wave. The management system according to claim 1.

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